Difference Between Limbs

[Todd Cook]

This may be a dumb question so bear with me. I've shot trad a long time but ILF is fairly new to me. I have a metal riser recurve with carbon foam limbs. They are the Samick R3 limbs that came with it. Hands down I shoot that bow better than anything else I have. So here's the question: What's the real difference between a $200 set of limbs like those, or a $500 set, or even an $800 set? Are they really that much better? And if so, how?

[ESP]

Jake Kaminski. ( US Olympic shooter). Has a YouTube video that goes into great detail on this. 

[Orion]

The more expensive limbs may be marginally better.  Perhaps a little smoother, a little faster, a little better looking, name recognition, etc.  Whether that marginal improvement is worth the substantial extra money is in the eye of the beholder. 

[McDave]

I can't really answer your question directly, but you might want to expand your horizon to include the Bob Lee supercurve limbs, called CobraCurve, as well as the ILF limbs you are considering. 

My experience with ILF limbs is limited to my Hoyt Satori, which I bought with the Hoyt “premium” ILF limbs for a couple of hundred dollars more than the standard ones cost.  The Satori is a fine bow which works as well as I expected, and is a bow I plan to keep in my stable.

However, the Bob Lee Shikari, with CobraCurve limbs, blew my socks off!  First, it is the quietest bow I have ever shot.  I don't think it would ever be possible for an ILF bow to be this quiet because of all the adjustable fittings and because the limbs are not really locked down.  While the Shikari also has quick detachable limbs, they are securely locked down.  Second, the Shikari is the highest performing bow I have ever owned.  The supercurve limbs have a force/draw curve where a lot of energy is added in the early part of the draw, and the curve levels out toward the end of the draw so it doesn't seem like there is much increase in draw weight in the last few inches of the draw.  As a result, one gets a few extra fps without having to increase the draw weight.  The limbs are incredibly stable, and it’s nice to not have to worry as much about limb twist, both from the standpoint of damaging the bow and the effect it has on accuracy.  For example, when I test velocity on a chronograph with other bows, I usually have a variation of maybe 3 fps in a 5 shot series.  With the Shikari I usually have a 1 fps variation in a five shot series.

None of this is scientific, just my own personal experience.

[Steelhead]

300 to 500$ differance

[blacktailbob]

McDave, what kind of speed are you actually getting from those cobracurve limbs?

[McDave]

McDave, what kind of speed are you actually getting from those cobracurve limbs?

I think this question can be answered better by comparing the speed I get from the Shikari with other bows, rather than providing just the speed of the Shikari alone, because people with different draw lengths, styles, etc., will get different arrow velocities from the same bow, but comparative velocities should give comparable results.  I have a 27.5” draw length, and all the bows listed are within a half pound of 40# @ 28”, so I am drawing maybe 39#.  The first two bows are shooting .600 spine arrows that are very close to 7.9 gpp.  The Satori is shooting an .800 spine arrow at 7.5 gpp (it is rated to shoot arrows down to 5.5 gpp, although I’ve never tried shooting that light an arrow from it, and never want to).  The Shikari is shooting a .500 spine arrow at approx 8.1 gpp.   I don't know why these bows that are all close to the same draw weight tune best to arrows of such different spines, but I have confidence in my bare shaft tuning.  But the fact that the Satori is shooting an arrow that is 40 grains lighter than the arrow the Shikari is shooting at the same velocity means to me that the Shikari is a higher performing bow.

Bob Lee Legacy:   183 fps
Black Widow ASA:  183 fps
Hoyt Satori:  189 fps
Bob Lee Shikari:  189 fps

[Crooked Stic]

For comparison most bows are tested at 28 in. And 10 gpp thru a shooting machine. This makes everything as close to the same as possible.

[McDave]

Makes sense.  The only kind of comparisons that are meaningful to me are comparisons between bows that I have under the conditions I expect to use them.  Unfortunately, that might not be very meaningful to anyone else.

[Rob5589]

That Shikari is speedy. With just a light "thump" at the shot.

[ALDO]

I suffer with comparisons all the time.  Being short draw, 26", things change dramatically.  So much performance is lost with short draw. 

[Milunchbox]

The biggest difference I personally have noticed is in limb style. If you go from a traditional recurve limb to a super curve you will know blind folded. Switching from a $150 limb to a $500 limb is marginal difference for me at best. This could be due to my abilities, I don't know.

[old_goat2]

The performance is usually tangibly better, often cosmetically better too if you get some with nice wood lams, but you could have more noise issues with the more expensive limbs or they could be quieter. I think when you start talking limbs that are closer together in price, it's often hard to tell the difference which could probably be expected. I know I can't really tell the difference in the regular Black Max and Black Max Carbon limbs!

[styksnstryngs]

McDave-- the hoyt satori limbs are known for being very overpriced for what they are. Hoyt limbs in general are kind of considered by many to be a tier below other manufacturers' limbs in the Olympic recurve side of things. You can definitely find many old limbs with similar or even better performance than the shikari limbs on the market.

[Ken Sorg]

The mass weight of the limbs, slimmer profile, and smaller tips are probably the main differences. I have the r3’s also and they almost seem bombproof. I also have a set of sanlida black stones that are lighter, slimmer, and probably a few FPS faster, but they almost feel fragile That’s my thoughts though. Draw force curve and stacking would be a few other differences, but those are 2 things that do not concern me all that much.

[streamguy]

"I suffer with comparisons all the time.  Being short draw, 26", things change dramatically.  So much performance is lost with short draw."

Some bowyers are more focused on this reality than others.  Kirk Lavendar (Bigfoot bows), and a few others, spent a bit of time discussing this on another board.  they design the limb shape and lamination stack to improve/maximize performance at the owners draw length.

[M60gunner]

I will be upfront, I am a speed chaser. If I buy anything else before the “last trip” it will be super curve limbs. I have shot Border limbs and Uukha’s as well. Haven’t been exposed to others yet. But what I did shoot impressed me at ranges I shoot field archery at. Maybe if all I shot was 20 yards and under it wouldn’t matter. Durability is a consideration as well. I have seen a set of Borders come apart so far. About noisey ILF bows, I have a set of TT carbon/foam limbs mounted on an old Rambo riser (Warf) and it’s quieter than my Bear TD wood riser. I do tighten down my limbs for even tiller and put some felt in the limb pockets.