As far as archery goes, I've done at least a little bit of everything. When I figured out what's realistic, necessary, correct and best, for me, that's what determined my personal preference. 'For Me' are the key words.

One tournament season, I won championships in field archery and 3D, shooting 5 different styles. Traditional, compound unaided, compound aided, compound release and open. NFAA nomenclature would be trad, competitive bowhunter, bowhunter freestyle limited, bowhunter freestyle and freestyle limited.

When I decided to try sights and releases for a hunting rig, it didn't take long for me to figure out they had a couple minor advantages, but not nearly enough to overcome the limitations they put on me. I missed too many opportunities because I could not see the animal beyond the sights, when he was clearly visible without them. So, after that season, I quit shooting sights on a hunting bow. Now, nigh on 25 years later, my near vision is so bad that I can't see sights anyway.

And releases simply suck. Period. Really, I never have shot a release as well as I shoot with fingers.

I don't advocate that everyone should shoot like I do. On the other hand, I do advocate people at least TRY different shooting techniques and equipment types. If you don't try different things, you'll never know if they are better suited to you than what you've got. Through experiencing different aspects of shooting, somebody might find out their true personal preference is different from what they think it is.