I'd have to agree with Bigbulls about trying bows out. It would be almost feasibly impossible and too time consuming to allow customers to rig up each bow they wanted to try out. Having said that........the Switchback that I shot fully rigged was the shop owners bow whose draw length is identical to mine. The XT was the bow Mathews gave him for customers to shoot and look at......the one with the sticker that says not for sale.

I still feel trying out bows bare is the way to go. Personally if I evaluate bows bare to compare with each other I more than likely will go with the one that is quieter, has less vibration, better balance and overall feel. I know that I can add on an accessory later to make it the way I want.

Great post ...... as a customer, I wouldn't expect anything more ....

I have to agree, especially with your last sentence.

I am deffinately against rigging every single bow in a shop. Thats just not an economically wise decision. And sorta on track with how you tried the XT - a couple bows rigged up with some accessories, even if the bow isnt for sale like your example, I feel, is a good thing to have in a shop. The Parker I got, was an out of the box bow- but I was able to shoot an identical bow that already had all the fixin's on it. So when I paid for mine he added the stuff I wanted and we called it a day.

As far as expecting it out of a shop - I completely agree with you guys. There are plenty of things I would love to see in a shop - but very few things I know/expect to be set up in a shop. Be happy with what's available to you. I am lucky enough to know the local shop owner pretty well (ex-gf's dad introduced me one day, lol), and he can/will do just about anything to make sure you get the bow you want/need. He set up my parker for me when I bought it and ordered a bunch of the stuff I need for my Recurve too. I guess it really comes down to individual shops and owners.

I think a reasonable compromise is to put on a stabilizer, some string leeches, and maybe an STS. That would only take about 10 minutes at the most. I don't think it's necessary to deck out a bow with sights, peeps, quivers, and kisser buttons just to test it. But I'd have no problem asking the shop to throw on an S-coil stabilizer and some string leaches just to get an idea of how quiet and shock free the bow could be.

I believe trying bows bare is the way to go. That way you just hear bow noise and not a quiver bussin,rest noise or anything else. I also have worked in a bow shop and would have gone crazy if everyone would want you to set a bow up completely just to try it out. Most shops around here only have one person working on bows and there is no way the could keep changing things around.

No bad points, here.....and I said way back that they should ALSO be shot with very little on them....or....the way we're used to "shopping" and comparing.

It would be interesting to hear what the shop OWNERS had to say when reading this thread. The ones that go above and beyond the call of duty (in ANY business)....are typically the most successful ones. There's another thread asking where we purchase our gear. I buy ALMOST ALL of my gear from my bow shop. I bought my DB blind, there......my treestands......my 3D animals......my optics....etc, etc, etc... He has accounts with all the major name brand stores.....and I figure if he can make a buck on ordering the product for me.....good for him. But he's EARNED that.

I'm not the only one that feels this way, either. My shop owner has LOTS of customers just ike me. I don't buy arrows from Lancaster.....I don't buy 3D turkeys from Delta/MacKenzie. He gets all of my business.

Another way to skin a cat.....that's all. Good conversations, guys.

I agree with GMMAT that customers should have the option to try out their own accessories on a bow if they want, but there has to be a reasonable expectation on the customers' part as well. GMMAT did this recently, when archery shops aren't packed with customers. If someone came in to a shop in July or August when the place is packed and the techs are running around like madmen with this expectation I don't think that would be reasonable.

To ask a shop to do this when they have the time is completely within the customer's right. On the other hand, if the shop is busy the shop owner is also within his/her right to let the customer know that they can't accommodate that request while they are busy.

None of this applies to me, because I'm left handed so I rarely get to try a bow out and get a "real" feel for it before purchasing.

This works both ways, guys.......

I don't EXPECT my shop owner to do the things he does, for me.......He doesn't EXPECT me to buy everything I do, from him. We've earned what we get from each other. He's earned my business......and I've earned his level of customer service. I don't expect ANYTHING to be one-sided.

Have a great weekend.