the picture makes it appear slightly larger than what it actually is. the gray poles have an almost metallic look in the picture, but they definitely are simple plastic and almost look like a child's toy when you see them upfront.  The fact that the poles are hollow plastic does make the unit very lightweight, however, and easy to move after you add some pads to the bottoms.  You have to put in some considerable muscle to really tighten the poles together, and then it makes for a pretty sturdy unit.