Stick on elevated rest vs shooting off the shelf

[Tegr0429]

If you use a stick on rest like a bear weather rest, what pros have you seen as well as the cons?

Same for if you shoot off the shelf, what are the pros vs cons?

 

[ozyclint]

I shoot off the shelf. Simple, never breaks down.
I once borrowed a bow that had a spring flipper rest and I only knew the flipper was broken when I knocked an arrow to shoot a pig. I had to rest the arrow on my index finger at roughly the level the rest was at.
The pig still died.

 

[nevadabugle]

I've done both. Both work. Tuning is easier in elevated rest. Can shoot vanes on elevates. But I shoot shelf these days for simplicity.

 

[Beendare]

I've done both. Both work. Tuning is easier in elevated rest. Can shoot vanes on elevates. But I shoot shelf these days for simplicity.

Yep

Tuning and forgiveness is a little better.

IME, If you get the spine dialed in and have pretty good form….the rest isn’t much of an advantage if at all.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

Depends on the bow for me. On my recurve, I have a Bear Weather rest that’s been there for like 4 years. It’s pretty beat up, but I swear by it. I can shoot vanes and it puts the arrow right at my eye.

On my ASL, definitely off the shelf. The shelf is so close to your hand and so small, it lines everything up like it’s supposed to be.

 

[GLB]

I normally shoot off the shelf with all my bows. This morning I put this Bear Weather Rest on my Bivouac ILF and in about 4 shots got bullet holes in paper. This bow has a plunger hole which I have used a springy rest with good results as far as tuning and arrow fight. The plunger hole is a little too high for me to switch from off the shelf to elevated. The Bear weather rest sits much lower and should be close enough for my sight picture so that I can switch between bows. I’ll find out in the next coming days. However I really shouldn’t be tinkering with another bow at this point but I has to know.

 

[1Canvas]

I wouldn’t use a stick on but I use both a NAP Center Rest Flipper and off the shelf. I like the simplicity of off the shelf but not hot on feathers. The flipper obviously has less effect on the arrow plus the tuning ability is a big advantage. I think a flipper is a bit quieter. As far as durability the NAP Center Rest is great, I have used them hunting for many years hunting since the started making them and never had an issue.

 

[ledflight]

I use the cheap but surprisingly durable Hoyt super rest on these pretty A&H bows and just get better flight. The rest lasts a couple seasons.

 

[Gun]

I had a stick on finger rest drop off with cold weather once back in my early days. Never again. Simple rug/shelf rest with no worries and easy reload if ever I need a quick second shot. KISS

 

[wyodog]

I shoot off the shelf. I shoot instinctive and like the arrow as close to my hand as I can get it. Also, it is simple and never breaks down.

 

[BWSmith]

If you don't have anything better to do;

It is flat out amazing what a little massaging to tiller can demonstrate on this subject. No,I'm not telling anyone to be breaking out a belt sander,bwahaha.

I'm sayin,once you get into high end($$$) bows....

For instance,my Bob Lee TD longbow came from the factory with a narrow piece of leather that honestly is a touch hard(I have shot/built bows for 60 years) but at launch,a proper arrow basically never touches it once loosed. They'd done that good of a job. Black Widows have,or did these same hard little pads.

Will that work on a $100 chyna bow.... maybe? Just saying,your tiller.... and it is more than just a static measure... has ultimately the most influence on the rest. Assuming tuned arrows. Shorter limbs are harder to dial in,and harder to be consistent with,than long limbs. Not saying you can't shoot better with a shorter bow,it's that they're more picky towards tiller... which translates to being more picky with the rest.

As pointed out above.... keeping the arrow as low as possible has some big azz advantages if you're shooting instinctive. Good luck with your shooting.

 

[Beendare]

If you don't have anything better to do;

It is flat out amazing what a little massaging to tiller can demonstrate on this subject. No,I'm not telling anyone to be breaking out a belt sander,bwahaha.

Great post...and right on the money.

Sure a rest is more forgiving...especially with a Berger button.

I have shot both, and find that when you do get that perfect tiller with the correct arrow spine....it's pretty darn close to shooting off a rest.

 

[bbassi]

I shoot a weather rest on my Silvertip because it was designed to be used with one and that's the way it came to me. Everything else I either have a home made feather rest or if it's a self bow I'll shoot directly off the shelf or my knuckle.

 

[PHo]

For me, an elevated rest is more forgiving. I find that when I shoot off the shelf I have to be on top of my game in order to get the same arrow flight as when shooting off an elevated rest. With an elevated rest I pretty much get perfect bareshafts every shot. In the heat of the moment when I don’t have perfect form I need all the forgiveness I can get. I’ve never had any problems with a Weather rest or a springy rest, been hunting with them out west in all different terrain for the past five years. I also like vanes over feathers because of the added durability and the quiet factor. YMMV.

 

[RuffleMyFluffles]

Always stick-on rest imo. You have to move your nocking point way too high up if you want to shoot off the shelf with vanes, or need to get special flexible trad vanes. You can just have a few spare stick-on hunter's rests if you ever damage or lose it, its extremely cheap to get more.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

All I can say is the weather rest and vanes saved my bacon this weekend. I went to the Father’s Day weekend trad shoot this weekend and got poured on all day Saturday. Everyone was riding the struggle bus, and I shot the best day of my life with vanes. My arrows were laser beams.

 

[Onski316]

Off the shelf for me. Tried stick on and berger hole stuff but I like the arrows as close to my hand as I can get them I also shoot with a pretty good cant so that stuff just throws my aim off more. And one less thing to fail or have to adjust or tune.