Your Thoughts on Release Aids

[Jerry Tee]

I have decided to delve into the darkside and I have bought a Mathews Rival Pro. I have a cheap and not very good wrist release aid and I am finding out what I don't like about it. Long trigger travel and no 'feel' I do like the wrist strap, and the fact that I am doing some thing with my fingers to get the arrow to go. That is probablely due to a long time rifle shooting in the military. Plus being a finger shooter, it just feels right to move my finger or fingers to shoot.
What do you like about your release aid and what would you change if you could?

[Robin Astra]

I used a TruBall, hand held, thumb activated release until last year.
The good points were an excellent trigger mechanism with no travel and plenty of adjustment on the possition of the trigger so you can get it to fit your hand.

When I developed a severe case of target panic last year, I changed to a 'back tension' release; a Carter Solution 2.5. I really like this release and my shooting has improved significantly. Soon after I purchased it, Carter came out with their 'Evolution' back tension release. I have not tried it but I know many people who find it excellent.

Wrist releases don't work for me as I cannot squeeze the trigger. If you are familiar with this action from rifle shooting, then this type will probably suit you well.

As with most things in archery, I think its best to try as many different types as you can get your hands on to see what you get on with.

Good luck with your search!

Robin

[kieran]

i think i'd make the handle of my carter atension bigger. i have big hands, so my fingers feel a little cramped when using it.

[ThePinkOne]

Originally Posted by Jerry Tee

I have decided to delve into the darkside and I have bought a Mathews Rival Pro. I have a cheap and not very good wrist release aid and I am finding out what I don't like about it. Long trigger travel and no 'feel' I do like the wrist strap, and the fact that I am doing some thing with my fingers to get the arrow to go. That is probablely due to a long time rifle shooting in the military. Plus being a finger shooter, it just feels right to move my finger or fingers to shoot.
What do you like about your release aid and what would you change if you could?

It fits my hand like a glove, sits in fingers just where I like. Plus the release mechanism is smooth. (I use a green Stan, the one with a trigger- the supreX I think it is- in medium size).

P.

[pwiles1968]

My current release is a Spott-Hogg Saturday Night Special, I have small hands so it is a great release for me, no travel, cheap (as good releases Go) and well made, things you may not like, small release only good for small medium hands, very sensitive, the weight adjust takes you form very sensitive to very very sensitive, if you try and back off to make it heavy you end up with travel. I like it.

One thing I will suggest Jerry is to get someone who can shoot with one to show you how to use a release properly, cant stress this enough, If you already know I apologise humbly.

[Christopher Lee]

Jerry,

Since most folks can't afford the Feinwerkbau Viper 1 release (apologies if you can) which features the same exact trigger mechanism in their air rifles, I would suggest you check out:

1) Carter 2 Shot (very precise and well engineered.)

2) Scott Little Bitty Goose. i notice that this is the release of choice among FITA archers using wrist straps in my country. They use the rope connector, probably because it compensates for torque better than a stiff rod connector. Also, a rope connector is easy and cheap to change when it wears out.

3) Jim Fletcher models like the 3D. Among the most affordable on the market, the Fletcher 3D allows you to adjust the single stage trigger from feather light to heavy and the trigger breaks fairly cleanly ... but do note that the trigger travel will change with different weight settings.

I've not used any of the Tru Ball wrist strap releases, so I can't comment on them, but I've heard good things about models like the Short n Sweet.

Another thing is that a lot of serious target archers try not to work the trigger the way one does a rifle trigger, i.e., squeeze it to fire. Instead, they set the trigger heavy, pre-load the triggger with their index finger and squeeze their back muscles - effectively making it a back tension release. Archers shooting this way are less prone to flinching, anticipating or collapsing (and start on the dreary road to target panic) at full draw.

Hope this helps.

CHEERS!

[Ceri Jones]

I have a tru ball as my main realese, cant say id change anything about it

And a Fletchmatic as a back up, the only problem i had with this was the time it took the string to clear the d-loop, but i only have it in case the d-loop fails.

[phil_r_58]

I certainly think you need to try alternatives before buying. Even with the same release, different people use it differently. I use a fletchmatic wrist release and simply touch the trigger, tighten the back tension and at some point I realise "oh the arrows gone". My friend uses the same setup, but he consciously squeezes the trigger like a rifle.

I find that thumb releases are to conscious for me, others love them. It will come down to your own style of shooting, and the your shoot psychology. I had a tendency for target panic in the past, so I remove consciousness from the release. I can't get on with a squeeze type release. I'm sure some of the archers in your club will be pleased to let you try theirs.

You can use the fletchmatic on a d-loop, just remove the string, via the 2 grub screws.

[Moose]

I shot the cascade 8 and shot it well, I felt that the feel and size where perfect but that I could improve further if I used a normal trigger.

So I would change it to have a trigger that was not springy and snapped away when activated.

Spot Hogg read my mind and produced the Saturady Night Special and the Friday Night Special just what I wanted so I bought one and guess what I was right

Makes a change!

[Little Miss Purple]

I have a stan..... release aid and very nice it is too. The thumb trigger rotates so you can move it to fit your hand perfectly

(but it's green )