Both styles of rests could not be more different. One prides itself foolproof simplicity, and another on the top in precision and speed. This report will lay down the facts so that you can select the ideal rest for you.
A Little Background Information
Early compound bows used a little plastic rest glued over the shelf. Modern bows are designed for use with specific kinds of rests bolted into the riser. The two common kinds are the fall away rest and a complete containment rest, the most popular being the whisker biscuit. While the two are highly accurate when properly set up, many hunters declare to know without a doubt that one is superior to another. The overall idea tendency is to assume that the drop away preserves arrow speed and precision, and the whisker biscuit to be fail safe and more reliable in the area.
Whisker Biscuit Rests
Launched in 2003, the Whisker Biscuit changed the sport of bowhunting with a completely new and revolutionary kind of Arrow Rests. They instantly became quite popular with hunters because they simplify the draw and taken. Eliminated are the typical mistakes in the excitement of drawing a deer. They guarantee the arrow is set up, even in the low light conditions of dusk or dawn. The “whiskers” are synthetic bristles which form a perimeter and maintain the arrow firmly in place. If the bow is moved or bumped, the arrow stays nocked and set up. If the bow is not pulled back with appropriate form because of positioning in a tree stand or hunting blind, the arrow can not jump off the rest and hold the shot up.
Pros
- The Whisker Biscuit is easy to use and eliminates the possibility of the Arrow Rests to drop off the rest when drawing.
- With no moving parts there is little probability of a mechanical failure in the area.
- The easy and quiet purpose of the Whisker Biscuit is just one less thing to consider once the chance at a deer presents itself.
Cons
- It’s true the Whisker Biscuit marginally lowers the speed and precision of your arrow. It’s worth noting that the distinction is so minuscule that many shooters won’t notice. The distinction is practically negligible to all but Olympic level archers.
- The whiskers can place stress on the arrow vanes, so you might have to re-fletch your arrows after several shots. A correctly aligned rest will have minimum influence on the vanes.
Drop Away Arrow Rests
Fall away rests became popular in the late 1980’s as compound bow technology advanced. Fall away rests became a essential innovation as precision could be impeded by the standard shelf rest. Together with peep sights and mechanical release aides, the fall away rest turned the bow out of an instinctive art form to an innovative machine with constant group and bullseye capability. Drop away rests, such as the favorite QAD Ultra-Rest HDX, are exactly what they sound like. They hold the arrow in place as you draw and steady your aim. The flipper then drops off with the arrow momentum following the release.
Pros
- They cause minimal friction with the arrow, which then equates to higher arrow speed.
- For the well-practiced archer, they allow for greater groupings and general accuracy.
- While there’s potential for mechanical failure to fall away, routine bow maintenance and tune-ups significantly decrease the chances.
Cons
- The arrow may fall or jump off the remainder when moving, or if appropriate draw technique is not properly utilized.
- There’s the chance (although quite small) the mechanism fails to fall away, sending your arrow off the mark.
- The purchase price of a quality mechanical release is several times greater than a Whisker Biscuit.
Whisker Biscuit vs Drop Away Shootout
Even though the fall away rest is typically consider more precise than the Whisker Biscuit, the appropriate question to a hunter is if the gap is substantial enough to justify using one over the other. Field and Stream Magazine ran a research with fans of every style to answer this question. They measured the rate of each with the very same bows, with a chronograph. They found a gap between 3-6 feet per second (fps) where the arrows fired using the drop away rest were a hair quicker. When you think about modern compound bows typically fire at about 350-400 fps, it actually isn’t a significant difference. Likewise, groupings were a little tighter with the fall away rest. That isn’t enough to make a noticeable difference taking into consideration the target size you aim for when searching.
Which Rest Should You Choose?
Ultimately, every sort of rest will be as accurate as you’re with the bow. Your choice is as likely to be decided by which you learned to shoot with as any other element. The distinction between whisker biscuit vs drop away rest is largely personal preference for one or another, and that is the one you should use with no question about how it impacts your hunting trip. Pick a Whisker Biscuit if you would like reliability in the area and one less facet of the shot to focus on.
You’ll find it to be as precise as you are ever going to need and perform efficiently as a component of your compound bow system. Go with a fall away in the event that you demand the greater performance possible. Choose a drop away in the event you want the greatest possible precision and arrow speed. They are worth the cost to know you have done everything possible to create the best shot every time.