I am wanting to give a tab a legit chance. I have given it a try for 1 day before, but never shot it 2 days in a row.
How long should I shoot it before I give it up?
Everything is different with a tab. It does not feel "right". It doesn't hit where i'm looking. The arrow isn't tuned the same because I feel like I don't get as far of a draw, etc.
Before someone asks, why swap? I just want to.
I'm in the same boat Daniel. I would love to shot a tab but just cant..
For me the reason was feel. With a thick glove I couldn't "feel" the string - and that's my biggest thing.
A tab helped me get a better feel for the shot, making me more comfortable and confident. I think my release is about the same either way.
I'd say give it a few hundred arrows. If it still feels out of place and you're not getting good results, it's probably not going to get any better. If it ain't broke, don't fix it :D
I shot with gloves from about 1968-1979 or so. Then went to tabs until switching to LH shooting in 1996. I tried a glove again in 2010 and 2011. Now I've been shooting tabs again (actually a specific tab- Cavalier Elite with Cordova leather).
My fingers are better protected (the gloves I used made my fingers sore) and I like my release better.
I'd give it at least 2 weeks of every day shooting. Frankly, I find no difference in anchor or impact between the glove or tab. Of course I think the tab is important. I've tried 3-4 other tabs for a few shots and I didn't like em. I trimmed the Cavalier to give me a solid "finger at the mouth" feel.
The only downside to the tab vs. glove for me is that the tab is easier to drop from the stand. The cavalier has a metal plate which could scratch a wood riser if not careful. I rotate the tab to the back of my fingers when climbing down from the tree.
I am a glove shooter, but have tried a tab several times. I kept getting hit in the face, but that was because I never trimmed the tab. I have several that I like - a Bateman cordovan tab and a more elaborate one with an aluminum backing plate. Both had to be trimmed back so the cordovan and backing leather just covered the joint of my fingers and not much more. That eliminated the slapping and I think I do get a little better/cleaner release. I still find the glove more convenient, but shoot both - glove for hunting and tab for target shooting. My groups (patterns?) seem about the same either way.
I wonder why you're not getting as far of a draw? I never would have thought that would be a problem.
Like gloves, tabs are all different, and it is unlikely that the first one you try will be the best one for you.
The other two problems you mentioned, not feeling right and not hitting where you're looking, will work themselves out in time, I'm sure.
Thats the problems i have, as soon as i trim the tab so it's not slapping my face my fingers start getting torn up.
Good point McDave about the anchor. If one is anchoring at the corner of the mouth (for instance) with a glove the tab should be the same.
Daniel,
ANY change in form or equipment should be for at least two weeks without reverting back to the "old." Just one or two practice sessions is not a fair test of the "change OR you."
Training theory says that it takes 21 practice sessions before a habit is formed or changed. Also, expect ANY change to lower your shooting proficiency for a while. You can't/shouldn't expect a change to instantly make you better than you were -- it will take some TIME!
Arne
You guys all mentioned problems I forgot to mention.
The tab hitting and even scratching my face, now I see that i should have trimmed it some, i will try that.
McDave,
i may not be any change in draw length, but I am definitely getting a lot different tuning. I'm sure it has something to do with my release being absolutely horrible with a tab. There is nothing like watching an arrow fly like a dart, and nothing more frustrating than watching a nock wave(fish tail) good bye as its leaving.
Just my experience, I was always a glove guy, but I've tried a few of the better mass manufactured tabs and could never shoot with them.
Eventually I tried making a simple cut out tab from thin leather, and this works best for me. Offers protection to the fingers without being too bulky, and seems to get better with age.
I also trim it short so that my finger tips are free to find a solid anchor.
If I trim a tab short enough to work and anchor optimally for me, I do get a little contact with the string and my middle fingertip on release of the arrow. You quickly build up a small callous on your fingertip and won't notice it anymore. However, when I switch to left-handed shooting, I definitely notice it because I don't shoot left-handed enough for the callous to form.
