Bow Set Decided... Now the many questions of set up...

[wildernessmaster]

As some of you who have read my previous post know, I was trying to put together an East/West/Mutual Backup Bow set that I outlined in this post here on Rokslide: https://www.rokslide.com/forums/threads/which-would-you-pick-replacing-my-bows.190708/#post-1844459

I finally decided and pulled the trigger on a Bowtech Revolt for my shorter axle "east" bow and a Elite Kure for my longer axle "west" bow. I shot the Bowtech at the local shop and wow, what a difference. It was very smooth drawing, no jump at anchor, and just felt really balanced. I read similar reviews on the Kure but could not find one to shoot. The big factor as I weighed it more was the tunability of these two bows.

Now I am considering set up, and since I am going to sell my other bows and make these two my prime time, go to's... I want to get the set up right. Some things I am looking for input on....

1. Rests I plan on going with the QAD HDX. Any reason not to or downsides?
2. Wrist straps... Any value in anything other than a paracord strap?
3. Sight... here is where I want some input... I have typically shot 5 pin fixed sights. The Vertix I have I went with a 5 pin BG Ascent slider. Shot it some but never really got it figured up. I am considering a 5 pin fixed on my east bow, and a single pin slider on my west. That said, one of my goals is to make the bows as "same" as possible so if I have to field swap them, then I am good. I like the idea of not having to futz with my sight to make a short shot out of a stand, so I am kinda wondering if I should keep to fixed sights. That said, with these bows I want to start shooting 60+ yards for practice and hunting.

Any other set up ideas? Like I said in (3) I want these bows to be close to "the same" so if I hot swap one for the other I am not changing much. Is that a good idea? Or should I just set up the bows uniquely?

 

[chasewild]

3 pin slider for west bow.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

1. I've been shooting a QAD HDX on my Mathews Heli-m for years with no issues. However, I think I'm sold on limb-driven over cable-driven for future rest decisions. I put a Hamskea Hybrid Hunter on a Hoyt Helix I picked up this summer and liked how easy it was to get the rest set up. After mounting, all I had to do was tie the activation cord around the limb: no need to serve the activation cord onto the cable or press the bow and thread the cord between the cable strands. I know there are clamps out there designed to make it easier to install/adjust cable-driven rests, but I'm not sure I would trust a clamp to stay put.

3. Take a look at an Option sight. It's unique in that the fixed pins are completely independent of the moving pin so they're always at the correct range
and there's no need to ever reset to zero before aiming with the fixed pins. The sight also gives you the ability to swing the fixed pins out of the way for a cleaner sight picture with only the moving pin visible when target/3D shooting (and at an animal if you have the time). I've been shooting an Option 8s since 2018 and recently picked up a used Option 6 to put on my backup bow.

 

[Samdemarais]

1. After owning a few rests I like the hamskea best. Easy to fix in the field and most durable probably
2. Wrist strap is personal preference
3. Sight, I would probably just use a 3 pin slider for everything. 30-40-50, I like spot Hogg. Very durable and great customer service.

 

[wildernessmaster]

1. I've been shooting a QAD HDX on my Mathews Heli-m for years with no issues. However, I think I'm sold on limb-driven over cable-driven for future rest decisions. I put a Hamskea Hybrid Hunter on a Hoyt Helix I picked up this summer and liked how easy it was to get the rest set up. After mounting, all I had to do was tie the activation cord around the limb: no need to serve the activation cord onto the cable or press the bow and thread the cord between the cable strands. I know there are clamps out there designed to make it easier to install/adjust cable-driven rests, but I'm not sure I would trust a clamp to stay put.

3. Take a look at an Option sight. It's unique in that the fixed pins are completely independent of the moving pin so they're always at the correct range
and there's no need to ever reset to zero before aiming with the fixed pins. The sight also gives you the ability to swing the fixed pins out of the way for a cleaner sight picture with only the moving pin visible when target/3D shooting (and at an animal if you have the time). I've been shooting an Option 8s since 2018 and recently picked up a used Option 6 to put on my backup bow.

