In the search for the cleanest release possible tabs have really caught my attention. I am looking at the Black widow and EW Bateman 3 finger under tabs.
I have a few questions about them.
It seems that I am between sizes, should I go bigger or smaller?
How are they for hunting? Are there any advantages or disadvantages for hunting?
Can I hunt with a tab with a cold weather glove on? Or will the glove get in the way? In Maine temperatures vary drastically and I don't want to limit myself.
The EW Bateman tab is one solid piece and the Black widow has slits cut for each finger. Will the slits cause any consistency issues since they may not lay flat like a tab without the slits?
Any other advice is welcomed. :)
Jeremy
My opinion-
If I had to pick between bigger or smaller, I'd go smaller. Some people will say go bigger, and trim. I personally like them more ch better when they are not trimmed. Also, keep in mind, the sizing is based on the width of your 3 fingers. I shoot a Med/Lg glove, and a small tab. I even like the XS tab a lot.
Great for hunting, no disadvantage at all.
IYou can certainly wear a glove under the tab in cold weather, just make sure you practice a little that way. I hunt barehanded, with a tab, no matter how cold. I just rest my hands in a hand warmer that I wear around my waist.
Those slits in the BW shouldn't bother you at all. I don't think you will even notice. I shoot split finger, love the BW tab, but have been considering a Bateman myself just to get cordovan.
I have both. Right now I am using the BW more often.
QuoteOriginally posted by MnFn:
I have both. Right now I am u Ssfsti i g the BE more often.
Which one were you wearing when you wrote this post? :)
If you take a deep hook, go Bateman and I'm in the go smaller camp. I can't stand the BW, but it's sure not a one size fits all sport, and I know a lot of people that prefer the BW. Order both and figure out what's right for you
Several things I do when I hunt with a tab. I cut the three fingers off a very light glove to wear and put it on. I have a couple heater packs in the pocket of my vest or a small hand pouch on that side and keep the hand in there till needed.
Re sizing, for me ( maybe not for you) I hardly worry at all about length, just width and also thickness of the tab materials. I like minimal material so I can feel the string. At rest ( not on the string) my tab looks WAY too short for my fingers. When on the string, things even out a bit. For me, fingers sticking past the end of the tab a bit don't matter cause they don't get touched by the string anyway.
I recently purchased 4 different new tabs to try out(aside from the ones I have had in the past).
To this date I have tried BW, Bateman, Pak Tab, Neet, Chad Orde, Made a few, and i'm sure I'm forgetting a couple.
I have found that I like a certain style. One thing I don't like is for there to be a lot of material in my palm. A lot of people love that.
There also can't be any stiff material on the top that contacts your face or it will cut mine(i believe I have fat face syndrome).
I would advice you to try out as many as you can and see what style you like the most. There are a lot of good ones out there. It would be tough for me to take someone elses advice on something like this. Best thing to do it try as many as you can get your hands on.
Thanks guys!
Unfortunately, I don't have a place nearby that sells a decent tab. So I will have to order one or two to test them out.
I am not sure if I have a "deep hook" or not. I usually grab the string in the first knuckle crease. Is that too shallow for the bateman tab?
Any other things I should be considering?
Jeremy
QuoteOriginally posted by dresnor:
Thanks guys!
Unfortunately, I don't have a place nearby that sells a decent tab. So I will have to order one or two to test them out.
I am not sure if I have a "deep hook" or not. I usually grab the string in the first knuckle crease. Is that too shallow for the bateman tab?
Any other things I should be considering?
Jeremy
You can hook deep or shallow with Bateman, stiff piece on BW precludes my normal hook. I like thicker tabs too personally, I pick the thickest one on the shelf and from what I read on another recent tab post, you can contact Bateman and ask for a thicker piece of leather. Bateman Cordovan will likely last til you lose it versus til you wear it out. If you end up getting a BW and liking it, plenty of guy's do, replace the Velcro with paracord
As far as cold weather goes, try putting a glove on over the tab. It naturally ends up in your palm. When you slide the glove off to shoot it pretty much rolls back into place.
This is using a conventional tab. I don't use either of those mentioned so it may not work for the tab you use.
I have both I like the Bateman better. I like the solid over the slits. The Bateman has a better elastic system for adjusting as to the BW is just a,Velcro band that's a pain to get on and off. The BW is clumsier and more cumbersome. Maybe if I broke it in more I'd like it. Buy em both they are relatively cheap. That's what I did and that's why I have both.
I have used Bateman's for years and they bare great tabs but I recently bought a couple of tabs from Jeff Tate of JT Handcraft. He makes one fine tab. I am loving mine.
Thank you everyone!
I just ordered a Bateman tab. This will either be one of many tabs in my collection or the last one...LOL
It gets a lot of recommendations and the price was right. Can't wait to try it out.
Jeremy
Hey Jeremy, hope it works great for you. Sounds like you are brand new to a tab. I'm sure that will work great for you. Give it a little time
Thanks Medley.
I am new to archery in general. I bought a compound bow in the middle of summer last year and just picked up a trad bow the end of March.
It is ALL brand new to me, and I LOVE it!
Jeremy
Which tab did you order? I prefer the Cordovan faced tabs.
I ordered the Bateman 3 fingers under tab. It says it has the Cordovan leather.
As always, any tips or advice is welcome. This place has been great to me.
Jeremy
That's what I use. Its 4 years old and the cordovan face is like new. You will like it.
Consider the Masters of the Barebow DVDs. It's great seeing all of the different styles, methods, etc. Bot most importantly find YOUR style, method, etc and burn it in
I have used several brands of tab and prefer the calf hair types. In reality, I am not picky at all. As for sizing, I would suggest going bigger and trimming back to a proper fit.
I have found that for me, it's best to go smaller on the tab size. I even have an old Wilson (Black Widow) cordovan tab they made many years ago in a small size that works very well for my large lunch grabbers.
On brand, you have to decide would be my recommendation, but I do like the Bateman cordovan since the cordovan leather is as good if not better than tabs I have costing many times more. Also like the way the Black Widow fits and feels. I bought three sizes (small, medium and large) at different times of Fivics cordovan tabs when they made them with a leather palm plate several years ago (they no longer make these tabs). I use the medium to shoot split finger, which is the style I shot for 55 years, and the small for three under shooting, which I started doing last year for 3-D type short target shooting. The large is too large for me.
In regard to shooting a tab with a glove, no problem for me. I just open up the finger strap and even put a cord strap on a tab that fit over my glove.
I love a tab. I tried a glove for the first couple years after returning to recurves in 2010. Sore fingers resulted after a time.
No problems with my tabs. My favorite is cordoba AAE Cavalier Elite. I love the straight edge the metal plat provides.
I used to use tabs because they felt cleaner. I always preferred calf hair as they seemed slicker to me. After trying a glove from American Leathers, I doubt I'll go back unless those gloves aren't made anymore.
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=134570
I am a tab guy. I like them because I can wear a light pair of gloves and keep a hand warmer in my pocket when it gets cold. The tab fits over the gloves, and they are just enough to keep my hand warm if it has to be out of the pocket for awhile. I buy a piece of leather of a thickness I like and cut my own. I have plenty. If I drop it once I get up in a tree, I pop another out of my pack. A spare in the truck as well.