If you plan to become an archer, you should possess the right bow and riser. Training for sports requires spending much time with your bow. Therefore, having the right equipment often determines how good an archer you can become.
You should pay attention to even the minor details to get the right equipment at all times. Since people find it hard to choose the right riser, we have listed a few things you should consider before selecting one.
To choose the right riser for your bow, it is vital to look at a few factors. To put it simply, it is better to consider the materials used, total weight, clicker plate, limb alignment tuning, bushings, grip, and price. It will become relatively easy to pick an ideal riser for your bow with these factors.
Beginners Riser
In general, beginner risers are commonly made from either of two materials: wood or plastic. These are usually not as loaded as advanced risers in terms of features.
However, a person starting to learn would select this option as it is relatively cheaper. As a novice, you can choose a riser for beginners. Once you have mastered using it, you can proceed to more advanced risers.
Advanced Riser
Understandably, this one is the costlier option and is often made of sturdy materials. The composition is usually a combination of carbon fiber and aluminum. On the other hand, some risers are entirely made of carbon fiber or totally metals.
How To Choose The Right Riser?
Often, several factors are involved when you plan to choose a riser for your bow. As an aspiring archer, you are likely to select the advanced option. Therefore, we look at the most important features you should consider before buying a riser.
Weight and Materials Used
Most people overlook this aspect of the riser. The better the weight of the riser, the better the chance you have to make good shots.
The downside is that you may experience stress that may be involved when you handle the entire equipment for long periods.
It often affects the muscles of the archer when they choose heavy risers. Composite metals are often what serious archers choose for their risers. These are designed to add extra stability to your shot when using your bow and arrow.
They are supremely sturdy and are heavier in structure too. Archers who are serious about the sport usually select risers made purely of metal. It can be aluminum or iron in most cases. There are other metals used by certain manufacturers too.
Clicker Plate
You are not likely to have this feature on cheaper riser models and designs. You might not end up using the clicker plate during your initial months of archery. However, you are likely to try it out after a few months of training.
You will begin to understand how important it is to have consistency while drawing your bow. Although this is not likely to happen in the initial duration, it will occur throughout the training period of archery. It is still better to have a riser with a clicker plate.
Drawing consistency is achieved with the use of a clicker plate. A single mount clicker is another option you can choose.
Or else, like many archers, you may make one on your own too. So, investing in a riser with a clicker plate can end up being helpful in the long run.
Limb Alignment Tuning
This can often end up being a feature that confuses you, to say the least. It especially ends up as a challenge for a beginner or novice to use this feature in the early days of archery. However, as an advanced user, you would use it all the time.
As a pro or an advanced archer, you would find these mechanisms relatively helpful. Almost all advanced risers come with this specific feature.
Sometimes, it is integrated into the tiller by particular manufacturers. There are also three particular mechanisms on how this works.
You might be required to dedicate a few hours before you come to understand the process. Experienced archers usually choose the screw riser option over an integrated option. It gives them excellent finetuning options when they practice the sport.
ILF Fittings
Manufacturers of beginner’s risers design them so that they can only be used with their specific bows. They are also proprietary fittings on limbs. It may not be something that you would ideally purchase or invest in.
On the other hand, ILF fittings are superior in quality, and you can use them on different bows. As an experienced archer, selecting the model with ILF fittings will be an ideal choice. It can often outlive the bow’s limb, and therefore, it makes for a good investment too.
Replaceable Grips
This is also something that advanced users prefer to have as an option. The wear and tear associated with the grips are relatively real, and as a result, they may need to be replaced every few months. It is a feature you can look for too, with risers.
Once you have decided on a grip, you may need replacements of the same type. However, in the initial phases of your archery training, you might want to try out different grips to zero in your preferred option.
Bushings
These are commonly provided by most manufacturers these days. Although some people prefer not to use it, you may want to try it before deciding.
It would add versatility to your archery skills, and you would also not be limited to using the stick alone.
A few weeks into archery, you will begin to use most of the things we have mentioned, and it is due to how they work. The more training time you have, the more you will appreciate the features of the riser.
Some Useful Tips for All Archers
Here, we have integrated a few tips you can keep in mind:
Choose Inexpensive Risers
Some risers are not that costly and might be a good investment. However, you might want to select an inexpensive one, to begin with.
Experimenting with inexpensive ones can give you valuable lessons on how or how not to choose a riser.
Once you decide on the model which suits your style, you can select the riser accordingly. Getting to understand your style may take a few months before you can be sure.
Focus on Tuning Skills
Practice until you perfect the art of tuning your bow, along with the riser. It would take time, but you will eventually be able to achieve this skill when you put in hard hours with it. It can be a primary skill you might want to have when your focus is totally on archery.
Without tuning ability or skills, your chances of becoming a professional archer are relatively low. You can ask any archer how long they have spent on this, and they would usually have a story about the long road to becoming an expert with tuning skills. So, devote some time to finetuning your skills.
Choose an Advanced Riser
Although you might not use all of its features, it is a wise investment that you can make. As time goes by, you will begin to appreciate the features better and start using them almost regularly.
A beginner’s riser may not provide you with the versatility that you want. It is likely to happen after a few weeks or months of training in archery.
Always remember that you are investing when you purchase a riser. So, investing in one that is not too costly but not too cheap would be a good option.
Riser Without ILF Fittings
It may be ideal to choose a riser without ILF fittings when you begin. However, this totally depends on individuals. It is because it might take months before you start to use ILF fittings.
If you purchase one with ILF fittings, it may be a little costly. Again, you will end up using it a while later, by all means. So, whether you invest in it or not, it is a personal choice and budget-oriented too.
Different Manufacturers for Limbs and Risers
Often, people end up choosing the same manufacturer for limbs and risers. It is not mandatory as other options may be better to choose from.
So, keep your options open with risers. It is totally fine for you to use different manufacturers for different items that you want for your archery.
This trial-and-error method usually ends up working well when you mix and match. In the long run, you can perfect this and know which riser, limb, bow, or other parts go well in a combination.
Conclusion
It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner at archery. It is always advised by experts to choose an inexpensive but advanced riser.
It would allow you to become a better archer in a shorter period. It is all about personal preferences, features, skills, and the quality that matters when choosing a good riser for your bow.
Remember that an expensive riser does not essentially mean good quality. Always seek advice from experienced archers. They can give you valuable inputs, which you might otherwise not have when it comes to making purchases of different kinds, including a good riser.