BOW RESTS FEATURING LOST CAMO
PART ONE

By Tracy Breen

                One way to trick out a new Mathews bow is to add an arrow rest that comes in Lost Camo. Many top notch arrow rests are available in Lost Camo so they match Mathews bows. Some arrow rest companies take it one step further and add harmonic dampers to their rests so they are super quiet. Regardless of which rest you choose, one thing is certain: when you add an arrow rest to your bow that is covered in Lost Camo, the rest becomes part of the bow, not just some after market accessory. 

AXION ARCHERY PULSE 

                Axion Archery makes products that are functional and pleasing to the eye. For 2013, they have a new original drop-away rest called the Pulse.  The triggering cable on the Pulse rest attaches to the lower half of the bowstring or cable. As a result, the launcher stays up, cradling the arrow longer than many rests. The retract mechanism pulls the launcher down and out of the way, up to five times faster than a typical rest. That is only part of what makes this rest amazing. After the shot, the rest resets itself in the upright position. It is extremely easy. You no longer need to worry about resetting your rest.

MATHEWS DOWNFORCE

                You may want to consider getting a Mathews rest that will fit your bow perfectly because Mathews rests are designed to work in unison with Mathews bows. Mathews makes a top notch rest called the DownForce that has a spring-loaded launcher that gets out of the way in less than a blink of an eye.  The triggering cable on the DownForce attaches to the lower half of the bowstring, not the cable. Since the launcher moves out of the way quickly, this is a great rest for speed bows.

VAPOR TRAIL LIMB DRIVER PRO V

                Vapor Trail was one of the first arrow rest companies to offer a rest that was driven by the bow limb, not the buss cable. Last year they introduced the Limbdriver Pro V.  Like the original Limbdriver, it is linked to the bow limb which allows the launcher arm to stay in contact with the arrow up to 50% longer than conventional drop away rests, resulting in more accuracy. 

XTREME HARDCORE GEAR V-TWIN

                Xtreme Hardcore Gear has a new adjustable arrow rest called the V-Twin Capture Rest that can be fine-tuned to match a variety of different bow setups. There are a wide variety of cam systems on bows. Combine that with a wide range of arrow possibilities and sometimes tuning a bow can be difficult. The V-Twin will make it easier to tune a bow, thanks to the fact that the spring tension on each launcher can be adjusted based on how your bow shoots.   There can be tension on one side and it can be a little stiffer on the other, providing a custom feel for the particular arrow/cam set up.  The launchers are made of Teflon and the body of the rest is made of machined aluminum, making this rest durable and virtually maintenance free.  This rest is available with a Mathews harmonic damper.  

SCHAFFER OPPOSITION LITE

                Schaffer Performance Archery gave their Opposition arrow rest a facelift this year. The new Opposition Lite is extra light at three ounces.  The jaws have been skeletonized, giving them a cool look and making the rest lighter at the same time. The Opposition Lite has two jaws that contain the arrow from the left and the right. When the bow is shot, the jaws slide out of the way, allowing total fletch clearance. The Opposition Lite is the perfect rest for high speed bows. It has been tested at 418 FPS without fletching clearance problems.

ARIZONA ARCHERY DOA

                The DOA from Arizona Archery is a drop-away rest built for high speed bows. This rest can handle arrows traveling 380 FPS. This rest has many features bowhunters will like including 100% containment.  It is built with ball bearings, resulting in a smooth draw.  The launcher arm stays up even when you let down so you are always ready for the shot.  The new flat on the launcher arm allows for easy cocking of the launcher to its upright positions and new shape of the capture bar allows for better containment and more vane clearance for the high profile vanes.

G5 OUTDOORS EXPERT PRO

                The people at G5 Outdoors make all kinds of awesome products that bowhunters love. Their Expert Pro arrow rest has been on the market several years but is still a favorite with many serious bowhunters. I really like how quiet and simple this rest is.  This rest has a spool launcher that the arrow glides along as the arrow is drawn.  Ball bearing construction ensures smooth operation even in harsh conditions.  This rest connects to the upward buss cable so we don’t have to worry about the cams being thrown out of synchronization. The Expert Pro can be vertically adjusted. 

RIPCORD CODE RED

                Ripcord is one of the first names that rolls off the tongues of most bowhunters when we start talking about top notch drop away arrow rests. They have been in the business a long time and will be offering their extremely popular Code Red arrow rest this year. The Code Red is popular with bowhunters because it has an internal breaking system that eliminates launcher bounce back after the shot.  When the bow is shot and the launcher drops, it stays in the down position ensuring the launcher doesn’t bounce back. This rest has windage adjustments, and three different positions so the rest can fit all bows on the market. The Code Red Slimline Launcher is made of tough delrin so it can handle the elements of the woods.  In addition, the Ripcord has added a Launch Pad that cradles the arrow if the bow is let down.