Stabilizers

[mdwest]

On my previous 3 bows I have used a pretty typical 6" "Stabilizer".. to be truthful I've never really been able to tell much difference between shooting any of those bows with or without the stabilizer attached... They did a little to absorb shock I suppose.. but I never really felt like the bow itself was easier to handle, keep steady, etc.. and I never saw any visible difference in accuracy or tightness of groups..

A buddy of mine asked me to try out his 10" front stabilizer and 8" rear bar... I noticed an immediate difference in using the longer (albeit not any heavier) front bar... keeping the pin on the target was noticeably easier.. I toyed around with the rear bar for about a week, but never really saw much improvement in helping with torque or rebound like the interwebs tell me I should be seeing...

My overly simple brain said "if a 10" bar improved things that much over a 6".. maybe a 12" bar is what you should try"... so I bought one... and even just those extra 2" have further improved shot stability (or maybe it just appears that way... placebo effect? the truth is I have been shooting 25-40 arrows a day, every day, for the last couple of months.. some of the improvements I would guess are coming out of repetition and practice...)..

Ive now decided to give the rear/side bar another try and picked up a 10" bar for that..

The principle complaints I see online against longer front bars and adding on rear bars are the obvious... extra weight on the bow.. and the bow becomes a larger overall package, making it more difficult to maneuver in tighter quarters like a bow blind or a tree stand..

For me.. Im built like a sasquatch (6'4".. 250lbs.. long armed, long legged)... so stands and blinds are already tight quartered regardless.. but at least in practice (havent deployed the bow on a hunt yet with the new attachments) I havent seen anymore or less maneuver challenge than already experienced.. and in terms of adding weight to the bow.. while I know theres roughly another pound hanging out there now between the two bars and their mounting brackets.. Im finding that the better balanced bow is actually easier to hold out in front of me at full draw than it was when it was a bit lighter..

Is anyone else out there using longer stabilizers? most of the bows I see on the racks at places like Scheels and Cabelas that are "hunt ready" packages all still come with a basic 6" variant of some sort.. doesnt matter if we're talking an elite, prime, matthews, hoyt, bear, or PSE.. but most of the pros and celebrity type bow hunters out there (John Dudley, Cam Hanes, Chris Bee, etc..etc..) all seem to be shooting long (some longer than mine) bars in the front and back..

 

[joker2400]

I shoot a 10 inch CBE stabilizer. Since I primarily hunt from a blind for whitetails it’s the best option for me. I’m about your size too, but short arms and legs

 

[BSO Dave]

Is anyone else out there using longer stabilizers? most of the bows I see on the racks at places like Scheels and Cabelas that are "hunt ready" packages all still come with a basic 6" variant of some sort.. doesnt matter if we're talking an elite, prime, matthews, hoyt, bear, or PSE.. but most of the pros and celebrity type bow hunters out there (John Dudley, Cam Hanes, Chris Bee, etc..etc..) all seem to be shooting long (some longer than mine) bars in the front and back..

Longer stabilizers definitely help steady your pin(s). I use as long of a one as the rules allow in 3-D shoots. However, you have also correctly discovered that long stabilizers can be heavy and often difficult to maneuver in tight spots. They can be challenging to hunt with in many situations.

I have an adjustable long front stabilizer on a long-range hunting bow that I use for out west and the prairie where I can expect to take longer shots. Then I have a shorter axle to axle hunting bow with a 6" front stabilizer that I use for hunting tree stands and blinds where my shots will likely be shorter... If you are a 1-bow hunter, as many are, you can always add a longer or shorter stabilizer(s) as the hunting situation dictates. A few manufacturers make stabilizers that you can adjust both length and weight to as needed which might be your best option...

 

[Elkeater]

I use a 10” front and 8” back bee stingers. 4oz out front 6oz in back. These are on my 2017 Prime Cyntergy. I really enjoy using them and I have never had much issue with them getting in the way but I suppose there is always that one time where they will.

 

[joker2400]

After my switch from a 6 inch stabilizer to the 11* inch CBE I didn’t really notice much difference in my shooting from either an accuracy or precision standpoint. What I did notice made a massive difference was switching from a standard index finger style release to a thumb button. Another thing to think about, as if you needed more

 

[mdwest]

What I did notice made a massive difference was switching from a standard index finger style release to a thumb button. Another thing to think about, as if you needed more

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/trophy-ridge-precise-pro-bow-release?ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=Cabelas%7CShopping%7CSmart%7CHunting%7CHunting%7CNAud%7CTopPerf%7CNMT&&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyP21po_v_wIVKTHUAR19yA3sEAQYAyABEgISufD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Picked that up a couple of weeks ago to play with

 

[SikaMDhunter]

The longer your stabilizer the less weight you'll need. So on a 6" stabilizer you need more weight to get the same effect as using a 12" one. Your rear stabilizer is to help offset any torque in your bow or the way you personally handle it. The rear V bar you use should have notches in it so you can move it around to find the best placement for you. As far as vibration goes they will help slightly but there are better ways to combat that.

I use cheap, Asian stabilizers. As long as they hold the weight at a certain distance that's all I need them for. ZSHJGJR are the brand I use as they are cheap. Buy a good V bar, use weights that you check yourself and make them as long as you can handle. Mine are 12" up front and 10" to the rear.

 

[SikaMDhunter]

Sorry not a V bar. Get a side bar