So, here’s my take on it after about 6mo if competition and several thousand rounds with arca and ingenuity rails.
If you have a stock or chassis such as manners or j Allen the ingenuity rail mounts flush to, I prefer ingenuity for the speed and peace of mind the bipod can’t fall off by accident like an arca rail can.
If it’s something like an AI, I’d look at an arca system that is wider. The ingenuity doesn’t mount flush and isn’t as wide as the chassis forearm. When the ingenuity arca rail add on releases, this might change.
This opinion is based solely on bipod movement speed and retention as well as having a wide flat bottom for most shooting situations.
As for the barricade stops on ingenuity(or any of them for that matter):
I thought they were cool as shit at first and loved clamping them to barricades and cattle gates.
As I have gotten(and continue to learn) better, I’ve all but stopped using them and just use a bag or the rifle forearm.
I think the barricade stops will help the beginner have impact numbers go up to the intermediate level, but once the shooters skill level gets to intermediate or better, the barricade stops start hitting a big diminishing return wall. In many cases you will be faster on PRS barricade just using a bag or skid plate.
Also, using stops on a stage can pigeon hole you or at least really throw a wrench in your plan.
Example:
I was shooting a match at a ranch I’ve shot before. The last match when it came to PRS barricade I used my stops and cleaned the stage in 50s or so. The target was directly in front of the barricade at 400 or whatever range at about 12 o’clock.
This time there was quite a bit of rain in the fields and the normal target was covered by water. So we had to use a target that was at 2 o’clock(guessing, as I don’t remember exactly, it was to the right).
I went to the barricade with no bag and threw the rifle up there, locked it in, and didn’t have enough range of motion to get good sight picture without jamming my shoulder and pulling the rifle extremely hard to the left to move the muzzle right. I barely finished the stage in the 1:45 we had.
Had I just used a bag, I could have adapted quicker to the then changed environment.
So, to reiterate, if you can mount flush and don’t mind the extra cash, go ingenuity for the bipod speed. And you’ll have the stops for the rare instances you need them.
Non flush, go arca.
And if you go arca regardless, you ain’t losing much. Just don’t let your bipod fall off.