How does the limb driven work? Do the limbs stretch and move that much that it can activate it?

 

[wildernessmaster]

1. I've been shooting a QAD HDX on my Mathews Heli-m for years with no issues. However, I think I'm sold on limb-driven over cable-driven for future rest decisions. I put a Hamskea Hybrid Hunter on a Hoyt Helix I picked up this summer and liked how easy it was to get the rest set up. After mounting, all I had to do was tie the activation cord around the limb: no need to serve the activation cord onto the cable or press the bow and thread the cord between the cable strands. I know there are clamps out there designed to make it easier to install/adjust cable-driven rests, but I'm not sure I would trust a clamp to stay put.

3. Take a look at an Option sight. It's unique in that the fixed pins are completely independent of the moving pin so they're always at the correct range
and there's no need to ever reset to zero before aiming with the fixed pins. The sight also gives you the ability to swing the fixed pins out of the way for a cleaner sight picture with only the moving pin visible when target/3D shooting (and at an animal if you have the time). I've been shooting an Option 8s since 2018 and recently picked up a used Option 6 to put on my backup bow.

How is the support and warranty on the Hamskeas?

 

[Beendare]

Thats some nickname you have there Wilderness master....with 4 threads going on how to set up your bow- Grin

I can tell you Hamskea and QAD are both very good rests...I have many experienced bowhunter buddies using both for many years and they are happy.

I have had QAD dropaways crap out after 5 years of hard shooting....[they replaced one for free] but I think thats about all a guy can expect from one of these mech rests.

Even the fixed rests like Whiskers or flippers wear out.....

_____

 

[Mighty Mouse]

How does the limb driven work? Do the limbs stretch and move that much that it can activate it?

The Hamskea and Vapor Trail limb-driven rests I've used work as follows:
With the bow relaxed, a torsion spring inside the rest is trying to rotate the rest axle and bring the launcher arm into the up position. The activation cord running from the rest axle to the limb (usually tied off an inch or two forward of the cam axle) is in tension working against the torsion spring and keeping the launcher arm down. As the bow is drawn, the limbs deflect inward and the activation cord goes slack allowing the torsion spring to raise the launcher arm. When the bow is fired, the limbs move outward and reapply tension to the activation cord which overpowers the torsion spring and pulls the launcher arm back to the down position.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

How is the support and warranty on the Hamskeas?

I haven't had occasion to contact Hamskea for support/warranty. They have very detailed technical resources available on their website and they openly offer individual repair/replacement components for sale, both of which are points in their favor in my book and bode well toward their willingness to support their products.

 

[wildernessmaster]

1. I've been shooting a QAD HDX on my Mathews Heli-m for years with no issues. However, I think I'm sold on limb-driven over cable-driven for future rest decisions. I put a Hamskea Hybrid Hunter on a Hoyt Helix I picked up this summer and liked how easy it was to get the rest set up. After mounting, all I had to do was tie the activation cord around the limb: no need to serve the activation cord onto the cable or press the bow and thread the cord between the cable strands. I know there are clamps out there designed to make it easier to install/adjust cable-driven rests, but I'm not sure I would trust a clamp to stay put.

3. Take a look at an Option sight. It's unique in that the fixed pins are completely independent of the moving pin so they're always at the correct range
and there's no need to ever reset to zero before aiming with the fixed pins. The sight also gives you the ability to swing the fixed pins out of the way for a cleaner sight picture with only the moving pin visible when target/3D shooting (and at an animal if you have the time). I've been shooting an Option 8s since 2018 and recently picked up a used Option 6 to put on my backup bow.

Was that the Hamskea Hunter Pro or Trinity Hunter Pro? Do you know if for either different year models are different. Amazon has the Hunter Pro for the low "100s" while Hamskea site they are pushing 200. Hamskea doesn't post the product codes (like amazon) so its hard to tell if it is apples to apples. BTW are all of these limb driven (from Hunter Pro)?

