New MDT Mountain and Backcountry Bipods Shot Show 2025

[Rodney]

I’m in the same boat, I never use pan on any bipods and really don’t care for it. I had talked to the Matt who owned/owns mtn gear and he was able to use an adjustable grub screw to lockout the pan feature. This could still be a possibility with the mdt rendition. It’s been a fantastic bipod for me and surprisingly stable for the lightweight package it is.View attachment 827710

Is there any play with the pan feature locked?

 

[Darren D]

Yes a tapered pin would have been nice in the splay hole, Mine has the same amount of movement. When using the bipod it does not effect its function though.

Completely agree

 

[Darren D]

First impressions

I finally got my hands on the Mountain Bipod in the pic rail version (11407-BLK). I first ordered it from a supposedly reliable dealer/machining company out of Michigan. Suffice to say, I will never do that again….

I had a coupon and was able to place a new order from Optics Planet.

Just received it today:
My first impressions are that it is overall what I expected. Light, and seems durable enough for its intended purpose of hunting, and not to bear the weight of a 25 pound target rifle. It fits really nice and tight in my SRS pic rail. However, the mechanism that allows for the spread of the legs is loose. See my pics showing the amount of movement in relation to a static line on the paper behind the bipod. I’ve emailed MDT to see if this is in tolerance and normal for this model. I will update as I receive more information in case anyone is interested.

I don’t think it’s a deal breaker for me, just not quite what I expected for an almost $500 bipod. All other functions seem nice and tight. View attachment 924213View attachment 924214

I was pumped to try this bipod out…. Overall I am a big fan of MDT, but alas after testing the last month, I cannot recommend.

I have the exact same problem as @Arrowhunters5 with my Arca Mountain. Received mine mid August. After a few trips to the range and a week long Idaho backcountry deer and elk hunt, I am overall disappointed because of this play and all of the RATTLING noise it makes in the field.

The good:
+Incredibly lightweight!!!!!
+Easy to deploy and adjust
+The canting feature is excellent
+The splaying feature is fast and easy
+Stable enough (it’s only 5oz…)
+Splay adjustment and the taller extending legs makes it more useful in hunting situations where extra height is required to see over vegetation and topography

The bad:
-I agree with all others… The spiked feet are not as good as a rubber option…. I could live with it…. Aftermarket rubber feet is a great option.
-What really bothers me is the adjustable leg has ~.5” longitudinal and ~.75” lateral movement. It doesn’t pose any stability issue when shooting, but the LOUD rattling is completely unacceptable as a hunting bipod.

As @MagnumHntr says, a tapered splay pin would help significantly. Tighter mating in the leg’s yoke would also help. Both are required in my opinion.

Some rubber feet and some stainless shim stock in the yoke would fix two of the issues for my bipod, but without a tapered pin, some rattling will always be present.

The play and noise is so bad on mine that I thought it was defective in someway. I reached out to MDT today and shared a video of the slop and noise. MDT’s response…

“…Thank you for your message and for your feedback. The amount of play you are experiencing is normal and what we would expect to see. The bipods were designed to be lightweight and fit well with a variety of stocks or chassis.”

(Not sure how to post a video on this site???)

Sorry, but a rattling hunting bipod is NOT normal nor acceptable in my opinion. The rattling has zero to do with fitting any firearm and everything to do with design.

I asked for a refund even though I am just past the 30 day “100% Satisfaction Guarantee”. I do not expect them to accept a refund… hopefully they do…

If the won’t refund me, I will try shimming the yoke. If that doesn’t solve the rattling problem, I will sell it.

If noisy gear is unacceptable to you, I recommend going with a different bipod.

 

[Stocky]

Are the mdt ones not a taper pin now?

 

[jonnyviceroy]

Is there any play with the pan feature locked?

No it’s solid. They locked it in the mdt version as well.

 

[Foster_65]

I was pumped to try this bipod out…. Overall I am a big fan of MDT, but alas after testing the last month, I cannot recommend.

I have the exact same problem as @Arrowhunters5 with my Arca Mountain. Received mine mid August. After a few trips to the range and a week long Idaho backcountry deer and elk hunt, I am overall disappointed because of this play and all of the RATTLING noise it makes in the field.

The good:
+Incredibly lightweight!!!!!
+Easy to deploy and adjust
+The canting feature is excellent
+The splaying feature is fast and easy
+Stable enough (it’s only 5oz…)
+Splay adjustment and the taller extending legs makes it more useful in hunting situations where extra height is required to see over vegetation and topography

The bad:
-I agree with all others… The spiked feet are not as good as a rubber option…. I could live with it…. Aftermarket rubber feet is a great option.
-What really bothers me is the adjustable leg has ~.5” longitudinal and ~.75” lateral movement. It doesn’t pose any stability issue when shooting, but the LOUD rattling is completely unacceptable as a hunting bipod.

As @MagnumHntr says, a tapered splay pin would help significantly. Tighter mating in the leg’s yoke would also help. Both are required in my opinion.

Some rubber feet and some stainless shim stock in the yoke would fix two of the issues for my bipod, but without a tapered pin, some rattling will always be present.

The play and noise is so bad on mine that I thought it was defective in someway. I reached out to MDT today and shared a video of the slop and noise. MDT’s response…

“…Thank you for your message and for your feedback. The amount of play you are experiencing is normal and what we would expect to see. The bipods were designed to be lightweight and fit well with a variety of stocks or chassis.”

(Not sure how to post a video on this site???)

Sorry, but a rattling hunting bipod is NOT normal nor acceptable in my opinion. The rattling has zero to do with fitting any firearm and everything to do with design.

I asked for a refund even though I am just past the 30 day “100% Satisfaction Guarantee”. I do not expect them to accept a refund… hopefully they do…

If the won’t refund me, I will try shimming the yoke. If that doesn’t solve the rattling problem, I will sell it.

If noisy gear is unacceptable to you, I recommend going with a different bipod.

This is great info and exactly what I was looking for. It seems like a very simple solution. I went to scheels the other day o mess with it and yes the play seems a bit wild for a 450 dollar bipod. Scheels also didn’t carry the pic version, only the arca. This really sucks cuz this bipod checks all the boxes for me.