Backlanz PLR vs Alpine Bipod Review

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

The Backlanz Precision Long Range and Precision Alpine bipods bring titanium, carbon fiber, and real field stability to hunters who count ounces like they owe money. If you have been waiting for a lightweight hunting bipod that does not feel like a compromise, this New Zealand-built setup deserves a hard look.

A Featherweight Hunting Bipod That Does Not Feel Fragile

There are a lot of lightweight bipods out there claiming to be the answer to the weight-conscious hunter’s prayers. Most of them make you choose between light and capable. New Zealand-based Backlanz has been quietly changing that conversation, and after spending time with two of their Precision Range bipods, it’s clear these are something different.

Backlanz Bipod Video: See the PLR and Alpine in Action

Backlanz builds everything in New Zealand, and they back it all with a lifetime warranty. The construction is 3D-printed titanium for the chassis and carbon fiber for the legs. If that sounds like the recipe for something both incredibly light and incredibly stiff, that’s because it is.

Backlanz PLR and Alpine Specs: Titanium, Carbon Fiber, and Serious Ounce Counting

Backlanz PLR vs Alpine: Two Titanium Bipods, Two Very Different Jobs

We looked at the Precision Long Range (PLR) and the Precision Alpine. Both ship standard with telescopic carbon fiber legs and share the same titanium and carbon fiber construction, the same spiked feet with tethered rubber caps, and the same Picatinny quick-detach system that gets the bipod on and off the rifle in seconds with a locking lever. Both can also be ordered with an ARCA head instead of Picatinny if that’s what your setup requires.

The legs on both models are extremely light, robustly built, and have absolutely no play. One thing worth understanding about the leg length spec: both models list a 9 to 13 inch leg length range, but that number describes the telescoping leg adjustment, not the actual height range of the bipod. Because the legs can be angled forward at multiple positions, you can get the rifle extremely close to the ground on either model, regardless of where the legs are set on that scale. The real-world height range is far more versatile than the spec alone suggests.

Where the PLR and Alpine split paths is simple: adjustability, weight, and price.

Backlanz Precision Long Range: 5.78 Ounces and Built for Hunters Who Count Everything

The PLR tips the scales at just 5.78 ounces. For context, that’s probably lighter than your cell phone. The bipod achieves that number by keeping the adjustment system simple. Leg height is set by loosening a nut, extending it to where you need it, and retightening. It is not the fastest system in the world, but it is a system most hunters are already familiar with from standard tripods, and it works reliably.

The PLR offers four angles of forward leg adjustment: legs stowed up, 30 degrees, 60 degrees, and straight down. The cant locks off by hand and gives you 50 degrees of adjustment to level the rifle on uneven terrain. The adjustable cant lever can also be repositioned wherever it is most comfortable for your shooting setup.

What the PLR does not offer is any width adjustment on the legs. The stance is fixed. That means the shortest configuration you can get is limited to that fixed width. For many hunters shooting from standard prone positions on relatively flat ground, this will never matter. But if you are hunting in steep country where you regularly need to get the muzzle very close to the ground, or you want to go extra wide for extra stability, the PLR will not do that.

The PLR is priced at $550 USD, making it the more accessible of the two.

Backlanz Precision Alpine: 6.5 Ounces With Competition-Bipod Adjustability

The Alpine starts at 6.5 ounces and adds a level of adjustability that starts to look more like a competition bipod than a field hunting bipod. The legs splay both inward and outward in six positions, which lets you go very wide and get the rifle extremely close to the ground. You can also go narrow and rotate the legs up into a stowed position using buttons on either side of the body.

For hunters who want an even faster setup, spring-loaded notched legs are available as an upgrade on the Alpine (and on the PLR as well). They deploy instantly with a push of a button, locking at whatever length is needed to contact the ground, and add 1.78 ounces to the overall package.

That combination of fast deployment and a wide range of leg positions makes the Alpine feel more like having a precision rifle competition bipod that somehow weighs almost nothing. The ability to go extra wide on uneven terrain and still level the rifle with the 50-degree cant adjustment means you can get into position quickly and get a level, stable shot in situations where other lightweight bipods would have you guessing.

The Alpine also offers three angles of forward leg adjustment compared to the PLR’s four, but in practice, the multi-axis splay adjustment more than compensates for that.

One thing worth noting: neither model offers a pan feature. Backlanz made that call deliberately, trading panning capability for a stiffer, more stable platform. For most hunters, shooting from a set position is the right trade.

