Hi all,
Getting closer to pulling the trigger on a new bow (terrible pun, my bad!) and am trying to decide between a two piece or one piece. Don't like the idea of a two piece though, seems prone to wear and some guys reckon you lose a bit of performance.
So just wondering if a one piece is really that much of a pain to transport in the car, on hunts etc? Only bows I've owned have all been three piece.
Any input appreciated, thanks!
I do most of my hunting with a longbow that is a one piece... 66" so not too long but longer than my recurves. I have no issues at all in stand or in a blind...or in vehicle. I put it in front passenger seat with my quiver unstrung...and go to the woods. When I traveled for hunts with it or similar longbow I had a piece of PVC with one cap glued on and the other a slip on cap with a metal screw in it to keep it from coming undone...and an air vent hole in one end or you will never get it off from the suction. LOL Ask me how I know. I put it in the fleece sleeve...foam in bottom of PVC...foam in lid...and bow in between. I have a shorter one for arrows with broadheads and then I tape them together so they will lay flat on conveyor and not roll around...and fashion a handle out of tape or 550 cord as well. Makes it easier to carry when you also have a duffel over your shoulder and a carry on bag. TSA wont let you hand carry a bow onboard anymore anyhow as I found out on my Bear Hunt last year with my two piece Wolfer....so no real advantage other than if you want to stick it in your checked baggage with your clothes.
When I have traveled with a takedown recurve the case was large anyhow and held arrows and spare strings, nocks, etc. So that might have been easy...but so is the pvc tubes lashed or taped together with duct tape...then I throw my soft quiver, spare strings, spare tabs, spare heads and judos...in my checked bags in a little plastic case and never look back.
I typically pick one of my bows each year as the one I am going to shoot and hunt with...never worrying about whether it is takedown or one piece....I really dont like taking them apart and then back together to be honest. I treat them as 1 pieces 99% of the time.
We used one piece bows for years back when there was no such thing as take downs. That being said I suppose if you hunt somewhere far away and have to fly the take down is ideal.
Like, Brock, I seldom ever take my take downs down. My main reason for buying take downs is for the additional physical weight of the bow compared to a one piece and the option of having an extra set of limbs.
I have no trouble carrying a 66" bow in my SUV. In a car, it would have to stick up between the front seats I imagine. The flip side of that is if you ever want to transport it on a train or plane, my 54" Java Man takes down into 2 pieces, each of which will fit in my quiver and are shorter than my arrows. Three-piece bows are even more compact, but you have to carry a hex wrench with you. It would be a disaster to get out in the woods and find no wrench.
I have a bow bolt type takedown, but have owned a Sparrow Hawk with a hinge connection. Neither would see enough take-down/assembly in my life time to wear them out. My Elk Heart (Java Man) has been taken down 3 times - mostly to show people how compact it really is. Nice to know I can do it if I want to, though.
I really like one-piece better....but like Louis (Straitshot) said, a take-down is sure nice if you are traveling...
The only situation I can think of where a one piece bow is a pain in the rear is if you have to fly somewhere. Never had a problem with a one piece bow when traveling in a car to hunt.
Bisch
Do you fly to hunt? If so, that might make a difference if the transport company can't handle a long case.
Can you afford to pay oversize baggage fees? If so and it doesn't bother you to pay those fees, then it's up to you, whether you prefer a takedown or one-piece bow. If you cannot afford oversize baggage fees or don't like to pay them, then takedown.
I've traveled a couple of times to hunt. I carried my 3-pc in luggage and mailed (USPS) a one-piece bow to my destination. Staying within the Continental 48, it was only a couple of days for the mailed bow to arrive. I could easily have mailed my primary bow without concern.
Up to you and your preferences.
Hope this helps.
homebru
I think my bowbolt two piece actually makes my bow better. I love the added weight.
I'm not a huge fan of a takedown bow just from a romantic perspective. There is nothing wrong with a take down bow and they perform very well. I just prefer having my bow in one piece.. It seems more natural to me and it just feels right. It comes down to what you want in a bow and what kind of things you want it to do!
I carry my 60" bow on my bicycle with me from time to time. Point being, you can make it work if you want to.
Sure wouldn't mind one of those 2 piece sleeve take down bows though. You could tuck that into your back quiver and be on your way.
Anymore, I dont want anything but a one piece.
The 65" flatbow I carry around through some pretty thick woods has never been a problem. I've never dealt with a 2pc. bow.
QuoteOriginally posted by shedhunta:
I think my bowbolt two piece actually makes my bow better. I love the added weight.
This is a good point! I have a 54" Elkheart one-piece and it goes through the woods wonderfully, being so short. Love it, however I've heard the additional weight adds to the bows accuracy. I'd love to shoot the bow bolt and see.
I can only imagine how convenient it would be to travel with a 2 piece 54" bow. Taken apart it wouldn't be as long as my arrows! So, I'd say it depends on which bow and what you want to do with it.
