Drop away rests reliability?
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: PapaSmurf
06-Aug-18
So, how reliable are these drop away rests? I’ve never used one, always hesitant with “moving parts”
Went to the store this morning, had one installed. First shot, draw, anchor, release, CRACK! The drop away never smdropped away, slamming the arrow into the bow, before the arrow snapped.
Probably just not installed properly, I’m assuming anyway. Just wondering though, once you guys get these dialed in, are they pretty reliable?
From: Strapped
06-Aug-18
I have had the same one on my bow for 9 years now and have not had one problem with it. I'm sure others experiences may vary though.
From: DMTJAGER
06-Aug-18
I have a Bowfinger Madusa max on one bow for 3 years now and a QAD HDX on another for 4 years and my best guess is they have each seen 1000's of shots and neither has had a single issue what so ever. My one and only complaint with either is when you have to adjust them. The allen head screw for HDX's horizontal adjustment for the launcher is a kind of a pain to access to loosen and tighten. The MadusaMax is easy as can be to access and adjust, but if you need to move your rest in slight amounts like 1/16" or less when you retighten the bolt it will try to move the rest while doing so, and you must apply pressure on the rest to prevent this. If I had known about them prior to buying the two above rests I would've bought a Hamskea Hybred Hunter rest. I'm going on replies to my questions only but the Hameskea micro adjustability is supposed to be rock solid. Now after spending time adjusting my rest while tuning for FB broad heads, a micro adjustable rest that actually adjusts as advertised is to me well worth the extra money to eliminate the extra hassle of one that doesn't.
From: grubby
06-Aug-18
ive been shooting a drop away for about 10 years, I have never had a failure.
From: x-man
06-Aug-18
Are you sure the arrow was still on the rest at full draw? I've seen arrows break from falling between the rest and the arrow shelf during the draw. Some drop aways really snap up fast and can bounce the arrow shaft off the rest prongs. Which is why full containment rests are so popular.
From: Bullhound
06-Aug-18
Papasmurf,
your rest was not installed and/or tested properly. I have been using them (mostly Limb Driver) for at least ten years I'm guessing, and the only drop away that I ever had an issue with was the cheap "hunter" version of the QAD.
From: drycreek
06-Aug-18
I have used the TT Smackdown Pro for several years now with no problems. Cable driven or limb driven, works as advertised. Hate the name, love the rest....
From: Ned
06-Aug-18
Been shooting one for 4 or5 years with no problems
From: PapaSmurf
06-Aug-18
Oh great, it was the hunter version of the QAD. So, what issues did you have with it?
From: Bou'bound
06-Aug-18
That s a low end unit from a good company. Need to upgrade models not brands
From: Bullhound
06-Aug-18
Yes, the Hunter version is problematic at best IMO, but QAD makes a fine rest otherwise. Upgrade to HDX version and you should be good, IF your shop has a clue. While I don't use QAD products presently, my experience has been that they make a quality product.
From: Stubbleduck
06-Aug-18
I've used a variety of drop aways on several bows over the last 15 years most recently the Schaffer "Opposition". I've never had a "Failure" in terms of the rest not moving out of the way on release.
From: nmwapiti
06-Aug-18
Been using a QAD for at least 10 years. Never had a failure. I have sent a few arrows through without the rest dropping when I did not have the cord set up right. Pretty exciting.
From: PapaSmurf
06-Aug-18
Exciting is a word I didn’t think of this morning......
From: GF
06-Aug-18
I had a QAD that froze solid during a snow. And I failed to notice that until I had a whole herd crossing the trail at 15-20 yards.
Got completely burned on that deal.
From: bowhunter55
06-Aug-18
Been using QAD Ultras since they came out with them and have never had a problem. My wife and me have them on all our bows.
From: spike78
06-Aug-18
Never a problem here either.
From: caribou77
06-Aug-18
I have had issues with the original Trophy takers. Those problems were my fault. Spring got rusty and the rest failed to dropped. Been shooting a limb driven rest for 8 years now.... So far they have been issue free.
From: lv2bohunt
06-Aug-18
7 years with a Ripcord and never an issue.
From: smarba
07-Aug-18
5-6 years w/ Vapor Trail Limbdriver Pro V no issues.
From: GLP
07-Aug-18
PapaSmurf?? Why did you not get the trophy ridge level? Just curious. Greg
From: papadeerhtr
07-Aug-18
been shooting trophytaker pronghorn never an issue. been on 4 diff bows over past 12 yrs.
From: papadeerhtr
07-Aug-18
been shooting trophytaker pronghorn never an issue. been on 4 diff bows over past 12 yrs.
