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

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

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. Begad! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! T' steel bolts holdin' it together look like they are sized for heavy trucks. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' first word that comes t' mind when you look at t' blast deflector is 'millstone' it's so heavy and solid. Begad! T' legs are thick tubing. Well, blow me down!

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

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

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

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

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

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5