Bipod, bipods, and more bipods. Mini review

[Baron85]

So I found my self with quite a stash of bipods recently and decided to do a little mini review with hopes it might help others and to give back a little for all the help and knowledge that has been shared by others here.

First, a big thanks for cattleman99 for letting me hold his evolution bipod ransom to help with this review.

Few disclaimers. I'm not an expert just love to shoot. None of this review is scientific or exact just some measurements with a tape, weight on a kitchen scale, and my thoughts and opinions. Take all of it with a grain of salt.

Explanation of measurements.

Slack front to back I used a tape measure and pushed rifle forward and back with butt sitting on ground with legs retracted and extended. Obviously the taller the bipod the less the slack measured due to the angle and would have been better keeping rifle horizontal but oh well.

Panning slack

I measured the amount of twist, or pan I could get with just the slack in the legs. Same as front to back slack, I measured with butt of rifle on ground and measured how much it moved so de to side.

First some pictures. Left to right, Harris with podlock and qd clamp, atlas cal, evolution bipod, ckye, and Sako trg

 

[Baron85]

Harris
Weight 1 pound 4.5 ounces
Folded length 9 1/4"
Folded thickness 2.5"
Folded width 3 1/4"

Height 6 1/2"-9"
6 height settings
Foot width 7 1/2"-10 1/4"
Slack front to back 1/4" - 1/2"
Panning slack 1" - 1 1/2"

Likes

Fast leg deployment
Perfect can't adjustment , not too fine or too course in adjustment and it stays where you set it.
Value/cost if you don't modify and upgrade it.

Dislikes

Spring loaded legs
Very stiff, not much play in legs
Legs can collapse when trying to pan or adjust.
Narrow footprint feels less stable

 

[Baron85]

Atlas cal

Weight 13 1/4 oz
Folded legnth 8 1/4"
Folded thickness 1 1/2"
Folded width 3 3/4"

Height 6 1/4" - 9"
5 height settings
Foot width 9 1/4" - 12 3/4"
Front to back slack 3/8" - 3/4"
Pan slack 1 3/4" - 3"

Likes

Light weight
Legs don't rotate
Feels low and stable
Legs fold 45 and 90* in both directions

Dislikes

Can't not as smooth as others in review
Can't adjustment feels courser than Harris, little movement makes big adjustment.
Can't adjustment seems to work loose

Disclaimer, I just received this bipod yesterday and is practically brand new. I'm sure it will loosen up and smooth out. I have yet to shoot with this bipod.

 

[Baron85]

Evolution bipod

Weight 1# pound 3 ounces with spike feet
Folded legnth 10 1/2"
Folded thickness 2"
Folded width 3 3/4"

Height 8" - 10 1/2"
7 height adjustments
Foot width 11 1/4" - 14 1/2"
Front to back slack 3/4" - 1 1/2"
Pan slop 5" - 6 1/2"

Cool features on this bipod. Legs are QD and can be swapped for different legnth up to sitting height, they also have a tripod adapter that pops onto the socket for the legs.

Likes

Legs don't rotate
Quite a bit of slop in the legs allowing panning and I like the feel when loading.
Has panning head and non panning head available
45* and 90* legs in both directions
Legs don't rotate once poked into the detents

Dislikes

Legs rotate until locked into detents. There are 4 detents that the leg locks into preventing rolling but legs will roll up to 90* until they lock.
Legs are spring loaded
Leg extension release must be pulled upwards which for me is awkward and usually requires 2 hands to make adjustments.
Can't adjustment is too course like the atlas and can work loose.

 

[Baron85]

Ckye

Weight 1 pound 5 1/2 ounces
Folded legnth 12 1/4"
Folded thickness 2 1/2"
Folded width 2 1/2"

Height 5 1/2" - 14 3/4"
8 height settings
Foot width 6 3/4" - 27"
Front to back slop 3/4" - 1 1/4"
Pan slop 3" - 3 1/2"

Likes

Love that the legs extend by just pulling, no buttons or levers.
Like that it comes with spiked feet
Like the built in barricade stop
Love how adjustable it is, not sure how much all the adjustment will help in the real world.
Like the button release for the piccatiny rail allowing it to be slid on rail forward and back.
Like that the panning feature can me adjusted pretty much out.
Really good tension adjustment for cant. Uses set screw instead of Knox or lever and I love it, nothing to bump or stick out and seems to hold the setting.

Dislikes

It hangs down off the rifle quite a bit
Cost
Friction fit on some of my piccatiny rails

I just received this bipod today so don't have any shooting yet. So far seems like a really nice bipod with tons of adjustment

 

[Baron85]

And last but not least, my reigning favorite,

Factory TRG bipod

Weight 1 pound 7 1/2 ounces
Folded legnth 11"
Folded thickness 2"
Folded width
5 1/4" at feet 3" at legs

Height 4 1/2" - 8"
7 height settings
Foot width 12" - 1 1/2"
Front to back slop 3/4" - 1 1/4"
Pan slop 2 1/2" - 3 1/2"

Likes

Very low, wide stable bipod
Alex of legs is above the barrel making the barrel hang in the center of the triangle = very stable
Legs reply by pulling out and down, no buttons or levers and not spring loaded
Wide feet that float in soft material but also have claws that bite when needed

Dislikes

Only fits in spigot mounts
Wish it had some cant tension

I think this is still my favorite bipod but willl test it side by side with the new ckye and atlas cal bipods and see how they do in the real world.

