Am I the only one who thinks the stabilizer market is a SCAM?

[JeffRaines]

Full disclosure - I'm talking about for hunting, although it seems like my thoughts would also apply to target as well.

For years I've used a quivilizer - it's been fine, but I'm gonna go back to a regular quiver and I've started looking and researching stabilizers and HOLY JESUS... I can't be the only one who looks at these things and thinks they're massively overpriced for what youre getting. It's a carbon rod with two threaded ends and some weights attached, you can't tell me these things are worth 200-500 in some cases.

I see some Chinese ones on Amazon for ~40-50, that sounds more in line for what they should cost. I can't imagine the construction is very different/if its different at all(assuming some are made in the same factory or sourced from china), and the functionality can't be far off from the higher priced options... if its any different at all.

Of course I'd expect smaller made in USA brands to cost a bit more(and am okay paying said cost to support American workers where it makes sense).

What's your experience with these as hunters? Are the higher end brands actually worth the money, or not?

 

[Green-Up]

In my opinion, everything in modern archery is overpriced. Furthermore, I personally believe there's very little to be gained with typical "hunting length" stabilizers. Anything shorter than 12" just doesn't make enough impact on the moment of inertia to be worthwhile - even 12" is minimal.

So, when you start considering a bar long enough to make a meaningful impact, now they become a burden in a lot of hunting scenarios.

 

[MountainTracker]

I haven’t hunted with one for a while, they get caught on everything when pushing through brush.

I us the quivalizer thinking I could move it if needed, but I find there’s no time for that mess in most of the situations I’ve been in.

Really the only thing I like the stabilizer for is bracing against the back of my arm when carrying it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Maverick1]

Full disclosure - I'm talking about for hunting, although it seems like my thoughts would also apply to target as well.

For years I've used a quivilizer - it's been fine, but I'm gonna go back to a regular quiver and I've started looking and researching stabilizers and HOLY JESUS... I can't be the only one who looks at these things and thinks they're massively overpriced for what youre getting. It's a carbon rod with two threaded ends and some weights attached, you can't tell me these things are worth 200-500 in some cases.

I see some Chinese ones on Amazon for ~40-50, that sounds more in line for what they should cost. I can't imagine the construction is very different/if its different at all(assuming some are made in the same factory or sourced from china), and the functionality can't be far off from the higher priced options... if its any different at all.

Of course I'd expect smaller made in USA brands to cost a bit more(and am okay paying said cost to support American workers where it makes sense).

What's your experience with these as hunters? Are the higher end brands actually worth the money, or not?

Hunted for many years with a short, flexible stabilizer. Purchased a new bow last year, opted to not install a stabilizer, and hunted the whole season without one. Did not change the outcome of my season one bit. Still filled tags. (I am a hunter, not an archer. Big difference, IMO.)

I am adding one back onto the bow this year for one simple reason - it makes it easier to carry my bow up the mountain.

And yes, you are correct, they are over priced. The one I purchased this year was from Amazon, $30 or so. Works just as well as the one costing several hundred dollars more. It is, after all, just a carbon rod, some rubber dampeners, and a threaded rod. Didn't like the color of the logo that came on the carbon rod, so I scraped it off with a butter knife. The paint came off pretty easily, looks fine, works fine.

Good luck this season!!!

 

[Macintosh]

Scrap aluminum thick walled tubing from some project: free
8 big washers and 2 bolts: about 3.50
Tapped the end, bolted on washers. Tapped the other end added threaded rod to fit the stabilizer hole on the bow. Camo taped it. Little heavy, but works great. When I built it I told myself Id replace it with a “real” stabilizer eventually. Years later (10?) I havent bothered. Not sure why I would.

 

[Maxhunter]

I currently shoot a Hoyt RX8 and only use the little stubby that came with it. My bow is plenty stabilized and shoots well to 90yds. IMO I think it’s over exaggerated by the hype from influencers types.

 

[TradLife406]

Shoot a trad bow for over a decade and you'll see the whole compound market is a scam

 

[06 SB]

I agree! A lot of accessories are stupidly priced.

 

[JeffRaines]

In my opinion, everything in modern archery is overpriced. Furthermore, I personally believe there's very little to be gained with typical "hunting length" stabilizers. Anything shorter than 12" just doesn't make enough impact on the moment of inertia to be worthwhile - even 12" is minimal.

So, when you start considering a bar long enough to make a meaningful impact, now they become a burden in a lot of hunting scenarios.

Stabilizers seem to be the most egregiously overpriced item though. I won’t try and argue that a lot of it seems overpriced, but at least with bows, releases, rests, etc you can kinda think of the engineering behind it and at least be able to swallow it a little easier.

There isn’t much engineering behind gluing together a carbon rod with some caps/all thread on the ends. Throw a weight on there and bam you’ve got a stabilizer. 15 dollars in parts 200 retail “because”