QuoteOriginally posted by McDave:
I wonder why you're not getting as far of a draw? I never would have thought that would be a problem.
Like gloves, tabs are all different, and it is unlikely that the first one you try will be the best one for you.
The other two problems you mentioned, not feeling right and not hitting where you're looking, will work themselves out in time, I'm sure.
x2, I have tried some tabs that did not work well for me and others that work very well.
do any of you guys shoot your tab split?
I have been interested in trying a tab also. Can someone post pics of how they are supposed to "fit" on your hand and how your fingers should look like when you trim them? also maybe a pic of your placement on the string showing where the string meets the glove?
Sorry if i hijacked this thread.
Red
I was the opposite...I like to "feel" the string and my glove allowed me to. It was thin, not Damascus thin, but way thinner than American Leathers, cordovan tips, et al. Tabs felt too thick. I'm shooting a tab now, but the only one that I found that felt right is the BW (non calf-hair model). The leather isn't super slick and the string comes off my fingers like my glove, I can actually interchange them It's inexpensive if you want to try one, but your mileage may vary.
Daniel, I took an Rod Jenkins clinic and learned a BUNCH! One of the things he teaches is that when you change up something it doesn't feel "natural" or "right". The reason for this is only because it is something new or different. You could be doing it wrong for your whole life but it will feel right only because thats how you've been doing it for so long. Rod had me change my anchor point(s) and wow, did it feel wrong! After a few weeks it was normal. I also changed to two under with my fingers recently. That one was hard, a new paradigm in drawing the string and release. Now, it just come natural and no thought involved, even when hunting.
My shooting has improved plenty!
I also was a glove shooter (since picking up a bow for the first time) and switched to a tab. I've gone back and forth and find the tab work best for me, once again it now feels natural.
Good luck and keep working at it.
I shoot split finger. I use a Bateman cordovan tab and a American Leathers Big Shot Crossover. Have no issues with either shooting where I am looking.
QuoteOriginally posted by doeboy:
I have been interested in trying a tab also. Can someone post pics of how they are supposed to "fit" on your hand and how your fingers should look like when you trim them? also maybe a pic of your placement on the string showing where the string meets the glove?
Sorry if i hijacked this thread.
Red
I am wanting to see the same thing! Thank you for the question.
If anyone else wants to help me understand, please do!
I posted one picture here in this thread.
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=007485#000000
Arne
I had a three time world and, two time national champ to switch to a tab, took a little while, but I would never switch back and, now I can shoot either way. He did insist on me getting a Bateman tab though.
You have to make sure it's cut to the correct length for your fingers.
Good luck
I am with Doug K. i cut my own out of vegetable tanned leather, soft and pliable, not as thin as deerskin, but thinner than belt leather. No a spacer. I think it keeps my release smoother because it turns my bottom fingers (shoot split) into a single unit.
alright fellas,
I have 2 tabs at my house currently. Both are homemade. lol. They are of great quality, but i'd like y'alls opinion on them. I just found out what is doing the scratching on my face..
(http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/o795/wadebinkley/Random%20Outdoors/7213732C-9E9C-46FB-8727-3AC874955E5E_zpseooslvwv.jpg) (http://s1343.photobucket.com/user/wadebinkley/media/Random%20Outdoors/7213732C-9E9C-46FB-8727-3AC874955E5E_zpseooslvwv.jpg.html)
the corner where the pencil is touching is what keeps scratching my face.. You can see where I tried to smooth out the leather some.. it worked some, but i'm wondering if I need a different tab.. The release feels good, and the arrow still waves good bye, but i could see getting used to it when i can correct the face scratching issue..
The tab looks pretty nice to me, Id say take your broadhead file and lightly round out that corner on the leather. Had to do that on an armguard that was irritating my forearm.
