# Wrist sling for recurves?



## inertia (Jul 26, 2009)

I'm using a finger sling for my recurve but does anyone use a wrist sling like the one's they have on compounds? Any pluses or minuses either way?


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## lksseven (Mar 21, 2010)

I've seen a few recurvers use 'wrist' slings (attached to the archer's wrist - I think Viper1 has recommended them in past threads). 

Almost all of the compounders I've seen use a 'bow' sling (attached to the bow), and I've never seen a recurver use one of those.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Yes, two different terms. Wrist slings were more common in the 70's and 80's, although Butch Johnson (a product of those years!) still uses one with a recurve. Bow slings are almost entirely something used by hunters, and don't really accomplish much for a target archer.


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## Jim C (Oct 15, 2002)

I use the Moran wrist sling. I believe AL Henderson said that in practice the Wrist sling is the best. DP gave me one of Moran's slings 15 years ago and I have used one almost exclusively since then though I did use the basic fingerling when I shot a Hoyt Helix


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## engtee (Oct 2, 2003)

I've used a wrist sling for years (I'm older than Butch) and find it to be the most comfortable. Look at K1 archery website for his custom slings.


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## thare1774 (Dec 13, 2010)

I use the wrist sling that actually attaches to my wrist for oly curve. It's much more comfortable and very user friendly. Just bought my dad one and he's loving it.


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## gunyip (May 10, 2007)

I am a beginner BB shooter and use both a bow sling and a finger or a wrist sling. I am a bit of a klutz and before I used a bow sling on several occassions I had forgotten to put my finger through the wrist sling, or I had fogotten to check that the finger sling was in place. Twice my bow has hit concrete and once in the mud...


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## Tec-JAM (Dec 1, 2008)

As explained Limbwalker, popularity was in the 70's and 80's but I still have the Morin bow sling on my website www.morintrainer.com .
I remember, the morning of the 1991 Pan-American game, Darrell Pace came to ask me this bow wrist sling because the thumb sling was affecting the perception of its grip and told me later that he had finally found the sensations that he had before. Hope to meet all of you in June in the U.S. National Hamilton and I always carry with me a few of these wrist bow sling. I am still using those sling and I will be in the guest mastr over 60’s division.


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Guys -

There's usually a little confusion about what a finger, wrist and bow slings are. 
Hope this helps.









The finger sling TOP (also made from shoe laces) works, providing you're inter-phalangeal joints are big enough to stop the loops from slipping off. Unfortunately, as they get older, they can slip, and you first realize that's happening when the bow hits the floor.

The wrist sling MIDLE is held in place by a hook, and it pretty idiot proof. It can only fail if the know comes loose and there are ways of preventing that, or you forget to use it.

The bow sling BOTTOM was used a lot in the 70's (the one in the picture is a stick on type from the 70's) and some people still use them today - usually attached to the stab bushing. The biggest complaint is that do to it's position, the bow may flop out of the hand and just hang there. 

All are viable, but I prefer the wrist sling, as it's the hardest to mess up.

Viper1 out.


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## Chris RL (Oct 30, 2011)

+1 for a wrist sling.

When I started, around 6 months ago, I tried them all, home made and commercial. Started with the commercial finger sling that's at the top of Viper1's photos, then moved to a shoelace for more adjustability. 

Found that for me, if you loop the string one way and pull it, it loosens the loop catch as the bow fires. Flip the loop around and it tightens it.
Also with a shoe string the wider the better so the lace doesn't cut into you and stop circulation. 
Also having the knot come off the middle of the loop instead of near/on a finger helped. 
I actually went as far as one of those very wide lanyards for a security card or conference ID I bought at a party supply store for a buck. Unstitched the clip and just use it open-ended, it's sturdy enough to need only one side but will easily hold enough for archery.

Moved on to a wrist sling (Viper1's middle photo) because I wanted to explore, and bought two variations from Friedhelm Klymko (K1-archery.com). 
The first is like Viper1's middle photo - the loop goes around the wrist and the hook goes around the hand and bow and hooks back onto the loop. 
The second is a hybrid between the wrist loop and the finger loop (that's the one I tried first) - it's a big loop that goes around the wrist, and instead of a hook it's a little loop that goes around the thumb like a finger loop.

I have a bow-attached wrist sling as well, never used it.

Okay - why do I use the loop/hook style of wrist sling?

Now I know it's all just a matter of form and habit, but every time I used anything attached to my fingers I'd end up gripping the bow. The bow would flex, move forwards, hit the sling and signal my fingers to close.
I know, I know, that's well after the arrow left, so no harm, no foul, right?

Well... 
Let's just say that over the course of several hundred arrows, I was anticipating the release and my hand started to close *before* the fingers got the "signal" to pull together. Had to reprogram myself not to do that.

Now that I'm using a wrist sling, that issue solved itself, since there's no signal any more.

A footnote: The K1-archery slings are well made and come in various sizes, not adjustable within those sizes.
After I used the "rule of thumb" where if you can literally fit your arrow hand thumb between your bow thumb and the riser handle with the sling fitted, not shoved in there and not sloppy fitting either, then that's your proper sling length/size, 
I found that an XL was too big and a L was too small.

So after making my own and using it for awhile, and having the big loop knot slip and constantly have to be readjusted, I looked up parachute cording on the web and found an easy fix to adjust the K1 slings, since they're made from parachute cord:

1) push the insulating layer along the loop until the fused-together ends of the para-cord are revealed
2) trim off around 1/4 to 1/8 on either side of the cord
3) use a flame to melt each end and push them together to re-join them.

Since then I've been using the K1 wrist loop, which now fits perfectly and needs no further adjustment, for over 1500 arrows without complaint.

HTH
JM2c, of course, and YMMV.


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## Jim C (Oct 15, 2002)

Tec-JAM said:


> As explained Limbwalker, popularity was in the 70's and 80's but I still have the Morin bow sling on my website www.morintrainer.com .
> I remember, the morning of the 1991 Pan-American game, Darrell Pace came to ask me this bow wrist sling because the thumb sling was affecting the perception of its grip and told me later that he had finally found the sensations that he had before. Hope to meet all of you in June in the U.S. National Hamilton and I always carry with me a few of these wrist bow sling. I am still using those sling and I will be in the guest mastr over 60’s division.


sorry I misspelled your name JM-bring a bunch and I will buy some for my JOADs. I bought a bunch from you when my wife Liz (Lizard on AT) ran Bethany Archery. I have a couple that need new clips where the tongue broke. The nationals is in my backyard and while I will be too busy to shoot-with a couple dozen students-I will be around working on my kids, the field, bows, etc.

Jim


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## Tec-JAM (Dec 1, 2008)

Jim
If you have many broken hooks (normally take 10 years to brake them), and wish to repair them, just gave them to me at the tournament and I will change the part for low coast. I do that for many club. 
J-A


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## Jim C (Oct 15, 2002)

Thanks-it took more than ten years for the first one to break-DP gave me that sling you made in 1996 and I used it until 2007 so it was 11 years. I might have had two-four break in our club and we probably bought 20 from you-5-6 at Canton in 2000, and another 10-15 in 04 or so.


Its all i use

Jim


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