Both bases provide excellent stability for the angled flag banner. The square base is solid, thicker sheet of metal with a peg that the flag is secured to. The base itself weighs 21 lbs, providing unmatched stability when displaying the banner outdoors. The base sits flat on the ground, making it less likely to be tripped over or ran into. The square base is not designed for portability, nor does it fit into the optional carrying case. We recommend keeping this base at a permanent location. The cross base is designed with 4 foldable legs, making it the ideal travel base. This base fits in the optional carrying case and only weighs 6.4 lbs. The weight provides stability for the banner on the ground without inhibiting its portability. This makes it the ideal base for use at trade shows and conventions. In addition to the cross base, you can place the optional water bag weight, which will add an extra 16 lbs to the base to improve its stability outdoors. The cross base does have a larger footprint than the square base, which will increase the risk of it being a tripping hazard (we recommend placing it out of and away from footpaths.). But this minor drawback is easily offset by the portability of the cross base in most cases.