ResearchinStuff
WKR
I first learned about @Total Vise through Rokslide, they’re one of the sponsors here and I've seen their ads while browing the forum. Earlier this year, during the 2025 Rokslide Cold Bow Challenge, I actually won a Total Vise discount code—which got me looking seriously at their products. After reading RealUnlucky’s excellent review of the Legacy Press and exchanging a few questions with Jeff and Anne, I was convinced. I used the discount on both the Legacy Press and the Ultimate Bow Vise. This review focuses on the press since the excellence of the vise is already well established.
Before diving in, it’s worth mentioning why owning your own bow press and draw board matters so much. For serious archers, these tools are the heart of independence and consistency. They let you tune on your own schedule, make precise adjustments, replace strings or cables safely, and give you the confidence to know that your bow is ready for that shot of a lifetime. Once you’ve used a quality setup, you realize how much more control it gives you over your equipment and accuracy. This is true regardless of how good your local shop is – my local shop is Lancaster Archery Supply, and I still think owning a press is essential.
Build Quality and First Impressions
The Legacy Bow Press immediately stands out for its build quality. Every joint feels tight, the handle turns smoothly without chatter, and there’s zero drift when you take pressure off. It’s a confidence-inspiring piece of equipment—overbuilt in the best way possible. Combined with the knuckle, there is infinite adjustment capability. If your shop floor is off kilter, your bench leans, or you find yourself working on the tailgate of your truck on the side of a mountain, you’ll have no problems using the built-in flexibility to get everything level and plumb.
The press’s geometry is also excellent for usability. You load bows from the bottom, and the cams never come close to contacting the press itself. That’s not just a design nicety—it’s a real-world advantage that keeps your equipment safe and speeds up your workflow.
Universal Fit Out of the Box
One of the biggest selling points for me is that the press fingers work with any bow right out of the box. No adapters, no special parts, no hunting for accessories. That’s a big step up from presses that require dedicated adapters for each bow type. It also tips the economics of the press in favor of Total Vise, particularly if you’re working on some bows with cable stops, some with limb stops, and others that are beyond parallel. The fingers are large, and the rubber on them is slightly tacky—this holds your bow perfectly in place and lets you safely work on beyond-parallel bows (like my Mach 1) that can feel sketchy on a press like the EZ Green. Note: LCA will actually tell you that you can’t take down a beyond-parallel bow on the EZ Green without a special, very expensive, set of adapters.
Based on the pictures I’d seen online—and my rather large fingers—I had some concerns about the geometry of the Legacy press fingers interfering with cam access. In practice, this was a total non-issue.
Smart Convenience Features
The Legacy is packed with small but genuinely helpful features that make it easier and more enjoyable to work on your bow:
Integrated Draw Board Performance
The integrated draw board is another highlight. It’s buttery smooth, with precise adjustments and zero binding, strap bunching, or alignment issues. Compared to the separate Archery Dezign setup I used with the EZ Green, the Legacy’s integrated approach keeps everything aligned and efficient. It’s also more robust, as a pin locks the draw board securely into the press.
Paired with the optional Total Vise knuckle, it’s also the best system I’ve found for checking third-axis sight alignment. Everything feels solid, controlled, and repeatable. Speaking of third-axis alignment, I was quite surprised to learn that mine was off by a full half bubble.
A few quick tweaks on my sight, and everything was lined up perfectly. It’s safe to say I never would have caught this error without this press/drawboard/knuckle.
Comparison: Total Vise Legacy vs. EZ Green + Archery Dezign
The Last Chance EZ Green and Archery Dezign combo is a proven setup—no question. But it feels like two separate tools that happen to work together, not a single integrated system.
The Total Vise Legacy, on the other hand, feels unified and purpose-built. Pressing, drawing, and checking timing all happen in one seamless unit. It’s quieter, faster, and simply more enjoyable to use. The engineering details make the difference.
Final Thoughts
The Total Vise Legacy Bow Press is clearly designed by someone who’s tuned a lot of bows and understands the frustrations of the process. Every feature exists because it solves a real problem. It’s well built, intuitive, and incredibly versatile.
For anyone serious about bow tuning—whether in a professional shop or your own garage—it’s a piece of gear that’s easy to appreciate and even easier to trust. If you’re reading this on Rokslide and thinking about either upgrading or getting your first press, feel free to ask questions or request photos—always happy to share more info!
Pros: Smooth, quiet, and universal fit. Smart features that make pressing safer and faster.
