tab size??

[tex-archer]

Can someone show me a picture of a proper fitting tab? I am trying to shoot with a tab just for a change and I think I may have gotten the wrong size.
Thanks in advance.

[Night Wing]

I shoot with a Bateman tab. Now, I've seen some people wear them slightly different than I do in the same size. In other words; what works for them, doesn't work for me.

I know you want a photo, but I have no photo to offer you so you'll have to settle with an explanation from me. I can tell you about the one I wear and it might help you since you haven't gotten any replies in 2 1/2 hours time.

Tabs come in the usual sizes; extra small, small, medium, large, extra large. I buy my tabs according to my middle finger length. My middle finger is the longest finger on both of my hands and where the elastic band of the tab attaches to my finger. With palm up, where my middle finger is attached (where it bends) to my palm, the length of my middle finger is 3 1/8". This length says I shoot a tab size, "small" and this is what I buy. The one over, two under tab itself is 2 3/4" long and 2" wide.

Just looking at the tab when I'm wearing it, with palm up and my fingers out straight, the tab looks too short since it's 2" wide. But, when I make a J hook drawing the bow, this makes me curl my fingers around the tab and the end of the tab is at the end of the my fingers when I'm drawing my bow. The elastic loop is at the end of my middle finger where it attaches to my palm as far as it can go....just like wearing a ring.

This is the best I can do for you. Hope you get a photo from someone else.

[tex-archer]

Thank you Night Wing. The reason I was thinking it was not the right size is because I can feel the shot with my middle finger so I thought maybe it was to short. I measured my middle finger and it is the same length as yours. I just bought a Bateman two finger under tab, size medium. Maybe it's the right size and I just don't know what I'm doing.

[Night Wing]

I once thought as you. My first Bateman tab was a size medium and it was too large for me. When I curled my fingers around the bowstring to make the J hook, the folded part of the tab was still out beyond the end of my finger tips. It made my arrows shoot out to the left since I shoot right handed. I had to trim the excess part of the tab so it was even with my fingers when drawing my bows.

Since my middle finger is 3 1/8" long, my next Bateman tab was ordered in size, "small" and I've been shooting with a Bateman size small tab for over 35 years.

[TOEJAMMER]

The good thing with a tab is that you can trim it to  fit yourself.

[Fisher Cat]

I had posted this pic over on the shooter's forum to ask how it fits.  The responses were essentially the same as you got; check it with your fingers on a bowstring.  Based on how it shoots, I'd say it fits pretty well, with maybe a little excess leather on the lower edge.  I previously thought the leather should extend much further out to the fingertips, but this resulted in shooting to the left and the string hitting my lip.  Anyway, this is a medium Bateman tab snugged up to the base of my finger.  FWIW, my "saluting finger" is 3 7/16" long.  Good luck - John

 

[tex-archer]

Well judging from the picture my tab may be a tad long not short as I originally thought. Thanks for the pic Fisher Cat!

[tex-archer]

I went and shot a few arrows with the tab. I have it on just like Fisher Cat but I am still feeling the string hit my middle finger. What am I doing wrong?

[Night Wing]

The photo looks just like my Bateman tab, but mine is a size, "small".

[Dave Bulla]

Here's a link to a post I did a while back about tab vs glove but I got into what I figure is proper fit and have a different pic that might help.

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=083028#000000

[Dave Bulla]

If you are feeling the tab hit your middle finger, I have to wonder if you are trying to hold the string way out onto the tips of your fingers or if you are doing what is known as a "deep hook".

Oddly, trying to hold out on the tips is the possible culprit as when you release, your fingers kinda slide around the side of the string and you might feel it hit a finger tip.  If you try a deep hook and get the string all the way back into the crease of your first knuckle and let your tips curl to 90 degrees or a little more you should get a cleaner release because the string "flips" your fingers forward and away from the string.  Sounds weird but it works.  Seems more forgiving for me and is less strain to hold at full draw.

[Fisher Cat]

Dave, Thank you for the link and the informative thread.  Looks like I'm on the right track.  I'll keep a spare available when hunting, but not in my wallet.  That's pretty hard-core and I've got too much crap in there as it is.  :D  
Thanks again - John