The Grip Pod
9 June 2008
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Long time readers of my reviews know that I’m in favor of any product that performs as it is advertised; serves the purpose it was designed for; and increases the versatility of any given weapon. Many of today’s close quarters weapons are equipped with vertical foregrips while others have folding bipods so they can double as close quarters fire support or precision weapons. The Grip Pod fulfills both functions in a simple compact unit. Let’s take a look.
The Grip Pod System (or G.P.S.) is available manufactured from Aluminum or Polymer. The measurements are the same but the weight is different. Closed the "system" is only 5.75" long. Open to the bipod configuration it's 8.25" with a leg base width of 7.125". The polymer version weighs 7 ounces (just under a half pound) with the aluminum version weighing 4 ounces more (11 ounces).
The grip pod shown on a KRISS-TDI Vector Carbine. Its design allows it to be used as a vertical foregrip or as a bipod upon demand. Switching from one use to the other is quick and easy.
The Grip Pod mounts by way of a picatinny rail system. Mounting it doesn't take much time. The thumb stud screw needs to be loosened when you take it out of the package, the Grip Pod lined up on your rail and the thumb stud screw tightened. Done.
Deployment is FAST and authoritative. There is a button at the top of the BACK of the Grip Pod if you mounted it correctly (if the button is in the front, turn the Grip Pod around). Press that button and the legs spring out forcefully, spread and ready for prone action (get your mind out of the gutter). AS YOU ARE GOING PRONE or approaching a position of cover that you want to set it on, it's easy enough to press that button and have your bipod in place before you get to the position. When it's time to get up and go, collapsing the Grip Pod isn't QUITE as fast but it's not hard to do either. You just grap the legs, squeeze them together and push them back up into the grip handle. After you've got the first inch into the handle you can just push the bottom with your palm and the rest slaps home. You have to be sure to seat it properly. Failing to push the legs in until they lock is like pushing a magazine not quite far enough in. As soon as you take away the pressure you get a surprise. In this case it's just the bipod springing back down into place. Still, you don't want to be dicking around with it in "the heat of battle" so practice a few times before you have to do it under stress.
In today's world of Rapid Deployment for police officers and on-going military actions in urban areas, the Grip Pod can increase versatility for your carbine or rifle. As a police firearms instructor, where equipment capabilities permit it (picatinny rail available) I think the Grip Pod can make the prone shooting position more stable and easier for the "average" cop to master. For those who have never been trained to use their skeletal structure AS the support structure for their shooting position(s) the Grip Pod is an excellent option. For those military service personnel operating under almost constant Close Quarters Combat conditions who all of a sudden find themselves in need of a nice stable platform to take that longer shot with some precision, the Grip Pod offers a CQB vertical foregrip that can, moments later, be their bipod for the longer shot.
Now, I've not had this Grip Pod System on my rifle for a LONG time. That's to say I haven't had it for very long. I've had it on my weapon long enough to make two trips to the range. Durability seems good but I'll update that if it prooves otherwise. Cost isn't bad for what it will do. A quick online search found them for as low as $99. A good bipod can cost you that much or more. A vertical foregrip can cost you half that or more. What's it worth to have both in one unit?
For more information check out Grip Pod online.
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