The Rode NTG5 Kit That Ships Ready for the Set
This is the complete Rode NTG5 location recording rig — broadcast-grade short shotgun microphone, the pistol-grip and windshield that ship in the official Location Kit, the full-length aluminum Boompole that drops the mic in over the dialogue, and the neoprene carry bag that protects the pole and mic between takes. It is what a boom-op walks onto a narrative set with, what a documentary producer takes into the field, and what a wedding videographer pulls out for ceremony coverage. Three orders, three boxes, three days of waiting condensed into one shipment that arrives ready to record.
RF-Bias Capsule Built for the Conditions That Kill Other Shotguns
The NTG5's RF-bias circuitry is the spec line that matters when the shoot leaves the studio. Standard externally-biased condenser capsules are sensitive to humidity, moisture, dust, and temperature swings — a humid summer wedding, a cold-weather documentary shoot, or a dusty outdoor location can render a $1,500 shotgun unusable mid-day. Rode's RF-bias design isolates the capsule from those environmental factors, which is why the NTG5 has become the boom-op's default in the field. 10 dBA self-noise (A-weighted, IEC651) means whispered dialogue and ambient room tone capture with the same headroom as the loud takes — no rising hiss when the gain comes up.
Circular-Port Acoustic Design Replaces the Traditional Interference Tube
Classic shotgun mics use linear interference slots cut into the side of the tube to achieve off-axis rejection — the result is the recognizable "shotgun coloration" on the high end of any source off the dialogue axis. Rode replaced the linear slots with circular ports tuned around the capsule, which delivers tighter directional control with a more natural off-axis tonality and a flatter on-axis frequency response. In practice, the room sound that leaks into the recording sounds like a room — not like a phasey shotgun artifact. Sound editors notice immediately. So do directors who do not want their dialogue spending an extra week in post-EQ.
2.7 Ounces on the Boom Is the Spec That Saves the Operator's Shoulder
The NTG5 capsule weighs 2.7 ounces. Traditional long shotgun condensers run 5 to 7 ounces. The difference compounds: a boom operator holding 7 ounces overhead at the end of a 10-foot pole, take after take, through a 90-minute dialogue scene, fatigues fast — and the mic starts drifting off the actor as the operator's arms give out. With the NTG5 at less than half the weight, the operator finishes the scene with the mic still positioned where the dialog needs it. The 7.99-inch capsule length also makes it easier to keep out of frame on tighter shots.
PG2-R Softie Pistol Grip with Rycote Lyre Suspension — The Standard Handheld Rig
The PG2-R that ships in the Location Kit is the pistol grip Rode designed specifically to suspend the NTG5. It uses the Rycote Lyre — a one-piece molded suspension that replaces traditional elastic shock-mount cords with a polymer lyre that cannot wear out, cannot break in cold weather, and cannot transmit handling rumble to the capsule. Boom operators who have suffered through old elastic shock mounts losing tension after a year know exactly why the Lyre is the upgrade. The integrated softie fur cover handles light outdoor wind without swapping to a full blimp.
The 10.6-Foot Aluminum Boompole That Rode Engineers Its Shotgun Kits Around
The Boompole telescopes from a 33-inch collapsed length to 10.6 feet of overhead reach across five anodized-aluminum sections. The 3/8-inch female thread accepts the PG2-R pistol grip directly — no adapter, no 5/8-to-3/8 step-down. The friction-ring locks deploy in seconds with a quarter-turn each and stay locked under sustained mic weight, no detent rattle, no creep. The hollow aluminum sections also accept an XLR through the pole interior, which keeps cable slap noise off the boom and out of the recording. Total pole weight is 940 grams — light enough for long takes, rigid enough to hold the mic exactly where the operator placed it at full extension.
WS10 Deluxe Furry Windshield for Outdoor Coverage
The WS10 that ships in the kit is the deluxe furry windshield sized for the NTG5 — long-pile artificial fur over a rigid frame that breaks up airflow before it reaches the capsule. It tames wind on outdoor location shoots and exterior dialog scenes without rolling off the high-frequency content that makes consonants intelligible. The combination of softie pistol grip cover (good for light interior or studio work) and full furry windshield (for actual outdoor wind) covers nearly every shooting condition short of a hurricane.
The Neoprene Boompole Bag Protects Everything Between Takes
The included Boompole Bag is a 37.8-inch padded neoprene carry sized to hold the Boompole, the PG2-R pistol grip, and the NTG5 microphone fully assembled between takes — no breakdown, no reassembly, no waiting on the boom operator to rebuild the rig between setups. The slim 7.9-inch profile slides flat into a run bag, a roller cart, or a backpack without occupying primary equipment space. The neoprene shell protects the pole's anodized finish from scratches and absorbs incidental shock during transport.
How the System Works on Location, Take to Take
The complete signal chain that ships in this kit: the NTG5 sits in the PG2-R's Rycote Lyre suspension, the pistol grip threads onto the Boompole, the PG2-R Pro coiled XLR runs from the mic XLR down through the pole's internal cable channel to the boom-op's recorder or the camera operator's mixer. The WS10 furry windshield slides over the NTG5 for outdoor takes. Between setups, the entire rig (pole, grip, mic, optional windshield) drops into the Boompole Bag — fully assembled. The next take is ready in 15 seconds. This is the workflow that documentary crews, wedding videographers, and indie narrative boom operators run for a reason.
For the Boom Operator, the Documentary Producer, and the Wedding Videographer
If you are stepping onto a narrative set for the first time and need a complete boom rig that does not embarrass you, the kit is the entry point — every piece is the piece Rode would tell you to buy if you walked into their dealer asking for an NTG5 rig. If you are upgrading from a shotgun-on-camera setup to actual booming, the included pole, pistol grip, and bag eliminate three separate purchase decisions. If you are a comparison shopper looking at the NTG5 alone vs the Location Kit alone vs this fully-built bundle, the question is whether you want to source the 10.6-foot pole and the protective carry bag separately on top of a $500 microphone or take delivery ready to record. Open the box. Mount the mic. Start the take.
