We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More \u203a<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n Stabilizers are arguably the most misunderstood pieces of archery gear that bowhunters put on compound bows.<\/p>\n Target archers know how to use them to balance and stabilize their rigs. But bowhunters just seem to want something short and stubby, which results in almost none of the stabilizing benefits stabilizers are designed to produce.<\/p>\n Well, I\u2019m here to tell you not only which stabilizers I\u2019ve picked as my \u201cbest in class,\u201d but I\u2019m going to tell you what to look for in a stabilizer and how to use them properly.\u00a0<\/p>\n At Lancaster Archery Supply, I get to see, feel and test most of the stabilizers on the market, so I have a pretty good idea of which ones lead the way. But just to confirm my picks for this piece, I tested nearly two dozen stabilizers by attaching them to my Mathews V3X 33<\/a> and shooting several arrows to feel for the stability, balance, and vibration reduction each bar produced. Here are my picks for the best bow stabilizers:\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n Why It Made the Cut<\/strong><\/p>\n A lot is going on in this 10-inch bar. It\u2019s thin, it comes with 4 ounces of weight, the included dampener is one of the best on the market, and the bar is made from a unique mix of materials that do a great job of killing vibration while promoting rigid stabilization.<\/p>\n Key Features<\/strong><\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n Product Description<\/strong><\/p>\n The Axcel Antler Ridge 10-inch<\/a> hunting stabilizer is nearly 12 inches when both weights and the Kryptos Arc Dampener <\/a>are added to the 10-inch bar. The bar is a combination of high-modulus carbon, which is super stiff, and flax, which is a natural fiber that acts like a vibration sponge. Its vibration-soaking properties are so well known that flax is used in all kinds of sporting gear, where reducing vibration is important, such as Formula 1. Axcel is the only company using flax in its stabilizers.<\/p>\n The Kryptos Arc Dampener would be an add-on for other stabilizers, but it comes with the Antler Ridge. Bow vibration at the shot is generated on the X, Y, and Z axes\u2014horizontal, vertical, and depth. The Kryptos Arc is specially engineered to absorb vibration on each axis. Of all the stabilizers I tested, I felt the least amount of vibration in my hand with the Antler Ridge.<\/p>\n This is one of only a few bowhunting stabilizers that comes with 4 ounces of weights in the pack, which is a good amount for a 10-inch bar. Most hunting stabilizers come with 2 or 3 ounces of weights. You can usually add weights to any bar, but it\u2019s nice when you don\u2019t have to buy extra parts to make something work.<\/p>\n I picked a 10-inch bar as my best overall stabilizer because I believe it\u2019s a length most bowhunters can work with. It\u2019s definitely long enough to provide stabilization for any compound bow\u2014especially since the total length of the Antler Ridge is basically 12 inches. (I discuss stabilizer length at the end of this article.) While I personally prefer a 15-inch front bar, I believe that\u2019s a length a lot of bowhunters just won\u2019t accept. And when I run a 15-inch front bar, I always have a side rod as part of my setup. The 10-inch Antler Ridge is perfect for having just the front rod and no side rod.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n Why It Made the Cut<\/strong><\/p>\n This setup has everything you need for a complete stabilizer\/side rod setup in one pack. All the pieces are high quality and highly adjustable to your tastes.<\/p>\n Key Features<\/strong><\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n Product Description<\/strong><\/p>\n The Dead Center Dead Level Hunter Verge Lite Stabilizer Kit 12\/9<\/a> is a one-stop package that has everything you need for a front-bar, side rod setup. It\u2019s got a 12-inch bar for the front, a 9-inch bar for the side, and it\u2019s got the mount you need to connect both bars to the bow, or just the side rod.<\/p>\n The bars are Dead Center\u2019s best high-modulus carbon, so they are super stiff. The end caps are machined aluminum, which adds to the stability and rigidity of these bars. And each bar is topped with the Verge Dampener. It\u2019s a ring of rubber surrounding a weighted centerpiece. At the shot, vibration hits the dampener, causing the weight to move around inside the rubber ring. That action soaks up the vibration, preventing most of it from getting to your hand. Set screws on the end of each rod allow you to position the dampeners perfectly vertical or horizontal once your bars are locked in place in the mount.<\/p>\n The mount can be used to attach both bars from the front, or you mount the front stabilizer by itself and then bolt the mount for the side rod to the back of the riser. If you mount both from the front, run the bolt on the long bar through the mounting bracket into the riser and then swivel the side rod connector to face backward.<\/p>\n The side rod connector pivots left and right and up and down so you can get the bar positioned precisely where you need it for the best balance. Once you lock it in place, it won\u2019t budge. The two pieces you\u2019re forcing together with the locking bolt are cone-shaped, so the more you drive in the bolt, the more you wedge those cones together. It\u2019s super solid.<\/p>\n Six, 1-ounce weights are included in the kit for weighting and balancing the bars. I\u2019d go 2 ounces out front and 4 ounces off the back, but you might find you need more to get the bow stable and balanced.<\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n Why It Made the Cut<\/strong><\/p>\n If you want the balance of a front rod and side rod, but in a more streamlined setup, the Bee Stinger Microhex Counter Slide is the best bow stabilizer for you.\u00a0<\/p>\n Key Features<\/strong><\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n Product Description<\/strong><\/p>\n The Bee Stinger Microhex Counter Slide<\/a> is a thin, 15-inch bar that sits off the riser\u2019s side, opposite your sight <\/a>and quiver<\/a>. Sitting there, the bar can offset the weight of those accessories.<\/p>\n From there, the unique mount allows you to slide the bar forward or back to adjust the distribution of weight. But it sort of mimics having a front stabilizer and a side rod. Given the length, you could adjust it so 8 inches stick out front and 7 inches extend backward. Then you add weights to each end to achieve the leverage you want. If the bow wants to tip forward, add more weight to the back, or slide the bar back. If it wants to tip up, add more weight to the front, or slide the bar forward.<\/p>\n The bar comes with the mount that connects it to the bow. It features a dovetail bar with a line of divots, which allows you to adjust how close to or far from the side of the riser the stabilizer sits. You can also pivot the riser mount up or down to pull the mount even closer to the riser if you want.<\/p>\n Bee Stinger\u2019s Microhex bars are its narrowest, which makes them ideal for cutting through wind. And the Countervail material used inside the bars is very efficient at killing vibration. These bars transmit very little vibration back to the archer\u2019s hand at the shot.<\/p>\n To be honest, I view dual-purpose bars like the Bee Stinger Microhex Counter Slide as a gateway stabilizer to a true front-rod\/side rod setup. The Counter Slide does a fair job imitating the balancing effect of having two bars, but I believe it will convince you of the benefits of having both, and you\u2019ll eventually pull the trigger on a two-bar rig.<\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n Why It Made the Cut<\/strong><\/p>\n Quality carbon bar that\u2019s 8 inches long and includes a rubber dampener and three, 1-ounce weights.\u00a0<\/p>\n Key Features<\/strong><\/p>\n Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n Published Oct 23, 2022 8:00 AM
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