APA Ultimate “Twister” (fall away rest)
Background:
We had this exact rest design on a few of our bows at the ATA show and after beating on them for those 4 days I was impressed with it enough to consider it as an everyday hunting rest…..at least to give it a shot against the TT Shakey hunter I had currently installed on my BowTech Liberty. I will state for the record that I have no affiliation with APA in any way, was not given the rest for free or discount, and was not asked to do any sort of a report. I simply wanted to learn more about it when I actually had time to sit and look at it closer and set one up. I know we will hear more about it this year but I wanted to give you guys a heads up as I don’t think many are familiar with it yet.
Overview:
Actually as the name implies this rest is not a typical “Fall away” in the sense of the term that the rest drops or falls away from beneath the arrow. As the name implies the launcher arms actually swing or “Twist” out of the path of the arrow at release. The design incorporates a complete containment of the arrow shaft at rest, and the attachment point of the launcher itself actually sits above the line of the arrow shaft.
The launcher itself is actuated via a cable connection similar to that found on many of the typical fall away rests on the market……..it seems that it is designed to be used in conjunction with the cable slide although I see no reason why the down cable couldn’t be used other than a bit of an odd angle created at full draw. I have mine as you can see in the pictures attached to the slide itself.
Set Up:
For a cord style rest, this isn’t THE easiest to set-up that I have ever tried because there’s a bit more going on and the design is different than what many are used to, but set-up is not difficult……..The actual cord set-up is as easy as it gets as there is no need to serve anything in (unless you choose to use the cable). Everyday string loop material, scissors and a lighter is all that you need. I first attached the cord to the slide via a simple overhand knot. Pulled tight, clipped and melted into a mushroom to avoid slipping.
The attachment point of the cord to the rest is where this rest shines at set-up…….the cord passes through a hole in the backside of the launcher (The hole is located at the end of the word “Twister” in my pictures) The screw at the top of this hole locks the cord in place while you fine tune cord length for drop rate. Very nice feature because you can get very fine changes in cord length until you have it just right. Once you have it the length that you like, lock down the screw snugly on the cord, trim the excess and melt it down. You are done.
The launcher arms themselves have a built in stop for height that you must set via turning the entire barrel of the launcher itself…..I set mine to be just about straight up and down (slightly backward at rest) to achieve a level launching platform at full draw.
The mounting plate itself has grooves cut into it to further add to the height adjustments by sliding the entire rest up and down via this bracket.
I found on my Liberty that I was limited to the position that you see in the pictures. Anything closer made the launcher arms contact the arrow shelf at full draw prohibiting the swing of the unit.
I am a bit confused as to how anyone could mount the rest any closer to the arrow shelf itself without raising the bracket to an unnatural height to clear the shelf. In any event the rest fit my bow and works very well in the position that I have it mounted, however I was unable to use the included set screws to lock the bracket down further as the holes do not line up with the riser.
Windage adjustments are made via a windage screw that allows you to actually dial the entire launcher barrel in and out, and the launcher itself has 3 settings for spring tension (you can see the 3 small holes in the pics) to allow for different drop rates. I have mine in the middle setting.
Performance:
As you can see in the pictures, as the slide reaches full draw the launcher arms twist upward capturing the arrow and placing it in launch position, at release the slide travels back to rest and the launcher twists back into a vertical position allowing for the maximum clearance through the launcher itself. Maximum clearance is achieved when the arms are at the vertical position at rest.
The launcher while being full containment still has a conventional prong style contact point…..meaning that there are 2 separate sides to the launcher, with a space in between.
While I believe the space is not completely necessary, it gives the shooter the extra assurance that the vanes/feathers are passing through untouched at release. I have had zero contact as determined by spraying the rest, even with my 4” helical feathers on my fat CXL 350 3D shafts. Typical diameter carbon arrows will be of no concern with any type of fletching choice as best as I can tell. The largest diameter shafts with large feathers will come close to contacting the sides but there is still a little room.
It would appear that the rest is designed for a “Cock Vane” down shooting style and that is how I have mine oriented. With smaller diameter carbons the shape of the launcher will allow you any orientation you wish, but I would recommend that you try cock feather down with the large diameter shafts and bigger fletch choices.
They give you enough room for anything but not by much when you get to the larger stuff.
I have been shooting the rest for weeks now and the accuracy has been terrific. On par with the TT Shakey Hunter and maybe just a bit better. I shot an honest 4 shot 4.5” group the other day at 60 yards with this rest, and groups for me are typically better than “Archery MOA” meaning a little better than 2” @ 20yds, 3” @30 etc. with my hunting set-up. The rest is honestly as accurate as any I have ever used, pick up is as consistent as it gets. and drop must be quite consistent as well.
THE GOOD POINTS:
Very VERY quiet, full containment. Easy set up.
Bowhunters who want a “Drop Away” simply cannot find a rest that hold an arrow better than this one…….sure the Zero Effect make sit very very hard to lose that arrow, but this one makes it basically impossible. Lots and lots of deer have been killed without this feature I know but this is the TRUE draw and forget it rest. You can turn your bow upside down and the arrow is going nowhere.
If you bump a branch while swinging your bow the arrow cannot jump over the launcher.
The quietness and containment are going to make this rest extremely popular!
Loading the rest is a bit of a pain if you are used to just slapping the arrow on and shooting but you quickly adjust. There is plenty of room to fit the largest fixed blade heads through in the forward direction, or you can just load it from the front in a backwards manner.
My Concerns:
I have a few , but for now they are minor……
The ends of the launcher arms themselves are fairly pliable, meaning where they split you can bend them quite easily with your hands, which makes fine tuning them side to side a breeze, but the potential is there to torque one side out of place if you snag something like a tough branch while pulling your bow up. Always check their position for good measure. (I have heard that APA is addressing this with a stiffer material in newer models)
As with any cord actuated rest there is always the potential for failure due to damage. The fact that this rest design puts the point of attachment far out to the side of the rest puts the cord in harms way more than most drop aways. However the design does make the attachment very secure. Just pay attention not to neglect that part of your rest……watch for fraying or wear.
The durability of the launcher spring, and the distance that the back side of the rest sits from the bow are of initial concern and will be watched closely over time for any problems.
Conclusion?
I really like it alot. I have decided to leave this rest on my bow and put it through a season of abuse in the woods. That will be the true test of the design, but for now, The sheer quietness and full containment are going to make this rest very hard to ignore for a hunter. The accuracy is as good as any rest I have shot so I see no reason that a 3D shooter wouldn’t like it either (other than the goofy loading) The person who uses one bow for both can do so with confidence…..it’s an accurate rest for sure. Easy to set up, very adjustable, and a no-brainer when drawing on game. You don’t even need to give your arrow a second thought from your bow hook to full draw.
I am impressed with it, and would recommend anyone looking for a new rest to at least consider it…….It’s not as simple as another popular full containment rest in the Whisker Bisquit, but IMO it has the same advantages with some extra benefits.
If anyone has any questions feel free to ask…..I can also take any additional pics upon request.
Anyone still awake?
