Over many years, I have collected an array of shooting sticks, ranging from home-crafted attempts with canes and elastic, through to a full military-grade tripod with hog saddle. They all work, each has distinct advantages, usually presenting the user with a compromise between portability, weight, stability and affordability.
For the last few years, my go-to option for lowland stalking has been the very popular Danish made Carbon Viper-Flex sticks, which when enhanced by an additional support leg are akin to shooting off a bench, in terms of stability. The sticks have proven to be hardwearing and even free-standing with the support leg. However, the trade-off in utilising this system is two-fold. They are quite bulky and once set up they can be a challenge to re-position as quarry will invariably move. A user can end up dragging the support legs across the often-uneven ground while struggling to stay on the target. In woodland, I have found the sticks prone to catch on foliage, causing an unwelcome distraction.
Recently the innovative design team at Blaser have been tasked with analysing all the popular designs of shooting sticks with a clear challenge; create a product that eliminates the compromises of other models in the market. What they have come up with is simple (usually the best designs are), ingenious and highly effective. When Frederic Hanner from Blaser handed me the Carbon Sticks and a rifle to place on them, I quickly realised the designers had risen to the challenge. The sticks are lightweight, stable and fast to deploy. The real innovation is the inclusion of a rotational pistol grip which is set thoughtfully on the front support. It enables a user to smoothly adjust the lateral aim of the rifle without needing to change the position of the support legs. The rifle can be kept safely on target over a lateral range of 20 meters at a range of 100 meters, an excellent solution to the problem of moving game. The position of the grip also enhances the overall stability of the rifle.
The Carbon Shooting Sticks can be adjusted in height from 1.24-1.98m through the screw closures. With a weight of less than a kilo, it is a comfortable carry. The foam handles assist hand grip when walking.
The U-shaped rifle grip is held in place by a strong magnet and can be changed-out with a supplied adaptor for direct attachment to the magnetic Blaser Bipod socket. The sticks are supplied in an attractive carry bag with pockets for other accessories and are priced at £240.
Length: 1.24 – 1.98 m (Length adjustment through four screw closures)
Weight: 985 g
Weight incl. bag: 1.307 g
Rifle holder: U-Shape rifle rest (magnetic and removable)
