# Why go with a blade over a drop away rest or vice versa?



## Garceau (Sep 3, 2010)

Hamskea Versa or LD Micro elite with a blade on the launcher - best of both worlds!


----------



## skiisme753 (Jan 15, 2013)

If you are using it for hunting then stick with the QAD. A blade rest is a very simple design with less parts so there is less to break, wear out, or get out of whack (the blade can break, but it is not common). Blade rests are popular with target shooters and also more competitive 3D shooters.


----------



## ride394 (Oct 16, 2006)

I would be using it for target/3d. My hunting bow would definitely stay with the QAD.


----------



## Garceau (Sep 3, 2010)

skiisme753 said:


> If you are using it for hunting then stick with the QAD. A blade rest is a very simple design with less parts so there is less to break, wear out, or get out of whack (the blade can break, but it is not common). Blade rests are popular with target shooters and also more competitive 3D shooters.


This is in the target shooting section - I assumed he meant for target.


----------



## ride394 (Oct 16, 2006)

Garceau said:


> This is in the target shooting section - I assumed he meant for target.


Hahaha indeed I did.


----------



## atennishu (Sep 24, 2010)

Garceau said:


> Hamskea Versa or LD Micro elite with a blade on the launcher - best of both worlds!


I dont understand the benefit of using a blade on a drop away, but I have seen some like that , can you explain the benefit? Thanks, Jeff


----------



## tmorelli (Jul 31, 2005)

atennishu said:


> I dont understand the benefit of using a blade on a drop away, but I have seen some like that , can you explain the benefit? Thanks, Jeff


Like mine....

The blade allows for some shock absorbing whereas rigid launchers of most drop always don't. 

Especially If you run stiff arrows, I've found that rigid launchers will open your groups up.


----------



## atennishu (Sep 24, 2010)

Thanks Tony, I appreciate your answer , I figured there had to be a good reason for it , just didnt know what it was......


----------



## rohpenguins (Dec 2, 2012)

blade launchers are more reliable because they have less moving parts and can be repaired on the fly. Drop away rests are light years ahead of where they were 3 years ago or more but break one during a shoot and your day is done.


----------



## Jon Clayton (Mar 4, 2012)

If it's within your budget, have one of each. I run a blade if I'm indoors, But if I'm doing a field event or outdoor 3D on a slightly windy day, the QAD goes back on.


----------



## mainehunt (Sep 11, 2006)

After running a drop away for about 10 years, I switched to a blade back in December. I am now more accurate and consistent. Is it just psychological, or is it the rest? Not sure, but I'm not switching back.


----------



## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

the blade is simple and reliable. At least we considered it reliable until a couple of recent threads. Any rest can be knocked out of tune and cost you points, but now that I have a better idea of what to look for, it is easier to fix.

Drop away rests may have equal or maybe even a little more accuracy potential. As pointed out above, they are much better than just a few years ago, but I don't think they are quite there yet. Hamskea is probably the best of them since I think it can be set up to have the cushion that Tony mentioned. But it's too expensive to buy just to try out.

The spring steel launcher blades are, for me, the current best option. Without damage, they don't take away anything from my shot. But I think that it can be improved. I don't know how, but hopefully someone will find a better blade or improve the drop away rests.

Allen


----------



## schmel_me (Dec 17, 2003)

I think its about reliability, grouping ability and most important forgiveness. Both styles can have an issue. More so with a drop away style but this is very rare. For me I didn't gain any accuracy or tuning ability with a drop style rest so I shoot a blade.


----------



## ArcherXXX300 (Apr 22, 2013)

I shoot both but I'm favoring my Hamskea, however I run it with a blade in bottom limb drop mode and a backer blade is a must otherwise the blades bend or break.


----------



## ride394 (Oct 16, 2006)

Thanks for all the replies. So how many people have actually had an arrow get blown off of your blade rest in the wind?


----------



## JF from VA (Dec 5, 2002)

I had it happen a couple years ago during a 600 Round. The wind was so strong it blew some of the targets over. Lesson learned is that I always carry a wider blade in case of something like that.


----------



## ride394 (Oct 16, 2006)

JF from VA said:


> I had it happen a couple years ago during a 600 Round. The wind was so strong it blew some of the targets over. Lesson learned is that I always carry a wider blade in case of something like that.


So in other words it would take some serious wind for it to happen. The kind of wind where my ass would be sitting at home watching tv lol. Looks like i'll be picking up a blade as i've alos realized while trying to tune my supra that my QAD doesn't fit the riser...


----------



## JF from VA (Dec 5, 2002)

Yeah, I would say those wind conditions were unusual, at least around where I live.


----------



## huteson2us2 (Jun 22, 2005)

I have used a blade rest since they first came out and a springy prior. Everytime I think about changing to a dropaway rest, I witness a malfunction. Afew years ago, I was convinced to try a dropaway and bought a Whammy. After spending $100.00 on one I found out it was garbage. Even Spot Hogg told me it would not work on my Hoyt ProTech.

