I have the caldwell rock BR, and for my grad student income it's a good fit. I would recommend combining it with protektor front and rear bags (from sinclair intl) filled with plastic beads from walmart.
I think we can draw an analogy to the choice between a $100 knockoff scope, a $500 bushnell 4200, and a $2500 nightforce. Buying a caldwell rock BR is equivalent to the bushnell 4200; it's of good quality and will be a significant improvement over a bipod. It wouldn't be wasting money like on a $100 knockoff scope.
On the other hand, if you really want an amazing rest, you'll probably end up buying a better one later on. I'd argue it's still worth getting a rock BR, because you'll have something that works for the foreseeable future, and later on you can still use it as a backup or loaner rest.