[Dacer]

According to some sources I've read - longer side rods can make an arrow act slightly weaker.

Not sure if that would affect your decision or not. Personally I like longer side rods because I find I can actually have a bit more mass weight in my Bow and a little more ajustiblitiy in the feel and holding at full draw.

 

[dmassphoto]

From what I gathered out of Steve Ellison's document on Controlling Bow Behavior with a Stabilizer, (and I may be wrong, so please correct) the whole point is to get the rods are to stabilize movement in the 3 main directions, and to move straight forward and down upon release. You will want the center of gravity of the bow somewhere just below and in front of the pivot point, or where your hand contacts the riser.

Side rods, concerning rotation, will
1. have a small effect on forwards/backwards motion.
2. Have a small/moderate effect around the arrow line (When aiming, how much rotation you'll have around the point of aim)
3. Have a moderate/large effect around the riser. (torque)

So, I'm guessing here, that if you have a lot of torque when you shoot, longer side rods will be needed or vise versa. But you also have to pay attention to the center of gravity and how it moves off your hand upon release.

 

[lksseven]

12 inchers will allow you to easily set the bow on the ground in situations where you don't have your bow stand with you :darkbeer:

 

[rstgyx]

12 inchers will allow you to easily set the bow on the ground in situations where you don't have your bow stand with you :darkbeer:

What if you have a 4-5" extender? I ordered 15" side rods to use without an extender (for the time being).

 

[hwjchan]

Need longer siderods if you have an extender. 15" plus weights would probably do it with an extender.

 

[lksseven]

What if you have a 4-5" extender? I ordered 15" side rods to use without an extender (for the time being).

Ah! Yes, with an extender you'd need the 15" rods to have a built in bow stand.

 

[w8lon]

As I have nearly tripped over a bow that was standing on a bow pod my bow no longer sets on the floor. Many archers are either wearing a piece of tape on their glasses or shooting without using clarifiers these days.

 

[TwilightSea]

What if you aren't using an extender?

 

[Joe Schnur]

Stabilization is a combination of two things distance from center of rotation and mass longer rods allow you to have less weight and Achieve the same stabilization or Achieve greater stabilization with the same weight I personally use a 33 out front and 2 15's on the back for recurve 1 15 out back for compound the compound stabilization is the best it has ever been but I also have a lot of weight out there. 8 ounces on the front 6 on the side