LAST UPDATED: May 1st, 2015
All hardcore tournament archers have one thing in common: They all use bow stabilizers. Some professional archers have extra-long stabilizers with added weight while others have short, stubby stabilizers. Regardless of the size, one thing is certain: you will never find a pro archer who isn’t using a stabilizer. There are a variety of reasons professionals use a stabilizer. The first and most important one is a stabilizer does what the name implies: it stabilizes the bow. We all shake to a certain extent when we come to full draw. A stabilizer puts some weight out in front of the bow, keeping the bow steady in the hand.
Pine Ridge Archery makes a variety of stabilizers that are sure to improve your shooting experience. The Nitro Stabilizer (pictured here) comes with “Shock-Blades” and a solid core design which destroys vibration and reduces noise for a smoother shot and a more balanced bow.
Choosing the right stabilizer can be the tough part. Some stabilizers are three-feet long and some are six-inches long. The most popular hunting stabilizer is probably a six-inch stabilizer. I prefer a longer stabilizer, especially when I am hunting out west and taking longer shots; where being extremely balanced is a necessity. In the whitetail woods, a five-or six-inch stabilizer will probably do. Brian Bychowski from Pine Ridge Archery knows about stabilizers. Pine Ridge makes a variety of them. “I think bowhunters should experiment with a few stabilizers until they find the one that works well for them,” Bychowski said.
Bowhunting.com founder and President Todd Graf (pictured here) relies on Pine Ridge Archery stabilizers when his season is on the line.
Brian also points out that a stabilizer does more than simply stabilize the bow. “A stabilizer also reduces hand shock and vibration. We did a fair amount of testing before we brought our stabilizers to the market and we discovered that when a bowhunter puts a stabilizer on his bow, the amount of noise and vibration reduction is significant,” Bychowski added. Even if you are shooting an extra-quiet, brand-new bow, the benefits of using a stabilizer outweigh the reasons for not using one. Some people think adding one adds too much weight or makes a bow cumbersome. I think anything that quiets a bow and might help shrink my arrow groups is worth the small investment.
To hear a podcast interview with Brian Bychowski from Pine Ridge Archery as he discusses stabilizers, click here. http://www.tracybreen.com/tracybreen.com/wp-content/uploads/Tracy-Pine-Ridge-051013.mp3
Tracy Breen is a full time outdoor writer, speaker and consultant in the outdoor industry. Learn more about him by visiting http://www.tracybreen.com/.
