More accurate than the shooter when set up properly.

 

Just as accurate as anything else if properly setup.

 

I don't think they are more accurate.....at least they weren't for me. IMHO what gives them value is being full captive and it's easier to get fletching clearance with about any shaft & vane combo. Things that are more important for hunting (IMO) but I think the accuracy is a wash.......

But everything archery has pro's & con's........the con's are more noise, price, weight and possible failure. The failure is rare for sure (for all you folks getting ready to say yours never fail) but way more likely than a spring rest........there is just nothing to fail.

 

I agree that there is more to go wrong with a drop away, but I've never seen anyone have a breakdown while on the course with one. On the other hand, I have seen 2 different guys have to replace broken blades. (actually, one replaced on the course, one had to go back to the tent.)

 

Ask Kyle Douglas. He won Vegas back to back with one. Dan McCarthy uses one. Most of the top shooters in 3D run a drop away rest. (Hamskea) with the blade options and setups, it’s probably the best drop away rest on the market.

 

Shooter preference for Field, target shooting. If you shoot a four fletch arrow a drop a way is best for clearance. If you shoot a three fletch arrow either rest will work. With a blade rest you need the correct blade (thickness and width), correct angle and check for vane contact and adjust the nocks for the least contact. With a drop a way you need to have the correct timing. My experience is the limb driven rest is easiest to set-up VS. a cable driven rest. Vapor trail or Hamskea for a drop a way. The Hamskea can be switched between the two different modes in minutes.
Choose the one you have the most confidence in and group the best with. I wouldn't choose based on what some Pro is shooting.
You only get points for where the arrow lands.

 

And don't forget, with a limb driven rest you can tune how long the launcher blade stays in the up position. Not to mention you can tune the blade angle, blade height, tension, and so on.

 

Let's get philosophical here:

The answer lies in you:

Think of the drop rests like a great carburetor. When it all is set up and perfect it just might be the best.

Now with my level of experience I better buy an Edelbrock / Carter and just leave it alone....I mean put a biscuit on and just leave it alone.

 

Are drop away arrow rests accurate enough for field archery and/or even FITA?

Yes...they are. As far as being more or less accurate than a blade; i don't think so...both are very accurate. My field round scores for the past few weeks have been ranging between 273 & 277 (half rounds); and the misses have still hit behind my dot. Using a Hamskea Epsilon.

 

I've used a drop rest for everything since around 2006 or 2007. Accuracy outstanding, not that other types of rests are less accurate. I'd hate to go back to a prong rest and they proved great...

 

I think minimizing contact takes some of the shooter induced bias away from the shot with a drop away. Drop's don't fix poor timing/tuning, and they won't land an arrow somewhere you didn't point it. They are not magic. Might even be more demanding for installation. All rests require tuning.

My scores are better with the QAD's.

 

I agree that most of the drop away rests are well engineered and of superb quality. However, based on their design, it is my belief that they are really not needed unless you are struggling with vane contact. If vane contact is not an issue, then I believe that all of these drop away rests end up becoming nothing more than archery's version of a Rube Goldberg machine. Personally, I have never had a problem getting my helically fletched vanes to clear a Bodoodle, blade-style rest, nor has it ever been an issue in getting the arrow to stay on the rest throughout the entire drawing sequence. To my knowledge, nobody is (nor should they be) running over an obstacle course while trying to draw their bow!

It is generally accepted that the rest should stay up for as long as possible to provide proper guidance for the arrow and should only drop to allow for the fletching to clear the rest. There are also other considerations such as the rest's ability to withstand the loads imparted onto it upon release of the arrow. I'm not sure where the jury is on the drop away's ability to neutralize hand torque, but I certainly do not buy into it. I am shooting my 28" arrow at a relatively slow 270 FPS. On a drop away that stays up for approximately 70% of my arrow's length, my arrow would be unsupported and therefore (supposedly) unaffected by any external hand torquing loads for a grand total of 0.0026 seconds! I highly doubt that I can react to, nor affect anything at all during such an incredibly short period of time.

So, in conclusion, my Bodoodle blade-style rest does everything for me. It supports the arrow 100% of the way, it absorbs any instantaneous loads created by the buckling arrow upon release and it is incredibly simple and extremely reliable. As I understand it, most professional shooters are using blade rests for forgiveness and accuracy. These guys and gals are competing for cash and they generally know what they are doing. If they could extract some additional accuracy from drop away rests, they would surely be switching to them in droves!

In closing, I am in no way dissing anyone for their personal choices in arrow rests or any other equipment for that matter. This is my personal opinion based on my needs, backed up by my observations and many years of shooting experience.

