Howdy Rednecks, in today’s post we’re going to take a look at the best thumb releases for bow hunting, as promised.
So, let’s not mess around and lets get down and dirty with this b***.
CONTENTS
TRU Ball Max Hunter Pro 4 Release
Well folks, first off the ranks we’re going to have a look at the Tru Ball Max Hunter Pro.
First thing I want to mention is these guys design, machine and assemble there products all in the US. Straight away we’re looking at some serious quality here.
A lot of manufactures these days are out sourcing a large part of their work in, wait for it, you guessed it China. They then ship over the main components, and assemble in the US. That’s not to say that all Chinese products are bad, but hell, you can’t help but support your US manufacturers.
Anyway, back to business.
The release its self is the of the dual caliper type, and has an ergonomic full finger grip. One thing that always appeals about a thumb release is just how comfortable they feel. Ever used a rifle sporting a thumb hole stock? Well I have and man oh man they feel nice (pity the rifles not mine). Full finger thumb releases my friends, are the Boyds thumb hole stock equivalent in the bow world if your looking for comfort.
The max hunter pro is sporting a full 360° swivel head, meaning every hunter has full control over his hand movement to position his anchor point in a way that’s perfect to him. Or her (better not forget about the lady hunters out there. There a dieing breed).
The release is completely silent, which shows that it has been clearly manufactured with the hunter in mind. The last thing you want is that buck sitting at 20 yards away peacefully, as your sitting their clicking away with your release sounding like someone having a jamming session on the spoons.
The trigger is clean and crisp and the release its self has an adjustable sensitivity screw, meaning you can tune the release to your exact needs.
One downside is that the release does require maintenance (something you should be doing on the regular anyway). Because it is made largely from steel, oiling is a necessity. Now, I guess this isn’t a downside, but if your like me and can get a bit lazy on the maintenance sometimes this might not be the release for you.
When you fail to maintain a release of this style there’s a chance that the calipers can fail to open due to them starting to stick, or absolute worst case, seize. Not what you want lining up that prized buck. Maintain your gear folks.
Did I mention the release is available in two colors. Black or Cam. Yep, that sexy cam pattern. We all know no hunter can have something that’s not cam. Hell, I buy things that are completely useless, as long as there in cam i’m sold already.
So, what are the pros and cons?
Pro’s
- Quiet a compact and well designed release
- Full 360° swivel head providing hunters with the opportunity to find the perfect position on anchor
- Nice crisp trigger with sensitivity adjustment
- Great quality at a reasonable price
- Designed and manufactured in the US
Con’s
- Those who are a little lazy on maintenance may end up having stiff calipers resulting in a poor release
Hot Shot Vapor 4
If your one those wanna be Rednecks who’s got to look the part and have all the gear and no idea. Then this is the releases for you. Actually, it’s a perfect release for me to.
But seriously now,
Hot Shots has got over 30 years experience in the Archery game now, so you can expect some quality gear coming from the lads.
The vapor 4’s no exception and has all the bells and whistles of a high quality thumb release.
The release has an awfully crisp trigger and is as silent as a whisper. (I know you just tried to whisper really silently just then)
Sporting an auto close hook that holds no cocking mechanism makes it a great choice for those who want to keep things simple. The way they’ve designed the hook ensures that the release has minimal torque on activation.
For those who prefer a release with full 360° head rotation this may not be the choice for you. The vapor’s designed as a solid piece release, meaning no movement at the head of the release.
Pro’s
- Adjustable trigger tension
- Auto close silent hook up
- Trigger feels like a match grade trigger. Very Crisp like breaking glass.
- Available in a range of colors and 3 or 4 finger models
Con’s
- No 360° degree head rotation
TRU Ball Fang 4
As you can probably tell by now, I’ve got a bit of a man crush for the TRU Ball products at the moment.
Probably the biggest plus in the Fang models is their Full Containment System (FCS). TRU Ball have actually filed for a patent for the unique handy system. So what does the FCS allow a bow hunter to do? Well, it allows hunters to get off quick shots with a thumb release without having to worry about where you’ve put the dang release.
