Posted by Stokerized on 6/5/2022 to
Material is extremely important to consider when purchasing any product. After all, you would not wear a t-shirt made from ceramic or set sail in a boat made from paper. Nor would you brew tea in a spider-silk kettle, sip it from a uranium mug, then sleep on a marble mattress.
Now, which material would you use for your arrow-shooting equipment? Wood is the traditional choice, and compound bow users have long stuck with aluminum. With that said, we believe that carbon may be the best of them. In this article, we argue for archers to arm themselves specifically with carbon stabilizers, bows, and arrows.
Light Weight
Lightness is important for arrows to gain more distance. However, it cannot be too light. Then, even the pointiest tips will not be able to penetrate targets. That would present a major issue for hunters, who must strive to take down their quarry with one shot. Fortunately, carbon arrows strike the balance well. They can fly further than the alternatives and nail the landing.
Indeed, lightness may be carbon’s most lauded quality among its fans. A carbon bow may be the same size as an aluminum one and weigh noticeably less. The difference may only be a few ounces, but those ounces can make the instrument easier to hold and control.
Minimizing the weight of the bow is especially important if you want to add accessories to the body. Each installment increases the heft, making the whole thing tougher to keep steady. If you can get other tools in the same material, especially carbon stabilizers, the combined reduction in weight can be satisfying.
Temperature Management
Hunting gets even more challenging when temperatures drop. Archers are forced to trek through snowy terrain in search of game, all while trying to silence their trudging. Once they find a good spot, they stay still for hours in frosty weather and rough winds, waiting for their opportunity. If their equipment gets cold as well, the whole experience can be painful.
Aluminum bows and arrows are dreadful in these conditions because they absorb cold. One touch with a bare hand can burn. The alternative is trying to fire with gloves on, which will not work for everyone. Carbon, on the other hand, does not get cold. The material is not nearly as vulnerable to temperature shifts, meaning archers can use them in chillier times of the year with little discomfort.
For that matter, they do not get really get hot, either. Clutching heated metal can leave marks on the hands, as any archer in regions that see scorching summers would attest. Depending on latitude and season, this reason alone may be enough to trade in your aluminum tools.
Durability
Higher durability often translates to a higher cost. However, arrows do not come cheap. You will want them to last as long as possible. Getting missiles made with tougher material is ultimately less expensive than replacing cheap ones that keep crumpling and snapping. This is especially important for diehard recreationists and aspiring professionals, who use their projectiles more often than most.
Aluminum arrows are designed to bend but not break. Carbon arrows are designed to not bend at all — a feat made all the more impressive by the aforementioned lightness of weight. While the former is pretty good in its own right, the latter is definitely preferable to those who will make the most of their missiles.
Carbon stabilizers and bows also benefit from that increased toughness. Manufacturers of these products love to boast by sharing videos of stress tests, featuring equipment getting crushed under truck wheels and coming out intact. If that does not convince you, we do not know what could.
Shock Absorption
Firing an arrow involves manipulating powerful forces. Bows create so much tension that the release is literally propulsive. The bowstring transfers that pressure to the arrow, rocketing it many yards before its journey comes to a sudden end. All equipment involved must be able to handle those forces without breaking.
In our previous article on carbon stabilizers, we mentioned that carbon is great at absorbing vibrations. What we did not mention is what distinguishes carbon in this aspect from other materials: flexibility. Aluminum bends, but it does not revert to its original form — at least, not as well as carbon. That ability to retain shape is important for dealing with all the physics that make archery possible.
Bows and arrows benefit from being made of carbon because they can handle those shocks better. Instead of being thrown off, they are better at riding the forces. Carbon stabilizers have the bonus benefit of taking some of the shock away from your hands and wrists, which is great for one’s health.
User-Friendliness
Lower weight, better temperature management, higher durability, and improved shock absorption are all advantages of using archery tools made from carbon. On top of that, the all-around optimization makes said tools easier to control. Amateur archers, who need all the help they can get, may especially appreciate that enhanced ease of use.
Of course, beginners are not the only ones who benefit. Many professionals add carbon stabilizers, arrows, and bows to their arsenals. Competitions demand nothing less than the best. For many, equipment made from carbon is often “the best.”
With that said, one does not need to use carbon. Some people believe that anything which gives people an advantage in archery are relying on “training wheels” and should try more traditional, less user-friendly tools. Even so, these optimized options are available if you want an advantage in competitive archery, bow hunting, or recreational arrow-slinging.
Get High-Quality Carbon Stabilizers Today
Here at Stokerized Stabilizers, we recognize the power of carbon to bring out the true potential in a stabilizer. We use this trusty material to create our signature Super Lite series of high-quality bow-balancing accessories. If you are in the market for solid carbon stabilizers, check out the top-notch selection at our store today. We hope all the information in this article helps you make a great decision for your archery equipment.