starting gear (post bow purchase)

Harijan · 11-09-2009, 02:08 PM

Great site. I have spent several hours reading. I am just starting out in bow hunting. After trying out a dozen or so different bows I settled on a Tomkat. I found a great deal on a 2008 leftover (new) bare bow for $230. I am pretty confident I got a great deal on the bow, but the drawback is I don't have any of the stuff that normally comes in the tomkat package.

So my question is...If you had $150 to spend on accessories and a bare bow to spend it on and your end goal is to have a good starter set, what gear is most important, and what would you specifically get?

Peep?
Sight?
New grip?
Stabilizers?
Bow case?
Whisper Biscut?
Arrow rest?
Case?
Quiver?
String silencers?
Strings?
Cables?

I won't be hunting until next spring at the earliest, so I have plenty of time to practice and get comfortable with the bow. I just don't know what gear is most important, or what brands/models are best.

What would you tell your best friend to buy for accessories if they were just starting out?

WCH · 11-09-2009, 02:37 PM

Congrats on the Tomkat my dad had one that is one quick little bow, I think quicker than they advertise, $150 is not a whole lot to spend on accesorizing a bow these days. I will help you out later, if you have any questions just message me.

J.Blay · 11-09-2009, 07:20 PM

I agree that $150 isn't alot to spend on all items you listed. The advantage of buying quality accessaries is that most can be reused on your next bow and usually last for years. I'd suggest watching the classifieds here and on Archery Talk for used items. Here's what I use and what I'd expect to pay, used and new. Limbdriver rest, $60 used or $90 new. Kwikee Kwiver, 3 arrow, $25 used or $40 new. Carbon express Terminator Lt. Select arrows, $50 doz used or $80 doz. new. Copper John Dead Nutz 2 micro adj. sight, $60 used or $90 new. Limbsaver stabilizer, $18 to $40 new, depending on size. Bucknasty custom strings & cables, $70 new( Google Bucknasty and you'll find his web sight). I don't use a peep. Plastic bow cases can be found for around $20 on clearance at discount stores at the end of bow hunting season. Truball Pro Diamond Extreme Release, $50 used or $90 new. Rage 2 blade broadheads, $30 used or $40 new. These are currently my favorite accessaries for the money, after years of trial and error. There are huge numbers of awesom things to choose from now days and many other great products I'd love to try. Good luck and have fun.

Sturdyman · 11-10-2009, 10:15 AM

Dude, I just purchased a 2007 Bowtech Tomkat as my first bow. I have the left handed variety that was taking up space at my local pro shop and was able to get a discount for the package. I was told this bow became the Bowtech Sniper.

The above post pretty much gives you blue print of what to look for. In addition some pro shops sell accessories on consignment for their customers. I have found this is a good way to purchase items for your bow at a discount.

Just a suggestion, invest in a good sight and arrow rest that you can use on bows that you may purchase in the future. The sight and arrow rest that came with my package will be replaced by X-mass if the lord is willing and the creek don't rise. After you are ready to shoot invest in a few dozen quality arrows. You will have time to do some research and the members of this forum can offer tons of advise. Do not shoot with a veriety of arrows, consistancy is the key in archery.

Good luck with your Tomkat and welcome to the forum.

Harijan · 11-10-2009, 12:27 PM

I forgot to mention that the seller did throw in a demo optimizer ultra sight and a TN1000 rest.

These seem to be decent quality accessories. I will try them out before I spend more to replace.

WCH · 11-11-2009, 11:32 AM

One of the most important aspect to setting up a bow is the stabilizer in my opinion. A perfect balance to a bow can make a decent shoot great. I would suggest a posten or an Xtreme. Both are great products and both are very adjustable so you can get that perfect balance. Both use the same principal of weight at the farthest point from your bow making it resist movement better. An similar instance is taking a 2X4 holding it in the center and try to move. Then take the same 2x4 and grab it at one end and try to move it. Alot harder to do. That is the same principal with your stab.
www.jimposten.com
www.xtremestabilization.com
If i am not mistaking you said you already had a rest and sights so the stabilizer would be my next purchase.

WCH · 11-11-2009, 11:34 AM

Strings and Cables if the bow needs them I would look at Extreme they are great people to deal with and will take great care of you.
www.extremebowstrings.com

Quiver
You cannot go wrong with an Alpine quiver they are great. They offer the sof loc and the bearclaw. I would recommend the sof loc but you can look at both.
http://alpinearchery.com/slocsystems.html

Sturdyman · 11-12-2009, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WCH

One of the most important aspect to setting up a bow is the stabilizer in my opinion. A perfect balance to a bow can make a decent shoot great. I would suggest a posten or an Xtreme. Both are great products and both are very adjustable so you can get that perfect balance. Both use the same principal of weight at the farthest point from your bow making it resist movement better. An similar instance is taking a 2X4 holding it in the center and try to move. Then take the same 2x4 and grab it at one end and try to move it. Alot harder to do. That is the same principal with your stab.
www.jimposten.com
www.xtremestabilization.com
If i am not mistaking you said you already had a rest and sights so the stabilizer would be my next purchase.

I checked out www.jimposten.com yesterday and I like what I see. The 18 inch Fat Max is the stablizer that I currently have my eye on. Most importantly there is a dealer in my area. A few guys at the club use Posten stabilizers.

Again this forum gives good information without making you feel like an idiot.

Peace and Love.

WCH · 11-12-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sturdyman

I checked out www.jimposten.com yesterday and I like what I see. The 18 inch Fat Max is the stablizer that I currently have my eye on. Most importantly there is a dealer in my area. A few guys at the club use Posten stabilizers.

Again this forum gives good information without making you feel like an idiot.

Peace and Love.

Yes it does the best archery forum on the web I think. Any more question just post them everyone here would be glad to answer them.

Harijan · 11-13-2009, 04:34 PM

Thank you so much for all of the information. This really is a great forum. Thank you especially for the stabilizer info. I did not know what the purpose or physics was behind a stabilizer. That will make finding one that works for me much easier.

WCH · 11-14-2009, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harijan

Thank you so much for all of the information. This really is a great forum. Thank you especially for the stabilizer info. I did not know what the purpose or physics was behind a stabilizer. That will make finding one that works for me much easier.

Your welcome, I learned alot on the Jim Posten website, where he talks about stabilizers, I think it may be called stabilizer 101. Great article. I would recommend it to anyone. If you need any more help just ask.