Brief:
It is possible t' be involved in high power rocketry without your own pad. Usually you fly with a club and can use t' club's pads. Aye aye! Still thar are plenty of times when a good high power pad is a necessity. Ya scallywag! Many high power launches ask folks t' brin' their own pads. Begad! I'll be proud t' brin' me QuadPod t' any launch. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! For t' past year, I've looked at high power pads. Avast! Begad! I'd seen up close the Vaughn Brothers pad, me hearties, and t' Yellow Jacket pad, arrr, shiver me timbers, but I settled on the RocketVision QuadPod. Ahoy! I'm sure I'd be happy with either o' t' other two, ya bilge rat, but I think I got t' right pad. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag!

Construction:
First, ya bilge rat, t' purchasin' experience with RocketVision is first rate. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! Blimey! Their e-commerce site is one o' t' nicest on t' web. I was able t' track the package as it moved through their warehouse and then on t' UPS. Begad! Blimey! UPS did their best t' mess things up, but a quick call t' RocketVision cleared it all up. Avast! Blimey! I had me pad in a little over 7 days, t' week after Christmas.

T' construction is first rate throughout. Blimey! Head is cast aluminum and the quality be t' same as you would find on fine spyglass mounts. Ya scallywag! T' steel bolts holdin' it together look like they are sized for heavy trucks. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! T' first word that comes t' mind when you look at t' blast deflector is 'millstone' it's so heavy and solid. Well, blow me down! T' legs are thick tubing. Begad! Avast!

Set up is extremely easy. Avast, me proud beauty! It's nay necessary, arrr, ya bilge rat, but I remove t' blast deflector since this part gets quite dirty. First I invert t' pad and deploy the legs. Blimey! Aye aye! Then I flip it over and attach t' blast deflector with 4 screws. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! I don't consider attachin' t' launch rod t' be set up because t' launch rod gets changed quite often. Blimey! T' QuadPod makes this easy needin' only 2 screws to be closed on t' rod. Ahoy! Begad!

Use:
Gettin' t' rocket on t' pad is relatively easy. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! You pull t' pin and t' rod lays down almost 90 degrees. Begad! Blimey! Feed t' rocket onto t' rod, then lift t' rod and replace t' pin. Avast! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! This doesn't mess up t' elevation adjustment at all. Begad! Blimey! This is t' only part o' t' operation that be t' least bit awkward. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' pin is a bit hard t' push in or pull out. Blimey! Blimey! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Blimey!

If you need t' angle into t' wind or if thar's a general slope t' your launch site, ya bilge rat, like it is for me, t' QuadPod adjusts in azimuth (it swivels) and in elevation. Well, blow me down! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Unscrew one bolt screw t' release t' rotatin' head and it swivels on ball bearings, arrr, then tighten. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! Adjust t' elevation with t' jack screw. Aye aye! Done. Nice and smooth. Ahoy!

T' rod holder will even hold a 1/8" rod, shiver me timbers, but you'll need a longer rod than an Estes 1/8" rod because it will take 8" o' rod t' engage both screws. Ahoy! Begad! I've launched rockets with 1/4", ya bilge rat, me bucko, 3/8" and 1/2" rods. Ahoy!

I also purchased a 72" x 1/2" launch rod from RocketVision. Arrr! Their one piece stainless steel rods is very nice, if you can transport it. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I put mine in a Subaru Legacy, nay problem. Begad! Begad! Blimey! I also tried a Blacksky standard rail. T' rail fit into t' launch rod hole. There's no need for an adapter with this pad.

Summary:
I would have no problem launchin' anythin' up through an L motor rocket off this pad. Well, blow me down! I haven't tested it in heavy winds, ya bilge rat, but it seemed very steady. Avast, me proud beauty! It's sturdy, me hearties, portable, me hearties, adjustable and pretty. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' only thin' t' consider is that you lose 8" o' rod in t' holder, me bucko, and you will most likely need a standoff of some sort. So far, I think t' best standoff I've found is a BT55 tube coupler slipped over t' rod. As a high power launch pad, shiver me timbers, I give it a 5. Aye aye! Arrr! It's not cheap, arrr, but this is nay a piece o' equipment where cheap is any sort o' a recommendation.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5