Saunders Pac tab

[xtrema312]

After reading a lot of recommendations for the Pac Tab I decided to get one and give it a try.  Now that I have it there appear to be too many choices in how to put the thing together.  So I would like to know a few things and see what other people like and why.

I assume the light brown layer is the super slick face.  

The black layer is the soft grip, but where do you use this layer.  Is it just a waterproof cushion/spacer layer?  If it was I would think they would call it that.  They call it soft grip so is it supposed to go behind the dark brown plastic backer as a grip surface against your skin?

Now the light gray leather appears to be used together with finer guards.  If so why is it two pieces and not just one?  Or can you use them independent of each other for some reason.  

The felt is obviously a cushion/spacer.

So how do you have your Pac-Tab set up and why?

[weezy]

I've used them for 30 years and I just sandwich the felt between the dark and light pieces. Dark piece with the size stamped on it is outside piece that contacts the string  and light piece  is the back. My son bought one about a year ago and I think there was extra layers in the pack.Back in the 70's when I bought the ones I have they came put together as I described with no extra parts. We just didn't use the extra pieces. I have recently switched to cordovan; gives more feel of the string.Hope this helps.
Bob

[kuch]

xtrema312,i've used the same pactab for 12 years.obviously very durable ,1000's of shots.you have to play with it a little.some like more padding...i just use the light and dark plastic without padding and no finger separator.that's the neat thing about them ..lot's of options and last forever. chad

[Gumby]

Like Kuch has send, you have to play with it a bit to get the type of feel of the string that you want. I have been using them for years and they are awesome. P.S. if you keep the felt out of the middle and use the black filler piece , then it will be 100% waterproof.
Cheers Darcy

[Cootling]

I use the plastic face with the felt for backing, nothing else.  I think they were sold that way for a time before they acquired the current name, and that's the way I like 'em.

[xtrema312]

Originally posted by weezy:
I've used them for 30 years and I just sandwich the felt between the dark and light pieces. Dark piece with the size stamped on it is outside piece that contacts the string  and light piece  is the back. My son bought one about a year ago and I think there was extra layers in the pack.Back in the 70's when I bought the ones I have they came put together as I described with no extra parts. We just didn't use the extra pieces. I have recently switched to cordovan; gives more feel of the string.Hope this helps.
Bob

Ok so the dark piece, which on mine has the finger hole, and is what they call the frame, is the part that touches the string.  The light color plastic is the part that touches your hand?

[xtrema312]

Originally posted by kuch:
xtrema312,i've used the same pactab for 12 years.obviously very durable ,1000's of shots.you have to play with it a little.some like more padding...i just use the light and dark plastic without padding and no finger separator.that's the neat thing about them ..lot's of options and last forever. chad

Where do you put the light color plastic, on the string or on the skin side?  On mine the light color is a layer and not the frame with the finger hole.

[xtrema312]

Originally posted by Cootling:
I use the plastic face with the felt for backing, nothing else.  I think they were sold that way for a time before they acquired the current name, and that's the way I like 'em.

Ok so for you the face is the frame with the finger hole correct?

[turkeyslayer]

I have used the pac-tab for almost 20 yrs,for the longest time i used the felt between the dark & light pieces with the finger spacer, but the felt will eventually wear thin, a couple of years ago i switched to the rubber between the to pieces of plastic,& i like that alot better,i shoot 65lbs,so that setup gives me a little more padding for my fingers.Hope this helps.
Keith

[Matt_Potter]

For what its worth I set it up frame -> Light plastic -> leather.

Works well for me but, I do wear out 1 or 2 a year.

matt

[xtrema312]

On the package they talk about the super slick outer layer. They also talk about the felt, soft grip, and leather.  They say to stack what you want on the tab-base, and insert the screw from the back.  To me the back would be the hand side and the front would be the string side.  They never say to put the light color layer on the string side so I am not sure if the light brown layer is the super slick outer layer or if the tab base is the super slick outer layer.  The both feel slick, but the dark base layer is thicker.

