Rest or Shelf?

[JTBean]

My Samick Sage came with cheap rest which I wore out within a few months. I was wondering if shooting off the shelf would put the shaft closer to the center of the string and improve my arrow flight? Are there drawbacks to shooting off the shelf?

[popup_menace]

I have had some good results shooting off the shelf. Not a fan of using a rest, because no matter what you're going to have some sort of contact with the feathers. Might as well make it as simple as possible. But, my opinion is worth about what I'd charge for it.... nothing

[gatorgar]

I like to shoot of the shelf. Use a piece of fuzzy side velcro on the shelf and strike plate. Cheap, durable and quiet. Works for me

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[4dog]

Knuckle

[jerp]

On my longbow I also use the fuzzy side of Velcro. A few years ago I decided to try a feather rest on my recurve and have stuck with it. I feel like it makes the bow a bit more forgiving and I get better arrow flight. It is also quite durable - the first one lasted two years. On both bows the side plate is just thin leather.

[Bisch]

My Samick Sage came with cheap rest which I wore out within a few months. I was wondering if shooting off the shelf would put the shaft closer to the center of the string and improve my arrow flight? Are there drawbacks to shooting off the shelf?

It may, or may not. It depends how far out of tune the arrow is. Either way, rest or shelf is OK, but you still have to be well tuned to get perfect flight.

Bisch

[JTBean]

On my longbow I also use the fuzzy side of Velcro. A few years ago I decided to try a feather rest on my recurve and have stuck with it. I feel like it makes the bow a bit more forgiving and I get better arrow flight. It is also quite durable - the first one lasted two years. On both bows the side plate is just thin leather.

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I had not seen or heard of a feather rest. I think I will try the fuzzy velcro for now.

[Dry Bones]

I use a piece of leather glued down to the shelf. Thin and durable. I do the same thing on the strike plate. Like Bisch said, still has to be well tuned to get the flight right.

[Phillip Fields]

I prefer to use the shelf. I feel that a rest puts the arrow too far above my hand, when I cant my bow it moves the arrow out of alignment with my eye.

[SwampRabbit]

My opinion

Rests if you use vanes, Shelf if you use feathers. (Yes, I know Rick can tune vanes for a shelf...)

I asked a similar question when I got started, and somebody chimed in that there are a lot of 3D shoots where you can't have a rest for shooting the "trad" category... so I opted to go with a shelf so I could shoot in trad shoots. I'm glad I did. The simplicity of a shelf is unmatched. It is another simplification that I like about NOT shooting complicated archery equipment.

[76aggie]

I prefer shooting off the shelf with recurves.

[M.E.B.]

I prefer shooting off the shelf.

That being said there are two brands of bows that I own and love that I shoot much better off of a rest.

A rest is more accurate and forgiving but there are draw backs to the shelf and rests.

[Draco]

After hiking 3 miles up a mountain in the predawn darkness, to a small water hole, I got set up and went to nock an arrow. I looked down at the rest and it was no longer there. I just used the shelf and moved the arrow down on the string to try and compensate for the difference. I felt it should work OK. An hour later I watched my arrow heading toward a huge 6x7 bull elk with the back end wagging around and falling short by several feet.

I never shot off a rest again. I figure the shelf will always be there.

[M.E.B.]

After hiking 3 miles up a mountain in the predawn darkness, to a small water hole, I got set up and went to nock an arrow. I looked down at the rest and it was no longer there. I just used the shelf and moved the arrow down on the string to try and compensate for the difference. I felt it should work OK. An hour later I watched my arrow heading toward a huge 6x7 bull elk with the back end wagging around and falling short by several feet.

I never shot off a rest again. I figure the shelf will always be there.

And that is one of the draw backs of the rest.

[JTBean]

After hiking 3 miles up a mountain in the predawn darkness, to a small water hole, I got set up and went to nock an arrow. I looked down at the rest and it was no longer there. I just used the shelf and moved the arrow down on the string to try and compensate for the difference. I felt it should work OK. An hour later I watched my arrow heading toward a huge 6x7 bull elk with the back end wagging around and falling short by several feet.

I never shot off a rest again. I figure the shelf will always be there.

I am going to switch to shelf this weekend.