And for the waggling arrow, be sure your hooking your fingers in the exactly same location you do with your glove. its easy to miss when your worried your fingertips are going to meet the string, or that you might loose your tab.
I was a die hard Damascus glove shooter until I tried the Black Widow Cordovan leather tab. No going back for me. My bows are quieter and much a slicker release. I shoot split fingers.
Good detective work, Daniel! I have a tab sold by Rod Jenkins, that is for 3 under, but is otherwise similarly constructed to yours. I like it, but it scratches my face too. I never would have suspected the back of the tab as being the source of the problem.
I didn't read all the post but I am quite new tab convert. I used to shoot with gloves but I felt like the padding was too short and if i tried to get a deep hook the string would get stuck behind the padding...
I use BlackWidow super leather tabs now and I'm shooting split. It really took some time to get my tab trimmed. I think I trimmed it a little right away but then shot with it almost to weeks before trimming again.
Now that I'm used to shooting with tabs I can say it didn't make me shooting smaller groups etc. but I get better back tension because of the deep hook and more relaxed forearm.
One other good thing is that tabs don't develop grooves. At least mine doesn't.
I have to admit tab felt little ankward for the first few days but the trimming is the key to make it work
update:
I have put a few hundred shots through the tab and determined that the palm piece is just too large for my likings, so i did a little modifying..
(http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/o795/wadebinkley/Random%20Outdoors/C0BABCD5-03A5-43AB-88F2-FFB2ADFD0F9F_zpsk9f9aeqz.jpg) (http://s1343.photobucket.com/user/wadebinkley/media/Random%20Outdoors/C0BABCD5-03A5-43AB-88F2-FFB2ADFD0F9F_zpsk9f9aeqz.jpg.html)
I also managed to start grouping pretty well with the tab. This was one of the better ones..
(http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/o795/wadebinkley/Random%20Outdoors/6C3BDA5B-F687-4D24-BBCC-1952FF8D0FAB_zpsvgdvt6li.jpg) (http://s1343.photobucket.com/user/wadebinkley/media/Random%20Outdoors/6C3BDA5B-F687-4D24-BBCC-1952FF8D0FAB_zpsvgdvt6li.jpg.html)
I will keep y'all updated through the process.. thank you for all your input. If you have a recommendation for a tab i should try out, or have an old one i could try out, please let me know. I don't mind buying a tab, but would love to test them out first..
I shot a glove for nearly 50 years. Tried tabs on and off, but could never get one to feel right until I shot a Black Widow tab -- split finger. That was three years ago, and I now shoot it almost exclusively. I get a cleaner release with a tab, but it is slower to put into action while hunting so I still sometimes use a glove hunting, or bare fingers.
Tabs differ, just like gloves. I suggest you try several until you find one that feels good to you. Do need to give your tests more than a day though. A half-dozen or so shooting sessions should give you a good idea as to whether it's working or not. Good luck.
I'm with Orion on this. I get a better release with the tab. I think that's partly because I tended to leave the string to far out on my fingertips with a glove.
I've posted this pic of finger placement several times recently from Kisik Lee. He ought to have a pretty good idea how to place your fingers on the string.
(http://www.kslinternationalarchery.com/Technique/KSLShotCycle/Step03-Stringfingers_small.jpg)
As Arne posted above, the tab should be placed as far back on your fingers as possible.
(http://www.astraarchery.com/AAE_KSL_Gold_Finger_Tab_files/shapeimage_31.png)
It's strange at first. I've been shooting a tab exclusively for a month or so. It's starting to feel normal. Why did I switch?
First of all, Olympic archers shoot tabs, not gloves. There is probably a reason other than just rules.
Second, I find a glove bothersome when I'm hunting. I can spin a tab around to the back of my hand and do things and then put it back in place without any problems.
Third, I can wear nearly any glove (think plain leather to fully insulated) that you can buy me and still shoot a tab.
