I use cheap calf hair tabs but wear 2 of them out about each year. What are some better options?
Thanks
cordivan or cordovian-? patten leather.
I use a Black Widdow Cordovan Leather tab, last a long time for me.
I use a cordovan tab with the rubber finger spacer from 3 rivers. It's about 1 1/2 years old and just broke in good. I've got back ups but the first one's still going strong.
Neet cordovan instead of the calfhair.
EW BATEMAN CORDOVAN
Bateman Cordovan is my favorite
Sanders plastic tab works great for me. Lasts until I lose it or the dog eats it!
When my shoes wear out I use the tongue and trace the pattern on it off of another tab (3-under guy)
Cut it out with a razor and I am good to go.
Can you imagine what you would have to toss for tabs made out of Danner Boot leather.Green all the way!!!
Good Shooting,
Craig
Saunders,Best hunting tab i have ever used. www.sausa.com (http://www.sausa.com)
My favorite tab for a long time was cut out of the upper of an old cowboy boot. Just recently, I was gifted with a slew of simple mitten-shaped cordovan tabs. I started using one, thinking that it is so thin that my fingers will soon be crying for mercy. Nope. It is now my favorite tab, even better than the sealskin one that I used for about five years. Simple, burnished leather and just as slick as frogsnot.
Killdeer :archer:
I use the Super Mitt. switched this year, and love it. Has two layers of decent leather.
I mean't: decently thick leather. lol
It's a great tab
EW Bateman cordovan tabs. :archer:
Killie
I am wondering how you found out how slick frogsnot was??? :D
Bateman tab for me, but the Saunder's Pac Tab shares the top spot as well.
Ultra Lite Elite Cavalier Tab. Got mine from 3R's and it is a very nice shooting tab. Check it out. :thumbsup:
My vote goes to the Saunders PakTab. I have put THOUSANDS of shots through mine and it barely looks like it is worn at all. I can't imagine what it would take to wearit out. It is also imoervious to water.
Bisch
Cordovan all the way,they last forever.
Saunder's Fab Tab's, and Pac Tab's.
They wear like iron, and give a great release, as the material is very slick.
I have one that is 5+ years old, and hardly any wear showing on it.
It will more likely get lost, rather than wearing out.
R.W.
Bateman.
EW BATEMAN Cordovan tabs. I have one that is 3 years old works fine just broke in well.
I prefer calf hair tabs but cordovan lasts a lot longer. You will probably lose it before you wear it out. We make both cordovan and calf hair tabs in 3 under or split finger models.
Screaming Eagle cordovan tab is the best I have found. Kind of like the one Killie described and just as slick!
I shoot with a glove. I don't know how you guys can shoot with a tab. It feels really strange to me!!
AkBillyBow
Screaming Eagle cordovan tab,still shooting the two I got from Paul Brunner back in 1987.
I use a Black Widow tab that uses their "super leather".
Black Widow Tab (http://www.blackwidowbows.com/store/250-Superleather-Black-Widow-Tab-Split-Finger-P28C14.aspx)
Very slick and very tough. Took me a bit to get use to the way it attaches to the hand and takes a bit to break in but after a few hundred shots works great and very durable.
Cavalier Elite.
Which ever tab I can find at the momemt :bigsmyl:
Black Widow Super Leather tab. I've had one for years now and it's still my go-to tab. I've had a backup one like it for years too and still haven't used it!
Bateman here and a super mitt when my index finger needs babying.
God bless,Mudd
Tabs can have an effect on how you shoot. It seems to me that a slick tab is kinder to your fingers. It might help get a little more fps from the bow. Also, it can effect your shot.
Several years ago I became interested in making tabs. Someone wanted a sharksin tab so I made several of them. One day I was shooting with a cordovan tab and decided to try a sharkskin tab. All of my shots with the sharkskin tab were to the left (about 6" at 15 yards. I never really satisfied myself with the reason why, but it was a fact that it was happening. The coeficient of friction for the sharkskin would be much higher then for the calf hair or cordovan which seemed to result in the arrow going left. :archer2:
I've been using Bateman tabs for decades.
Cavalier elite
Alaska Bowhunting has a cordovan tab similar to the Screaming Eagle one. It's all I use...
Black widow three under tab...no more caliced finger! :archer2:
Bateman--many styles, many options, last forever.
Thanks Im looking for a new tab also, currently Im using a calf hair from 3r and since I like to anchor touching my teeth I alway end up with hair on my mouth!! one of these day I might coff a hairball hahahaha
monkeyball....you're the only guy I know who has a "Doc Martin" shooting tab. I'll try that Danner one next time you aren't keeping a close eye on your Danners. Boot tounges are highly overrated.....tough to beat the old tried and true "can't pinch" tab...my dad swore by em' for 50 years.....
Cavalier Elite.
Went to a shoot once and my buddy forgot his tab,I lent him mine and cut one out of a n old deerskin glove I had in the truck.It shot well.
It is amazing what works when you don't have....
Good Shooting,
Craig
monkeyball that's why I also carry one in my wallet.