Best for: Archers who want professional-level capability in a home or shop setting.
Biggest takeaway: I may got a killer deal because of a Rokslide giveaway—but it’s a piece of gear I’d happily buy at full price after using it, and my old setup will be hitting the classifieds.
Before diving in, it’s worth mentioning why owning your own bow press and draw board matters so much. For serious archers, these tools are the heart of independence and consistency. They let you tune on your own schedule, make precise adjustments, replace strings or cables safely, and give you the confidence to know that your bow is ready for that shot of a lifetime. Once you’ve used a quality setup, you realize how much more control it gives you over your equipment and accuracy. This is true regardless of how good your local shop is – my local shop is Lancaster Archery Supply, and I still think owning a press is essential.
The Legacy Bow Press immediately stands out for its build quality. Every joint feels tight, the handle turns smoothly without chatter, and there’s zero drift when you take pressure off. It’s a confidence-inspiring piece of equipment—overbuilt in the best way possible. Combined with the knuckle, there is infinite adjustment capability. If your shop floor is off kilter, your bench leans, or you find yourself working on the tailgate of your truck on the side of a mountain, you’ll have no problems using the built-in flexibility to get everything level and plumb.
The press’s geometry is also excellent for usability. You load bows from the bottom, and the cams never come close to contacting the press itself. That’s not just a design nicety—it’s a real-world advantage that keeps your equipment safe and speeds up your workflow.
One of the biggest selling points for me is that the press fingers work with any bow right out of the box. No adapters, no special parts, no hunting for accessories. That’s a big step up from presses that require dedicated adapters for each bow type. It also tips the economics of the press in favor of Total Vise, particularly if you’re working on some bows with cable stops, some with limb stops, and others that are beyond parallel. The fingers are large, and the rubber on them is slightly tacky—this holds your bow perfectly in place and lets you safely work on beyond-parallel bows (like my Mach 1) that can feel sketchy on a press like the EZ Green. Note: LCA will actually tell you that you can’t take down a beyond-parallel bow on the EZ Green without a special, very expensive, set of adapters.
Based on the pictures I’d seen online—and my rather large fingers—I had some concerns about the geometry of the Legacy press fingers interfering with cam access. In practice, this was a total non-issue.
The Legacy is packed with small but genuinely helpful features that make it easier and more enjoyable to work on your bow:
- Positioning bungee holds the bow steady while you start the press.
- Secondary bungee keeps the bow secure when connecting the draw cord on the integrated draw board.
- Quick length adjustment lets you resize the press instantly without cranking the handle, just by repositioning a lock pin.
- Power drill adaptor makes repetitive tuning or string work effortless.
The integrated draw board is another highlight. It’s buttery smooth, with precise adjustments and zero binding, strap bunching, or alignment issues. Compared to the separate Archery Dezign setup I used with the EZ Green, the Legacy’s integrated approach keeps everything aligned and efficient. It’s also more robust, as a pin locks the draw board securely into the press.
Paired with the optional Total Vise knuckle, it’s also the best system I’ve found for checking third-axis sight alignment. Everything feels solid, controlled, and repeatable. Speaking of third-axis alignment, I was quite surprised to learn that mine was off by a full half bubble.
A few quick tweaks on my sight, and everything was lined up perfectly. It’s safe to say I never would have caught this error without this press/drawboard/knuckle.
The Last Chance EZ Green and Archery Dezign combo is a proven setup—no question. But it feels like two separate tools that happen to work together, not a single integrated system.
The Total Vise Legacy, on the other hand, feels unified and purpose-built. Pressing, drawing, and checking timing all happen in one seamless unit. It’s quieter, faster, and simply more enjoyable to use. The engineering details make the difference.
The Total Vise Legacy Bow Press is clearly designed by someone who’s tuned a lot of bows and understands the frustrations of the process. Every feature exists because it solves a real problem. It’s well built, intuitive, and incredibly versatile.
For anyone serious about bow tuning—whether in a professional shop or your own garage—it’s a piece of gear that’s easy to appreciate and even easier to trust. If you’re reading this on Rokslide and thinking about either upgrading or getting your first press, feel free to ask questions or request photos—always happy to share more info!
Pros: Smooth, quiet, and universal fit. Smart features that make pressing safer and faster.
Best for: Archers who want professional-level capability in a home or shop setting.
Biggest takeaway: I may got a killer deal because of a Rokslide giveaway—but it’s a piece of gear I’d happily buy at full price after using it, and my old setup will be hitting the classifieds.