Hope this helps.
homebru
The only thing that is weird about it right now is i'm not really able to hit my anchor point and get a good release. I can't explain it, but if I have to force my fingers over to the corner of my mouth i get a bad release. (arrows show stiff)
If i just draw and shoot, and have a floating release, they fly like darts, but I do not like not having a solid anchor.
I'm trying to figure out what you're saying. I think you're saying that you COULD get a solid anchor and a good release with a glove, but not with a tab. If that is the case, then I would guess that the thickness of the glove over your fingertips allowed you to feel like you were getting a solid anchor with a glove, even though your fingertips were not really touching the corner of your mouth. With a tab, where you actually have to touch your fingertips to the corner of your mouth, it doesn't work. These are the alternatives I see:
1. Stay with a glove. Rick Welch, my mentor, has always used a glove and few people can outshoot him. I'm sure he wonders why I switched to a tab (but probably doesn't lose much sleep over it).
2. Just keep shooting with a tab with the same anchors you've always used, and you'll probably get used to it.
3. Pick a new anchor, like the cock feather on your nose and your thumb on your ear lobe, that might work better than the anchor you've always used.
4. There's nothing wrong with a floating anchor if it works for you. I sort of use one myself.
Note that all of the 4 alternatives are wins. Not very often in life that you can roll the dice and be sure of coming up a winner.
It took me a few week to get use to a tab. But I'm glad I gave it the go and made the switch.
I tried switching to a tab. With my glove my arrows fly perfect when I shoot my tab my arrows fishtail I'm sure it's something I'm doing or its my homemade tab I dunno so I'm still not converted yet but I can see that a tab would be more convenient for hunting IMO.
MCDave,
you made a great point. My glove has some thick leather on it which lets me have a "solid anchor", but then again, i'm not actually touching my face with my fingers.
Overall, I am very pleased with the tab. I am not sure how people say its more convenient than a glove though. I just put my glove on and go.
I do feel like the bottom part of the tab(middle and ring finger) being 1 piece as compared to a glove makes for a lot smoother release. The string just feels like it slides off my fingers with no effort.
I shoot with a Bateman cordovan and have for many years.It is also our #1 selling tab by far,never had a complaint with them.
Terry
3 days in..
I am still having a problem finding my anchor.. I feel like I am having a "floating anchor". The arrows are flying well, though.
Can anyone post any pictures of your anchor while using a tab?
Is your anchor just as solid with a tab as it is with a glove?
My anchor has become considerably more solid since going to a tab
I shot at a 3D event yesterday...I shot left handed with a tab for the first 20 targets, 3 finger split...I shot right handed for the next 20 targets, 2 finger split with a glove...I shot about the same both ways in the end...I am 63 years old...if I can do it you can do it...I think a fair trial is 1000 shots
DDave
Dave,
thank you for your replyl.
jt85,
my anchor is not quite there yet. I am only on day 3 of shooting with tab and am having good results, just not quite getting the anchor yet. I'm hoping it's one of those things that just "works itself out".
Daniel,I anchor higher on my face than you do that may be why I'm able to lock in my anchor better. I anchor with my index finger about an inch under my right eye in my cheek bone and lock my big knuckle on the back side of the bone. I hope I'm explaining that right but I never could get the feel of locking in with my glove.
Daniel,
I shot a glove for years, until I was at Dan Toelke's shop picking up a new bow that I had purchased. Through Dan's generous time and coaching, he had me shooting with one of his sheepskin fleece tabs. Shooting two under, with my index finger resting lightly on the arrow nock and my middle and ring fingers hooking and releasing from the string. It feels so natural and my release is so much better now, I've never looked back.
My tab is similar to these tabs shown on the Toelke website, but mine doesn't have the o-ring, the tab just extends further with a finger size hole punched in it.
http://montanabows.blogspot.com/p/accessories.html
Good luck on adapting. It will begin to feel more natural.
