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80% Hunting 20% 3d Shooting

Ricer2231

Senior Member
I use my bow just as the title says and I am looking for the best drop away rest but I want to spend $100.00 or less. I have been looking and have kinda narrowed it down to either of the following. QAD HDX, Limbdriver Pro, Trophy Taker Smackdown, or Ripcord Red. Any opinions/suggestions would be great.
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
First question i ask is what do you want or expect out of your rest? They all have advantages/disadvantages. I prefer/recommend limb driven rests for hunter especially. If something goes wrong with the activation cord you dont need a shop to fix it. They also contain simple moving internal parts that are time proven. Some people are adamant about having a full containment rest...im not sure why but if that is what they want than that is what they should get. Ive never seen anyone hanging upside down from monkey bars trying to shoot but i guess anythings possible:D
 

Ricer2231

Senior Member
Another concern I have is I shoot 2" Blazer vanes and I have heard that certain rests have a hard time getting out of the way of 2" Blazer vanes. Is this true? I can't remember exactly which rest it was but I am sure I read that somewhere.
Glad to see you chime in here Milo, I was just about to ask you specifically being as you will be the one to set it up. :)
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
I have a Limb Driver on one bow and a Ripcord on my other. My local archery shop recommended Ripcord as he wore out a few QAD rests. (He was shooting hundreds of arrows per day at the time.) Personally, I have had one Ripcord breakage. The actual cord broke. This is the third year with the Ripcord. The only other problem I had with my Ripcord was when my jacket sleeve caught the string on my bow. The Ripcord failed to drop.

That said, my bow technical knowledge is limited. Could the Limbdriver cord break? Probably. Could the jacket sleeve hitting my bow string have caused any rest to fail? Possibly. Milo would be better to answer these questions.

All I am saying is, they all have their pros and cons.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
From the rests that you've listed, here is how I personally would rank them... 1 being first choice:

1. Limbdriver Pro
2. TT Smackdown
3. Ripcord Code Red
4. QAD HDX

I prefer limb-driven for the same reasons that Milo mentioned. The Limbdriver is a very simple, yet extremely effective arrow rest. One other thing that separates the LD from the others on your list is the launcher itself... The LD launcher is made of spring steel, whereas the others are rigid plastic. From what I've read, and from what I've seen, IMO the spring steel launcher is a bit more forgiving than the others, which generally results in better accuracy.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I've shot QAD rests for the past 5 seasons. I have one on my current bow, my backup bow, my wife's bow and my loaner bow. I've also bought and installed 3-4 for other people when helping them get set up. I have never had any issues with them and suggest them any time this topic comes up.

That being said, my next bow will have a LimbDriver Pro on it. They are a great rest with simply mechanics and simple is good in archery when it is effective. You can't go wrong with the LD Pro...
 

Beentown

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,740
154
Sunbury, OH
The only rests I will use are:

Limbriver Pro V
Limbdriver Pro original
TT Smackdown FC Pro
Hamskea Versa Rest (really expensive)

Limb driven rests are so simple and there is no real downside.
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Anyone still shoot the original Trophy Taker? I've been shooting those things for better than 10 years, and I haven't had a failure yet. I tried the shaky hunter too, and hated it, but the original is golden to me.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Anyone still shoot the original Trophy Taker? I've been shooting those things for better than 10 years, and I haven't had a failure yet. I tried the shaky hunter too, and hated it, but the original is golden to me.

I took one off of a bow that I set up recently and to be quite honest I think it's a piece of junk. At least, I think we're talking about the same rest. To confirm my "junkness" suspicion, I didn't get one single inquiry when listing it for sale on AT for a solid month... at a low price too.
 
I am not a fan of the lock up feature on the QADs etc....Trophy taker smackdown FC or FC pro is top of my list for limb driven,the apache would be up at the top for cable activated....I do like containment an have had a QAD(1st gen) fail on me which almost swore off of any drop away's forever....But I got the itch to shoot feathers an gave a few drop away's a try again....
 
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Ricer2231

Senior Member
Well I ordered the LD Pro V today. Santa told me it was off limits until Christmas morning though. After Christmas I am gonna get Milo to mount it on my Vectrix and give it the Milo tune. I am very excited and can't wait to get it done and get to shooting!
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
I took one off of a bow that I set up recently and to be quite honest I think it's a piece of junk. At least, I think we're talking about the same rest. To confirm my "junkness" suspicion, I didn't get one single inquiry when listing it for sale on AT for a solid month... at a low price too.

Interesting. Mine have seemed bulletproof.
 

Beentown

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,740
154
Sunbury, OH
LD just released the new LD today (prototype). It is like the old pro but with micro adjust and dual supports on the shaft. Looks nice but the retail is high...$165. I bet they sell for $125 real world.

Also, it can be attached bottom or top limb!
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
LD just released the new LD today (prototype). It is like the old pro but with micro adjust and dual supports on the shaft. Looks nice but the retail is high...$165. I bet they sell for $125 real world.

Also, it can be attached bottom or top limb!

Beener, do you have a link to the new prototype LD?

Oh, and the original can be run off the bottom limb TOO with a little redneck tweakage... :smiley_bril:
http://www.theohiooutdoors.com/showthread.php?7667-Limb-Driver-rest-modification-(pics)