[Padgett]

The hooker has no moving parts and is just a smooth hook that as you rotate the release the d-loop slips off the hook. A hinge has a hook that sits on half moon and then as you rotate the hinge the hook will finally slip off the edge of the moon and the hook opens up and lets go of the d-loop.

I would just get a hinge and not mess with the hooker. There is a very small following of people that like the hooker releases but hinges have been the proven choice for years.

tru ball ht

tru ball honey badger

scott longhorn pro brass or aluminum version

scott backspin

Any of these will get the job done and I have had wonderful shooting with each of them but to me the tru ball ht or honey badgers are better because of the micro adjust, with that said I think the best shooting I have ever had when I was my strongest was with the scott longhorn pro brass, that thing is just a good hinge.

If you are a new hinge shooter then get me a pm and I have tons of articles on hinge shooting and setting them up and execution of them that you really need to get off on a good start. Hinge shooting if you have no information to follow is a hit and miss thing and most of the time it results in lots of wasted months and suffering.

 

[bstring]

I agree hinge over the Hooker in this case and if you want to learn this is the dude you want helping you.

 

[SonnyThomas]

I have 3 or 4 hinges and a Whalen's Pin Wheel 2 finger Hooker. Both are called hinges, but spike more reflects that of the Hooker. Spikes and ledges were used years before the advent of what we now call a hinge.

Hinges far out number the Hooker, but then so many hinges and thumb release mirror the index hole of the Hooker.

There is a difference in firing the hinge and the Hooker and both take time to learn. Both are accurate. When I do well with a hinge I can pretty much hit the same hole with a hinge. Day before yesterday, waiting on a TRU Ball HT, I gave my Pin Wheel Hooker a good shake down. I was flat floored after getting use to it. I put 3 shots in the same hole, pulled one to the edge of the X ring and then put the 5th back in the same as the first 3 shots.

Once learned to fire a hinge they are great. Learning a Hooker is beyond belief. You more or less ease off the pulling post and the Hooker rotates darn near on it's own to fire. You hold and pull and if need be just touch the handle with the middle finger to get the fire. The Pin Wheel Hooker rotates so easy it's scary. Scary as it is I ordered a 3 finger Pin Wheel Hooker. Fellow Pearson shooter uses his Pin Wheel Hooker for everything, 3D and hunting. Looking at some the targets he's posted he could do very well on paper targets.

The Hooker comes in 3 different sizes, 1", 7/8" and youth version of 3/4". Big as my paws are the 7/8" fits great.

 

[unseen4ce]

Wow, I appreciate the answers. Really good info. Thanks.

 

[jonfinnell]

I asked Padgett specifically the same question as you regarding the Hooker vs hinge several months ago. He gave me the same answer. I found a cheap deal on a hooker and ended up trying several hinges as well as the hooker.
They are both adjustable in their own right, and can be learned and shot well shooting similar "firing engines" very well.
The hooker is quieter since no moving parts, but noise in a hinge is very minimal anyhow.
The big difference for me is this....
The friction that controls the release on a hinge is the same metal on metal internally every shot with every and any bow.
The friction that controls on the hooker is between the hook and your D loop material.
So in essence if you change your D loop, or it the D loop slickness changes with some wear or with weather conditions it would make the release react a little slower or faster.
I really really like the simplicity of the hooker a lot, but mentally I felt the hinge could be a little more consistent in varying conditions.
Just my two cents.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Padgett]

Tough call especially when you are starting out, in these threads you are going to hear from people and in the end you just have to make a decision. I personally go to youtube and watch pro shoot downs and I watch to see what those guys are using and doing. You are going to see tons of tru ball honey badgers in the hands and other hinges but you are not going to see any hookers. So that is about all I can do to help you with the decision so make one and then get started and you should be fine, it is a cool thing to become a hand held release shooter and there are lessons to be learned and master.

 

[frog gigger]

Well, I'm sold on the Hooker.
What I've never liked is the frame size, took care of that this morning.

 

[SonnyThomas]

frog gigger, nice.... You getting Outsider's blood in your veins
.
.
More; I have two older Stans, the MagMicro Trio and Deuce. They well be hinges, but the d-loop sure seems to look like slipping off the hook like the Hooker. I believe it was Padgett that reformed the hook on his MagMicro....

