The arrow rest is one of the most important pieces of gear you can put on your bow. It must perform consistently and quietly during the arrow drawing process and upon release. Many bucks and bulls owe their longevity to an improper rest that allowed the arrow to torque away from the bow or clank against the riser. With so many rests to choose from, which is best for your style of shooting?
Before looking at specific models, consider that rests come in three basic categories: containment, fall-away, and hybrids, which have characteristics of the first two. Containment rests hold the arrow securely in almost every circumstance. Archers love this type of rest, since the bow can be tilted and shot at unusual angles without the arrow falling off or clanking against the riser. The shaft is cradled in a small diameter space and the fletching passes through a brush which, surprisingly, has little affect on accuracy.
The fall-away rest operates under the theory that ultimate accuracy occurs when the fletching has no contact with the rest, which literally falls away upon release.
Hybrid rests attempt to perform both functions, so that the arrow is contained during the drawing process but falls away upon release.
Whisker Biscuit
The Whisker Biscuit is the most popular containment rest and continues to be a top choice among archers across the country. It’s less expensive than more complex models and provides performance that hunters have learned to love. One might think that the contact of the biscuit with fletching would affect accuracy adversely, yet check out this video by Brian “The Pigman” Quaca.
Fall-Away Rests
Fall-away rests use a fork to hold the arrow in place during the arrow drawing process. Upon release, a string attached to the cable of the compound bow causes the fork to drop out of the way so that the arrow and fletching have no further contact. This video in slow motion shows how this process occurs.
Hybrid Rests
The Limb Driver Pro-V Tactical is one of the newest models on the market that exemplify a padded rest (the V) that contains the arrow and will drop away allowing for maximum fletching clearance upon release.
Ultimately, the best choice depends upon the kind of shooting that you do and which type of rest works best on your bow. Head to a local pro shop and ask about these models.
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