Getting the best bow release is essential for hunters and accuracy shooters and applies mainly for compounds bow rather than recurve crossbows and longbow especially during hunting. This is due to the main difference between them being their individual draw weight. Are you a beginner? Then this post about the differences between recurve vs compound bow for beginners might help you out! The draw weight defines the force stored by the crossbow when it is drawn. In addition to that, the draw weight for the compound crossbow is better and more firm as it is equipped with a tension dampening system hence making it easier to stay in draw position for a longer time compared to a recurve bow. A drop away rest helps in eliminating fletching clearance which a lot of hunters find useful. Besides that, if you’re just starting out with this, using a bow stabilizer for good accuracy, stability and balance helps out more than you think.
Apart from that, the importance of an archery release is to remove the strain on your fingers when the it is drawn or released therefore causing the force to be applied mainly on your wrist. Therefore, it enables a stronger draw leading to a powerful shot with excellent precision. In other words, the benefits of having an excellent trigger release is not only to draw your crossbow for a longer period of time but also avoid strain on your fingers.
Types of Bow Release
1. Caliper Style
This type of release is widely popular and mostly used among hunters in which you can choose adjustments such as the overall length, trigger adjustments and strap styles according to your preference. The caliper style release has 3 parts in its structure which consists of the strap, middle part and caliper. The strap can be wrapped around your wrist and carries most of the weight and force of the draw hence reducing the strain of your fingers.
The middle part on the other hand is in between the wrist strap and caliper. Meanwhile, the caliper is at the end of the product. It hold the string of your crossbow and is involved in the finger/trigger firing mechanism.
2. Backward Tension Style
The backward tension archery release operation is more suitable for experienced hunters rather than beginners as you have to master certain skills to get an accurate shot using this method. The operating mechanism involves a slight twisting motion and added tension from extra flexing of back muscles compared to the usual tension applied during the draw.
3. Finger Release Style
Equipped with a T-shape structure, this mode allows hands-free movements when hunting as the finger release can be locked onto the bow string knock. Besides that, this method differs from most of the usual release methods as you don’t need to attach it to your wrist when hunting therefore resulting in a quick, simple and light firing mechanism.
4. T-handle and Thumb Switch Style
The thumb switch method are commonly used by tree stand hunters and mostly experienced hunters as it is slightly difficult to operate and master this method of hunting trigger release. The bow is fired using a thumb switch which uses a back tension mechanism in which the actual release is held between the index and middle finger.
Furthermore, this operation consists of 4-finger handheld releases that takes into account the shooter’s physical strength used when drawing and releasing the crossbow when hunting.
Top 5 Rated Bow Release Comparison Table
| Name of Product | Weight | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRU-FIRE Hurricane HC-EX-BW Extreme Buckle Web Release | 4.8 oz | Dual Caliper | $$ |
| Tru-Fire EFoldback Releasedge Buckle | 5.6 oz | Dual Caliper | $$ |
| Tru-Fire Edge 4-Finger Hand Held Bow Release Aluminum | 1 oz | Finger | $$ |
| Scott Archery Caliper Grip Release | 1.2 oz | Caliper | $$ |
| TRUGLO Nitrus Release | 6.4 oz | Dual Jaw | $$ |
Factors to choose best bow release
Few factors should be taken into consideration to choose the best hunting release well-suited for you. For example, the adjustments made on the product should be fit and perfect to your hunting style and ensures great comfort.
Moreover, you should get a noiseless product that will benefit you especially for closer range hunting so you won’t give away your location to your target and lose the element of surprise for example. The overall length of release should be a proper fit for your hands for example, shooters with larger hands should get a bow release with a longer overall length of your product for smooth and easy operation.
Apart from that, you should get a good bow hunting release worth your investment. You should not worry about spending extra bucks to get a better and durable item as they will last and improve the accuracy and consistency of your shot in the long run.
TRU-FIRE Hurricane HC-EX-BW Extreme Buckle Web
This trigger hunting release features camo print pattern and silent buckle. The buckle ensures that your release provides good grip therefore avoiding any chances of slipping meanwhile the camo pattern provides good camouflage to blend in with the surroundings. The operation of this product is the jaw or calipers will open when the trigger is pulled back and automatically close back when the trigger is released.
Moreover, the calipers are coated with solid Teflon coating. Apart from that, this product is further said to be durable and able to last for a long period of time as it is constructed from strong nylon, has a solid design as well as solid stitching.
