Does what attach firmly? The plate does yes.
This is the 6th of these I've bought because I have to use infra-red camcorders in the course of my bat survey work and these tripods are perfect for mounting them on. Lightweight, easy to use, sturdy and good-value. I've never needed to use an extra weight on the hook but I haven't tried them when it's very windy. They're not great for bird-watching because the action of the head isn't really smooth enough, but I'd expect to pay a lot more for a decent tripod for bird watching. It's fine for what I need it for. On a couple of them the clips securing the leg positions were quite stiff, but the others have been fine.