6 | Lighter bipods a big plus for hunters The bipod supports the front of a rifle, while the hunter’s shoulder and arm provide support at the rear. Backlanz T TKim Bowden REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT For hunters carrying a rifle through the hills, 200 grams can make a surprisingly big difference, and that is the thinking behind Backlanz, the New Zealand company founded by engineer and hunter, Ethan Todd, which has redesigned the traditional rifle bipod to weigh less than half as much as many conventional models. Traditional bipods typically weigh about 400 grams, while Backlanz’s models are under 200 grams. “Bipods have been used for hundreds of years and are usually made using machined components, but we’ve changed things up and we use 3D-printed titanium components, and we can print something that’s a lot lighter and still just as strong and functional,” Ethan says. The bipod supports the front of a rifle, while the hunter’s shoulder and arm provide support at the rear. Ethan estimates at least 80 to 90% of hunters now use one, as better technology pushes shots further. “A shot that used to be considered a long shot, say 200 metres, is nowadays close. So now people are shooting out for 500 metres-plus,” he says. Backlanz operates as a family business in Invercargill, with Ethan and his wife, Caitlin, doing most of the assembly, while specialist contractors manufacture components. Its 3D-printed parts are made in Tauranga, while machined components come from a mix of New Zealand and overseas suppliers. The company has five main bipod models. Its original hunting range uses a quick-release system that screws straight onto many off-theshelf rifles, with no modifications needed. “You can easily attach it and detach it from the rifle and keep it in your pack, which is really good for New Zealand hunting,” Ethan says. The precision range followed, “due to what customers were after”, adding more adjustability and attaching to the Picatinny and Arca rails common on high-end American rifles. Backlanz cracked 1000 units sold last year for the first time, and Ethan expects sales to have increased again this year. Between 60 and 70% of sales are offshore, with the United States its biggest market and a European distributor based in Spain. Backlanz recently partnered with high-end US rifle maker, Snowy Mountain Rifles, and now ships orders from a US warehouse. Ethan attends US trade shows each year. Lightweight gear is particularly valuable there for competition shooters, where “your rifle needs to be under a certain weight, and that includes your bipod weight,” he says. He says there is little else like Backlanz’s bipods in that market. “We 3D print our stuff. It just gives it a different look and appearance that you don’t get with other products. There’s people who buy it because it’s like a piece of jewellery for their $50,000 rifle.” Backlanz’s innovation was recognised at the 2024 Southland Export Awards, where it won the Innovation in Export Award, and this year the company was a finalist for the 2026 Export Southland Grant. Backlanz’s design components are now patent pending, which Ethan says has given the company added strength in the US market, where it is working with patent attorneys to protect its technology. 26 Orari St, Dunedin 021 042 2300 or 03 456 4283 info@toddengineering.co.nz • 3D Laser Scanning • Design • Fabrication • Waterjet Cutting • Press Work • Certified Welding • CNC 5-Axis Machining • Site Maintenance • Conveyors / Machinery Manufacturing • CNC Plate Rolling • Full Machine Shop Excellence in Engineering Your one-stop engineering workshop
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