I personally like the side plates better with some grip tape around them.

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I dislike the engage grip a good bit.

I prefer either the UV grip or the side plates (UV or Matthews). The UV Grip is a bit wider if you have smaller hands. And bowmar tape is a life changer for those of us with gross sweaty hands.

 

The UV grip is also intriguing. I may look at them as well

 

Side plates all day....Shadow Creek Archery. Less expensive, made of tougher materials than the UV and Mathews plates, and have a greater contour for repeated hand placement. They include all mounting materials and a set of die-cut grip tapes in each package. On a side note; nice young guy that did all the design/development and started the company. They just signed a contract with a distributor to introduce their products to archery shops throughout the country - support the pro shops as much as possible. However, you can also find them on their website if your pro shop doesn't carry them, yet.

 

I'm trying to understand the benefit of shooting side plates versus a grip

Does the riser itself have a better feel?


One of the bows I shot better than anything else I had owned was a BTX 31 and they came factory with side plates and you shot directly off the riser. However, it was kind of slick, and theirs had a sort of rounded back

Why is it you think that the square flat back riser of the Mathews shoots better than an aftermarket grip

(im not saying your wrong, I just want your input because this is an option I considered)


Lastly, did it make your draw feel too long?

 

I switched mine out for a torqueless. Love it. Ran a thin strip of grip tape up the middle, makes for a consistent grip nearly every time for me. I thought the engage grip was way too squishy.

 

I didn’t care much for the full engage grip. Felt like I torqued it too much with it. I got some side plates from rattler and like it much better. Feels better in my hand that way. I would like to try the UV grip mentioned though and see what it’s like.

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I’ve got averagely large hands and shoot the Engage just as well as side plates or a UV alike grip. Possibly a bit better.

 

I ordered a UV

They're right here in Ga, so it will be here tomorrow

Appreciate everyones advice

If I don't like it, I'll put it on the classified in a few weeks, and just go to the bare riser with side plates

 

What is the purpose of side plates? Isn’t all your hand pressure on the back of the grip?

 

The bare riser is only a 1/2" wide. The side plates thicken it a little, so it's not like holding onto a pencil. For me, the bare riser was much too thin

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I think the Engage grip is the best grip Mathews has ever put on a bow. Saying that, I currently have a Torqueless on and it is very nice. However, after shooting it for a few months, I think I am putting the Engage grip back on.

 

Which torqueless grip did you go with

 

In my opinion, shooting off the riser provides a very finite/clean feel on the palm of the hand. This provides positive feedback on the placement and subsequent heel pressure. Additionally, the removal of the bulk material as it transitions to the sides eliminates potential sideways pressures - torque. Watch world class target archers (compounds); very few shoot with anything besides the riser. They are looking for maximum precision on hand placement/feedback (i.e, small surface area on the heel).

As for side plates. Some side plates are just fillers, they fill in the voids left by removing the original grip. Others are designed to provide enhanced contours; once again to provide the shooter a clean and repeatable hand placement (vertically) without the bulk at the heel/palm.

For the majority of average shooters, the design of the grip can make a big difference in left/right misses and up/downs. For a professional, they could out shoot most of us with a 2"x4" block strapped on the bow.

 

IMHO Torqueless grips can't be beat hands down. My friend put one on his loves it. I have used them before and wish Dave made them for PSE I would order one in a heart beat.

 

Always been curious about the alleged “torque-less” grips.

In my opinion the torque comes directly from the user, not the grip itself. Anyone that wraps their fingers around the grip and squeezes, will torque the bow- no matter the grip.
That function is unnecesssry when drawing 50-70# of pressure which is sufficient for a very firm contact and settling into the “palm pocket” so to speak

I’ve got fairly wide palms@ 4 3/4” across or so. A thinner grip is not comfortable to me. So I’m curious about the torque less claim

Call me crazy but the old style walnut grips I have on my Switchback and DXT fit my hand beautifully

 

You are correct about the torque.. with a poor grip, no aftermarket grip is going to help much.
Torqueless are comfortable and very repeatable. The have a pretty flat back with rounded over corners. They are straight up 7/8" wide from top to bottom with no bulges by the thumb or shelf.

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I’ve used all. I like the Contour, but I’ve recently switched back to the engage and seem to be shooting better with it. It’s great, but strange hobby. One minute you can be shooting now issues, no kit issues, the next it’s gone off, then your looking to change kit, which isn’t always the answer. I’ll shoot it for a few weeks, try the contour and see where it lies for the coming indoor season.