This bow release comes with a quick spring loaded trigger in which you can pair together with a dual caliper to get the best response when hunting. In other words, this products ensures a faster knock clamp and quicker target acquisition so you can get a better and highly accurate shot at your targets.
In terms of pricing, this product is highly affordable as it offers a solid structure and design of bow release and also includes adjustment lengths such as trigger adjustments so you can simply make adjustments according to your preference. In other words, this hunting release is well worth your investment.
Tru-Fire Edge Buckle Foldback
Compared to the Hurricane product above, the Edge release for your bow is double the price as it has further improvements and upgrade compared to the Hurricane bow release. Nevertheless, both releases work using the same operating mechanism and are somewhat similar apart from some modifications on the Edge.
Furthermore, this product is equipped with a highly camouflaged and rugged design in which it has a camo plated head as well as a camo printed buckle strap that you can wrap around your wrist to avoid strain on your fingers.
Besides that, you are able to rotate it according to your preference thus allowing hands-free movements. This rotating feature is beneficial for ascending and descending tree stands especially when hunting so you can get the right angle to shoot your bow. Also, to ensure that the trigger action is smooth and easy, there is a linear motion tiny bearing inside the head of this bow release.
In conclusion, all Tru-Fire releases are up to par with each other as they are highly accurate and will attain your individual needs. However this product is the best for the caliper or wrist release style of your trigger release.
Tru-Fire Edge 4-Finger Hand Held Bow
The Edge 4 bow release is widely popular among serious hunters and tournament shooter. It uses the thumb and finger release method style which is suitable for experienced hunters as you need to master the skill of operating this type of bow release. Besides that, this product uses a spring loaded release/trigger system together with dual calipers to provide you with a quick and effective hunting experience.
Constructed from CNC aluminium, this product is solid and sturdy and it has a camo printed pattern finish giving it a rugged appearance. The head of this release on the other hand is fully rotatable to 360 degrees so hunters can experience a torque-free shooting experience and shoot from any angles.
Not only that, the adjustments such as the thumb knob and trigger unit are pretty simple to handle so you can adjust it well-suited to your style of bow hunting with maximum level of comfort and accuracy. In terms of ergonomics on the other hand, it has a great design in which it fits perfectly in your hand.
Scott Archery Caliper Grip Release
The head of Scott’s bow release is able to rotate fully to an angle of 360 degrees and it is equipped with an adjustable trigger system so you can get a good firing length when taking a shot. In terms of comfort on the other hand, this product has a highly comfortable hand design in which will compensate for its sensitive trigger system. This comfortable hand design is essential to ensure smooth operation of the release thus allowing for a consistent and accurate shot.
Moreover, this bow release has a molded black finish together with a textured grip to ensure its durability. Apart from that, these features ensure a great grip system and a comfortable hand design in terms of ease and ergonomics to produce an excellent and efficient hunting release. Not only that, the textured grip of this product avoids noise and damage as well as prevent slipping of your product.
Not to mention that the price is reasonable for a kick-ass design and structure. So, this product is a must on your list as it is all in all durable, highly comfortable and easy to operate as well as will improve the accuracy and consistency of your shot.
TRUGLO Nitrus Release
This hunting release features a BOA strap system in which you can easily make strap adjustments according to your preference so you can choose the right length and thickness of your strap that is well-suited to your style of hunting. Therefore, this feature makes Truglo Nitrus product one of the most desirable bow releases in the market due to its high comfort.
Moreover, this product is made from durable and solid stainless steel construction which not only strengthen the dual jaw caliper design but also extend its shelf life for a longer time. The trigger on the other hand can be adjusted and tuned easily and smoothly to prevent any unintended trigger travel.
Also, the trigger has a long overall length so you should go for it if you have medium to large hands so that it can fit your hands perfectly hence improving the accuracy and consistency of your shot. The price on the other hand is slightly higher compared to rest of the releases however, this product is the most comfortable and up to par with the latest technology and innovations to improve your hunting experience.
Conclusion
All these top 5 rated bow releases are one of the best ones on the market, as they are designed to improve the accuracy and consistency of your shot when hunting especially. Choosing the best product however may vary according to your hunting style, individual preference and specific uses therefore, I hope my review assists you in making the right choice well-suited to you and well worth your investment.