Hey Mitch -- same problems here with that damn plastic cap, and without it I get nervous about chewing up stands, chairs, railings, etc. I picked up a Super Clamp last month, only I haven't used it yet since it's been an awfully dry spell around here for good shows. I'll be running it with either an 18" gooseneck I picked up at my local musicians store and/or a custom 2'-6' extension from APIC.
This clamp is *solid*. Pretty big, pretty heavy, but seems super heavy duty. Can't wait to try it out. I'm sure others will chime in here who've used them a fair amount.