arrow rests

[Sherm65]

I just got a new bow,a Samick "Lightning". On a whim I put a flipper rest on. I am impressed with both the bow and the improvment in my grouping. I was how many others use some sort of off the shelf rest?

[CoilSpring]

They're a little more forgiving of release and of arrow tune. I like them on my lighter wt bows, and fishing bow, but usually shoot off the shelf for my hunting bows. Also, I can usually shoot a broader range of arrow spine with an elevated rest, but when I'm hunting, I want simple, especially since I've had a rest come loose on the cold hunt - kinda dampens the evening.

[reddogge]

My myriad of classic bows have all three kinds of rests, rug, feather, flipper. All good.

[Longbowz]

I've pretty much gone back to elevated rests on my recurves.  I like the better arrow flight and better forgiveness.  Don't get me wrong you can make an arrow off the shelf shoot as well.

I always carry a spare rest just in case, but I've never had to use it.  Elevated rests are also good if you want to shoot vanes which I sometimes do during the late seasons soggy weather.

[Stinger]

One of my favorites is an old Herters rest that is a bristle brush.  I have it on a couple of my older bows,  Unfortunately you have to drill a small hole into the strike plate side of the riser to mount it.  I have a couple of Trap's feather rests on order to try those out as something in between off-the-shelf and a flipper.

[Bill Carlsen]

I have found elevated rests to give me a number of advantages. One is faster arrow speed. Second would be more accuracy simply because they are more forgiving.  And third, when I shot off the shelf I was unable to get all the broadheads I have to shoot well. Some were very finicky to get to fly well. With an elevated rest they all shoot well. The elevated rest also allows me the use of a plunger which makes final arrow tuning a breeze.

[Javi]

Kind of defeats the concept of traditional archery to me..   but to each their own...

[MarkE2006]

Elevated rest are just as "traditional" as shooting off the shelf.  More forgiving because of minimal arrow contact which means less influence from the archers poor form and bow hand.

[bigbadjon]

Defeats traditional how so? Sixty years ago the vast majority probably shot off a rest. Many classic bows a made to be shot off a rest.

[Hoyt]

I shot a lot of field round tournaments in 3 different states back in the 60's before traditional and I don't remember ever seeing anyone shooting off the shelf. I'm sure there must have been people shooting that way...just can't remember ever seeing it.

[Javi]

Originally posted by bigbadjon:
Defeats traditional how so? Sixty years ago the vast majority probably shot off a rest. Many classic bows a made to be shot off a rest.

Sorry, I only been shooting since '59 didn't put a rest on until I drilled a riser for a Berger button.. next thing I knew I was shooting a compound....

 But now I've gone back to simple.. and may go back to a knuckle before it's over...

[Javi]

Originally posted by Hoyt:
I shot a lot of field round tournaments in 3 different states back in the 60's before traditional and I don't remember ever seeing anyone shooting off the shelf. I'm sure there must have been people shooting that way...just can't remember ever seeing it.

Remember when they let us put a sight on the bow, what was that '62 or '63 wasn't it?

Look guys, I don't care if you use a rest or not they do make it easier to shoot well. But for me archery got way to complicated and I've made the choice to uncomplicate both my archery and my life.. and trust me I'm having a lot more fun since I made that choice...    :D

[cbCrow]

I remember going with my uncle to field shoots in MD. and Pa. in the early 60's. The bows we shot had a rest on them, and I would estimate 90% of other archers also used a rest. Man if a rest complicates one's life or is not traditional I really need to know what the difinition is. If someone wants to use a rest so what does it matter?  

[Javi]

Originally posted by cbCrow:
I remember going with my uncle to field shoots in MD. and Pa. in the early 60's. The bows we shot had a rest on them, and I would estimate 90% of other archers also used a rest. Man if a rest complicates one's life or is not traditional I really need to know what the difinition is. If someone wants to use a rest so what does it matter?        

How does a flipper complicate things, well it's just another step toward a button and then a sight.. then stabilizers, then cams, then a scope.. it just never stops...  :D   I know I was lured down that path... it took me 15 years to find my way back  

[bigbadjon]

Thats cool Javi. I agree that everyone should just shoot what they like. Personally I don't think a rest is gadgetry, just utility. I don't shoot with one on every bow I own but some bows were made with one in mind.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I'm only 42 yrs. old, but the plastic or rubber flipper rests with the sticky on the back have been around since I can remember. That's about as old school as it gets in my opinion. Think of it like the Amish do, any technology that's at least 20 years old is Ok to use by their standards, so I'd kinda use that as the same rule of thumb as far as traditional goes. Unless your a die hard who likes to rough it, then you can go all out selfbow made from a single piece of wood, cane arrows with rock points, and feathers that are tied on and not glued.

As a matter of fact there are a few on this site that do exactly that and are quite successful at it. Osage Tree is one that immediately comes to mind. I've also done it myself, but have yet to put one in an animal with it.

I don't put anyone else in a box so to speak for what they chose to use, when it all comes down to it we are all "Traditional" in every sense of the word. Where as we still use a bent stick and a string, that projects another stick that's sharp on the end.

Personally I don't use a flipper anymore because I get better arrow flight out of my Bear Grizzly using a chunk of beaver hide glued to my arrow shelf and it's super quiet. But that's just what works for me and what I prefer.
To each his own, and if it means that you make a better hit on an animal because your arrows are flying truer.......then I'm all for it.    

I have different opinions about sight pins though, nothing about those are traditional in my opinion, that's kinda where I draw the line (for myself, not others) between traditional and modern equipment.

Oooops......I bet I just opened up a whole new can of worms with that one?   :rolleyes:

[Van/TX]

Remember when they let us put a sight on the bow, what was that '62 or '63 wasn't it?
 

Javi, you are kidding, right?
   ...Van

[bigbadjon]

I use my arrow as a sight. Same difference right?

[Javi]

If I remember right the flipper didn't come into use until the mid 60's when Vic Berger's pressure button started showing up... Before that there were some plastic glue on striker plates and rests but most guys I knew still used moleskin or leather..

[cbCrow]

Sherm, I would like to apologize for my part of hijacking your thread. I shoot with several people who use rests which are usually the flipper or Bear weatherest. None use sights and are good shooters ,I prefer to shoot my longbow off shelf.