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Manufacturing & BETA Testing the Bipod

adminHunting Bipod, Protoype Testing

It’s been a few months since we have updated anything on our website, but if you are signed up for our emails you have been keeping up with the changes we have made & the direction we are headed.  If you haven’t feel free to watch both these videos below as they will explain our changes in business structure, manufacturing & the new BETA testing program.

Oh yeah, sign-up for our email list so you do NOT miss out on important updates:  Rok-Stedi Hunting Gear Email Updates

P242 Prototype Hunting Bipod

adminHunting Bipod, New Hunting Gear, Protoype Testing

It seems like the updates come way too slow, but last week I was able to get my hands on the P242 Hunting Bipod Prototype.  This is the 4th prototype I have had my hands & it was definitely the most exciting prototype to test.

I will cut to the reality, we are 90% done with this hunting bipod build!   Yeah, this design is freaking killer & it’s finally something I am excited about.  Right now we are upgrading some pieces of the prototype to make it stronger & more durable, but we can finally see the finish line!

We do not have the pricing available, but the Pre-Order customers will get the best pricing on our products.

First Video of testing the Bipod

adminHunting Bipod, New Hunting Gear, Protoype Testing

I know we haven’t put out an update on the bipod in quiet some time, in fact we are definitely behind schedule but I want to reassure you we are making progress.  Here is some proof; a short edited video clip of me testing a prototype version of the bipod on a typical western coyote calling stand.

Recently, I was able to let a client use the bipod for 2 days while I guided him on a predator hunt.  It was interesting to see someone else use the prototype bipod you started from just an idea; I was super proud but also making mental notes.  After a weekend of letting someone else use the bipod I had a short list of design & function changes that I sent to the engineer.   He’s already working on the CAD drawings & we will be building another prototype based on these changes.

Being honest, I was a bit naive as to how long the process of getting to a finished bipod would take.  I am not going to settle for a bipod (or any other product) that doesn’t live up to my own needs & expectations.  My goal is for us to make the absolute best all around hunting bipod for guys like me (a western big game & predator hunter).  We will keep updating you through the process & I am extremely driven to get this thing to market by this summer!!!  #getRokStedi  

Make sure you sign up for our E-Newsletter!  

Why?  Because you will get the best introductory prices & product information as we start to roll this information out!   

Deploying the Rok-Stedi BIpod

3rd Bipod Prototype Update

adminHunting Bipod, New Hunting Gear, Protoype Testing

I was hoping to do these updates via Youtube, IGTV & Facebook video, but because of my schedule I am restricted to blogging/social media posts about the process of building the bipod.  With that said, I wanted to make sure I share this process because I believe in what we are doing.  I also want you guys to know that these are quality products that are built for you.

Sitting Side Slope
Sitting side slope testing the 3rd prototype bipod.

I just had my hands on the 3rd bipod prototype (2nd working prototype) for about 13 days.  We had to redesign the horizontal functions of the bipod, which took longer than we expected but it was worth it!  Jolly Innovations got the horizontal & vertical functions of the bipod working unreal with this new design.  These functions, especially the horizontal functions, were the biggest hold up in the process because of the extreme ranges I wanted the bipod to have.

Side slope siting deployment
Sitting side slope is a position where many bipods fall short.

This bipod prototype was the first one with leg extensions which was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to create a hunting bipod.  Sitting on side slopes during hunting situations are a very common shooting scenario.   In order for me to sit in a side slope position a bipod must put my rifle bore 25-42″ from the ground.  These heights will vary based on the shooters height & the angle of the slope. 

Uphill Prone Shots
Uphill prone shots are where most prone bipods fall short.
Prone wide profile
The bipod in a wide profile prone position.

I just sent the prototype back to Jolly Innovations with some notes & adjustments to be made.  Josh is going to make these changes & adjustments then send the bipod back to me.  Hopefully by the middle of next month I will be able to get my hands on it again.  I will then test it for a few weeks & then we will make adjustments if necessary.

What I have found through this whole process is that it takes time to get things from an idea to an actual working product.  Ideas are crap; doing the work is what matters!

 

Working Prototype Bipod Testing

adminNew Hunting Gear, Protoype Testing

To get to the working prototype phase has been a long time consuming process. At times you feel like you are just spinning your wheels but once we got the proof of concept prototype done I felt we had something tangible, although it was very raw.

Josh, owner of Jolly Innovations, & I have had multiple phone conversations since the proof of concept prototype was in my hands & I felt like we just needed some tweaks but really we needed a complete re-design. Josh went back to some original concepts I had written down from the very beginning of this entire process. He sent me some screen shots of the re-design & I was honestly skeptical because I felt like we were going backwards, but this entire process isn’t about my feelings; it’s about building the best hunting bipod.

Several weeks went by & Josh messaged me with images of the finished working prototype based on the re-design. From the pictures it looked badass, but then again so did the intial proof of concept images. A few days later Josh & I met up in the little town of Congress, AZ. It was my first time physically touching the working prototype & I knew instantly we had made HUGE progress!

After our meet up, I took the working prototype out into the field for some real testing. You see, Josh is the engineer & machinist that bridges the gap for me in this process, but I am the hunter/guide that wants this bipod to function in ways that the industry has failed to bring to market. It’s a fun relationship & we both have the same goal; it’s just we are trying to get there from opposite directions.

We are getting so close to the bipod being finished but this is the phase that you have to slow down. Paying attention to the details & making incremental adjustments are very annoying, but they are critical. Rok-Stedi Hunting Gear is about building quality functional light weight hunting gear & this bipod will obviously set the tone for that.

Yes, we are a little behind schedule, but when we release this bipod it will be the best hunting bipod on the market.

–Craig Steele

Building a hunting bipod

adminNew Hunting Gear

Over the past several years I found myself in a unique position of guiding both big game & predator hunts. Interacting with 40+ clients each year generally leads to a hunting gear discussion prior to every hunt.

What clothes should I wear?

What caliber of rifle?

How much ammo?

etc…

Many of the answers to their gear questions typically had several quality options, except when it came to what rifle bipod they should get? This conversation always was a long winded answer that NEVER seemed satisfactory.

I hunt both big game & predators, which influences how I look at products when I am buying them or recommend them. So, when it came to a hunting bipod I kept waiting for one to hit the market that would allow me & my clients to sit side slope & get to the prone position quickly. I wanted the bipod to be light weight, detachable, durable & quiet; but it had to do all of this without sacrificing it’s stability.

After waiting years & just being frustrated with what came to the market, I finally decided to start the process of creating one for myself…

Initial overall concept drawing February 2018

We successfully designed & built a proof of concept prototype in March. Having an actually real version of a product you desperately want to create was a huge hurdle to jump over, even if it was a basic version. We are currently creating the working prototypes & we are expecting them to be finished by the first of June.

Thanks for reading!

Craig Steele