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This year was the first time that I tried using a tripod in the field and it really opened my eyes to having stability in the field. I’ve also taken to walking and stalking a bit more now, and having a solid rest in the field helps tremendously. And when I say tripod, I really do mean a “just” a tripod. I flipped the piece on top that lets you take photos in portrait, and I’d rest my gun against that. It works well in a pinch, but it’s not perfect . . .

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With the concept established, I went searching for a dedicated mechanism to do my bidding. I considered building a crude hog saddle but knew that I’d never get it right. Enter the Caldwell DeadShot Fieldpod. The Fieldpod is a tripod based device that hosts a dedicated platform for holding the rifle of your choice. And I mean, any rifle. It can be made short enough to hold a compact rifle or long enough to secure your Kentucky rifle.

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The FieldPod rifle holder portion is adjustable for length, height, and angle. The tripod portion is able to rotate 360 degrees, tilt up and down, and lets you center the rifle over the tripod to make it extra stable. One of the nicest things though is that you have enough elevation to fit an AR with a standard capacity magazine. That is crucial for varmint hunters who like to put a lot of lead downrange without reloading, but still want a stable base to shoot off of. Depending on the balance of your rifle, you can position the gun in such a way that a magazine can drop clear to the ground, rotate for the reload, and you’re back on target which is very High Speed Low Drag Operator type stuff.

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One of the niftiest features is how compact the FieldPod becomes when it is tucked up for travel. It takes up a about as much space as a gallon jug so plan on packing it outside of your pack or use the included strap that clips on to a mounting point at the top.

Once you reach your desired shooting position, setup takes a few minutes as you unclamp, unscrew, lengthen, reclamp, and tighten everything. But, once it is set up, this is the bee’s knees for holding your rifle in place. It is very solid which allows you to stretch the legs of your rifle a bit as you can make much steadier shots from the field. If you are walking and stalking as I sometimes do, you can set everything, and then collapse the unit so you basically have a short walking stick. Once you identify your quarry, you can be in position in seconds with the added stability the Fieldpod brings.

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The thing that really impressed me though was how well it cradled my rifles. I could set a rifle up in the Fieldpod and walk away without worry of it crashing to the ground. The ultimate acid test of this came a few ago when I took my brother-in-law out hunting. We were experiencing 30 m.p.h winds and the Fieldpod held strong, though it did turn his Remington 700 into a big weather vane. This ability to firmly hold in place is also very handy when trying to teach new shooters where hands, fingers, and faces go without them fumbling a ten pound rifle in the process.

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All in all, I’m very satisfied with the Fieldpod and what it brings to the table. It is fairly light, very compact, ultra stable, and customizable to your heart’s desire. It is pretty rare that a product makes me slap my forehead and declare it to be revolutionary, but this thing sure did.

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Specifications: Caldwell DeadShot Fieldpod

All reviews are based on a 5 star system and are subjective

Fit, Finish, & Build Quality * * * * *

In a world filled with crappy foreign parts built by the lowest bidder, the Fieldpod stands out for its excellent fit & finish. All of the hardware is robust and all the locking pieces do their job with authority. It easily handles 15 pound rifles and is well thought out allowing you to balance the rifle perfectly.

Use in the field  * * * * 

You sacrifice some set up time for a compact package which can be frustrating at times. This isn’t a problem if you set up in a ground blind and have time to set up and wait. If you are taking the hunt to the animals though, you have to carry around a slightly bulky product. A pair of shooting sticks might be a better fit for you if your hunting involves lots of walking, stalking, and requires fast setup times.

Overall Rating * * * * *

I’m very pleased with the Fieldpod, and for the money, I think you’d be hard pressed to find something better. Particularly if you want to take a shot from a sitting or kneeling position to clear tall vegetation. I bought it with my own money, and I’d definitely encourage you to do the same.

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24 COMMENTS

  1. Question:
    Can you use it for a spotting scope or a camera tripod?
    I like it. And the amazon price is even better.
    Thanks for the review

  2. I have used this product (purchased from Cabela’s) for the last year. I love the stability and find it can be used from the ground, the tailgate of my truck and the bed of my truck. It is much more stable than some of the “portable shooting benches” I see for sale else where. It is lightweight, portable, easy to use and made of quality products. Mine in the camo version, but if you choose the standard one, you can camo it yourself.

    It’s a shame I can’t post photos here because I have some awesome ones of the product in use.

  3. Sorry to go off topic. But what’s the rear sight on the Marlin? I have a 336 with factory irons. I need better and have decided against glass for a lever gun.

    • If you don’t mind a taller scope mount, Kwik Site make mounts that can hold a scope while still being able to see the iron sights. I’ve got a Leupold 2-7 x Ultimate Slam with those rings on my Marlin XLR .45-70 that’s been good for three deer so far. Realistically, I would probably only use the iron sights if the scope got damaged or I wanted an extra challenge. YMMV

      • A81, I’ve decided on a Ruger American for my deer and pig rifle. I want to keep the .30-30 clean as possible. The classic American lever gun, slick and easy to carry. But the factory irons are just to crude for my older eyes. Peeps fit my needs better for this rifle than glass.

    • It is a Wild West rear sight. Expect a detailed review but my initial feelings are that it’s well built. However, you have to buy peep apertures and mine needed a taller front sight.

        • Another plug for Skinner Sights. If you want something that will work with the classic look of a levergun and even bump it up a notch, these are the thing.

          I got their Express sights with the brass inserts for my Marlin 336, and it looks killer…and it’s a heck of a lot easier for me to use (what with the eyeglasses and my astigmatism) than the factory irons. You probably will have to get a taller front sight to work with them, though; it took me a while to file the new front sight down to the right height, but the end result was worth it.

  4. Doggone it, Tyler! I thought I was done with my Christmas spending spree, now I’ve got another Amazon package on the way. 🙂

    Plus side, it’ll help me bore sight my *other* present to myself.

  8. Looks it might be more useful than a regular sled because you can use it anywhere. Although for some ranges you probably couldn’t use it but for one of my favorite ranges with only two benches per lane it would be nice. For actual hunting I think I would rather have shooting sticks due to weight.

  10. I like that, got something better, but my gf complains about the gun blast hurting her ears. (And, that is all I have to say about that).

  11. 5lbs! Sounds useful for certain distance or wobbly shooters but impractical to carry afield in a man-portable system in comparison to shooting sticks, whether hunting man (as part of police or military duty) or beast. I’ll be back to read about an ultralight take on this concept if one is released. If they can get the weight under a pound I’ll be interested, and willing to pay a premium for the advanced materials (carbon fiber, etc.) and clever design that may be required.

    • Take two 3/4″ dowels, put headless nails in one end with about 1″ protruding, run a 1/4″ bolt through both dowels (with a washer in the middle and a nylon locknut on the end) about 6″ down from the other end, glue some leather where the dowels cross, and you have a set of cheap but sturdy cross sticks. The nails are to keep them from slipping on hard ground, and the leather is to keep your rifle from slipping in the cross area. Take a look at what the black powder cartridge rifle silhouette shooters use from a sitting position.

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