Anyone using a verifier?
Equipment
Contributors to this thread:
I told my shooting partner about them, and he bought one a year ago. He loves it and is shooting better than ever.
Pat, I tried one this year. After adjusting between pin and target clarity and finding a good blend. It definitely helped me out. I also added the crossover adjustable stabilizer, I like it also.
Been shooting one for 2 years and love it can see my pins now Had lasik years ago and grew out of it That or glasses
Easy transition for me. At the time I used cheater glasses for reading and found my pins were getting blurry. My bowshop had a verifier tool to determine which lens worked best for me to get started. Immediately cleared up the blurry pin issue, at the same time the down-range target stayed clear as well.
I have used a clarifier for several years now. They help in low light conditions, clear up your target (verifier clears up your pin) and are great for eyes like mine :-) I do not hunt with one in fear of rain and dirt clouding it up.
Several years for me and definitely an asset. My pins ran together and I couldn’t see the wire on the Spot Hogg. Start with the lowest power and get the largest size which is 5/16”. That has an actual 1/4” opening. If you treestand hunt in the wet a lot, just cover it.
I’m a fan of being able to see my pins again!
Pat, I have had a verifier on my bow for the last 7 or 8 years. Check mine out while we are in Kansas....
They are glass. Pat just use any quality bino cleaner anti fog and the glass stay clear even in the rain. They do sell a little rubber cover to put on it. If it’s an issue.
Several ways to cover it. On a particularly wet snowy caribou hunt, I had a little plastic wrapper from a hard candy over it. I’ve also used a piece of flagging tape with it gathered just above the peep and tied with serving thread. Simply slide it up the string. Mostly I just ignore it though.
Like any necessary evil, there are some pitfalls. Shooting directly into the sun can give you glare. A big snowflake can land on it at the worst possible moment. But the upsides far outweigh the minor problems.
I always have a lens cleaning tissue that just sticks into one of the waffle squares on both Mathews bows. Stays there all season. And I keep the lens socket under my windicator bottle in the side pocket of my bino case, if it ever becomes unusable. (never has)
Worst case scenario, you’re back to shooting without the lens, just a plain peep.
I used one for a few years and it was ok until my dominant right eye got worse. On low light conditions my left eye would take over when I put the peep up to my right eye. I shoot both eyes open and this might not be a problem if you aim with your left eye closed. What has worked the best for me are contact lenses. I use a 2.50 lens in my right eye and a .50 in my left eye. For me it works great but everyone is different.
My eyes kept getting worse and worse. Tried all kinds of "dollar store glasses" but either the sight was clear and the target was blurry or just the opposite.
I've had mine now for about 6 or 7 years (maybe longer) and never had to cover it ... I've hunted in every kind of weather imaginable.
I started with the least magnification and have graduated 2 steps up as my eyes continue to get worse. Would not hunt without it .... absolutely love / need it.
I would highly recommend going to your pro shop and try one out.
They are amazingly great....just have to carry a Q-tip for occasional moisture or dust...I cannot fathom any scientific way that the verifier could get both the target and the bowsite pins in perfect clarity.....but it does.
Joe
Tried a verifier one summer and just couldn’t get used to it. Went to eye doctor and got a pair that fit close to the nose and use one of those nerdy eye glass holders that goes around back of head. Still took time to get used to. And glasses fog up if sweating . Also cannot use a face mask due to fogging. I just had to adjust, better than not hunting. Greg
It does magnify the target, but with the 1.5 that I use it’s barely noticeable, Depending on your eyes, the target could be more clear or less.
There’s no way to know except try it.
I had, a #6 I believe, for a couple years now. Shoot and hunt ing rain, snow and dust. Never had a issue, but I do carry some Qtips cut in half in a medicine bottle just in case. Don’t notice much change in the target, it just cleans up the pins. Good luck.
Pat I've used one the last 3 years. Have had to change,(increase) the magnification this past fall. I will say that hunting in the rain can be a problem,you also need to clean the lens occasionally. Otherwise you will really enjoy being able to CLEARLY see your pins again!
53 and counting. Welcome to the brotherhood. Do not fret. Even a blind bird gets a worm once in a while. But, with a veryfier you will get the tick from the bird's eye.
Pat, you have to find the one that clears your pins and you can still see the target clear. They have a devise with all the powers you can look thru to see which one you need. Pretty simple. I keep mime covered with tin foil when no shooting or hunting, or in rain. They do make a cleaner and anti-fog with some peaked Q-Tips. It should solve your problem helped mine.
Im 53, had one for past 3 years - works great. I hunt in all weather for multiple critters and have not had any issues with rain/snow/dust, and I wear glasses as well. I try to keep it covered if its raining hard. As others said just carry a Q-tip if by chance that happens.
TIP: - If/When you decide to get one, make sure to look 20 yards down range at a target while you are finding your prescription and looking through the little tool/wheel/pins they give you. Nobody told me and I just looked through it at the pins that were on the other side, I wished I had pointed it farther than the wall 5 feet in front of me at the time.
So my pins are now crystal clear, but the target is a tad blurry, I would have dialed it back one lens if I had been looking at a target as well.
Correct me if I'm wrong,,, but isn't a verifier just a certain power reading glass lens put into a peep???? Can't you try different reading grasses to know what you need??? You need a cross between clear pins and a clear target. I know guys thar got clear pins shot better, but there target was a little blurrier .
