Response #9 posted 01/20/2006 09:59 am EST. [hr]I'm currently using 3 different drop-away rests on my 3 bows. Here are the pros and cons of each:
Ripcord:
Reliability: A+ Has work as advertised
Noise on draw: A+
Noise on shot: C In spite of padding on the shelf, moleskin on the forks, it makes a moderate amount of noise on the shot. No noise at all on the draw, however.
Fletching clearance: A+ No problems with blazers
Containment: C- Contains the arrow perfectly unless you draw and let down, then the rest falls and the arrow can go tumbling.
QAD UltraRest:
Reliability: A+
Noise on Draw: A+
Noise on shot: D- The noisest of the bunch, in spite of constant tweaking. Silent on the draw, but sounds like snapping your fingers real loud on the shot.
Fletching clearance: A+ No problem with blazers
Containment: A+ Holds the arrow till the shot, and still holds the arrow on letdown. Won't fall unless you shoot.
VBG Ultimate Fall Away
Reliability: A+
Noise on draw: A+
Noise on shot: B+ The quietest of the bunch. No noise on draw. Some light noise on shot.
Fletching Clearance: A+ No problem with blazers
Containment: A- This rest recaptures the arrow if you let down. The only problem is this is the older design with only one "hook" to capture the arrow. If you lay your bow across your lap and tap the arrow, it can come out. The new design has two "hooks" so this can't happen. I'm going to try one of those this year.
As you might guess from the above, containment and quietness are the big variables above. All of the rests were silent on the draw (after tweaking some of them with moleskin), and all make variable amounts of noise on the shot. My big thing after I've killed enough deer for the year is drawing on a deer just like I was going for the kill, and then letting down without getting caught. I've probably done that on 50 deer this year. That's why the arrow staying captured is so important to me, and the main reason the Ripcord is my least favorite of the above three.
The importance of silence on the draw goes without saying and all of the three above were fine. This issue is the main reason I quit shooting the biscuit. The biscuit was quiet with A/C/C's, but noisy on the draw with GoldTips.