Please let me know if you have any questions or input to share.

 

[PBWalsh]

I’d like to know the stability of the Ckye Pod when the legs are spread to their full extent. Looks very stable with its wide footprint. How does it compare to a Harris/Atlas?

 

[doctordoctor]

So your go to bipod is which one? Id like to read your conclusion

 

[GBMaryland]

The slop in the TRG bipod has always annoyed me. At one point someone had put rubber washers in the mechanism and that made a big difference.

I recently picked up a Pheonix Over the Top Bipod, and I was suprised how nice it is on an AR platform.

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2016/01/innovative-over-the-top-phoenix-bipod-reviewed/

After that, I’ve got one of the (not related) Pheonix tripod, and the Atlas Bipods - Especially the BT35.

 

[SLG]

I have an RPS bipod that is a version of the TRG. It is my favorite bipod to shoot off of. Fast to deploy, smooth action, has a pod loc type lever to remove most of the cant. Pricy, but seems to be as good as the TRG, without the downsides. Unless you count the spigot mount as a downside. It is annoying in some ways, but on guns that can take a spigot well, it is an elegant solution. My AI, Blaser and Tikka/Bravo all work well with it.

eta: I thought the CAL would basically act the same way, but be pic rail mounted and lighter. Not really. It is stable, but as you noted, very stiff to move around, and not very user friendly when behind the gun and you need to make adjustments. It is light and cheap though, and handles recoil well.

 

[Baron85]

My current favorite is still my trg bipod. I personally like the slop. My only complaint with it is I wish it had some tension on the cant.

I have yet to shoot with the atlas cal and ckye bipods but hoping to get out next weekend and give them a try. Playing at the house and dry firing the atlas and ckye both feel very stable, but I think the trg still feels more stable. I think it has to do with the fact that the leg apes on the trg is above the barrel where all the others the apex is below the barrel. The tension on the cant with the atlas and ckye does seem to help the stability. Can't wait to try them side by side.

 

[ballistic1]

The Ckye bipod's pic rail attachment is less than stellar. They should have used
a true QD attachment, like Atlas does with ADM qd lever mounts.

The Ckye pic mount is inferior, because it:

Only allows tbe user to mount a pic rail by sliding it on the end of a pic rail.
So this means that the Ckye will only mount pic rails that sit proud of the
stock/ chassis.

The Ckye cannot be installed on Kmw Sentinel, for example, because the pic rail
for the bipod sits in a recessed inlet.

My solution for this was to buy ADM QD lever pic mount and affix it to the Ckye,
effectively converting it into a true QD bipod.

But.. that being said, for the price tag that comes on the Ckye, it should come true
QD ready... not needing another $100 upgrade to make it so.

 

[Baron85]

I agree with the ckye mount. The idea is cool if you have a full legnth rail and can adjust the bipod for different stages, like a barrel or something. The way I look at the ckye bipod is, it's a games bipod, it's not the bipod I'm going to take hunting (atlas for sure) so with that in mind I think the idea behind being able to slide it around make sense. I'm planning on purchasing the arcs head since I will be upgrading to a full arcs rail on my comp rifle.

 

[Renomd]

Thx for the review I really want to try the cyke pod but other dislikes i see are the 1 yr warranty which is not so desirable. Atlas has a lifetime warranty. Too bad cyke pod can’t be sold through brownells Bc that will carry. A lifetime warranty

I’m glad you guys gave input on the cyke makes me rethink

 

[jsimonh]

I've decided I want to try something other than the Harris I've been using, which is setup pretty much identical to the one here. The 3 I like best are the CAL from Atlas, the Evolution, and the Cyke. So this thread has all my bases covered, just wondering if you have any updated feelings or experience with them.

 

[Rasyad]

On the Cyke-Pod. I bought both the Picatinny and Arca Swiss Heads so I could see which I liked better. For my application the push button Picatinny Heads is perfect . I used the KAC 5 slot rail which has a lead in ramp for very easy, no look, one hand attach and detach. If I ever get a bolt action rifle I would think about a full length Arca Swiss rail and then the Arca Swiss head would make perfect sense.

Rasyad

 

[flyer]

I got my Cyke Pod yesterday and I'm anxious to use it.

I got both mounts also, I think I'll be using the Arca mostly. Unless you foul your smooth forend with a full length Picatinny rail, you can't really use the barrier stop with the Picatinny clamp. The Arca can't lock on the rail so it's not perfect either.

I have an idea to improve it but I'm not sure it's feasible yet.

