Other than the possibility that they come undone, and you get hurt, which is pretty low, I don't think there is anything bad about them.

The big issue to me is what do you gain? in terms of performance. I shoot 3D, and I don't think there are a lot of points in having a loop, it is abundantly clear that you can be a top shooter without shooting the loop.

They are a disadvantage hunting in my opinion. If you were going after cape buffalo would you want one? No way!. So the basic issue is how many more deer in a lifetime will you shoot because you have a loop. I think the answer is slightly negative. There is a mild fumble factor, and there is a mild precision factor, you have to hit a smaller area with the release. On the other hand, when using a release at all you are sorta admiting that fast or funble free shots aren't your tactical priority.


"Eliminates arrow-falloff at full draw.

not a problem with the new nocks

- Makes nocking point location less critical.

Not compared to a single nocking point and release. A lot of the better rests micro adjust the arrow/string relationship

- No need to re-nock after a let-down.

I don't bother with the new lexan nocks

- No serving wear from release aid contact.

True, but you have to do loop maintenance, instalation instead. Serving wear was a big deal with mono, servings could break an ruin your round or hunt. Not a big deal with fast flight braided servings.

- Assures easy one-handloading

Not as easy as single nocking point

- Releases can remain attached and ready to go.

I use a wrist, so I wouldn't want to be attached to me bow all day hunting, this is no advantage on targets. This is mostly appealing because of the fact it's hard to hook up the loop, not terribly, but more difficult that hooking up a string. This is not the only system where you can leave a release attached, there are lots that offer that option.

- Eliminates gaps in serving from up pressure on nocking point.

I have seen gaps with a loop. I never get gaps with a properly installed FF braid, again, old fashioned thinking relative to mono

- Controls peep sight rotation.

Not completely true, I have had the loop stop doing that in the middle of a round, when the inside of the loop got too polished, and it stopped gripping. There are ways around that but basicaly this is a bad, old fashioned idea. Use modern string tech to eliminate need for peep rotation to be controled. If you control it, the string rotates on release, which isn't good. There are plenty of other things that control peep rotation if that is your objective, like finned nocking points.

- Eliminates nock warping due to pinch at full draw.

Someone is still using old fashioned arrow and string nocks!!!

- Allows release aids to be at an angle rather than only level.

Someone is using very old tech releases

- Makes shorter length bows easier to work with.

This is relative to their particular problems with nock pinch and so forth. I never dropped below 36", when that was the shortest draw length people said what Bob is saying about those bows. maybe it finaly became true with 29" bows...

- Extends maximum available sight range area.

I see?

- Prevents arrow from sliding down the string during the shot.

another thing that apparently plagues PSE bows?

- Prevents release aid rope slap with high cheek anchor.

How do you know you are alive you whimp?

- Improves shoulder alignment.

I doubt it. this is based on all those advantages like rotation, and loop existance that you can have with other nocking styles anyway

- Loop length can modify draw length of bow.

And why is it with all these super-micro concenrs you are shooting a bow with the wrong draw length?!!!

- Eliminates chin slap from inward swinging release aid ropes.

Didn't we just cover this you whimp?

- Can be used with all non-rope release aids.

This is far from true, there are many releases, including in my experinece a lot of "loop" aids that are awkward to use with loops, or create too much length. The first Scott loop specific release I used was way harder to use than the regular scott caliper, and there wasn't any reason why it would provide more points, it was total marketing. Of course what is true is that you can experiment with a loop without adding a lot of other gear, and that is a great thing if you want to try somethign out.

- Reduces string vibration noise."

Again this is one of those old school ideas before bow makers stated to really go after string noise with damping technology.

Interestingly the major reason of reducing arrow torque and making spine wider isn't mentioned....

My contention is that while loops are pretty cool, they have been vastly oversold as a solution to every shooting problem. They came along at a time when there were still lot's of technical problems unresolved in our gear, be it torgue, serving issues, maybe noise. They were very cool in that they didn't solve just one problem, but credibly adressed a bunch of them. But huge amounts of stuff have changed since then. I think you can now have your cake and eat it too without usign a loop. There are loop disadvantages, so unless there is one thing that only they could do for you, I am not sure I see the point.