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Podium peep vs hamskea insight

18K views 14 replies 13 participants last post by  Camp  
#1 ·
Does anyone have any experience with both of these? I know the hamskea uses a tool to tighten the aperatures. Is it a huge issue with these loosening up? Is the tool less of the podium a plus?
 
#3 ·
Not sure about the Hamskea Insight Peep, but I have the Specialty Podium. The aperture inserts are knurled plastic, and they tighten down pretty solidly into the aluminum housing. So I do not see there being an issue with them coming loose. Still, tool or no tool, it doesn't hurt to check them periodically.

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#4 ·
I have been running a podium peep. It’s been great so far. I switch lens/aps out between 3D/spots scopes. I check the tightness of everything but no issues coming loose. I would highly recommend giving it a try
 
#8 ·
I have both - I have had 2 hamskeas over the years and just picked up a Specialty.

I am currently running a Specialty. To me it has a few advantages, with the biggest being tool-less. Not a huge advantage by any means, just a slight one.
 
#9 ·
I am currently using the Specialty after shooting a Hamskea for 3D last year and indoors this past season. I really like the specialty but one of my biggest issues with it is the clarifiers are harder to put in the peep than the hamskea. The hamskea apertures cradle the clarifiers as your putting them in. The specialty ones just drop in. And they are a lot smaller.
 
#10 ·
I bought the Hamskea peep, aperature and Pro target rest from the Hamskea booth at Redding a couple of years ago because the people on AT said how much better it was. There was no cheap plastic tool to put the aperature in the peep so I asked for the tool and was told it was another $12 after spending over $200. I went to the specialty booth and got one for free. I would like the new Specialty that does not require tools but own too many aperatures, verifiers, and clarifiers for the old Specialty peeps already and do not want to buy them all over again. I also saw no difference between the Specialty peep and the Hamskea other than cost and the fact that the Hamskea peep had better come back perfectly straight to the eye. I am baffled by the advantage of the baffle system and I do shoot into the sun in AZ. The Hamskea is a copy of the Peep-N-Tom and the Podium is a copy of the Hamskea. Take your pick.
 
#11 ·
I just bought Podium few weeks ago and did go straight to DeLuxe kit.
I think this was one of best purchases what I've don lately for my bow.
Did use Hamskea Pro Peep earlier and it was easily glared in sun.

At this north where I live and at this time sun is pretty low almost full day.
I'd shot earlier this week almost directly to sun and only problem was my scope's glares and they're not overwhelming with Feather Vision's lens.
No problem with clarifier with glares or that aperture would go loose.

Don't have any experience at Hamskea so can't compare.
Just tell that with Podium U can't go much wrong
 
#12 ·
I shot the Hamskea for a few years and recently changed to the Podium. I like the Podium better...it has some advantages IMO. Tool-less swapping of the apertures is nice, and its stayed put since I screwed it in. The Hamskea loosened easily so I applied some string wax to the threads and it was good after that. The Podium is more streamlined, a little smaller, and has the same "gentle on the string" grooves that the Spec Peeps all have. The string grooves seem deeper and more rounded and they sort of cradle the string bundles so they stay more round. The Hamskea grooves force the bundles to flatten and I had issues with frayed and eventually cut strands on both the of the ones I used on 2 different bows. The Podium is designed so the aperture hole is centered between the string bundles; meaning its centered even if the peep isn't straight at full draw; so no left right misses. The Hamskea had to come back straight or i'd have left/right misses. For quality of the glass; I give the edge to Hamskea on this; the clarifiers are thicker, easier to get fitted into the apertures, and excellent optical clarity. The Podium is good also but I think the Hamskea was a touch better. These are the pros/cons as far as quality/performance. Some other things that I would classify as less important but still considerations...the Podium is available in colors which is nice. The deluxe kit has an additional clarifier power included and is still less money than the Hamskea kit. The case for the kit is much better for the Podium; everything fits nice and the sizes are labeled into the foam. With the hamskea; the aperture tool couldn't be carried in the case because the top wouldn't close.

The deal breaker for me was the fraying/cutting of strands on my string...this was supposedly corrected in the updated version of the peep; but I had the updated one (identified by 2 rings on the housing) and it still cut them. The Podium is top notch. I don't shoot for either company; this is just my simple unbiased review.
 
#14 ·
I never noticed any fraying with my Hamskeas, and i occasionally slide my peep to adjust height. I have noticed it worse with the Podium peep. I may have to rebuild my string from sliding it (I know i shouldnt slide them in the string).
I will also say as a former bowhunter freestyle guy, Specialty owns the patent on verifiers. So if you want a tube peep for bowhunter freestlye and think you may need something to clean up your pins, go with the specialty.