I've been considering a Vapor Trail rest simply because the Hamskea rests can slap my hand (and the riser) sometimes, but the one thing that scares me off (and probably others as well) is that it seems kinda bulky, especially once you attach the part that lets you run the cord to the bottom limb instead of the top one.

 

The vaportrail is 4.1 oz the Hamskea is 4.6 oz

Imo Vaportrail is streamlined and not bulky.

 

Love the Vaportrail rests, but like using the bottom limb attachment better. Was excited to get my 7X last year with my new Elite, since now Vaportrail had a bottom limb option. Too bad for me, the rest doesn't work with their bottom limb adapter and Elite's roller guard. A shame too because it seems to be an excellent product and I was ready to make the switch. Maybe someday.....

OP.....Great review. It seems like you have a killer setup there.

 

I ran into the same thing with mine on a '18 PSE Evolve. Just a word of caution for anyone who would want this rest to double check accesibility. I also had to grind down a hex key to be very short for it to clear the cable guard for the horizontal adjustment screw.

 

Been shooting them for 4 years and won’t shoot anything else.. Iv been trying to spread the word about them for that same amount of time. Thank you for this post.

…and I agree, they really are quieter and they don’t have all the little things like cord clamps, and rubber things on string.. also, I can’t find anywhere that a vapor trail has failed .

QADs don’t go down, hard to set timing in many cases…

Hamskeas have a tendency to come loose.. hence why MFJJ had to manufacture his own piece … and they have unnecessary parts

 

I'm a Hamskea guy but I am becoming more and more interested in the Vaportrail rests. I think I'm going to give one a shot.

 

I have all three mounted on bows and all are good . The Vapor Trails are the quietest. And very simple. One VT is on my RX7U and works great on the top limb. This keeps the cord off the riser bridge and is protected by the quiver. I like the QADs because my bowholder on my Quiet Cat bike does not push on a limb cord.

 

I have ran VT for years. They are the best. I am currently trying an epsilon for the first time just to see what all the hype is about. I don’t like how the activation cord clamps back to itself with a plastic clamp, the cord slaps me in the wrist sometime after release, the elevation screws are a pain to get to if you need to make adjustments. l’m having a hard time figuring out what makes them so good and why my dumb *** bought one. Gen8 will be going back on shortly.

 

I like the Vaportrail rests best also. I recently bought the Gi8 non micro. Works like a champ.

I am glad to see they redesigned the horizontal micro adjust from a knob that stuck out 1/2" past the rest to a simple screw. Much better.

 

Yup, now it works perfect with Mathews lowpro quivers. The screw is still a driver for micro adjust it’s just lowpro instead of sticking out in a similar fashion as the up and down adjustment. I should note that the knob that sticks out for up and down still has an Allen head in it so you can use Allen wrench to adjust and don’t have to use your fingers.

 

I never tried the Gen 8 but I have 3 Gen 7x's and they are awesome rests. Sold all my Hamskeas in favor of Vaportrail.

 

I am a vaportrail fan too. I’ve tried qad and hamskea but prefer the vaportrail. My favorite rest is the pro v because they weigh even less than the gen 8 and I like top loading the arrow into the rest. The vt gen 8 containment wasn’t my favorite because you have to load the arrow through the side and I would smack an arrow off my riser. I prefer the hamskea containment but that’s about all I prefer on hamskea over vt.
The only thing missing is an integrate option with the pro v. I asked vaportrail about integrating the pro v and I was told it’s in development. When that’s released I’ll be buying a couple.

 

I am a vaportrail fan too. I’ve tried qad and hamskea but prefer the vaportrail. My favorite rest is the pro v because they weigh even less than the gen 8 and I like top loading the arrow into the rest. The vt gen 8 containment wasn’t my favorite because you have to load the arrow through the side and I would smack an arrow off my riser. I prefer the hamskea containment but that’s about all I prefer on hamskea over vt.
The only thing missing is an integrate option with the pro v. I asked vaportrail about integrating the pro v and I was told it’s in development. When that’s released I’ll be buying a couple.

Vapor trails closed gage is the best, so easy to use, no sound, no arrow dropping out...

 

The best rest on the market hands down. The “influencers” don’t push it as much so I think that’s why it’s not as popular.

 

Still have my now 19yr qad on my old bow and it works, newer bow has a Pro-VX . The VT is just a better option as many in this thread seem to relate. Now I may be trying a hamskea rubber dampener on the VT cord one of the days, as there maybe a benefit in its use as I swear when I was shooting in closed quarters I could a twang coming from the rest cord other than that it is pretty quiet. Read a thread or two how a few have had added whiskers to it and they seemed to think that did help in toning it down, just something I wanna see for myself. Why the hamskea dampener and not just use whiskers, because it is more inline, adjustable and I'd prefer not having a whisker ball floating in space in front of me.

