Favorite shelf and strike plate material?

[threeunder]

Would like to hear from everyone about your favorite shelf material and your favorite strike plate material.
Am very interested in hearing why you pick the material you do.
Thanks

[Friend]

Velcro...durable, quiet, inexpensive,accurate, easily avaible, easy to replace, no retuning requirements...doubt bowyers would be either supplying or recommending its use on bows that may cost up to two grand.

[olddogrib]

I use sealskin for the rest and calf hair side plates, just because that's what B. Morrison put on them.  In all honesty, from the slow-mo videos I watched on archer's paradox it appears that the tail end of a properly spined and tuned shaft clears both by a considerable amount.  I doubt it makes a bit of difference as long as you don't interchange material/thickness once you're set up.

[katman]

Soft fuzzy side of industrial velcro, works well and inexpensive.

[Yellow Dog]

Industrial Strength Velcro.

[Gdpolk]

I now use sealskin for both.  I used to use velcro because that's what the bow had on it.  

Sealskin is in my experience significantly more quiet when drawing and just as resistant to moisture.  Where it really shines though is that it's very uniform in thickness and wears really well.  Velcro will develop a dip where the arrow rides over time, thus effectively giving you a different center-cut radius and jacking with your tuning.  Leather is more impervious to this kind of wear but not as quiet as sealskin.  I've never tried an elevated rest, feather rest, or calves hair so I can't comment on those but from what I read seal skin is supposed to be "the best" and velcro is highly recommended for being good enough, easy to source, and cheap to replace as needed and therefor "the best value".

[Jack Hoyt 75]

Beaver tail, calf hair, velcro.  BT came on some bows, very durable and thin, calf hair is smooth and easy to replace. As already said Velcro is cheap and easy.  Ask your bowyer what he recommends.  I heard a tip if using velcro leave a little gap in it in corner where shelf meets slide plate.

3 Rivers and Lancaster have lots of options.

[Paul_R]

I'm not entirely sold on any material. Beaver tail works great and looks the best in my opinion. Calf hair and Velcro also work great.

[Butch Speer]

Sure like seal skin. Next would have to be velcro.

[joe skipp]

I still use and have a good supply of the original Bear Hair and leather plate. Stuff wears like iron. I just cut off 1" long piece to place on the shelf. Good stuff...

[Sirius Black]

I use what ever makes my arrows fly the best.

[JamesKerr]

I really prefer using the soft side of a tanned deer  hide. If you look when you go to most leather shops or hobby stores they will have small pieces of leather made from deer skin. If they don't have any out front ask them about it. I mount mine so the softer "fuzzy" side is to the outside. It works really well for me and is plenty quiet. A plus is it seems to never wear out.

[hvyhitter]

For a rest, natural fur trimed short to about 1/8 inch (mink,muskrat,wool) they last forever and dont "burn" like velcro..... smooth leather for a side plate......... very quiet on the draw......

[jackdaw]

Feather rest for the shelf, smooth leather for the strike plate...

[slim_grim]

I like velcro for both. It's simple and works well.

[tracker12]

Where do you all find is the best place to get your velcro and what size you you use.

[Paul_R]

Originally posted by tracker12:
Where do you all find is the best place to get your velcro and what size you you use.

Home Depot.

[Todd Cook]

I usually use the same leather I put on the grip.

[stagetek]

I use various colors of The Bear rug rest and leather strike plate's.

[Scott E]

Originally posted by Friend:
Velcro...durable, quiet, inexpensive,accurate, easily avaible, easy to replace, no retuning requirements...doubt bowyers would be either supplying or recommending its use on bows that may cost up to two grand.

I'm a big fan of velco. You can get more traditional with shelf material but you can't get more practical.