I don't use Bebop's myself but have read several accounts of folks having difficulty getting them to work with their shoes. Sometimes they just need shimming but often the shoes themselves interfere with the cleat, preventing it from catching. This has been remedied by careful use of a Dremel tool (or other) to remove some of the material on the sole of the shoe and allow the cleat to catch. I know there have been several discussions about this over at the Bentrider  Forum and I recall at least one with photos. I would suggest you look over there. Their search mode isn't the best but you should be able to find more specific info than I can give you. When I bought my Frogs, I was told I might have trouble with the cleats but as it turned out, they went on with only some minor shimming.

I've tried other stuff, keep coming back to the bebop.

The Bebop cleats are so large, they do a better job of spreading out the pressure on your foot, better than any other MTB shoe. And they have more float than any other pedal I know of.  
 
The pedal itself is bulletproof, and will last a very long time. Unlike most other pedals, the moving parts are in the cleats, so it's them that will eventually wear out and have to be replaced.

Congrats on finding the solution. The right pedals can make a huge difference in your ride.