From: PapaSmurf
07-Aug-18
We couldn’t get the trophy Ridge level to drop— ever. Now keep in mind, I didn’t have the right guy helping me. Might have just been a bad unit, the drop level just didn’t feel smooth at all going up or down. Just felt dirty inside or something.
Today, I went back and dealt with the “archery guy” who was noticeably more knowledgeable right off. So, we played with the QAD, with great results. I may upgrade in the future, but I believe this will be just fine for now. I hope to gain a lot of confidence in it.
Now that things seem to be setup properly, is there anything that needs to be done routinely to the rest or the cord to help ensure no issues going forward?
From: grubby
07-Aug-18
no, I have never had to do anything, a visual should be fine.
From: GLP
07-Aug-18
Glad things are working out
From: PapaSmurf
07-Aug-18
Thank you everybody
From: GF
07-Aug-18
Just keep the snow off of it!
Me, I’m back to 1-stringers :D
From: Elkmeat
07-Aug-18
Thousands of shots through my QAD HDX and zero failures (kow). That being said just got a buddy set up with a Hamskea Hybrid Hunter and I really like it. Definitely like the extended period of support the limb driven Hamskea offers over the QAD, but they’re both top notch but in my opinion and either would nicely complement any bow. In the case for reliability, the Hamskea (or other limb driven), only way it can fail is for the cable to literally detach or be cut in half, so there’s that.
From: RD in WI
07-Aug-18
I have a QAD rest on my bow and it has performed flawlessly.
From: PapaSmurf
08-Aug-18
GF- I still shoot 1 stringers more ??
From: weekender21
08-Aug-18
I've been shooting drop away rests for 12 years. I had an internal spring break on a TT Pronghorn in 2010, luckily it was on a range not on a hunt. I've shot QAD HDX and Rip Cord ACE rests with no issues.
From: carcus
08-Aug-18
I've been shooting drop aways since 2006, I would never go back, Ive had limb drivers, smackdowns and QAD hdx's, never a problem with any of them, other than a screw came loose on the smackdown causing the rest not to come all the way up and causing me to shoot very low and a massive B&C bear, my fault, should've went through and tightened everything like I alway do, first time I didn't I payed
From: elkstabber
08-Aug-18
The QAD HDX on my bow has been super sensitive and it's caused bad arrow flight. Yesterday afternoon a friend noticed that the rest wasn't fully upright due to stretching of the string (I think). Two arrows were ruined after they bounced up into the sight while we were shooting long range. The string on the HDX was tightened up 1/16" and it seems to have fixed the problem. But my confidence remains low and I'll be looking for another rest soon. I hate switching equipment so close to the season.
From: Ermine
08-Aug-18
I use a Hamskea Versa rest. Have used the same rest for years! Bombproof and always reliable
From: Drummer Boy
08-Aug-18
Ripcord on my bow only problem, had to replace cord.Not bad for 13 years of use.
From: bad karma
10-Aug-18
Update: My QAD HDX died today. Started making a crunchy noise after five years. Too late to get anything other than a replacement of the same type, lefty equipment is seldom in stock. It may be replaced after elk season, or in 2019.
From: carcus
10-Aug-18
Elkstabber, if you got more serious issues other than the a few bent arrows, the d loop material would not stretch, your cables must may have moved, did you change draw length, or modules? I switched my realmx from performance to comfort the other day and didn't check my qad hdx, well my arrow slammed into the sight cause the rest also needed to be adjusted.
From: Will
10-Aug-18
I shoot a biscuit style at this point, and have for several years... But shot a drop away from the late 90's or early 00's (99 I think, but may have been 2000) until 2010ish (+- a year) and never had an issue with those I used (a Dalton for a few years, then a Vapor Trail Limb Driver). They worked great.
I just liked the feel of the biscuit style (I'm literally the only human in the history of archery to love his Hostage 360 style rest - mimic's a biscuit with three little brushes instead of one big biscuit) on the bow I've been shooting for several years now. If I got a new bow in the next year, I'd start out using a Hamskea or QAD.
From: Dooner
10-Aug-18
I've tried them all and settled on the Hamskea Hunter-Pro. Bullet proff & a full containment drop-away.
From: ground hunter
11-Aug-18
QAD never had an issue.................
From: elkstabber
13-Aug-18
Carcus: you were right. There wasn't a change to the draw or modules but I had the bow adjusted a week earlier. The timing had been way off - probably the result of lots of shooting and stretched cables. After another week I realized that the QAD rest needed to be adjusted. All seems to be good now.