The Alpine is priced at $650 USD.

Field Test: Zero Play, Fast QD, and Spiked Feet That Actually Bite

Handling both of these bipods back to back, the quality is immediately obvious. There is zero play in any of the adjustments. The legs lock firmly, the cant locks firmly, and the entire assembly feels like it was machined out of a single piece of something impossibly light and impossibly strong. The rubber caps pop off to reveal spiked feet underneath, which is a feature that matters when you are trying to stay still on dirt, rock, or dry grass and cannot afford to have the bipod walk on you during the shot.

The quick-detach system works exactly as advertised. You can have either of these bipods off the rifle and in your pack in a matter of seconds, which matters on multi-day backcountry hunts where weight and pack organization are always competing priorities.

Which Backlanz Bipod Should You Buy?

If you are a hunter who shoots primarily from flat or near-flat terrain, spends more time waiting for shots than scrambling for them, and wants to save every ounce possible, the PLR at 5.78 ounces and $550 is a serious piece of kit that will do everything you need.

If you hunt steep, technical country, shoot from positions where the ground is never quite level, or want the security of the optional fast-deploying notched legs when a shot comes quickly, the Alpine at 6.5 ounces and $650 is worth the extra weight and cost. The additional adjustability is genuine, not marketing.

Backlanz PLR and Alpine Pros and Cons: Light, Stiff, and Honest

• Pros: Extremely light 5.78 ounce and 6.5 ounce weights, 3D-printed titanium chassis, carbon fiber legs, zero play in the adjustments, spiked feet with tethered rubber caps, fast Picatinny quick-detach system, ARCA head option, 50 degrees of lockable cant adjustment, lifetime warranty, and serious real-world stability.
• Cons: The PLR has no width adjustment, neither model offers a pan feature, the standard leg-height adjustment is not the fastest system in the world, and the Alpine costs $650 USD.

Final Verdict: Backlanz Is Making Ounce Counters Pay Attention

Either way, you are getting one of the lightest, strongest, and most thoughtfully designed hunting bipods currently on the market. Backlanz is doing something right down there in New Zealand, and American hunters are starting to take notice. You can find both models and all available configurations at backlanz.co.nz.

As the Editor-in-Chief of GunsAmerica, Hunt365, Decoding Darkness, and Suppressor Academy, True Pearce brings a rare blend of legal expertise, competitive shooting credentials, and deep hunting knowledge to the forefront of the firearms world. A former professional sponsored 3-Gun and Multigun competitor with multiple championships and titles, True’s shooting career began in long-range and tactical sniper matches—and he still burns powder in precision competitions, now branching into Hunter NRL.
A certified firearms instructor who has trained over 10,000 students face-to-face, True has also served on both sides of the courtroom as an attorney and currently as an elected Prosecuting Attorney. He has prosecuted and defended high-profile self-defense and firearms cases, giving him a unique, real-world perspective on the Second Amendment.
Outside the courtroom and off the range, True is a true western outdoorsman. A lifelong hunter and rancher, he rides and hunts off his own string of horses and pack animals, chasing elk, mule deer, wolves, coyotes, and anything else in season. He’s a longtime reloader, producing both precision rifle ammo and, back in the day, handloading over 40,000 rounds of 9mm and 5.56 annually for competition.
He’s also a thermal and night vision expert, known for his obsession with high-end optics, and is rarely found without a camera or a guitar nearby. Whether he’s glassing a distant ridge, reviewing cutting-edge gear, or deep in legal research, True brings passion, precision, and grit to everything he does.
Experience:
– Professional Shooter – Sponsored 3-Gun & Multigun competitor with multiple titles and a foundation in long-range and sniper/tactical matches.– Firearms Instructor – Certified instructor with over 10,000 students trained face-to-face.– Elected Prosecuting Attorney – Attorney with real-world experience defending and prosecuting self-defense and gun-related cases.– Hunter & Rancher – Horseback hunter with a working ranch, passionate about elk, deer, predator, and backcountry hunting.– Reloading & Ballistics Expert – Precision reloader and former high-volume competition handloader.– Optics Authority – Known for his deep knowledge and unrelenting standards in optics, thermal, and night vision gear.– Outdoor Creative – Avid photographer, guitar player, and outdoorsman with a sharp eye for gear and storytelling.– 2A Advocate – Committed to protecting the Second Amendment and educating Americans about their rights and responsibilities.