Hill Bows: Grips

[WidowEater]

So.....what say the folks about the subjective differences between the various grips of the Hill style bows.  

I have a NM Shelton now with the locator grip and for the life of me, I cannot reason how there can be a real world difference between it and a straight grip.  I just feels pretty ambiguous.  I do not notice the locator notch and just put my hand flush with the arrow shelf anyway.

That being said, I ask the question: What are the differences you feel there are between the straight, dished, and locator grips of the various makers of Hill bows.

Note: It is probably not a popular option on Steve's hill bows but I would also be interested to hear about the RW grip as well in a Hill bow if anyone has any experience with it.  Im sure it is more popular on his R/D bows.

Im in the process of contemplation on a new Hill bow and am interested in how others feel about this.

[Bill Turner]

I started wih the locator grip on my Hill bows and gravitated to the dish, and finally settled on the Hill straight grip. Not a lot of difference in the dished vs. straight grip, but there is some. Craig Eakin offers two grips on his Hill TD models; a small straight, and a larger straight. I have them both, and I can honestly say there is very little difference. The Hill straight grips seem to be a little larger(more mass) then the grip found on the Northen Mist and fits my hand a lot better. Bow grip is a very personal thing,something we all have to decide for ourself. Good luck in your quest.  

[tradlongbow]

I like how the part of the palm directly under the thumb fits into the a dished grip.

A lot depends on how you hold the grip. If you hold the grip on the side, heel down, the straight and dish work great.

If you want a locator grip, the hand is wrapped around the grip, applying more pressure around the throat of the grip.

Darren

[WidowEater]

I also feel the locator grip impedes my low wrist grip because how the locator portion pulls the webbing of my hand into it.

[LongStick64]

Don't forget that the shape can also be a wedge, I have that on my Shrew Hill and for my hands it really cooks the bacon !!!

[ChrisM]

I have tried several and a deep grip with dish and a very narrow back like a wedge is the best to keep you from torgueing.  It keeps your hand in a natural pointing postion.

[tradlongbow]

Originally posted by ChrisM:
I have tried several and a deep grip with dish and a very narrow back like a wedge is the best to keep you from torgueing.  It keeps your hand in a natural pointing postion.

x2

[WESTBROOK]

I like how the part of the palm directly under the thumb fits into the a dished grip.

Me too Darren!

I have the NM loacator on a Superior, I like it as well, I shoot it same as my straight bows.

What I have found is, what makes more of a difference to me is the size of the grip, the deeper the better and not too wide. A grip that fills my hand I can grip most consitant, be it straight, dished or touch of locator.

Eric

[Hermon]

I think that before I buy a Hill style, I will have to shoot a few to see which grip I prefer.  Sounds like a good reason to go to Compton....

[Rossco7002]

I have found the slight dished grip on my Schulz to be the best grip I've ever shot. It is deep and very narrow at the palm but still has a decent  swell to it. Seems to cause an identical hand placement  every time - and that placement just lines me up perfectly. Shooting that bow is litteraly like pointing your finger at what you want to hit. VERY intuitive.

[Sam McMichael]

I am very comfortable with both the straight and the dished grips. Neither one feels particulary more natural or controllable. None of my Hill bows have the locator grip, but I have other longbows that do. They are o.k. but I just prefer the other two grip styles.

[JRY309]

I prefer a dish or straight grip on my Hill's.

[Bill Skinner]

I have all three plus a forward grip Big Five.  I like the forward grip best, then the dish, then straight and the locator last.

[William Penn]

I have found, with the draw weight of the bows I shoot, the Dished Grip gives me more control, stability, and power.

I make my straight grips slightly asymmetrical to the bow hand, one can tell when the bow is in the wrong hand. I do the same with my version of the locator grip, but with my locator style I can still heal the bow as much as is needed specifically for my hand.
 

[Overspined]

I can tell you that without question, Steve's Northern Mist locator grip IS VERY DIFFERENT than most others.  Take a close look at where the locator starts, stops, and the details.  Steve's places your hand as you say, right where it goes.  I have not found the same with any other Hill style bow, and others of different designs often lack the thought he has put in his locator grip. I am sure some people may not like his, prefer another style, etc...but I am a straight grip man, but can still take his locator grip and not miss a beat.