Sorry, double post.
I took down my 2-piece longbow several times while on my 13-day float hunt in 2013. It was very handy in a raft, and in a pack, taken down. A lot easier to fly with the airlines and bush plane as well.
I took the same flight the next year, from Chicago to Fairbanks, AK and back, to play in a hockey tournament. On the return trip, the airlines broke both of my $250 hockey sticks, in spite of them being taped together and in a special container. I like the shorter package of the take down bow, as I feel it is less likely to end up in a nasty situation on baggage handling machinery. I won't buy a one piece bow.
I've had mostly take down bows but I'm primarily a whitetail hunter and almost never actually take them down. A takedown is great because you can get different limb weights while keeping the same riser but that largely depends on the bowyer. For example...if I order a 55 pound takedown from Black Widow....and then decide I want a set of 35 pound limbs I know I will have them very soon. But if I'm buying a bow from a guy who maybe has a longer turn around time then it's wise to order both sets of limbs at the same time. When traveling on a plane a takedown has obvious advantages. But overall, a one piece bow is just fine with me.
I have one three-piece (a Wing Presentation II target bow - the first three-piece take down recurve) and all my hunting bows (13?) are one piece.
I like the simplicity, weight, silence and looks of one piece bows.
I actually prefer one piece bows. My take downs even are almost always put together.
I'm actually working on a window rack of sorts for my Pathfinder to hold my bows while in transit (oriented along the length of the car at the large rear side window). That being said, I've never flown with a bow, and if I did I'd probably take apart on of my take downs.
If you plan to travel in airplane a 2 piece TD bow is a must to avoid extra size luggage issues. Other than that there is no interest. And yes, there's is a ( very) little lose in performance between 2 piece versus 1 piece bow
A one piece is fine unless you have any plans to travel by plane. There should be no change in performance between a one and two piece. The bowbolt will add weight as said most other system only add a couple ounces.
Thanks for the replies guys, appreciate it. Some good points raised here to mull over!
Just had a look on a few airlines websites and they seem pretty flexible actually with regards to sports equipment, no extra charge as long as its within your checked allowance.
Might be more of an issue with internal connections on smaller planes perhaps.
I started with a one piece bow, and had this bow flying with me to hunts.
Then I bought a 2 pieces bow, and never looked back.
I have a SUV, could pack a one piece but I like the convenience of a two pieces, especially if you are traveling with friends and all their gear.
F-Manny
I almost never take mine down but when I do it's darned handy. Flying, hiking in its nice inside the pack instead of hanging off the back either banging the backs of your knees or sticking up to catch tree branches.
I hardly ever take mine down to travel, if Brian at TallTines ever made a one piece I would probably own one
I have flown with my one piece longbow....stored in the PVC tubes...it travels great. On smaller bush planes it was strapped to pontoon or wing struts if would not fit. yes it is likely more convenient for breakdown bows...but other than my Robertson Wolfer....I dont trust having to remember to carry the right hex/allen wrench with me in field and having a backup just in case. The bow bolt in the Wolfer is genius though.....
I have a 64" one piece Tolke longbow with next to zero mass wt. Love that bow and shoot it as well or better than my heavier recurves.
If you travel by airplane: three piece.
If you travel by car or foot: one piece is fine, usually lighter, easier to silence when shooting, invariably better looking, simpler, less apt to fail, cheaper.
Did I miss anything?
I don't fly with a bow, so one piece is usually no different than a two or three piece. Difference would come into effect when backpack hunting, if I bagged something, it would sure be nice to break the bow down and put in my pack. I'm using a one piece Whip now, hasn't been an issue, but if I can ever get a chance to shoot a 64" Poison Dart and if it will handle my long draw,i will order a 2 piece one.
As so many have said, I have TDs that I never take down or for that matter seldom unstring. They hang on he wall ready to go. I can't afford to fly off someplace to hunt anyway.
I've had 1, 2, and 3 PC. The only time it matters to me is in elk camp. The rides out and back in the dark make the two PC like a bow bolt or jack knife worth every penny. I rode this year with my 3 piece strung a lot of the time. Some mornings without any star or moonlight I had to take it down. I like the two PC best. Although at home it would never be taken down.
OK, so the convenience of take downs for travel by plane has been covered. I will add another convenient piece,
I know 2 different people who broke their one piece bows while packing in on horse back to Elk camp. Both people said if they had a two piece they would not have been broken.
I own a 2 piece and love it. Usually I fly 1-2 times a year with it. Yes, Most of the time it stays together, but for the times I need it to come apart, it sure is handy.
I own a Big Jim 2 piece bow. You would never know it is a 2 piece unless someone showed you. As far as performance difference.... this is based purely on opinion.... With your naked eye, you will not see any difference lb for lb.
QuoteOriginally posted by Stumpkiller:
If you travel by airplane: three piece.
If you travel by car or foot: one piece is fine, usually lighter, easier to silence when shooting, invariably better looking, simpler, less apt to fail, cheaper.