Many times over the years, I have won over better shooters because their dropaway malfunctioned. Recently I have been convinced that the dropaway was now perfected and started reading the articles on AT about which dropaway was best. Then two weeks ago, I attended a tournament and shot with an excellent target archer and hunter that swore by the dropaway. Half way through the tournament this archer shop two arrows below the target. It was the cord to the rest and was repaired but the damage was done and in target archery there is no coming back from one zero let alone two.

So no dropaway for me for a few more years. Also I hunt with a launcher and have shot often in high winds. I have also shot speed rounds with a launcher and never have an arrow fall off my rest. But I do one thing nobody talks about on AT and that is to trim my launcher to fit my arrow. Launchers come in two sizes and arrows come in many sizes. You can't expect a standard launcher to fit all arrows. The laucher needs to be tweaked to fit. i use a dremel tool but most top archers will used a rattail file.

First widen the V to fit the arrow. I shoot Fatboys with a narrow launcher. The V on a wide launcher is too wide for the Fatboy. Once the arrow fits the groove (I test this by turning the bow past 30 degrees with arrow on laucher. The arrow should not fall off untill just past 30 degrees.) Then trim outside3 edges to 45 degree eliminate fletch contact. Then powder test and turn nocks until perfect. Easy Peasy.

Last keep a spare launcher with you always because every few years you might need it.


----------



## ride394 (Oct 16, 2006)

Thanks for the post. I have a Spot Hogg edge rest coming this week. Hope I don't have to much trouble tuning it...


----------



## tackscall (Jul 26, 2004)

Once I started reading that dropaways should stay up as long as possible I stopped understanding the benefit. If the point is just to clear the fletching there are plenty of fixed rests that do that


----------



## AT_X_HUNTER (Aug 10, 2005)

I use a blade on all my bows for the simplicity. No moving parts. No cords to hang up or pull on my cables. I've shot with fall-away rests and my scores were the same. So, since I haven't noticed any difference or advantage I just stuck with the KISS principal.


----------



## centershot (Sep 13, 2002)

I tend to swing the other way - I like drop aways. Reason being that an arrow tracks nearly the full length of a blade giving more time for input from the archer and more chance for error. A perfect shot from either will be a perfect shot, a not so good shot from a drop away has a better chance of being a good shot without the arrow tracking it's full length - so I go with the drop away. I have had a TT on my old '03 Ultratec since it was new and never had any issues with it at all. Somewhere between 50k and 100K shots, pretty reliable in my book.


----------



## jwilson48 (Apr 1, 2009)

centershot said:


> I tend to swing the other way - I like drop aways. Reason being that an arrow tracks nearly the full length of a blade giving more time for input from the archer and more chance for error. A perfect shot from either will be a perfect shot, a not so good shot from a drop away has a better chance of being a good shot without the arrow tracking it's full length - so I go with the drop away. I have had a TT on my old '03 Ultratec since it was new and never had any issues with it at all. Somewhere between 50k and 100K shots, pretty reliable in my book.


Well I'm a hunter so I use drop aways with full containment but this makes no sense. The arrow is still connected to the string so u can still influence it after the shot regardless if it is on a rest or not.


----------



## ivabnick (Jan 17, 2011)

I've use both launcher style and drop away as follows: Trophy Taker 2, QAD ultra rest and an Octane Tripwire. I've had spring steel blades wear out and bend over time. They last about one year given my frequency of shooting. I've had my QAD for five years on my hunting bow and never had a failure. I've used the Tripwire most recently on my target bow. It is definitely more sensitive to tuning but still highly dependable after proper set up. I found the spring steel is less reliable with mild wind. I think it can flex too easily and the arrow slightly moves. I use a .010, wide launcher for a 350-360 grain Fatboy 28" arrow. With no wind, it's great but for outdoors, I prefer the drop away. I think the rigidity of the drop away is a plus for slight wind and overall is more reliable given varied weather conditions and shot angle but the compromise is a slight loss in accuracy under static conditions. My conclusion is a blade good for indoors and a drop away is good for outdoors. I am not an expert but enjoy target shooting on the off season.


----------



## jrdrees (Jun 12, 2010)

Drop-aways seem easier to tune for me, I generally get real close eyeballing and 3 arrows later she's ready for fine tuning. Blades I have spent hours trying to get close enough, and never really feel satisfied with the final tune. I run a QAD on my Open A set-up, shoots better than me, and no failures...yet.


----------



## ride394 (Oct 16, 2006)

I had a qad but traded it for a spot hogg edge. The qad doesn't play well with my supra riser/shelf. Haven't gotten to really tune the blade yet as I'm going to be trying out black eagle challengers this week so I figure I might as well just wait til they come.


----------

