Carbon Fibre Bipod - Buyers guide
If you’re going through your pack and looking at areas to cut weight, swapping out a heavier bipod for a lightweight option can make a solid difference. When checking out lightweight bipod options you’re sure to get bombarded with claims of certain styles and materials being the ultimate construction, however the industry-leading manufacturers are all conforming towards opting in for carbon fiber with their builds. Being a lightweight yet extremely durable material, carbon fiber is a logical option for many bipod manufacturers, but how do you know which ones are worth their while?
In this short breakdown, we take a look at some critical features that any hunter should consider when selecting their next carbon fiber bipod.
NOT ALL CARBON FIBER IS BUILT EQUAL
There can be some pretty serious variance in the quality of carbon fiber, and unfortunately since essentially every bipod manufacturer doesn’t list their supplier for the carbon fiber, you need to trust that brand you’re buying from and their quality control with their supplier.
Carbon fiber that has warps, ridges, indentations, or misaligned fiber orientation points to poorer quality. You’re likely not going to take much of a hit on weight when dealing with lower-quality carbon fiber, but it’s going to make a noticeable difference when it comes to durability, which can lead to a shorter lifespan of your bipod when using it in gritty conditions.
DON'T NEGLECT ESSENTIAL FEATURES
With all the weight-cutting benefits of carbon fiber, it’s easy to get tunnel vision when picking out your next bipod. However, it’s important to check that the bipod you have your heart set on actually includes all the features you require for an optimal shooting experience.
Are the pivoting and panning functions suitable? How is the clearance? Do the legs adjust? How about the angle of adjustment? These are all good questions to ask, and each of you are going to have different requirements based on where and what you typically hunt.
TOTAL BUILD QUALITY, NOT JUST MATERIALS
The title of this one says it all really. Using quality materials is a key factor to a quality bipod, but you’ve got to be sure that the manufacturer has put the time and effort into creating a well-designed product when making your purchase decision. The best way around this situation is by having trust in the brand that you’re buying from.
What are their reviews like? Do they have a good name in the hunting community? Are their bipods being churned out in a factory with poor quality control? Usually, you can answer all these questions with a quick glance at the brand's social media channels like Facebook or Instagram. It’s easy to get a genuine feel for the quality of the brand's products and see what like-minded hunters reckon!
SIMPLE IS BETTER
Springs, levers, and janky pieces can get hooked onto brush, caught on clothing, or simply be prone to damage. Opting for a simple design that’s compact and well thought-out means you’re just reducing the number of things that can go wrong, and that’s always a plus when dealing with expensive kit! A simple design also typically leads to a simple set-up process, meaning when you need to get on target in a hurry you’ve got that ability.
Hopefully now you’ve got a better idea of what to look for when weighing up the pros and cons of different carbon fiber bipods. It’s hard to pass up this opportunity for shameless self-promotion, so go check out our range of over-engineered, lightweight carbon bipods. We’re pretty bloody proud of the bipods we release to the market, and all being keen hunters ourselves, each bipod is really built with the end user in mind.