First day experience with Carter Evolution

[mizzat]

My evo arrived this morning. Had a go in the garden. Hit my botton lip with my fist on three seperate occasions. Everytime I take a tea break, I seem to forget about holding down the safety trigger. I'm off to a christening in the morning and will have to explain the strange appearance of my botton lip.

On a more positive note, the holding weight was spot on from the box. I don't have scales and have no idea what it is set at. My bow is set at 53 lb. I am not sure if they send all releases from the factory set to the same weights.

I'm not too sure if I will be using this as my usual everyday release aid. I went back to my usual thump release later in the day and was amazed how different the shot felt. I was actually shooting the thump release in the same way I shot the evo. The shots were a "suprise" even though I was activating a trigger. The sensation was fantastic. So even as a training aid, I am chuffed with it. I am not normally aware of activating the trigger but today it was more than just a subconscious event. I was certainly much more aware of the muscle tension building of my back and the push-pull feel between the bow arm and release arm.

My second though: I am sure this surprise release is not going to last forever. I think after some shooting, my muscle memory / brain / subconscious will very much memorise the amount of muscle tension required to set off the shot. I think the next evolution will need to be a BT release the varies the amount of tension required (within a set range).

[Jerry Tee]

I see, so intstead of punching, with normal release, you think you might devolpe a bad habit of 'Yanking' to get the release to go off.

[mizzat]

Right Jerry Tree. Are we being a bit sarcastic here?

[Jerry Tee]

I think you discovered a new and wonderful way to mess up a shot. Who knows they might even name it after you ' The mizzat problem' .Hows that? Straight up this could be a real problem there you are at full draw 'thinking when is this thing going to go off' the temptation to think I on the gold I'll give it a yank and it will go could be there.

[mizzat]

Jerry, you think I have developed a release problem when I thought I have actually improved my technique. I promise I will immediately stop any punching or yanking as you have rightfully suggested. Perhaps after 14 years of shooting compound, you have finally unlockd the secret to my future world success.

Steve

[geoffretired]

Mizzat, I shoot the loesch version of the evo. It works when you pull into the wall, like yours.
Having felt the surprise, using the Evo; does that mean you use your normal thumb release in a different way- with no surprise?
What you said about the "surprise not lasting", I found interesting. The feeling of surprise is very strong when it first happens. I think it can be very off putting and that makes some archers give it up as a way of activating the release. ( any sort).If you continue with it because you believe it to be the way ahead, there is no reason why the surprises can't last. One thing I think you will notice is that the surprise tends to be less of a shock after hundreds of arrows.
It remains unpredictable as the exact moment is never known in advance.

I posted this in another thread..It may be of interest here too..

I assume you bought the Evolution as a remedy for Target Panic? I have tried just about every form of release aid there is. Every single BT release I have tried can be "fooled" or tricked into being punched. They do work...until the wind blows. Then they are a complete pain..only solution is to deal with TP properly and not try and buy your way out of it. I find the Carter Just Cuz to be the best release aid for me. Strangly enough I have no hint of TP now. I just grew out of it by learning how to use a thumb release aid properly. Took two years of hard work though.

[mizzat]

To my knowlege, I have never suffered from target panick. I bought the evo as (like a lot of comound archers) I am alway fascinated by new technology. That is the reason I have accumulated eight release aids and numerous long rods (as well as v bars) over the years. I did try an early Stan BT release aid many years ago. I could not get over getting the release angulation right and every shot was scary rather than a surprise.

I agree with Geoff, the shots today were sort of "controlled" surprise. I figured that after two days I can now feel to a certain extent when the shot is very close. Going back to my regular "fits me too" release, I seem to have acquired a better push-pull balance and a definite back tension focus point.

I am mindful that I am shooting short distance with no wind. How the shot will work with gusting wind is for next season to find out.

BTW, I also received my latst long rod (Doinker D2), Wow, that baby is fantastic. Maybe subject for another thread.

Many thanks to geoffretired and rgsphoto for your comments.

[pyroarch57]

Mizzat, it needs to be "fantastic" for eighty odd smackers!

[Jerry Tee]

Mizzat I am sorry I did not explain my self, I did not mean to imply that you had a problem I meant that you had discovered the potential for it.