 

Glad you posted this as I'm researching new rests. The VT's have had my interest for some time.
I've heard it said that the rests are physically large in comparison to other rests? Does it have a larger profile than a Hamskea? Thanks!

 

Glad you posted this as I'm researching new rests. The VT's have had my interest for some time.
I've heard it said that the rests are physically large in comparison to other rests? Does it have a larger profile than a Hamskea? Thanks!

I had both the epsilon and the integrate 8 in hand during bow setup I didn’t feel like VT was bigger. It weighs less and cage size is similar and VT mounts clean to channel on riser.

 

Have a GI8X on my lift and it really is an awesome rest. The low pro quiver works with the 2024 rest no problem. it will work with last years but one arrow hits the micro adjustment screws. This rest doesn’t get enough attention. I have shot the hamskea in the past as well and woe vapor trail will be my go to rest for the future

 

Vapor Trail is all I use. Love the gen8i . No reason to change and they have phenomenal CS if you have questions.
Simple setup, quiet, rugged, lightweight. And look great.
And no silly cord dampenener to fool with.

 

Good write up. I’ve got a couple of the original drop always from Vaportrail, they still work flawlessly. I have used their rest exclusively on maybe 30 different bows. Ive got a the Gen 8IX sitting on my bench waiting for when ever the Lift shows up.

 

On the Gen 8 can you run it with a Blake’s hitch knot like you can (and I do) with a Hamskea? Or are you stuck with the pictured clamp requiring a hex tool to adjust? I love the ability to tighten and or adjust in the field with no tools that the Blake’s hitch allows.

 

I’m not sure. I did that with my Hamskea as well. I’m think it may be possible if you ran to activated the rest off the top limb. You could potentially totally remove the screw and clamp from that activation arm and threaded the your d-loop cord through that hole and the run cord back up tied your Blake hitch. What I don’t know is if the d loop cord would thread through that hole. I’ve never seen it done or tried it.

 

Ok....knock it off!!! I've been shooting Hamskeas for at 6-7 years and a Trophy Taker Smackdown Pro limb driven design before that. I've looked with curiosity at VT Limbdrivers, but never gone beyond the pondering stage. I'm shooting a '23 Athens Vista 35 with nothing arcane in regards to mounting or much in the way. So what is the difference in a standard mount Gen 7 to a Gen 7X to a Gen 8. At what point in the design changes can you mount to the bottom limb as well as top? Anyone have a previous model laying around they want to discuss....that would fit a standard mount riser?

 

Great questions man. Wish I knew all the models well enough to tell ya all differences. I’m pretty sure the X models have the mount so you can run bottom limb and also include micro adjust, but don’t quote me. Here is spot to compare.

Drop Away Arrow Rests | Pro Arrow Rests

 

Thanks for the link. You were correct about the Gen 7X being the version that offers both upper or lower limb mounting. I guess I will start to shop around a bit and see what pops up on the classifieds.

 

I have been shooting the Pro V and I find it just about perfect. I just ordered a pro Vx since it has micro adjust.

 

I messed with QAD MX2 on my Hoyt RX-7 Ultra, like to tinker. took it off and put VT Gen 8x back on won't be tinkering again. Love the rest.

 

Has anyone experienced and slippage with this rest on the Integrate mount?

 

See #4 in review. Set screw helps lock in the mounting block to prevent any slippage.

 

I have the new one for 2024 and there is a set screw under the cage to prevent that.

 

Thanks for this info. Guy at the bow shop had experienced some slippage on last year model. Just picked up my Lift 33 and placed an order for the Gen I8X.

 

The 8x looks really really good. I love how compact they made it and it should remove some issues.

I had/have a 7x and middle of hunting season last year I started noticing having some weird flyer arrows randomly. Eventually figured out the V was contacting the cage inconsistently after the rest snapped during one of the shots. VT was helpful replacing the piece that broke and it appears they addressed it with an updated design. I just still have a bad taste in my mouth.

I want to like it so bad because it gives you better clearance and gets out of the way so quick. Maybe in another gen I’ll try it again

 

Great write up on these op. They have been on my radar but I don't feel like they get the same following as hamske and qad. As far as I know these are the only true intigrate limb driven rest available.

 

Ripcord Ratchet is the other, but from what I’ve seen the arrows won’t clear it with the lowpro 2piece, not sure by how much. The hamskea has really light contact with arrow slot 2 on the lowpro 2piece with TKO 250s and a bit at arrow slot 4.

Vaportrails on my radar too with the updates to provide room for the lowpro on a true integrate mount.

 

Have vapor trail rests on all of my bows. Damn things are bomb proof!