BOGgear LLC
110 N. Milam #149
Fredericksburg, Tx 78624
Toll Free: 1-877-BOG-PODS (264-7637)
Direct: (830) 990-2500
Fax: (830) 990-1294
info@BOGgear.com
http://www.boggear.com/index.html


So, just what is a “BOG-POD” and why should I have one? I really try to stay out of bogs if at all possible. In my experience they’ve been wet, gooey places that suck at your feet as you try to walk through them. Okay, so I am willing to wade through a bog if that’s where I need to be to get a few shots at some ducks or maybe if I have to wade through one to get to a spot where some turkeys are roosting but other than that…

All of the about has absolutely nothing to do with the BOG-POD products and in particular with 2 brand new products from BOGgear, the “Camo Legged Devil” (CLD) tri-pod and the “Xtreme Shooting Rest” (XSR) that mounts on it.

Over the years I’ve tried a number of shooting sticks, mono-pods, bi-pods and tri-pods as shooting aids with rifles, shotguns and even handguns. The idea of course is provide a steady shooting rest for your firearm. Big game hunters have used these for years but they’ve been a bit slower to catch on for many other shooters. These new BOG-POD products may help to change that.

A little description is in order. The CLD weighs in at a little over 2 lbs., has its own carry bag and is of course, camoed. It can be used from heights of 22” to 68” and each increment is clearly marked so you’re not guessing how high each leg is. Each leg is also equipped with and “all terrain foot system” that allows it to be used on any surface. Atop this came the “Universal Shooting Rest” (USR).  The USR is rubber coated, swivels 360 degrees and easily supports most long guns for shooting.

The XSR replaces the universal shooting rest very easily and instantly becomes a “bench rest in the field”. When mounted on the tri-pod it provides a stable platform that can be used very much like a bench rest to sight in your favorite long gun. Of special interest to the many hunters who now use a blind for deer or turkey hunting, the XSR provides a very easy way to stabilize your firearm and yet allow you to quickly and quietly rotate it up to 360 degrees.

These 2 new products were introduced at the 2010 SHOT Show in Las Vegas in January. They both created a lot of interest and I wanted to give them a real test both in the field and at my range in Southern Illinois.

I’ve had a number of new shooting products to test over the last 4 months. They included a number of new shotshell products, several new shotgun choke tubes, new types of sights, and even a new adjustable sear system for the Remington 870 shotgun. All of these required a good bit of shooting and a stable platform is always desirable.

My range is equipped with a permanent shooting bench but it’s always nice to be able to move to different distances and shoot from different angles. That’s where the CLD came in very handy for me.

I was able to move to any distance from 50 yards to 20 yards very easily and still retain a stable shooting base. I could move from right to left and shoot some of the new home defense loads at different angles very easily and with a bare minimum of set-up time. Using the telescoping legs of the CLD, I was able to keep everything stable, level and prevent any barrel cant.

I actually found myself using the CLD and the Xtreme Shooting Rest, rather than the bench many times just because it was easier to adjust it to the conditions I needed at the time.

I understand that most folks do not always have a permanent shooting bench available. This platform provides a great alternative with no real downside and unlike a bench, it is totally portable.

So, how does  it work in the field? There is  only one way that I know to find out, take it hunting. The CLD comes with a great nylon carry bag* with a convenient shoulder strap. I however chose to just slip mine in the back of my turkey vest. It’s very light and once it was there, I did not even feel its weight.

I don’t hunt from a blind and am many times a “run and gun” turkey hunter. I wanted to see how the CLD would work for me under these circumstances. Once a turkey had been located, it was pretty easy and quick to set-up and have my shotgun in the rest. I was able to easily rotate it as needed or for that matter, easily remove it if necessary. It was quite, camoed, worked “as advertised” and even for a run and gun hunter, did not add appreciably to what I routinely carry to the woods.

It also occurred to me how handy this item would be for varmint hunters. It’s light, very portable, almost infinitely adjustable and stable. The camo color would also lend itself well to this sport.

I was very pleased overall with the performance of both the Camo Legged Devil and the Xtreme Shooting Rest from BOGgear and would recommend either or both of them to anyone looking for a stable shooting platform that is also very light and portable.

You can read more about these products by visiting http://www.boggear.com and you can read more “Product Tests” at http://www.allaboutshooting.com

*A camo carry bag would be a great addition to the CLD line.