Drop Away Rest. QAD vs. HAMSKEA

[boom]

i had a QAD, fall apart the day before turkey opener. i was doing some final confidence shots from a sitting position. it was a miracle i found all the parts in my backyard. i panicked and found my Axiom Pulse..quick set up, it shot great. i went and killed a turkey. when i got home, i put the QAD back on..it was wierd. my bow tuned better with the Pulse. broadheads shot better. i put them both in the same place.

i put the Pulse back on and never looked back. i LOVE the QAD for the most part. simple, easy setup. i just took the path of least resistence.

the Hamskea..? no clue. my sister may become the companies Patent attorney..i hope so!! if so, i am buying one to try.

 

[eLightfoot]

I have both, two QADs and one Hybrid Hunter. If I were a treestand hunter, Id probably use the Hamskea. On the ground the QAD is way better in my opinion. Arrow containment is where its at for me.

 

[FURMAN]

I tried the limb driven rests. I prefer the QAD. I just couldn't warm up to my arrow not being fully captured and moving as I drew and let down.

 

[Bduffy01440]

For those that have used both, which do you prefer and why? Getting a second bow and am trying to decide what rest i want to use. On my current bow i have a QAD Ultra HDX. Thanks for the input.


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I have been using QAD since it first came out. never had any issues until last year. Bow was shooting great all summer had a deer come in, fired and launcher didn't drop. clean miss. QAD sent me a new one said my spring must be getting weak. this year all tuned shooting mint several hundred arrows then same thing happened the launcher wouldn't fall. its coming off and a new Hamskea is going on. QAD is just not reliable enough anymore for Hunting. IMO .

 

[KevinClimbs]

Hamskea - super reliable and easier to work with IMO.

 

[Yooper]

Same reason I left QAD behind and moved to Hamskea a few years back. Pretty much bombproof.

 

[dkime]

I have used both back and forth for the last two years, both are stellar, but for right now the QAD is winning because of one reason and one reason only, I was busted last winter by having my arrow rattle off the shelf while treestand hunting while using the hamskea. I prefer the containment of the QAD


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[Bduffy01440]

I was wondering about that too. Hamskea sells a shelve arrow holder I wonder if it helps or gets in the way.

 

[Squirrels]

I never had a problem with a QAD, been using them for years. My last build I wanted to see what all the hype was about with the Hamskea. I picked up a Trinity Hunter Pro. As I said I've never had a problem with a QAD but from a pure quality of materials and construction point the QAD is a pile of rubish compared to the Hamskea. The Hamskea is built unbelievable will. I will be passing on QADs and getting Hamskeas going forward.

 

[Trial153]

I used both, prefer the QAD by far

 

[WI in the west]

I used both a few years, cant go wrong with either. I personally prefer the hamskea mainly due to the fact that if the cord that goes to your limb gets cut some how it is quite a bit easier and less technical to tie in a new one in a few minutes and be right back to hunting. but I personally don't think its anything to stress over, or spend money you don't have to get the other one. both are very well proven to be almost flawless.

 

[NYSKIER]

Your overthinking it. Been using limb driven tests for years and have never snagged the cord on anything.

Anything that catches the cord is going to catch your strings and cables.

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Lots of threads on it but limb driven is easier to repair in the field. At least that's my feeling

 

[CO-AJ]

I'm in this same decision. Like Hamskea because of the robust construction and of course they are from CO, but spoke to a pro shop today who said he did not like the cord tied to his limb due to vibration. I was thinking there would be more vibration and cord slap (stress) if it were tied to strings, but I am new to all of this. I am 90% sold on the Hamskea Trinity but thought I would que the professionals in this forum.

 

[5MilesBack]

I'm still loving my QAD HDX that I'm on year 8 with. I have a Hamskea on a backup bow, and rarely ever shoot it. It's just not the same as my QAD. If it was for target only or stationary hunting it wouldn't be as much of a problem for me. But running up and down mountains I love the containment of the QAD.

 

[doncarpenter]

I'm in this same decision. Like Hamskea because of the robust construction and of course they are from CO, but spoke to a pro shop today who said he did not like the cord tied to his limb due to vibration. I was thinking there would be more vibration and cord slap (stress) if it were tied to strings, but I am new to all of this. I am 90% sold on the Hamskea Trinity but thought I would que the professionals in this forum.

The activation cord on Hamskea rests does not cause more vibration. All the rests come with either a spring or rebound dampener which will eat up any vibes. Shops have contracts with these companies and put out some pretty bad information at times.

Limb driven rests are, in my opinion, much easier to install, adjust, and trouble shoot. I switch arrows quite often, depending on what I might be shooting, i.e. indoor targets at 20, 3D, or hunting, and having a rest like the hybrid hunter makes switching a breeze. No need to tie into the cables or use a clamp.

I'm not suggesting that QAD makes a bad rest, I have used and abused several HDX rests, they are solid. I just prefer the simple, durable and accurate properties of the Hamskea rests.

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[BucksNBulls]

I have both on different bows. I prefer the Hamskea limb driven every day all day. The QAD's are always having issues. Mine are anyway.

 

[rideold]

I have/had both. I only shoot Hamskea now. I seemed to fight fletching contact with the QAD. Probably depends on how you fletch your arrows. Mine at the time were 3" Q2I.

 

[5MilesBack]

It's all in the timing with the QAD to avoid fletching contact. And after smacking the fletching into the launcher a few times, I'm sure that doesn't help the internal components much for long term reliability. I re-time mine after every single tuning adjustment.

 

[Billy Goat]

Biggest problem with Qad is too much tension. I set them by putting the activation cord thru the cable, then drawing it back. That seems to put the right tension on them. I'll put a knot at the end, or burn a big ball so it won't get pulled through the cable, but I leave that some distance off the cable. If I get it caught on something, I just pull it back thru a little, it will set when I draw back. I think a lot of problems have come from creep in the cables when they are fastened hard, just puts too much pressure on them. I haven't had a bit of problems from a Qad.


Hamskea are built extremely well, but timing never seems to stay consistent. Between cord elongation, a little over extension of the spring, and now the rebound dampner seemingly constantly stretching, I feel like the timing is always different after a while. I have also seen bearing failure on them causing left/right hits from the shaft walking sideways.

Basically neither are perfect. They both have pros and cons. The Qad has issues in below freezing weather with the drop away mechanism. Hamskea has way more cord to catch on brush, can alter how far it drops away. Both can have mechanical failures.

The Trinity is a giant rest, I haven't been a big fan of it, the Epsilon is everything it wasn't, so far really liking it. Qad MXT was also a great rest for me, I think for some reason it was a little more forgiving for me as well.

 

[5MilesBack]

Biggest problem with Qad is too much tension. I set them by putting the activation cord thru the cable, then drawing it back. That seems to put the right tension on them. I'll put a knot at the end, or burn a big ball so it won't get pulled through the cable, but I leave that some distance off the cable.

I do the same......cord through my cable and leave that alone. I always time it adjusting the cable through the rest itself.