I prefer them to the wooden pistol style grip that they have. It's only fractionally wider than the riser itself and very comfortable. Your hand seems to slide into the same position shot after shot, rather than with the larger wooden ones which if you weren't carefull you could find a different position now and then
I would guess that the chunky wooden handle has been introduced more for the american bowhunting market as it won't get anywhere near as cold as the riser on a winter morning.
I've heard alot of Merlin bashing too, but I have to say I'm very pleased with the bow. Alot of the comments go back to when Merlin were farming out their limb production and were getting let down badly by their supplier. The limbs are now produced in house and are excellent, one of the best laminate limbs out there.
