Elevated rests

[snowplow]

Hi guys, l heard Cody and Aron talk about elevated rests. I've never shot one. I think they were saying they help accuracy left to right? How so? I could see how it would help with a closer point on but don't get how it effects windage?

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[Petrichor]

Less contact with arrow more forgiving of poor release. Feather rests are expensive but worth it.

[McDave]

Certain bows are designed from the ground up to be shot off the shelf, and it would be a pity to put an elevated rest on them, and the reverse is true also.  There are also bows that are equally accommodating of an elevated rest or shooting off the shelf.  With some bows it’s obvious; with others you have to experiment around a little to see which way shoots best.

Clearly an elevated rest that has a cushion plunger can be adjusted to fine tune right/left accuracy better than shooting off the shelf.  Other elevated rests have built-in cushions that might help with right/left accuracy, but are not adjustable.  I’m not sure that an elevated rest without some kind of cushion offers any advantages in right/left accuracy.

No rest, with or without cushion plunger, is a substitute for good, consistent form and careful tuning.

[snowplow]

Wouldn't elevating the arrow above your bow hand pivot point make it less forgiving left/right and up/down? And magnify any torque?

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[McDave]

Wouldn't elevating the arrow above your bow hand pivot point make it less forgiving left/right and up/down? And magnify any torque?

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That's a good point.  The main thing that die-hard off the shelf shooters like, which includes most of the people on this forum, is that canting the bow when shooting off the shelf has less effect on left-right accuracy than it does shooting from an elevated rest.  However, this is assuming your form is otherwise good. 

As Petrichor mentioned, shooting off an elevated rest is more forgiving of poor release, and possibly other form errors. I'm not sure an elevated rest is any worse with torque.  Might be better, because torque might cause the arrow to fall off the rest, which would at least give you a warning that you're doing it.  I know if I shoot off an elevated rest, I have to be careful to keep my drawing hand relaxed or the arrow falls off the rest, which I ought to be doing anyway, but it's not so noticeable shooting off the shelf.  Some rests are hooked so the arrow doesn't fall off as easily, but I think that sort of defeats the purpose of shooting off an elevated rest, which is to reduce any interference from the bow.  Tournament shooters adjust their rests so the arrow is just barely balanced on the rest, with no part of the rest sticking out beyond the arrow.

All in all, I would have to say that shooting off the shelf is better for hunting with a trad bow, because it removes a finicky gadget that can break or go out of whack, plus is more accommodating for canting the bow.  Shooting from an elevated rest, especially with a cushion plunger, allows target shooters a little more precision, and they don't cant their bows anyway.

[snowplow]

Thanks Dave

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[M60gunner]

I have a couple recurves set up with stick on rests and one with a springy rest. I prefer the old “brush rest” modified to set lower almost on the shelf. Something I picked up watching one of the Wensel brothers on the trad Archer vidoes years ago now. Except for when I shot wheel bows the brush rest has been my favorite. Since 1972 I have had one fail. I used one on a wheel bow for awhile with a plunger. I drilled out the plastic so the plunger would fit. Another advantage is they are inexpensive and easy to replace. I carry one in my quiver “just in case”.

[Babbling Bob]

For the most part, I have always shot old recurves off the shelf which came from the factory that way, such as my old Kodiaks as examples and old target bows, like a '63 Tamerlane, and three old Kodiak Specials off feather rests 'cause that is the way they came. Many other bows I owned the same way. On some, I would put on those old Hoyt elevated rests.  However, did put a brush rest on a '62 K Mag in the early sixties and liked how it shot....a lot.   So it depends on the bow and shooting style if an elevated rest makes sense.  Always felt it was good to tinker with my equipment like trying an elevated rest and if it worked, good.   If not, I could go back to the previous type of rest.