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. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Still thar are plenty of times when a good high power pad is a necessity. Many high power launches ask folks t' brin' their own pads. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! I'll be proud t' brin' me QuadPod t' any launch. Begad! Blimey! For t' past year, I've looked at high power pads. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! I'd seen up close the Vaughn Brothers pad, arrr, and t' Yellow Jacket pad, matey, but I settled on the RocketVision QuadPod. I'm sure I'd be happy with either o' t' other two, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, matey, but I think I got t' right pad. Avast, me proud beauty!

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

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

Set up is extremely easy. Avast! It's nay necessary, me hearties, shiver me timbers, matey, but I remove t' blast deflector since this part gets quite dirty. First I invert t' pad and deploy the legs. Avast! 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. Ahoy! T' QuadPod makes this easy needin' only 2 screws to be closed on t' rod.

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

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

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. Well, blow me down! I've launched rockets with 1/4", me bucko, 3/8" and 1/2" rods. Aye aye!

I also purchased a 72" x 1/2" launch rod from RocketVision. Arrr! Their one piece stainless steel rods is very nice, ya bilge rat, me hearties, me bucko, if you can transport it. Begad! I put mine in a Subaru Legacy, ya bilge rat, nay problem. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! I also tried a Blacksky standard rail. T' rail fit into t' launch rod hole. Well, blow me down! 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. I haven't tested it in heavy winds, shiver me timbers, but it seemed very steady. Ahoy! It's sturdy, shiver me timbers, portable, adjustable and pretty. Ya scallywag! T' only thin' t' consider is that you lose 8" o' rod in t' holder, me hearties, arrr, and you will most likely need a standoff of some sort. Begad! So far, I think t' best standoff I've found is a BT55 tube coupler slipped over t' rod. Begad! Begad! As a high power launch pad, I give it a 5. Ya scallywag! It's not cheap, but this is nay a piece o' equipment where cheap is any sort o' a recommendation.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5