I'm interested to know peoples favourites and suggestions

Hello again!
I currently am drawing 38lbs on my fingers. I'm using a SF Axiom+ long rod (30") because that's what came with the bundle of kit that I got from the ebay.
I do not know a great deal about stabilisers. I have decided that when the time comes to get a "better" stabiliser, that will be the time to get the side rods as well. But I have no clue what to get.
I know that some stabilisers on the market are well suited to bows at 48 or even 50lbs but I doubt I will ever go above 42lbs on my fingers. I have tried W&W HMC+, they felt very comfortable. The owner wanted them back though (booo!).
I have heard good things about the Gillo stabilisers but I'd have to drive a very long way before I could try some out on my bow.
Given that I don't want to struggle to pick the bow up and I really really don't think I will go beyond 42lbs on my fingers what would you suggest and why?
Yes, I do intend to shoot at 70m. I might shoot at 90m but can't see that happening often. My draw is about 28.25".
There are so many on the market that I could spend forever trying them out. I'm hoping that you folks can help me narrow the contenders down a bit!
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
The most useful stabiliser is the longrod. It does most of the work on its own. It can be very effective with just a little addition to bow eight.
It is a weight on the end of a rigid tube usually, so lots of options for a cost effective improvement. Some stabilisers have built on dampers that cut down the vibrations generated after the shock of the power stroke. The gentler the bow; the less need there is for the dampers.
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
Spend a few weeks talking to people, trying kit out when you can, browsing 't webby thing, just try to get a general handle on the whats & whys of stabilisers.

It's (as usual!) a big topic with many conflicting opinions & little in the way of hard science - except of the bafflingly tedious type!

Eventually you'll end up with something that's financially, physically & spiritually 'right' for you.

I was lucky in that I found my 'forever' rods as soon as I knew they existed. Still took me around 4 months to actually get them though, and even 2nd hand they still cost me more than my riser & both sets of limbs.

Good job I 'got it right first time', huh?

Blades w V Bar 2.jpg
 
Hey you have those Fuse ones!! I wanted to try some but then discovered they're rarer than rocking horse doo doo.
I have this theory they wont get pushed about so much on a very windy day, but even if I could find some to try I can't guarantee a very windy day to try them out on. I decided that as they are so difficult to find I'd not go for them because if I ever needed to replace a damaged part - or worse they got nicked - I'd be waiting for ages or driving the length of the country. Not that I ever found any for sale anyway!
I was just reading up on the Gillo GS7 stabilisers, they seem very close weight wise (just the rods, obvioulsy, not the weights you add) to the W&W HMC+ ones but I haven't found any article comparing whether one is "stiffer" than the other. Yet. I'm still looking.
I'm also searching images of archers to see whether mixing (eg Doinker longrod with W&W short rods) is a thing. Although I suppose archers good enough to be pictured in articles will have sponsors that won't stand for that sort of thing!
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
They do turn up occasionally. Mine came from Zagreb, V-bar from China, but the extender was bought new from a well-known UK bow-shop. I have 14 oz on atm but I have shot with 22 oz for da lulz ;)

Yes, I'm in deep doo-doo if I break one but that's not a reason to avoid them. They just so goddam sexy!

I'm sure you're right about sponsors & bow-gods.

Any 'known' rodz will serve the purpose when set up right. Beyond that it's all personal, and matters less than the differences between risers. But if you're a person who enjoys tweaking & twiddling to 'get it how you want it', stabilisers are FUN 🥳
 
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Stretch

Well-known member
Based on what you say I’d look at eBay for some HMC+ rods - they come up reasonably often. They damp well, are quite light and are stiff enough. They are generally a go-to recurve rod. You don’t need super stiff rods unless you are shooting very high mass stabiliser setup. Reason for picking them? Just look at the number of top archers using them and relatively they are cheap. Easton ACE also a great secondhand shout for relatively very little cash. Stiff, light and with a great performance pedigree.

Thinner rods move less in the wind but it is not a huge factor. Your biomechanics are much more important. Fuse Blades work better on some bows than others. I found them pretty good on some of my older bows but I didn’t like the feel on my Prodigy RX. Same for Easton Contours, brilliant on some bows but noisy and more vibration on others (hated them on low draw weight Velos limbs). I’m shooting Shrewd Revels which are great but expensive for any improvement you get in terms of performance. I’m a sucker for shiny.

In most cases you can mix and match rods but sometimes it is a disaster for no apparent reason. Usually in terms of extra noise and vibration. Lots of theories as why but none more credible than another. If you’re only shooting a couple of oz on the twins you can usually get away with it. V-bar extenders can be troublesome too. Generally stiffer is more likely to be OK. (I use an Easton Prolink with the Shrewd rods).

Set a budget, stick within it, make sure you like the look and the colour and as long as your not buying something too radical they will be good.

Stretch
 

JohnK

Well-known member
Another recommendation for HMC+ rods. Mine work perfectly, and I see no real reason to change them.
 

Rik

Supporter
Supporter
The v-bar itself is an often neglected element. I like my Shibuya Caruna. It's unobtrusive, nicely designed and lighter than anything else I've seen, including the supposedly lightweight carbon ones. The weight of the v-bar can be a significant part of the total weight, especially of a "light" stabiliser system. I'd echo the importance of a decent extender, if you go that route. I can't imagine replacing my old X10 extender.
 

robert43

Member
The Fuse stabs were a fad that came & went . I know a few archers in my area used them & had them for about 12 / 24 months sold them & moved on to others like Doinkers / Beestingers & such. A couple of people even told me that in certain conditions they would work like a aerofoil & would make the bow balloon up & you would have to fight to keep it down with the wind.
SF made a copy of these Fuse stabs
Also on a side note some shooter like Brady Ellison dont use a extender at all , I am in that school of thought mainly because I am too lazy to put another on the bow during set up & take down. I think thats why I like my compound better as 2 stabs to take off 1 sight & thats it
 

Stretch

Well-known member
The Fuse Blade aerofoiling is an excuse people used when they wanted to upgrade. Unless your wind speed was 100mph it was a crock :)

They do only vibrate in one direction and that can feel odd - bit like a springboard. The SF variant was not stiff enough IMHO.

I find I over aim with a Brady style setup so instead use a 26” LR on a 4” extender. (And I also like the Shibuya Caruno vbar)

Extenders allow you to manipulate balance without adding masses of weight. You see most of the top shooters with Brady style setup and they are using a lot of mass.

I’m getting a nice balance with 3oz on each rod plus a damper.

Stretch
 
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