A Kit Gnu's Recommendations

A new archer was taking a tour of members recurve kit looking for ideas recently and he started to notice the same brands and items popping up over and over. On inquiring as to why that should be, he was pointed at our Vice Chair (VC). He's the one who usually gives newer members advice on buying their kit ... and my god, does he play favourites! So, is this a good idea? What does he suggest and why these particular items? Lets dive into the mind of GA's most kit savvy member. However, before entering the VC's head, lets remember who we're dealing with! Lets be frosty in there.

Risers: Although a Win&Win fanboi, our VC does show a willingness to recommend things other than top of the range, god tier risers. Currently he is pretty fond of Kinetic. These risers are extremely good value for money allowing you to get your arch on without breaking the bank. Catering to both left and right handed archers, petite and hulking ... their range will have something for you be it the 23" Scopus (idea for juniors or smaller ladies) to the 25" Novious or the Arios 2 (see right). These risers will be with you for years but if you ever decide to upgrade ... its pretty guaranteed that a noob will take it off your hands. If you wanted to spend a little more on the riser and aren't sure of Kinetics top end kit, W&W's entry level brand - WNS - will almost certainly have what you are looking for. WNS kit tends to be older designs of riser that have been replaced on the top of the brand range but remain fantastic kit. Only a few years ago these risers would have been pretty near the top and there's little chance they would ever hold you back. Something like the anodized Motive FX (23 and 25" available) or the Quantum AX set the tone for the brand.

Kinetic risers at Merlin ...................... WNS risers at Merlin

A left handed Dual Click

Sights: Here our VC has a single sight he thinks is worth the money for a first bow. He's looked at quite a few and he keeps coming back to the same one over and over. His philosophy here is pretty simple ... the sight shouldn't be too heavy but it should be well made/robust so as not to shake itself apart through vibration. It should also be precisely machined ensuring you don't need to replace it for years if indeed ever! His preferred sight is the Shibuya Dual click. This design is older than ones currently being marketed by many companies but its a precision made item capable of taking all the vibration a bow can throw at it.

To our knowledge, no-one has ever come back and said this sight was a bad investment and extra money spent on a sight is well spent indeed.

Buttons: Here, he gets a little OTT in his recommendations. His opinion is along the lines of "One button to rule them all". The VC gold standard is the Shibuya DX. Its well priced, smooth in operation and reliable. Cheaper than this you aren't getting the same smooth operation. More expensive, you'll get features such as micro adjustability that you might never grow into.
Its only failing is that micro adjustability it doesn't have but in the main you don't want to be fiddling with your button very often so its a minor issue.

He's so adamant this is the bestest button, he has three. For In, Out and Shaking it all about!

A well shot but still going strong Ultima

Rest: Completing the trilogy of Shibuya products is the Ultima. Another item he has on his own bow. Its a very well made magnetic flipper rest that was pretty much the first high end, magnetic flipper rests to hit the market. These can be adjusted up and down as well as in and out meaning you can adjust your rest if swapping between thin carbon and chonky aluminium arrows.

Its been copied by many other companies, always a good sign, but this one is still the best .. at least in the eyes of our VC.

So there you have it: Four pieces of kit our VC has very definite opinions on. Thanks to him there are multiple copies of these items in the club in a variety of colours if you fancy checking them out. As people have listened to his recommendations, there will be a lot of evidence on wither they were a good buy or not. Currently, the VC is developing a fondness for the Avalon TEC ONE tab so it may only be a matter of time before this joins his list of must have items.

In conclusion .. are the above items good, worth the money and kit you should have in your new bow setup? Our VC isn't a bad archer .. if only he could stop injuring himself and can get out of his own head .. but he does appear to be DO-ing with kit he recommends since he uses many of those items. As with all things in archery its a buyer beware market - never forget that. However, we suspect the VC knows whats he's talking about but only on the subject of kit. Any other subject you raise with him for advice, its at your own risk! ;o)

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Advice on the process of buying a bow