 

[WTB3]

I agree, Hinge over the hooker for sure. If the hooker was a better option the best guys in the world would be shooting them.

 

[SonnyThomas]

I agree, Hinge over the hooker for sure. If the hooker was a better option the best guys in the world would be shooting them.

Normally I would agree with you. Whalen is a small business and still relatively new. I don't believe he has big bucks to pay out like the older established release makers. And as I pointed out above, "Hinges far out number the Hooker, but then so many hinges and thumb release mirror the index hole of the Hooker."

Look on the Whalen site.

 

[eljugador]

I'm pretty much married to my Stan hinge, but for the sake of variety, I like to go out and slip my finger into a Hooker every now and then.

 

[unseen4ce]

I really appreciate the opinions here and just wanted to add that I am going to try the Whalen's Pin-wheel hooker. That is the most appealing to me and I want to give it a try.

 

[mastermind]

I've been hunting with a Whalens release for 5 years and just started using them for competition this past season. I've been shooting/hunting with a hinge for 7years and I find the Whalens with the leather strap perfect for hunting situations. This past 3d season I shot my best scores and found the podium a few times
shooting the pinwheel version. I personally seem to shoot more consistent when shooting the hooker in competition type scenarios.

 

[Belicoso]

Behind 45 yards the groups are getting bigger with the Hooker compared to my hinge.
Also bare shaft testing is getting better with the hinge.
I like the simplicity of the Hooker and the hook position in relation to the release body.

 

[catcherarcher]

I prefer a hook style release over a hinge. I don't like the Whalens though. Too small for my hand and too hot even adjusted all the way down. I use the Bernie's Dragon Claw. I like using the strap and being able to completely relax my hand to the point that a normal hinge would slip out. With the dragon claw and strap, I can fire the release using true back tension with no fingers. In fact, I cut the handle off the one I'm shooting now. I'll try to get a video soon to post on here.

 

[SonnyThomas]

I prefer a hook style release over a hinge. I don't like the Whalens though. Too small for my hand and too hot even adjusted all the way down.

Too small? I guess I'm average and have the 7/8" hole model two finger. Hooker makes a 1" hole model. Only the index finger and thumb pulling mine doesn't feel big. My Stan older Deuce isn't big, smaller than the Hooker, lose it in my pocket. I have a 3 finger Hooker coming and it probably won't feel bigger than the 2 finger.
Too hot is due to how easy it is to fire, a real surprise every shot, so to speak. The Hooker is just different firing. I can draw, take thumb off the pulling post, hold to full draw, piddle around and it doesn't fire, so mine isn't what I call hot, but sure feels like it when I do fire.

 

[unseen4ce]

Catcherarcher

With the dragon claw and strap, I can fire the release using true back tension with no fingers. In fact, I cut the handle off the one I'm shooting now. I'll try to get a video soon to post on here.

That would be an interesting video.

 

[Unk Bond]

Hello
The Hooker release hook.I have admired since they came out. And have said so many times. I have 2 Hooker releases . A Gold and a back one.
Take that Hooker hook add to a nice old Stan release body frame. Or some other release bodies. Which I have done.You will have a out standing release.

Now the Hooker body frame. I haven't admired since they came out.
With the heavy draw weighted bows we now shoot. We are just adding .For undo pressure when drawing to anchor. On are release hand and fingers. That will come back to haunt one down the road.

The Solid hook is just as safe as a hinge or thumb release. They have come a long way since the old days ledge hooks.
Might add. Any release is safe . If a release hand is point to 10 O-clock .When drawing to anchor.
===========

Quote = I would just get a hinge and not mess with the hooker. There is a very small following of people that like the hooker releases but hinges have been the proven choice for years.

Reply = The bow or the release being used . Its the Indian be hind them that makes them safe and make them perform.

Could it be Pagett is to white . And just not enough Indian :grin: [ Later

 

[SonnyThomas]

After more time with the TRU Ball HTs my 2 and 3 fingers Hookers are in the bottom of my bow case. Like Unk noted, Hookers give to so much more pressure drawing to anchor.