So I got on the net and I found the Saunders web site.  Unfortunately for me it adds to the confusion.  

Now on the web site they show a dark face in one pic on the string side.  Then in another they show the layers with a light color plastic layer included as one of them and located like it would maybe be behind the dark tab base and would have the other layers behind it.  They show the screws on the string side.  They show as pic of the back of the assembled tab and they have the felt on the hand side.  They talk about the felt or leather absorbing sweat.  In the description they talk about  the preassembled version of the tab having the felt between two layers of plastic.  However, in the photo for the preassembled tab they show the felt on the back also.   The pic's don't show the light color plastic anywhere I can see on the tab, and only seem to show it as a layer option I guess.  The pic of the string side kind of looks like there is a layer over the base frame, but I can't tell for sure.

They also have a single layer tab that looks just like the base of the pack tab with the holes and all.  However, it is light brown like the layer included in the pac tab, and not dark brown like the base frame of the pac tab.  That makes me wonder if they just have different colors or is the light brown color the super slick surface that should be contacting the string on the pack tab, and that same light colored plastic is what they use on the single layer tab.

I can play with the layers for what I like, but it would be good to know what surface goes against the string for starters.

[xtrema312]

Originally posted by turkeyslayer:
I have used the pac-tab for almost 20 yrs,for the longest time i used the felt between the dark & light pieces with the finger spacer, but the felt will eventually wear thin, a couple of years ago i switched to the rubber between the to pieces of plastic,& i like that alot better,i shoot 65lbs,so that setup gives me a little more padding for my fingers.Hope this helps.
Keith

Just one question for you Keith.  Do you put the light color plastic on your hand or on the string, and is your light color plastic the one without the finger hole?

[xtrema312]

Originally posted by Matt_Potter:
For what its worth I set it up frame -> Light plastic -> leather.

Works well for me but, I do wear out 1 or 2 a year.

matt

Matt it sounds like you put the frame against the string.  Is this correct?  Sounds like most people get years of use out of one and you don't.  That has me wondering if the light plastic should be on the string.

[BowMIke]

I take all the layers and cant/pinch separator off and shoot the piece with the finger hole only. They are great. Saunders makes a plain tab for 2.95 with no padding. I just oredered several today.

[Matt_Potter]

I shoot 2 fingers under which puts a fair amount of presser on my index finger.  The place I wear them out is on the top edge.  They give me a great release and don't need any breaking in. So even if I have it set up wrong - I'm not changing.  

They are also cheap enough that I have 4 or 5 on hand most of the time.  Dig around in the bottom of most of my backs or pockets and you will find one.  Nothing is worse that setting into your stand and realizing you left your tab at home.

I figure a new tab or 2 a year is pretty cheap compared to how some people go through bows ;-).

Matt

[Over&Under]

Originally posted by xtrema312:
 

Originally posted by Matt_Potter:
For what its worth I set it up frame -> Light plastic -> leather.

Works well for me but, I do wear out 1 or 2 a year.

matt

Matt it sounds like you put the frame against the string.  Is this correct?  Sounds like most people get years of use out of one and you don't.  That has me wondering if the light plastic should be on the string. [/b]

I have the Light Plastic on the string, with the dark frame plastic in the middle and the leather layer that came with mine against my fingers.

[xtrema312]

Thank for the info.  I do like that there is no break in or curl to it.  I sure do shoot way left with it so it releases a lot different than my other tabs, but my group is good.  I need to work on my tune a little now I think.  For some reason it is really affected by this tab.

I ended up using the light color material on the string.  One thing I noticed was that the layers are cut a hair different in size.  When I put the light brown on top, then the frame, and finally the felt they all staggered in length with the longest in the back.  That makes the longer ones shorten as your grip the string.  It seemed to be the way you would want it to work.  So for so good.