RedBeard Outdoors · Johnathan (RedBeard)

461. Rob Gearing and Spartan Precision | BIPOD FOR YOUR BOW!? and What makes this system different than any other for Hunting?

August 16, 2025·1 hr 3 min·5 clips

Rob Gearing failed a Swedish client on a hunt, leading him to invent a magnetic bipod system from a Concorde nose.

This episode features Rob Gearing, founder of Spartan Precision, discussing his company's unique approach to hunting support systems with host RedBeard. Gearing's background in rock climbing and aeronautical engineering directly informs Spartan's design philosophy of creating lightweight, strong, and modular gear. He explains that his frustration with traditional, permanently-mounted bipods led to the creation of Spartan's magnetic attachment system. The core product is the Javelin bipod, a minimalist, single-moving-leg design that attaches via a MagnaSwitch magnet system, allowing hunters to carry it separately and mount it quickly only when needed. Gearing details the modular ecosystem, where legs from bipods can be used on tripods and vice versa. He highlights the Ascent tripod, whose legs unscrew to become trekking poles, and the Springbok series, which features a flexible silicone body for rapid adjustment from prone to kneeling positions. The Springbok was co-developed with a Scandinavian hunter for fox control and excels in cold environments. A key insight is Gearing's view that Spartan sells a "support system," not just individual bipods or tripods, tailored for different environments from mountains to woodlands. He recounts winning a shooting competition against special forces veterans using his simple Javelin bipod against others using bags. The Hop-Lite tripod, a hunting version of a military-grade design, allows for a unique leg configuration that provides exceptional stability for steep downhill shots, a scenario Gearing and RedBeard both found challenging. Gearing emphasizes that modern hunting has evolved, and using proper support significantly reduces the chance of error compared to older methods. He shares that many European rifle manufacturers now offer "Spartan Ready" rifles with built-in adapters. The company has expanded into a defense product line called Spartan Operations, informed by working with special forces units. Gearing believes in being a "glue pot" for bright ideas, collaborating with end-users to refine products. The tone is highly conversational, enthusiastic, and technical, with Gearing sharing extensive personal anecdotes from hunts and product development. The style is educational, focused on explaining design principles and practical applications in various field scenarios. Hunters focused on mountain or backcountry pursuits where weight and versatility are critical will find this episode most valuable. Listeners seeking reviews of conventional, heavy bipods or those only interested in flat-range shooting might find the niche focus less applicable.

As heard by us

A practical conversation about Spartan Precision, with enough product detail to be useful for hunters and long-range shooters.

This episode gives a clear look at Spartan Precision through Rob Gearing's explanation of why the bipods and tripods are built the way they are and how they are meant to be used.

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Why you'd press play

If you want smarter support gear talk, this one gets into the bipod, tripod, and modular-mount angle.

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