 

Exactly ! My thinking on the subject. After 45 years of Bowhunting, from Recurves with Wooden arrows on a felt strip for a rest, to Over-draws (talk about hand torque) to everything in between. I don't believe 99% of the people can shoot good enough to notice the difference. Plus your point exactly is to tune a drop-away to stay in contact with the arrow as long as possible, until the fletching, so what benefit do you really gain in reduced hand torque ? I personally don't like the W.B but I Love N.A.P Quick Tune 360 Capture Rest, that allows my feathers to pass right thru the gaps between the plastic launcher arrow support on the bottom, and the two adjustable support bristles on the sides. I never worry about my arrow falling off the rest in a hunting situation, and I get perfect arrow flight, my feathers stay in perfect shape, and I'm accurate out to 80 yards, and I have peace of mind using the K.I.S.S system !

 

If you are talking about limb driven drop aways I believe they are just as accurate and more accurate than a cable drop away. A limb driven drop away maintains arrow guidance for about 70-75% of the shot cycle versus cable driven at 25-30%. Plus the fact that a limb driven arrow rest is simple to set up. Check out Vapor Trail Archery.

 

I shot prongs for many years. It took me a long time to switch over to drop aways, because why change from what works. Tuning with with any drop away I've owned is a much better experience.

 

There are several ways to tune with a blade rest, and they are super easy to micro tune the rest without having to fool with a cord. You can micro adjust the blade angle and vertical and horizontal adjustments in seconds and back again so easy its nuts. I mean fine tune to a specific arrow. With that said, a blade rest takes a smooth draw and no hard bumping the back wall. You have to use one for a while before you start to see the virtues. But they are not for everyone. Especially if you draw with a lot of movement or bump the back wall much. I can remember years ago when you started, everyone on the line would get some kicks out of watching you figure it out. But it's wide open now, nobody cares what you shoot.

 

I quess I am the exception. I have spent several tournaments sitting around waiting for someone to fix their drop-away rest that has failed. My last trip to Vegas, Once again I had to witness 4 ends being caught up after the round for the day because someone missed 4 ends trying to repair their drop-away.

I never noticed which drop-away they had because I was furious that I again had to wait around and finished long after the tournament was over because of a drop-away. I must be very unlucky since nobody else has ever seen a failure, but when I notice a drop-away on a bow in my group, I know that I might be late for dinner.

My good friend from Oregon likes to use a DOA and I shot the Oregon Safari with him a few years ago. Our group finished a couple hours after everyone else because his rest failed not once but 3 times during the one day. Each time he sent his 45 minutes repairing the rest ony to have it fail again a few targets later. He has never used a drop-away since which makes me happy as we do shoot together often.

 

when I notice a drop-away on a bow in my group, I know that I might be late for dinner.

I'm trying to remember anyone with a failed drop away in my winter leagues or 3D shoots. But I can't recall a single failure.
Early in my "drop away" exposure, (about 30 years ago), I learned that serving the rest cable to the control cable was critical, and that not all cable materials are equal, some stretch on a hot day.
Not all drop rests are as reliable as others.

Be careful when you hear thunder.

 

Drop away rest is the best type of rest if you can afford them

 

The most important thing about a drop away rest is that you have it in the correct up and down at full draw and the correct left and right at full draw . The arrow stays in contact with the rest for about 1/3 of the arrows length before it drops out of the way .

The arrow rest at normal return spring setting drops at 600 fps so since that first 1/3 of the arrow is contacting the rest its guiding the arrow just like the flipper is doing but with the added benefit of once the arrow passes that 1/3 of the arrow there is nothing for the arrow to come in contact with .

The advantage of the drop away is once that 1/3 of the arrow is off the string you can move your bow in your hand and the arrow flight doesn't change . Meaning you can be less steady with the bow after the shot and not effect the arrow at all . But with the flipper the arrow is guided by the flipper the whole way out of the bow to the very end . Any movement by the shooter at all even a little bit is going to change the location of the arrow . In other words you have to hold the bow perfectly still for 2.5 times longer with the flipper vs a drop away .

The only people that have problems with the drop away rest accuracy is that they don't have the bow set it up correctly . From tuning the cams to the rest . They think since it drops away why worry about where the arrow is pointing at full draw . They don't understand if its adjusted to far left or right thats going to make the arrow go in that direction or they don't adjust the up and down correctly and it can cause it to porpoise . When setup correctly that 1/3 touching of the arrow is what makes the arrow fly correctly Once you have it set correctly the drop away cannot be beat as far as accuracy goes .