Did I miss anything?
I'll buy part of the above. Easier to silence? invariably better looking? No way. You left out the 2-piece. My 2-piece Java Man Elk Heart looks the same, feels the same and is just as quiet as the identical model in 1-piece.
(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm312/bladepeek/Archery/Java%20Man%20Elk%20Heart/DSC_0002.jpg) (http://s299.photobucket.com/user/bladepeek/media/Archery/Java%20Man%20Elk%20Heart/DSC_0002.jpg.html)
I have no issue in a car / truck. It is the plane that makes a three piece a better deal.
ChuckC
QuoteOriginally posted by Bladepeek:
QuoteOriginally posted by Stumpkiller:
If you travel by airplane: three piece.
If you travel by car or foot: one piece is fine, usually lighter, easier to silence when shooting, invariably better looking, simpler, less apt to fail, cheaper.
Did I miss anything?
I'll buy part of the above. Easier to silence? invariably better looking? No way. You left out the 2-piece. My 2-piece Java Man Elk Heart looks the same, feels the same and is just as quiet as the identical model in 1-piece.
(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm312/bladepeek/Archery/Java%20Man%20Elk%20Heart/DSC_0002.jpg) (http://s299.photobucket.com/user/bladepeek/media/Archery/Java%20Man%20Elk%20Heart/DSC_0002.jpg.html) [/b]
Gregg makes a hell of a bow and if I ever won that hunt of a lifetime and needed to fly and pack in I would be contacting him. But that's a two piece and we were talking three piece. The ones with the bolts on the limbs or even . . .
shudder . . . metal risers.
I like to bring the old girls back out of garages and basements and look for those $75 to $150 recurves needing love and care.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Stumpkiller/Bowhunting/DSCN1256_zps8bab4bd6.jpg)
A takedown would be more convenient when riding a four wheeler (quad)
I didn't think of that one when I ordered my Big Jim Buff. Jim tried to push me in that direction it was only $100 more. But I thought I never fly anywhere. After I got my bow I was,thinking how nice a takedown would be on the wheeler.
I used three piece bows for a few years but rarely took them down. I'm now shooting a two-piece prototype and have already found it more convenient than the three piece as far as ease of transport. Quite convenient in my opinion!
Of course, 99% of the time a one piece isn't an issue for me. I can fit three 66+" bows in the back of my wife's Yaris without trouble and that's my brother and I have done the same in his '69 Bug. Neither of those vehicles are particularly spacious, lol!
Then again, I don't travel much for hunting. Your mileage may vary!
Stumpkiller, I see that you were talking about 3-piece bows, but the original post asked about 2-piece vs 1-piece. He stated that he had already owned 3-piece and was familiar with them. I don't disagree with you; just wanted to throw out the 2-piece as a viable option.
1-piece bows aren't the end of the world to travel with but they are long and much more likely to be damaged by airlines. I've been on a multi-year search for a 2-piece that I actually enjoy shooting as much as my 1-piece with plans to make a custom shadowed AR rifle sized Pelican case for when traveling. In the case I plan to put bow, arrows, binoculars, quiver, etc in it and then the monkeys in airports can do whatever they want to it or when traveling by car I can toss luggage on top of my bow case and nothing is going to happen to any of it.
Simple solution...have one of each! You know you'll have more than two bows anyway :)
My problem is I have too many...now which T/D do I pack for my hunt in IOWA :knothead:
The simplest and best two piece (my opinion of one) is the locket socket style. It is super simple, super strong and when strung you cannot tell the difference from a one piece in either looks or shooting.
I own four and have built a ton of them and would not use another system. They go together instantly and are totally solid.
To me the cost is worth it but opinions differ and that is why they are opinions.
God bless, Steve
I have 1, piece, 2 and 3 piece take downs. Right now I would travel with my 2 pc longbows a Hill and a Super "D". They both fit in my T/D case so I would have back up once I got there.
Sixby, could you post some pics of the locket socket system if possible? Haven't heard of that before. Thanks for all the replies, appreciate the feedback!
QuoteOriginally posted by Matabele:
Sixby, could you post some pics of the locket socket system if possible? Haven't heard of that before. Thanks for all the replies, appreciate the feedback!
Well, I'm not Sixby but, this is what a locket socket looks like when disassembled and Bladepeek posted a picture of what a locket socket looks like when assembled.
homebru
(http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z208/DannyBoats/DSC00889.jpg)
I have both and recommend the 2pc. That said, mine isn't taken down often but I do like the flexibility it gives me when I do. Times I've taken it down: Flying - fits in my regular luggage. Long drives - takes less room and can always keep it in the truck cab even when there's a lot of gear. Dragging - taken down strapped to my fanny pack keeps it out of the way while dragging deer. Packing in/out - only did once moose hunting but the bow was strapped into my backpack and make for an easy hike without the hangups on brush.
Thanks for the pic Homebru! The system looks pretty slick.