As I’ve become more experienced (read: grown up), I’ve adhered more closely to the K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, stupid) way of thinking–maybe not only in everyday life, but especially when it comes to hunting and hunting gear. I’ve tried gadgets, gear, and methods that were far from simple, and I did so thinking they’d improve my experience and success. For instance, I’ve tried no less than five methods for climbing into a tree to hunt whitetail deer, always trying to reduce weight while increasing efficiency and success. But I’m currently using what’s likely one of the simplest methods I’ve tried. And I can get into nearly any tree quickly, quietly, and without hating the process.
Spartan SpringBok Bipod
I think this age-acquired appreciation for simplicity is why I keep finding myself using products designed by Spartan Precision Equipment. Spartan Precision manufactures lightweight and simple-to-use shooting accessories, including bipods, tripods, and a variety of heads and adapters. They’re great engineers and even better people, and their products simply work. It’s clear that they understand the needs of hunters and shooters – the products they put on the market offer simple, useful solutions to common problems and needs. So when I needed a bipod that was lightweight, easy to use, and offered heights that my current bipods didn’t, I naturally turned to Spartan Precision’s SpringBok Bipod.
I’ve been a user of Spartan Precision products for a long time. I love their MagnaSwitch attachment system, and I’ve had their Gunsmith Adapters installed on multiple rifles, including my newest build. I’ve also been a user of their original Javelin Lite and Pro bipods. Both are fantastic products that made me a real believer in Spartan Precision, but even with adjustable leg height on my Pro, both are intended for prone shooting positions. Often, my hunting locations and style require the ability to shoot while seated or kneeling because of terrain and/or vegetation. Spartan Precision used to offer extension legs for the Javelin series, but they’ve since replaced that option with the SpringBok Bipod. So, I picked one up.
First and foremost, I wanted a bipod that offered enough height to shoot while seated or kneeling. I also wanted something that was lightweight, could be quickly attached and detached (carried off-rifle), and offered a stable shooting platform. On paper, the SpringBok checked all those boxes. The bipod is advertised at 10.6 ounces; mine weighs 11.5 ounces on my scale. It’s height-adjustable: 19.5 inches on the short end, and 38.5 inches when the legs are fully extended.
The bipod head uses the MagnaSwitch attachment system that Spartan is known for, and a silicon housing holds a leaf spring that allows the legs to be individually adjusted horizontally to accommodate cant, terrain, and various shooting positions. The legs are telescoping carbon fiber rods (but can be swapped out for other Spartan leg options), and the feet are capped in synthetic rubber and can be removed to expose tungsten carbide tips. The caps and steel tips offer stability and grip on a variety of surfaces.
So did the SpringBok live up to my expectations in the field? Yep! First, the height range offered by the bipod was perfect for my needs. At its shortest setting, I could sit cross-legged on level ground and have a steady rest at the perfect height. With the legs extended to maximum height, I had the perfect kneeling rest. And with nearly 20 inches of leg adjustment in between, in addition to horizontally adjustable legs that offer even more height adjustment, I was able to find a steady rest for an incredible variety of shooting positions. The individual leg adjustments, both horizontally from the spring and vertically with the telescoping collar, were key. Of course, horizontal adjustments were super quick and quiet. But the vertical adjustments weren’t far behind. The collar is easy to loosen and tighten with two fingers, and extending or retracting the leg is smooth.
I’ve used the bipod in a lot of different situations and terrains, including level, hard surfaces at the range and steep, snow-covered sidehills. It handled all those situations incredibly well. Where I hunt, a lot of my sits involve posting on a military crest and watching downhill, either on expansive, timber-covered sidehills, or down into large draws. The SpringBok was quick and easy to adjust to the correct height to effectively cover the areas I expected game to appear. While hiking, I kept the SpringBok in the side (water bottle) pocket of my Exo K4, using the lashing strap to keep it secure. With the legs squeezed together for travel, the SpringBox is 23.5 inches long. I could have the bipod setup nearly as quickly as I could get it off my pack. I’ll try to find a more accessible carry method for this fall’s seasons, but if I was in an area that I expected to see game while moving, I simply hand-carried the bipod.
The feet of the bipod did exactly what they were designed to do: grip a variety of surfaces. I had the bipod on gravel, large boulders, wet leaf litter, snow, and a variety of other surfaces. Like my Javelin bipods, I found the synthetic caps grippy enough for pretty much every situation. But I’m sure I’ll find a situation where the tungsten tips carry the day.
Finally, and most importantly, the SpringBok offered a stable shooting platform in a host of shooting positions. In fact, I decided to sight-in a new Maven RS.2 with the SpringBok while sitting (back against a woodpile). I was really impressed with how quickly I got the rifle dialed in. It was easily comparable to my ability to sight-in a rifle while shooting prone with one of the smaller Javelin bipods. And I experienced the same stability throughout hunting season in the variety of terrains and surfaces I mentioned. At max height, I noticed some give, but nothing squishy or unstable. Similarly, the spring in the head housing has kept its rigidity, ensuring stability even when the legs are spread horizontally.
Conclusion
The SpringBok certainly lived up to my expectations. It offered the perfect range of heights for my typical hunting needs, and it is lightweight, easily attached and detached, and stable. However, I’d love to see two changes (with the understanding that these changes would add some weight.)
First, I’d love to see adjustable cant built into the head like the Javelin bipods. There were times it would have been quicker to have an adjustable head cant rather than having to adjust the legs to achieve the same result. I’m sure the folks at Spartan have thought or are thinking about this, and I think it’d make the SpringBok perfect.
Second, I’ll also rig up some sort of leg strap for the bipod. Because of the leaf spring in the head, the default position of the bipod is open at about 30 degrees. The legs squeeze together easily for transport, but there’s no included strap or bracket to keep them that way. The lack of a strap makes deployment quicker, but I still think a strap would make transporting – and especially hand carrying – the SpringBok a little easier.
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