God bless,Mudd
The Bateman Cordovan tab with finger seperator is outstanding. This is the tab sold by 3-Rivers, they just don't advertise it as such. Go figure.
I prefer the Bateman, but 3R has the one with the elastic loop. I buy the leather loop straight from Bateman. I have never wore one out.
I used to shoot a glove, but changed to a tab because I shot better with it and liked how easy it was to flip around my finger to get out of the way.
I tried the Bateman with the elastic loop. It didn't' have as much finger protection as I like. It would fly off my hand. I had to adjust how I shot to keep it on. It curled up so the string would try and pull it off. That caused me finger and shot problems when I did what I had to in order to shoot and keep it on. If I tried one again I would be the leather finger hole style.
I shot BW tabs for a long time. Super leather is really durable and the kind of finger protection I like, but same strap and problems as the Bateman I had. The calf hair was slicker, but not as much padding. It stayed on my hand better until the calf hair wears off. The hair came off the last couple I had so fast I gave up on them. I like the finger guard flaps on the BW tabs, but after a while between the guards and the curling layers, I find it to be a little slow to get on the string without looking and making sure you don't get something folded over on the string. This is not ideal to me for hunting.
The last tab I used was the Pac-tab. I like this system a lot. Very adjustable. It stays on my hand well, and doesn't curl up like other tabs. I can change up the padding amount and make it all waterproof if I want. I plan to stay with this tab for now.
I played with a Cavalier Elite a little. It was not sized right, but it gave me an Idea of how it could work. I liked a lot about it, but the one I had was not very thick. It was ok for light bows, but my fingers didn't care for it when shooting a lot of arrows at the 54-55# I shoot my bows at my draw length.
I have had the problem with different tabs shooting right and left. I have also found this with different gloves or glove vs. tab. I have also found that all tabs so far tend to rub on my fingers a lot causing heavy calluses that flake and crack if I don't keep them filed down. This usually happens after the softer leather finish on the tab wears down and becomes harder and smoother.
I used to shoot with the basic finger stall gloves. I never liked them all that much and shot better with the tabs. The last year I have tried a few gloves and have not fund one I like until recently. They are usually too thin, don't give me good releases, or have seams I don't like because they rub on my fingers. I have been working with a super glove. I loved the cordovan, but didn't like how hard it was. After on and off shooting with it, it has started to break in better. I now shoot well with it. Just about as good as the pack tab. The more I shot that glove the more I find I don't build up my calluses near as much. No filing required. Most recently I tried a Big Shot Elk glove. The one I got to try was too big for me so it moves some, but still protects my fingers well. I love this glove. I shoot it better than a tab and it is not even sized right. The string feel is just right. I have no seams or anything to rub my fingers. The release is slick. For me there is something about a glove that gives me much better feel of what my three fingers are doing on the string. I can tell what fingers are pulling more or less much easier than with a tab.
For now I plan to shoot a glove for stumping and most of my fun shooting. Come hunting season there is a good chance I will change back to the Pac-tab just for the ease of getting it out of the way and back fast for a shot if needed.
I don't think one tab or glove works for everyone. It really is a lot of trial and error to find what suits you.
I own all the ones listed so far, plus about a dozen others. That said, without doubt, my favorites are my Ol'e Buff tabs. For $6.50 they sure have a ton of quality.
http://www.olebuff.com/
Cavalier Elite Cordovan
QuoteOriginally posted by Bisch:
My vote goes to the Saunders PakTab. I have put THOUSANDS of shots through mine and it barely looks like it is worn at all. I can't imagine what it would take to wearit out. It is also imoervious to water.
Bisch
+1
Cavalier Elite cordovan tab with the shelf removed.
EW BATEMAN CORDOVAN
I have one that is going on 4 year sold. Use some pure Beeswax to treat and they last for a long time.
I've been liking a Kantpinch tab made with a cordovan type leather.
stay7 away from kant pinch they gave me a blister on the top finger that put me out of action for a week
I made several tabs using a heavy duty tire tube. I don't know what they put on the slick side of the tubes, but it makes them slicker than any material I've ever used or bought. It doesn't wear out either.
I got to get me another tire tube..best thing I've used for uninvented gadgets.
I love my Kantpinch KP300's.
Been running them since '84.
I've tried some of the BW tabs, made the side of my face a little sore.
Tried the Saunders Fab-Tab when they came out. Different, but it worked well with my Hoyt Huntmaster........until I went rabbit hunting one late/cold day. Shot at one and it was like a firecracker going off in my fingers.
I chucked that bad boy right then and there.
As for the durability of the KP300's and calfhair.....I get at least 3K shots out of one if I don't lose it, or take it bowfishing.
Try a Martin Super Mit
Save some cash and make your own. I pick up oiled cordovan scraps at Tandy Leather. I trace my present tab on it and then cut them out with heavy scissors. For the price of a couple production tabs I can make 12 to 20 of my own.. They hold up to hard shooting essentially for forever. The really nice part is that when I misplace one I am out no real cost, and I have 15 more sitting in my archery box.
I like the Cordovan tab from Alaska Bowhunter supply.
Frank
Love cordovan, but hate the Bateman version.