$2.95 investment!!

[Justin Falon]

Bought a Bear weatherest today. Never used one.

Took the padding off my shelf on my 75# recurve. Quiets my bow down by about 95% and tightens my groups at 30 yards. I never knew this would make such a dramatic difference. Guess I've always just shot off the shelf. NO MORE!!!!!!!

justin

[one more bow]

I put one on an older Kodiak hunter about a month ago. I too had never used one. I like it a lot also.

[Josh Perdue]

I tried one for the first time last year and now all my bows have one. They will spoil you for sure. I'll never shoot off the shelf again unless I would happen to get a hill style bow. I put them on my hybrid longbows as well.

[Justin Falon]

I agree Josh. My groups are now "groups" instead of just arrows in a bunch. It is amazing!  I can hardly wait to spend more time with it.

And here I thought I was going to need carbon arrows to get my arrows flying straight!

[Archie]

I put a rest on my longbow a while back and it dramatically improved my shooting as well.

[Lefty]

Elevated rests can be more forgiving.

[M60gunner]

I have almost always used a raised rest on my recurves. Just makes tuning easier for me.

[Jack Hoyt 75]

Ok , good info but why?  Why or how does a feather rest make a bow shoot better or tighter groups?  Softer and less resistance?Even ok to use on modern r/d l ongbows? Why dont bowyer use them more then?  Just curious.

[reddogge]

Originally posted by Jack Hoyt 75:
Ok , good info but why?  Why or how does a feather rest make a bow shoot better or tighter groups?  Softer and less resistance?Even ok to use on modern r/d l ongbows? Why dont bowyer use them more then?  Just curious.

They don't necessarily do all of that but they do give excellent arrow flight which leads to accuracy and I have no idea why. I assume bowyers don't use them because they aren't available on a large scale and are expensive.

[Josh Perdue]

Originally posted by Jack Hoyt 75:
Ok , good info but why?  Why or how does a feather rest make a bow shoot better or tighter groups?  Softer and less resistance?Even ok to use on modern r/d l ongbows? Why dont bowyer use them more then?  Just curious.

I don't know the why, you will just have to try it. I was always reluctant because I do think they are ugly but I just get better arrow flight and it's made tuning a breeze. Maybe I get good results because they are more forgiving and I have a sloppy release.

[bigbadjon]

It is more accurate just because it has less contact with the arrow and provides better clearance. I won't shoot without one myself. I also drilled my ACS for homemade brush rests like Jack Harrison used to make. If you have the intestinal fortitude to modify an expensive bow this is probably the best option for a longbow or other bows not cut substantially past center.

[Archie]

They are more forgiving because your arrow is sliding against something that will give a little as it slides across it upon release.   The bow shelf is rigid.  It is very unlikely that we "common people" (I.e., not Olympic caliber shooters) have clean enough releases to keep the arrow sliding in a perfectly straight line across the shelf upon release.  The rest gives us some vertical relief if the arrow wants to bang against something as it leaves the bow. Some rests also have a little tab at the strike plate to give some horizontal relief as well.

[Jack Hoyt 75]

Thanks!  Not intentionally trying to hi-jack this thread but one more question.  When mounting a feather rest on modern R/D longbow that is cut to center would you place feather rest against the side plate or leave a small gap?  

I may try this on my Hummingbird or Cari-bow Peregrine just to check it out for fun.

[TBinMN]

Justin was taking about the Bear Weatherest, which, if I remember right is an elevated rest made out of plastic or rubber (which gives it it's weather resistance and the name).
I used to use them on my carp bows back in the 70's, might have to give one a try on another bow...

I use feather rests on most of my bows (vintage Bears and Howatt's) and not only do they just look right , my arrows fly great off them.

[Mojostick]

What's the impact on nock point/tiller if you shoot 3 under? Seems like it may help getting the nock close to the eye.

[Pine]

I have always been baffled by how some like the elevated rests and others want that arrow as close to there hand as possible . I have shot both ways and don't see a difference other than a slight difference in arrow flight . I personally like off the shelf for hunting just because for me I feel more confident in the arrow not falling off the rest .
But I guess that's why there is more than one flavor of ice cream .

[jackdaw]

I shoot a feather rest 3 under on a Kodiak 59' repro and it's no problem...I did go to Index finger as my anchor finger though...I have shot this for 5 years now...

[Uncle Buck]

I think I remember reading somewhere that the Quinn Stallion recurve was designed specifically to use a bear weather rest. That's a pretty good endorsement.

[BearCrkBandit]

I made the switch to the bear weather rest on my wood recurve over a year ago and it made a huge difference..one big advantage I've found is that you can shoot vanes rather than feathers with a properly spined arrow. Vanes are cheaper, tougher, quieter, and impervious to weather! i'll be hard pressed to ever go back to feathers

[md126]

If a rest is good enough for Paul Schafer than it's good enough for me.