Otherwise, it looks great. I love how wide the legs can go and the cant and pan drag seem good. There is some play between the legs and the pivot locks so the legs wobble if not loaded. I'm going to have to figure out how it likes to be loaded but I think that should be pretty easy.

If I can splay the legs out wide, I don't think I'll ever have to worry about a rifle falling over on the bipod because the cant drag is quite stiff and it is held quite low.

 

[Jory45acp]

Avoid the newer MAgpul Bipod, it's flimsy way more than expected. I got it and was bitterly disappointed. I expected higher quality from them but they can't all be winners. I sent mine back.

 

[jsimonh]

Can the PAN on the Cyke be locked out?

 

[Bkultra]

Yes the tension is set with an Allen key

 

[jsimonh]

Yes the tension is set with an Allen key

Thanks. I new it was adjustable that way, just wanted to know if it could be locked out.

 

[Bkultra]

If you fully tighten, it is essentially locked

 

[Jeffd]

I’d like to know the stability of the Ckye Pod when the legs are spread to their full extent. Looks very stable with its wide footprint. How does it compare to a Harris/Atlas?

No comparison - Hands down it is better. You have to try one. Amazing!

 

[Jeffd]

I got my Cyke Pod yesterday and I'm anxious to use it.

I got both mounts also, I think I'll be using the Arca mostly. Unless you foul your smooth forend with a full length Picatinny rail, you can't really use the barrier stop with the Picatinny clamp. The Arca can't lock on the rail so it's not perfect either.

I have an idea to improve it but I'm not sure it's feasible yet.

Otherwise, it looks great. I love how wide the legs can go and the cant and pan drag seem good. There is some play between the legs and the pivot locks so the legs wobble if not loaded. I'm going to have to figure out how it likes to be loaded but I think that should be pretty easy.

If I can splay the legs out wide, I don't think I'll ever have to worry about a rifle falling over on the bipod because the cant drag is quite stiff and it is held quite low.

They load great, just a little different than an Atlas etc.

 

[jsimonh]

I've watched the video on the ckye pod several times but I've got a question regarding pulling the legs down. In the video he pulls them to max and then slides them all the way back up. How do they stay in place if you only pull them halfway down? Does it take effort to pull them down?

 

[Bkultra]

They lock at several different heights (notches). You can simply pull the legs down to make it taller, very easy and no button to hit... There is a lock you must press to shorten them.

 

[Jeffd]

They lock at several different heights (notches). You can simply pull the legs down to make it taller, very easy and no button to hit... There is a lock you must press to shorten them.

Very easy to use!

 

[Jeffd]

The Ckye bipod's pic rail attachment is less than stellar. They should have used
a true QD attachment, like Atlas does with ADM qd lever mounts.

The Ckye pic mount is inferior, because it:

Only allows tbe user to mount a pic rail by sliding it on the end of a pic rail.
So this means that the Ckye will only mount pic rails that sit proud of the
stock/ chassis.

The Ckye cannot be installed on Kmw Sentinel, for example, because the pic rail
for the bipod sits in a recessed inlet.

My solution for this was to buy ADM QD lever pic mount and affix it to the Ckye,
effectively converting it into a true QD bipod.

But.. that being said, for the price tag that comes on the Ckye, it should come true
QD ready... not needing another $100 upgrade to make it so.

Agree!

 

[jsimonh]

They lock at several different heights (notches). You can simply pull the legs down to make it taller, very easy and no button to hit... There is a lock you must press to shorten them.

Yep, got that. What keeps them from extending when set to say the second notch and the rifle is picked up? Is there a pretty good amount of spring tension to not let them just slide out on there own? Sorry for the dumbass questions, but I'd like to know before I drop 5 bills on a bipod.

 

[Jeffd]

Yep, got that. What keeps them from extending when set to say the second notch and the rifle is picked up? Is there a pretty good amount of spring tension to not let them just slide out on there own? Sorry for the dumbass questions, but I'd like to know before I drop 5 bills on a bipod.

Yes the spring tension hold them in place. If it helps, I have 8 of them in PIC and ARCA styles. One of the best out the right along with LRA IMHO.

 

[Barryd]

Nice informative review.

Thanks for taking the time...

 

[flyer]

There is enough tension to keep the legs from extending unintentionally but it doesn't take much.

It does not cause me any concern.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

I watched a guy run a stage this weekend with the CKye and it was impressive.
We shot off of farm implement tires and the rifle had to touch the painted spots on the tires. He could stretch that bipod all the way across the tire (where the rim would sit normally) and shoot prone instead of balancing on just one of the sidewalls.

I could see how this bipod would be a huge benefit in positional shooting, but they aren't cheap and unless you're running an a
ARCA rail or an Ingenuity rail, like he was, there may not be enough adjustment.

 

[Rover31]

Can anyone here compare a Ckye vs an Atlas 5H.
I really like having the apex of the bipod above the barrel such as the Atlas 5H or Elite Iron.
But the variation the Ckye offers is very tempting.
How is it for stability compared to the bipods that have the apex above the barrel?
Thanks