Keep your bow grip warm?

[hunt_or_bust]

Anyone got any ideas on this? The best thing I can think of is taking some electrical tape and taping a hand warmer on the grip. Any better ideas or products out there that work well?

 

[charvey9]

Why do you need a warm grip?

 

[kodiakfly]

Wear liner weight gloves. But I agree...what's the big deal with a warm grip? I don't think taping a hand warmer on there would even work very well; I think you'd have one warm spot where the hand warmer is, and that it'd be a small spot at that.

Or get a wood or rubber grip on the bow to feel warmer than bare aluminum. Most companies offer various grips for their bows.

 

[KMT]

If it's that cold outside, I would just wear gloves.

 

[MattB]

One of the greatest benefits of carbon risers is they do not get that cold. A hand warmer could change your grip and POI so practice that way before you hunt with it.

 

[charvey9]

Only shoot indoors.

 

[GFY]

Vet wrap. I even take my grips off my bows and bet wrap them. Don't get sweaty/slick when hot and doesn't get cold when it's cold out.

 

[Aron Snyder]

Gloves can affect accuracy, so I opt for vet wrap or tape on the riser.

 

[Bowhuntr64]

I wear light weight gloves. I have tried dozens, but Under Armor Hurlock is my absolute favorite. On tree stands, I keep my hand in a pocket with a hand warmer. On spot and stalk, I just use the glove. I can shoot just as well with it or without it. Nice tacky surface...but not too tacky that could result in extra torquing.

 

[yardwork]

Assuming you aren't in a tree stand where you can use a stand bracket or hang it in tree which is what i do. Another way to keep from having to hold the cold bow is to use a sling. We used them for elk hunting this fall and that worked well. I have a "Game Plan Snap Shot Bow Sling" that can remain on the bow while you shoot because it hangs the bow from the riser. The other three guys in my group had the Primos brand sling that covered the cams and string.

If you select gloves without any grippy dots or material on the palm then the gloves shouldn't introduce any torque. I have some camo liner gloves, for $7 from Walmart of all places, that work well because they don't have any grippy material. Otherwise i've used some cheap poly stretch gloves in black from just about anywhere.

 

[StrutNut]

Aron is right. Gloves can affect accuracy. Here in MN, late season, bare hands are not an option. Light gloves, not an option. I like rag wool and keep them in a pocket, not a hand muff. I have seen those get caught up in a string before. I put hand warmers in my pocket or just on the top of my hand with the gloves over them. I do practice a bunch with them on though. So much that I go through a pair every year as the trigger on my release wears through the glove. I like the wool the best. I have tried others but still go to the rag wool. Extreme cold, rag wool under choppers and I even practice shooting with the choppers on my bow hand. Of course, I am only shooting 35 yards or less.

 

[kodiakfly]

Yes gloves can affect accuracy, but so can bare, cold, numb hands. I used to be a no-glove guy and shot bare handed even in winter and even with an aluminum riser. I wear gloves now and I do fine with them. I may wear a heavier barrier glove while sitting or even on the move but when it comes time to get a shot off, I wear a pair of the Under Armour lightweight...whatever models they are...just the spandex type black gloves they sell for like $20. I have a few pair of them so I can rotate them out when wet (which they do insulate really well when wet). But I can shoot in them just fine and feeling and dexterity are excellent.

 

[Bughalli]

I've hunted some pretty cold environments from a tree stand in the Midwest, both in Nov and early Jan with lots of snow on the ground. Nasty cold weather and being in a tree stand means you're not moving to keep your body warmth up. Metal is a major conductor and touching an ice cold bow can send chills in you very quickly and efficiently. A few years ago it was in the low teens, overcast and I was in the stand for a few hours. It was cold, but I wasn't shaking. A doe comes through with a small buck behind her. Where there's one, there are more, so I grabbed the bow from the hanger. I was wearing a thin glove at the time and would keep my hands in my jacket pocket. That bow was so cold I instantly got a chill and started shaking. It was literally uncontrollable. I couldn't stop. I could only imaging how much I would shake if a shooter came through. After that I started my search for the best solution.

I found a thin rubber bow grip cover that went over the factory grip....molded type cover so it fit perfectly. This made a big difference in terms of insulation. (don't recall the brand). Touching a bare aluminum riser, even with a glove, transfers a lot of cold to the hand. This grip stopped that temperature transfer. Thie grip had no impact on accuracy out to 70 yards. In fact I leave it on year round at this point. It's all of a millimeter or two thick. I also use a hand warmer bun, like you see quarterbacks use in the NFL. Kind of like a fanny pack worn around the waist, but in front of your body to hold the hands. Cabals makes a great one (water proof, thinsulate, etc). This allows me to wear very thin gloves or even no gloves in cold temperatures. My hands can touch inside the bun, which again helps maintain heat. I'll usually wear a thin pair of gloves. Ie Kuiu base layer wool or the avg black base synthetic layer glove at REI. This keeps the chill off, yet is so thin it won't impact your shot or your "feel". Lastly, if really cold weather, I'll throw a hand warmer in the hand warmer bun. This does a great job of keeping all that heat in there and my hands warm.

With this setup I can sit in any weather above zero and be perfectly comfortable. This assumes the rest of my body is well protected. It's just as important to keep your feet, head, neck, etc well insulated. This setup has made a big difference in how long I'm willing to sit in the stand...and the quality of the deer I shoot shows it.

 

[bohntr]

MattB has it right.....if it's a major issue for you, buy a carbon riser bow. Problem solved.

 

[Ironman8]

What temps do you guys start feeling a difference between carbon and aluminum risers?
Is the aluminum riser still a big deal if you shoot with the stock wood grips (Hoyt)?

 

[bohntr]

I notice a difference once it gets down to about 35 degrees......or above 95 degrees. The colder or hotter, the worse it gets, IMO. For cold, the wood grips help a little, but not near enough. The carbon is much better in this area based on what I've experienced. Others may have a different view.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Hockey tape works well too.

 

[GFY]

Thought I would show you a pic if you were still looking how to keep a grip warm, 5 degrees out this morning and grip is not to cold to hold (hand is cold though)

 

[hunt_or_bust]

I hang by bow in some fashion for my late season sits but the problem is when deer are hearded up. The first couple deer move through but then it can take 10 to 45 minutes before the mature bucks passes by depending on how cautiously the deer are moving. The other week it was 7 degrees out and 15-20 mph winds, I could see the deer moving up up the trail so I grabbed my bow and by the time the bucks had made their way close enough to start thinking about drawing back, my hand was so stinking cold I couldn't feel any of my fingers. It's hard to stay patient and confident when you can't feel your hand holding the bow. This is why I've been looking for something that will help with this. It seems like VET type might be worth a shot....