# What is the point of a rug rest?



## mesquite (Dec 28, 2009)

Or any rest on a longbow for that matter? Especially the rug ones. How does putting a piece of felt on the shelf change anything? Also, what does a bear weather rest help? How does raising the arrow a tad really help? Is there disadvantages to shooting off the shelf?

Sorry if this question sounds stupid but I'm really confused.


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## Two Blade (Jul 13, 2008)

A Bear Weatherest is a cheap little rubbery rest that will do wonders for arrow flight. Shooting an arrow directly off the shelf can sometimes affect arrow flight because the back of the arrow will kick off the shelf because of feather or shaft contact with the shelf. The Bear Weatherest, or any elevated rest, will alleviate the kicking off the shelf problem. I guess the reason that we have a rug or a piece of velcro on our shelves is to protect the bow and probably make it quieter.


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## rickstix (Nov 11, 2009)

Basically, rests minimize arrow contact with the bow…and can allow for some adjustability. The reason for rug rests (or leather on a longbow) and using larger coverage in the sight window is primarily to silence the area for hunting purposes, where a click of the arrow against the bow can spoil the hunt. And an additional benefit of either material would be that wear patterns can indicate something amiss with your set-up that you might not readily detect otherwise. Rick.


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## JV NC (Dec 9, 2005)

The closer the arrow is to your hand (without a sight or alternative aiming method...i.e point on/gap shooting)....I would "think" the better off you'll be.

I also would "think" that a little cushion in the rest would hide a little bit of release deficiencies.

Someone help me out, if that's incorrect.


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

mesquite -

Pretty much what John (AKM) and rick said. Getting the arrow closer to your hand does nothing for aiming as the arrow is more of a reference than the hand, for most people any way. 

Years ago, the first thing we did with a new bow was stick on a rest, shooting off the shelf wasn't an option. Now-a-days, things are different and some folks have come up with rationalizations why it's no longer a good idea - go figure. 

Viper1 out.


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## JV NC (Dec 9, 2005)

> Getting the arrow closer to your hand does nothing for aiming as the arrow is more of a reference than the hand, for most people any way.


Interesting. I told you I'd learn something.

Why do most bowyers seem to want to get the arrow as close to the hand as possible?


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## trapperDave (Mar 12, 2005)

because thats what the buyer wants. I agree with viper, the arrow is referenced (either consciously or not), not the hand when "aiming". I shoot instintively, and have no trouble shooting off the shelf or rest, even back to back.


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## JV NC (Dec 9, 2005)

> because thats what the buyer wants.


That's it?

No inherent benefit?


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## Eldermike (Mar 24, 2009)

Rug rest/side plate protects the bow finish and keeps down noise. The side plate adds some tuning.


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## ebonarcher (Mar 2, 2008)

it's a place to put your toupee


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## BowmanJay (Jan 1, 2007)

I use them to protect my bow, period.....


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## mesquite (Dec 28, 2009)

Viper1 said:


> mesquite -
> 
> Pretty much what John (AKM) and rick said. Getting the arrow closer to your hand does nothing for aiming as the arrow is more of a reference than the hand, for most people any way.
> 
> ...


Why did nobody shoot off the shelf back then? Just curious.


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

mesquite -

Simple answer - we knew better 

A few people did, but not many. Typically new guys who didn't know any better or just didn't care. (OK, I'm sure someone will come up with a picture of some guy shooting off the shelf ...)

Most people with a little experience did so because of the reasons outlined above. There was no "trad" or trad police back then and therefore no class restrictions in competition. As far has hunting, it was an obvious choice, again for the same reasons. The "reports" of rests failing are a pretty new occurrence. The odds on a rest failing were about the same as a "rug" coming loose off the shelf (the same adhesives are used for both in most cases). 

So why the alleged resurgence of shooting off the shelf? 
:secret:
1. Rests are used on compounds
2. Compounds ain't "trad"
3. Therefore rests ain't trad ... 

Viper1 out.


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## Eldermike (Mar 24, 2009)

I can't tell the difference in performance, springy rest on my GM ll or off the shelf on my Dreamcatcher. For me there is no advantage of one over the other on these type bows.


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## Eldermike (Mar 24, 2009)

Viper1, what seems odd to me is taking a target type bow, cut past center with a huge sight window, and building up the shelf and side plate just to meet the rules in a shoot off the shelf event.

That's allowed, but a weather rest on a all wood recurve is not........

Strange to me.


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Mike - 

You ain't the only one. Also strange is the that the very same bows, configured the same way, I used and hunted with BEFORE compounds came out are now illegal in most "Trad Bowhunter" classes. 

Viper1 out.


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## mesquite (Dec 28, 2009)

So does a piece of felt or rug really count as a rest? Or is it horses for courses?

Was it more common to see recurve shooters using rests than longbow users? With the shelves not cut past center it doesn't seem that there are many rests that would fit on a longbow other than something like a bear weather rest


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

mesquite - 

Good questions. SOME longbow designs don't lend themselves to rests (too far before center), but that too hasn't stopped some people from using them. Adding most, but not all, rests pushes the arrow even farther off center, not a problem with a near center cut bow, but some thing like a Hill bow and you'd be needing an even softer arrow. For some (myself included), it just doesn't look right. Then again, if you're competing, there's the "rules" thing ...

BTW - yes, by definition a rug is an arrow rest, but these days a rest by connotation means an elevated rest. 

Viper1 out.


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## Two Blade (Jul 13, 2008)

When I first got my ACS-CX, I debated on whether or not to put a Bear Weatherest on it. I was having trouble with arrow flight and I was desperate to fix my problem. Well, long story short, I told myself that there ain't no way on God's Green Earth that I am putting a Bear Weatherest on this bow. If I can't learn to shoot it without a rest then I don't deserve to have it. After shooting it quite a bit, my skills have improved and I not longer have any arrow flight problems.


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