Verifier works like a charm for my 55 year old eyes. Cleared blurry pins right up.
I've had one for a few years and really like it. Agree with the comments about carrying a q-tip, although I haven't had to use it yet.
Works great. The folks at Hall's can help you out. It only took me a day to get used to it.
Never seen it addressed specifically but may be illegal here in Colorado.
I used one for years and then had cataract surgery and took it off. My retina in my right eye is so effed up that I don't even shoot beyond 20 yards anymore, but if it's just aging eyes the verifier definitely helps. Good luck Pat, it sucks to get old.
Another option to consider--multifocal contact lenses.
Success rate with fitting them isn't the greatest, but when they work, I find them to be superior to all other options. Before you turn 45 or so, muscles in your eyes are changing the shape of your lens to focus on the pins, and then relaxing to put the the target in focus. But once presbyopia ("old eyes") has progressed enough, this is no longer possible, and multifocal contact lenses or multifocal lens implants after cataract surgery are really the only way to have the target and pins in focus at the same time.
I've been helping people deal with this problem for over 20 years, and to be honest, there really isn't any perfect solution--just compromises. Now that I'm dealing with it myself, I've just decided to dump the peep, pins and compound altogether and shoot instinctively. That's the reason for my "First Buck With Recurve" thread. If not for worsening near vision, I probably never would have made the leap to hunting with traditional equipment.
Hope this helps!
I love mine. Just a word of caution. Check that some type of loctite is used. My lens blew out and hit my cheek pretty hard. Glad I had my glasses on.
X2 jsgold. Because I like to shoot a few minutes as much as I can I don't put on my lenses so l practice with a longbow and a recurve to stay in shape. Most of my hunting is still with a compound.
When I shot a lot of 3D, I used on quite a bit. They worked great for me, with one exception. I always had a hard time with one, if I was shoot towards a rising/ setting sun. Keep that in mind.
I'd love to see a feature article on Bowsite addressing eyesight....
I just turned 50 myself and can tell things are changing. My eye doctor said I really don't need prescription glasses yet but do have a slight astigmatism. I notice it the most when shooting at a target with multiple spots at low light. For this reason, after speaking to someone who contributes a lot to Bowsite, I did give contacts a try. There was an improvement but at the same time it made other daily stuff more challenging to see.
Single spot or 3d targets are much less of a problem for me to focus on. For that reason I gave up the contacts and painted one side of my targets with a single spot. Shooting a single pin sight at a single spot or a 3D target is helping....for now.
With a single, green pin and a peep that fills my sight circle I am still good to go without one at age 65 but on my three pin slider I’ve been using one for 8 or 9 years. No issues and I love it. There are 5 options just pick the one that clears or pins up yet doesn’t distort the target animal. For me it was #4.
Stay away from red pins Green or yellow only
I have multifocal contacts but can't stand wearing them to shoot or hunt. My pins will be in focus but target gets blurry. It also messes with my vision when looking out at distance. Kind of distorts things.
I'm 60 and have needed cheaters since my 40's. I can see distance just fine but my pins are a little blurry which is okay since I look thru the pin to the target with both eyes open. I could see me using a verifier in the future but for now I'm okay.
I have one on a target bow. I like it most of time but would never use on a hunting bow if I can still shoot without. I have had issues in rain, it gets wet and is useless. Also as sun get low at certain angles sun hits it and you can not see anything. I could see that being a big problem hunting. I will say shooting 3- in the rain I have taking out lens and shot with out it. You have a bigger peep but did not change point of impact.
Pat,, I have used one for several years, The color Blue power +7, I use it in combination with a 2 power scope to get the best results, I use it for all my shooting, 3D as well as hunting. I need all that just to get my eyes back to what they were 20 yrs ago. I find the older I get the quicker my vision deteriorates. Glad we have the verifier option or I would be done shooting.
I should have also mentioned in dim light I also use lighted sight pins just be aware I dont believe that is P&Y legal if that is important to you. In my last 3D shoot before I used verifiers I finally saw the standing bear target figured out where the 10 ring should be and shot a shadow. Now I see everything fine give it a try.
I've had one around 6 years, best thing I ever did! It took those Blurry Halo pins & made them look like the perfect dot they should be! I couldn't believe the difference they made!
ElKNut/Paul
For you guys using them what size are you using for hunting?
I use the 5/16" (largest) size, which actually gives you a 1/4" peep hole. Just right for my sight housing.
I used one for 2 yrs before I had cataract and astigmatism correction surgery. I no longer need one, at least for now. Mine was 1/4".
As others have stated, I always had a couple Q-tips with me to clear off any moisture or dust. A couple others have mentioned it, but I'll throw it out again...if you have to shoot into a rising or setting sun, God help you. It's like sticking a million candle-power light in your eye!
My pins started to blur a little in my late 40’s. By my early 50’s I had to add a verifier, starting with the weakest strength. I’m 56 now and am on the strongest power/largest peep they make. Not sure what I’m gonna do if things keep degrading. I can see the pin but the target is very slightly out of focus, which I can live with. Still shoot very accurately in good light But low light is a real challenge. Getting old sucks, but it still beats the alternative.