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Was that the Hamskea Hunter Pro or Trinity Hunter Pro? Do you know if for either different year models are different. Amazon has the Hunter Pro for the low "100s" while Hamskea site they are pushing 200. Hamskea doesn't post the product codes (like amazon) so its hard to tell if it is apples to apples. BTW are all of these limb driven (from Hunter Pro)?

Mine is a Hybrid Hunter Pro. I don't know about what Hamskea might've offered in the past, but their current lineup consists of 3 basic models (by price from low to high): Hybrid, Trinity, VersaRest. Each model is available in a target (narrow steel launcher with no arrow containment mechanism) or hunting (wider launcher with containment mechanism) version and can be ordered with micro adjustment knobs ("microtune") or without ("standard"). The pricing on Hamskea's website ranges from $150 to $240 depending on model/sub-model and standard/microtune. Hybrid and Trinity models are limb-driven; VersaRest can be configured for limb or cable drive. All 3 models can be configured for limb or cable drive. Hybrid has a cantilevered/overhung axle; Trinity and VersaRest support the far end of the axle with an additional bearing.

*Edited after doing a little more reading on Hamskea's website*

 

[Zac]

Are you sure you didn't buy the same length bows. I don't think the Kure is any longer than the Revolt. Not sure why you didn't just buy the new 34 inch Elite instead?

 

[wayoh22]

Are you sure you didn't buy the same length bows. I don't think the Kure is any longer than the Revolt. Not sure why you didn't just buy the new 34 inch Elite instead?

Revolt ATA is 30in and Kure ATA is 32in

 

[sndmn11]

Hamskea can be set up as a limb driven, cable driven, or static spring. The trinity is stronger than the hunter versions, though there is nothing wrong with the hunter versions. [email protected] will get you a response within an hour on business days, a phone call will get you a human within 5 rings. Their peeps are cool too. You will likely find a lot of "my qad works great! Mine broke once but they fixed it".

An $8 wrist sling is fine.

5 or 7 pin slider will get you home positions out to 60-80yards, and a roamer to 100+ depending on arrow weight and anchor position.

 

[WhatToHunt]

3. Take a look at an Option sight. It's unique in that the fixed pins are completely independent of the moving pin so they're always at the correct range
and there's no need to ever reset to zero before aiming with the fixed pins. The sight also gives you the ability to swing the fixed pins out of the way for a cleaner sight picture with only the moving pin visible when target/3D shooting (and at an animal if you have the time). I've been shooting an Option 8s since 2018 and recently picked up a used Option 6 to put on my backup bow.

I have the Option 4 and really like it. Would recommend Option sights to anyone.

 

[Sled]

Vapor trail pro-v and a single or multipin slider for out west. A whisker biscuit is also fine out west. You lose 3 fps at most but you probably won't miss it. The quiet hold is nice.

 

[Hoot]

Hamskea has a lifetime warranty, Devin is great to deal with. I only have needed to use the warranty one time, and thats just because I stripped part of the aluminum body with steel bolts. They replaced it quickly, and I like that they are local to me here...

 

[Sled]

I like the hamskea but they are bulky and heavy.

 

[Trial153]

Rest, HDX been as solid as my limb driven rests, Ham, VT....i dont dislike the HHA rest either as i have set up a couple as well.

Sights.....fixed multi pin for the whitetail and three or four pin slider for everything else.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I am a bit of a bow dunce. I will say, after some issues I only shoot limb driven rests. I have a limb driver and Hamskea on my current two bows. No issues with either.

on sights, I tried shooting a single pin slider in the east. Shots were too close and the windows too quick for me to get it dialed right. I swapped back to a three pin slider for the rest of that season and added another two pins after season. I now have 20-30-40-50-50 covered without messing with the slide and can dial for longer shots when desired. Best of both worlds IMO.