One down side in general with thumb releases is not all of them can have a wrist strap fitted to them. This can be an inconvenience if your like me and have a tendency to put things down and forget where you put them.
The FCS conquers that by having a unique trigger system where by you click the containment back to load onto the D-loop, or click it forward to lock the containment into place. This will leave the the release hanging freely off the D-loop so you can use your hands again without having to worry about which pouch you put that dang release in. Absolutely ideal for those hunters who love using a thumb release.
To fire, you simply click the containment back again, pull back to the wall, hit the trigger, and then pull the trigger again after firing to reset the hook.
I know it sounds complicated, but it really isn’t, and its well worth the practice to get use to this type of release as loosing your release in the middle of a hunt is not something you really want to do.
So what else sets apart the the Fang from other releases?
Well apart from being made in the US, TRU Ball always manage to bring out high quality products at a reasonable price. The Fang is also available in 3 or 4 finger models and a range of colors.
You’ll notice when you purchase one of these bad boys as well that they come with different springs. These springs are trigger sensitivity springs and allow an archer to set up their release to the exact sensitivity they require. This is a big plus for all archers from novice to advanced, as the novice may require a heavier spring where as the advance archer usually prefers more of a hair trigger.
Time to look at the good the bad and the down right ugly
Pro’s
- Unique containment system is ideal for the hunter
- Comes with different trigger sensitivity springs
- Adjustable thumb barrel positions
- Comes in 3 or 4 finger models and a range of colors or cam patterns
- Trigger travel adjustment
Con’s
- Containment system may seem complicated, but with a little practice it become the perfect release to have in your kit.
Carter Wise Choice
Now, straight off the bat i’m going to warn you. These releases are for, let’s say, the more eligent Redneck. The redneck who doesn’t mind spending a bit of cash to look a bit stylish.
Carter Releases are a little more on the pricey side, but your definatley getting what you pay for.
So let’s take a deeper look at the Wise Choice thumb release.
The thing with Carters releases is the simplicity of his design. The crazy Redneck started making them for him self, and before you know it every man and his dog started wanting carter to knock them up a release. So,that’s what he done, and he’s been dang good at doing it.
The Wise Choice is basically the big brother to the First Choice that Carter enterprises bought out, with a few extra bells and whistles.
If you take a look at the First Choice you’ll notice that the biggest change was the enclosed index finger loop, which I’ve got to say, is just downright sexy and comfortable. They’ve also added in a little hole at the back of the release which is to attach a lanyard to. That’s right. No more shoving your release in your pocket or pouch and then scrambling around trying to find it when that buck takes you by surprise.
The Wise Choice has an auto closing jaw, and probably the best one on the market due to it’s simplicity. Simply place the hook up to the D-loop, and then depress the trigger at the back of the release. The Jaw slams shut around the D-loop, and Voila.
So what’s the downside to the Wise Choice?
Honestly, it’s really hard to pick apart a carter, they really are a next level release, but I do have one thing, and you no maintenance guys are going to love this. Don’t over oil or over maintain them. For starters most working parts on the release are primarily alloy, so no need to over oil. The problem with over oiling these things is that the oil seeps through the release and can cause some dramas on some of the internal mechanical parts. So, treat them like they are, a simple release that requires care and a clean here and there, but doesn’t require heavy maintenance.
Pro’s
- Index finger loop makes for an extremely comfortable release
- Available in 3 or 4 finger models
- Adjustable trigger sensitivity
- Self closing hook design
- Hole for wrist lanyard being perfect for the bow hunter
- Low maintenance simple and easy thumb release
Con’s
- On the pricey side, but they are extremely high quality. To be fair, their releases are match grade quality releases and that’s why the price is a little heavier.
Wrapping things up
So there we have it folks. The four best thumb releases for bow hunting on the market at the moment. We’ll knock up another post soon which we’ll be about the best hinge releases on the market so be sure to keep an eye out and check in.
Till then Rednecks, you guessed it
Drink plenty of beer and,
Keep on Redneckin’.
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