# Soma Saker tabs...opinions?



## FateAtropos (Jan 21, 2009)

I personally don't like the pinky extension. I personally don't own a soma, but after trying it with the little extension I realized that it leads, at least for me, towards a bad habit. When I got tired, I'd start pulling with my pinky just to pull through the clicker, and that messes all sorts of stuff up, like hand tension, how the fingers come off, and how clean the release is.


----------



## rgauvin (Feb 20, 2007)

FateAtropos said:


> I personally don't like the pinky extension. I personally don't own a soma, but after trying it with the little extension I realized that it leads, at least for me, towards a bad habit. When I got tired, I'd start pulling with my pinky just to pull through the clicker, and that messes all sorts of stuff up, like hand tension, how the fingers come off, and how clean the release is.


I have a some, and I love it, but the pinky rest is not one thing I am fond of. When you just rest your pinky on it, it is nice, but you can start pulling on it and torquing things WAY too easily.


----------



## ScarletArrows (May 25, 2007)

I have used the soma saker tab for 2 years now and I noticed the same thing that everyone else has. but I don't see it as a bad thing. Kind of like a slightly raised edge on the grip I see it as a way of showing me through pressure in my hand that I am doing something wrong...now it makes me mad after I rip off the shot and then I realize "der dumbass you were torquing the crap outt it, no wonder it didn't hit the middle" but to each their own...

On my side of things I have recently started changing my hand shape (getting rid of thumb ledge its use) and now only use the pinky hook on my tab...I set it far back so that with my thumb over the top of my bent pinky it just is there in between my palm and bent pinky finger...I only feel pressure of any kind if I am pulling too hard with the pinky...now I still rip off the shot anyway most of the time  ...but now and again I realize what I am doing and I can make adjustments or let down...usually its just a matter of relaxing more.


----------



## Vittorio (Jul 17, 2003)

The Soma Saker I & II tabs are quite different in several aspects from the Cavalier tab, including the basic use and its positioning on the hand, so the pinkie addition is just one of the odifferent parmeters you can change with it, but it is really a totally different thing.
Basic differencies are as follow:
1) metal part
The metal part has to stay in the palm of the hand, while in the Cavalier has to touch the string at the beginning
2) leather
because of one, leather is much longer on fingers than in Cavalier
3) spacer
The spacer is more confortable and less thich inside the fingers, and also goes to be positioned much more inside the V of the fingers, because of 1
4) platform
Platform can be used over the thumb or under the thumb, and many are using second option
5) Saker I special shape forces a little bit the position of the hand and makes it sligtly more consistent, Saker II has a more traditional shape of the metal part, while all other are the same. 

As far as the pinkie extension, I do not suggest it as for the reasons already mentioned. 

Another tab perfecly following Saker II solutions 1/2/3/4 is the W&W, that works on same principles.


----------



## Doug_77 (Nov 3, 2008)

This is a reply from a beginner who should be getting some coaching or advice but isn't able to - therefore I probably have the terminology wrong.

I bought a Soma Saker tab specifically because of the pinky rest (I've moved the thumb rest so it acts as a platform to tuck under my jaw for anchoring and I've taken the finger spacer off altogether).

Using a tab without the pinky rest I found that my drawing hand tended to rotate about the wrist slightly during the draw (my thumb went towards my jaw and my pinky went away from my body) - by applying the tiniest possible amount of pressure with my pinky onto the pinky rest I have eliminated this. My hand no longer put any rotational force on the string. The little advice I have had about shooting has included a stern warning that this pressure must be as small as possible.

The tab really helped me as it immediately fixed what I thought was a problem and resulted in tighter groups (on average).

Sorry to write so much,

Doug


----------



## Not Sure (May 25, 2007)

Soma Saker 'I' all the way. I used a Cavalier Elite (cordovan of course) and it was good. The Soma is so much better than the Cavalier and I never thought I'd never use another tab for the rest of my life... thank goodness for innovation.

At first the pokey thing in the back angered me. Now my hand is actually relaxed at draw. It forces you to relax and it's unconscious and doesn't take long at all.

The pinky thing also takes some getting used to but at least you can move it to about 3 different places that should fit most folks. I don't really mind it at all now. I believe consistent pinky positioning is very important and the hook helps quite a bit. I guess you could always make your own more ergonomic one and use the existing holes (or tap your own) to tie it to the tab body.

I have a 'large' glove hand and use a medium tab in the Cavalier and the Soma 'I'. 

Another thing: At first I didn't realize the shelf was for your thumb and not to actually touch your jaw. This is MUCH better compared to the Cavalier for me. I can locate my first (closest to wrist) thumb knuckle on my jaw a LOT more consistently than the chunk of metal. Maybe somebody will invent a metal locator on the tab to lock on to the jawline w/ an 'L' shape or some divots in it but then again, there might be some rules about such devices.

That being said, the combination Soma 'I' Saker and my (oddly same brand) chest protector were the two best lower cost purchases I've made to date to increase my accuracy.

ps. The finger spacer on the Saker 'I' is nice. I do see many pros using an even fatter spacer but I don't think my fingers are pinching the current nocks so I'm not going to mod it...yet!


----------



## FITA Freak (May 4, 2009)

i tried the saker in an effort to cure a weak third finger issue, it worked for the weak finger as the pinkie on the hook helped this (notice these two finger work together) . how ever discovered that i would not always lay my thumb on the tab the same and would not always put the same pressure on the pinky tab. this led to alot of elevation variation. switching back to my cavalier i gained thirty points back.i now do not worry about the third finger issue. that said a member of our club swears by his. ....so try all options and take the best result


----------

