Glove or a tab, what you shoot'n with ?

[bendotwood]

I started out with a cheap glove and hated it.  The tips of my fingers weren't fully covered, and the string flying by em didn't feel so great.  My next glove was a PSE King Series.  I loved the full finger design and the face that there was leather on my palm as well as the back of my hand.  The deerskin that it was made of held up great for years, but eventually wore through.  My third glove was a Neet, it was way overbuilt and cumbersome.  It didn't fit well even after significant modifications.

At this point I started shooting tabs again.  I had messed with them a bit in between gloves, and hadn't liked them then.  For whatever reason this time I loved them.  I found that having my fingers exposed made if far easier to anchor consistently.  Tabs also made me aware of whether or not I was pinching the nock.

I have tried a black widow tab, but found it way too thick.  I cut out the rubber layer (leaving 2 layers of leather) as well as the floppy little finger fenders.  Once that was done I found it shot well from my 70# but not so much my 50#.  I just couldn't feel the string well enough on my lighter bow.  One other thing I found with the black widow tab was that its body is quite stiff, and you gotta swing it to the back of your hand to pull arrows.  That kinda bugged me.

Currently I shoot a home made tab, I sewed a second layer of leather onto a simple Martin Archery tab.

[TOEJAMMER]

Bateman cordovan tab.

[KSdan]

Been very impressed with Black Widow stick tite all-leather glove:

PROs:  
-(After brief break-in) It is just barely a step stiffer than the damascus/martin deerskin.  So I still get the "feel" BUT with better protection.
-Just stiff enough to get you a better release than softer gloves, while probably not quite a tab.  
- Top quality leather yet amazing price- $18.
-Can not hardly appreciate the design until you use it a bit.  Comes from a European style- it actually DOES stay tight on your fingers.  Feels really secure.  

CONS:
-Needed to trim the stalls a little to better fit my fingers.
-Glove compared to tab.
-Honestly can find NOTHING negative about this after you break it in (Which takes little time- perhaps 100 arrows or so)

[T-Bowhunter]

Cordovan Tab

[Paul_R]

I'm leaning toward tabs. Shooting 2 under I had given up on both and installed slicks on my strings and shot bare fingered. But I'm moving up into mid 50 ' draw weight and even with slicks I need some protection after a long session.

Along came Dan Toelke thinking outside the box. I've adopted his 2 finger style and he came up with a slick 2 finger tab. I made a couple, one is real soft but thick 7 oz buffalo hide the other is 4 oz stiff tooling leather. I'm liking the buffalo better we'll see how well it holds up...

 

[TGbow]

I shot a glove for over 30 years. Last year I started using a tab thinkin it might help with the crooked index finger I have, keep me from pinching the nock.

I went back to a glove recently but I got use to the tab with no restrictions to my fingers, that I just cant seem to use a glove anymore...well, I can but the tab lets me control my fingers better.

Unless you give one or the other an honest try, you wont really know which one will work the best for you.
I've gotten so use to the tab I can nock and fire an arrow off just as quick as with a glove...but that's just me.

[Josh Perdue]

Im shocked to see soo many people shooting a glove. I thought to see tabs over gloves 4-1. Shows how much I know.
I shoot a tab because I cant seem to get as tight and comfy with my anchor using a glove. It seems the leather at the end of your finger tips doesnt allow it and then my left and rights are off.

[bentpole]

Damascus Glove here for many Moons.  

[Bowwild]

The Bateman arrived yesterday.  Put a couple of shots through it this evening. I ordered a small...should have ordered medium! Stings the tips of my fingers because it is a tad too short.

Oh well, I have 4 grandsons and the 10-year old will get this one.

I have to say that I like my Cavalier Elites better because they are more supple from the very beginning.

I know some think that sore fingers with gloves mean the fingers aren't being set correctly. Maybe for some but that wasn't the problem for me.

I even had to go to a hand specialist after shooting the glove about a year. Turns out I had "Trigger Finger" a couple of my fingers were catching or locking up. It was very painful and a bit scarey-weird!  Cortisone shots and advice to "stop doing what I was doing" fixed the problem.

I did like the simplicity of the glove. I had a bit more use of the drawing hand with a glove compared to a tab. The glove is more difficult to lose or drop out of the tree as well.

[Gdpolk]

I was a tab guy for years until I recently tried the Buffalo Big Shot Crossover glove by American Leathers.  It's truly changed the sport for me.  I can't recommend it enough.

Here is a review I did on it a while back:
 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=134570

[Michael Pfander]

I have shot a glove for 30 plus years.  For me the feel just can't be beat.  I like the American Leathers in buffalo.
MAP

[Cold Weather]

I generally use a American Leathers glove-and I cant recommend it enough..

I just got a Black Widow tab and am trying that-but pretty much a glove user.

[Johnny Reb]

GDPolk : Really good evaluation, sounds like you covered all the bases, love the fact they're American made & take customer service seriously.

Seed planted.

[elknutz]

I still love my EFA three under cordovan tab.  Well tabs actually, I have to keep a few of them around cause they seem to walk off and get temporarily lost on occasion.

[Surffever]

I used to use a glove.  Dan Toelke convinced me to try tab for the cleaner release.  I got a cordovan tab ( with a second layer of leather) with finger spacer.  After I got used to it I ended up cutting off the inner layer to make the tab thinner and more sensitive.  Love it now.  And it never seems to show wear