If you want to switch, put the glove away and try, try, try until it is the only thing that feels comfortable.
If you say you can or you say you can't you are correct ...stolen quote...
Certainly some tabs will feel better than others, and there will the urge to switch back, but if you want to shoot a tab, fight that urge.
Try using a tie on nock. This will reduce face damage from the occasional hit. Carefully trim tab a little at a time...tought to put material back on.
Until it is good and broke in, you may have a few issues..just like a glove.
If you keep hitting your face, try to turn your head out of the way a little more and don't dip it down in to the string as much. All you really need to do is get it to where your eye Is over the top of the arrow, not grind your face down in to it.
BigJim
I have a good buddy (ARCHER2) who lives a few miles up the road and was gracious enough to let me try out a few he had on hand. One was a rick bar-bee tab and the other one was something like a NEET pinch free tab. At first look, i liked the looks of the bar-bee tab much more than the neet.
After shooting the Bar-bee tab for an after noon, i could not get my anchor right. I guess shooting a glove for so long, I like the leather past my fingers to get a solid anchor. After my finger tips getting abused for an after, i tried out the neet.
I REALLY like the design of the tab. if covers my fingers like a glove, allowed me to anchor, gave me a great release. The only complaint I can come up with it about it is that the material is a little thinner than I would like.
Last year i swapped to a BW loc-tite glove that has some thick quality leather and it made it where i almost couldn't feel the string on my finger(i actually like the extra cushion).
This tab does not have much extra cushion. Is there a little thicker cushioned tab with the same design as the link I posted?
Daniel. . why would your anchor be any less "solid" using either a glove or a tab ? With the tab you can feel things better as you don't have a thick layer of leather over it. It is a different feeling, but it is there, and your anchor is as solid as you make it. You just need to shoot enough with either to get used to it.
ChuckC
Chuck, to be honest, I don't know, but what McDave said made a lot of sense. With a glove there is actually around 1/8 or so inches sticking out below my finger tips and that is what my actual anchor is.
With a tab my fingers are exposed which makes me having to push my fingers closer to my face to actually make contact. which throws it off a little.
I changed that by getting a longer tab so I can still maintain contact with my mouth without having to over stress my anchor point.
I hope that made sense.
I shoot both 3 under. Just depends on the Mood I am in.
I've tried switching, but only for a shooting session :( . My arrow sailed over the top of the target and I then went back to my glove. This past hunting season though I vowed to try a tab again.
The glove just makes my fingers cold as I sit on stand and imagine a tab would allow more "warm" air circulation around my fingers.
Anyway, I too found my anchor was not solid with a tab. I have tried a split tab from Kustom King. It is their calf hair tab. It's thick enough for sure. But I get the sense it's slicker than my glove. Mentally this gives me concern as I'm drawing the string back.
This causes me to have an inconsistent draw length and anchor point if I ever get the string back that far. After reading through this post I also think I'm not hooking the string deep enough.
I have been emboldened by this thread though and will bust out that tab and give it month or so of shooting to see what happens. Good luck in your quest Daniel.
-Jeremy :coffee:
QuoteOriginally posted by J. Holden:
I've tried switching, but only for a shooting session :( . My arrow sailed over the top of the target and I then went back to my glove. This past hunting season though I vowed to try a tab again.
The glove just makes my fingers cold as I sit on stand and imagine a tab would allow more "warm" air circulation around my fingers.
Anyway, I too found my anchor was not solid with a tab. I have tried a split tab from Kustom King. It is their calf hair tab. It's thick enough for sure. But I get the sense it's slicker than my glove. Mentally this gives me concern as I'm drawing the string back.
This causes me to have an inconsistent draw length and anchor point if I ever get the string back that far. After reading through this post I also think I'm not hooking the string deep enough.
I have been emboldened by this thread though and will bust out that tab and give it month or so of shooting to see what happens. Good luck in your quest Daniel.
-Jeremy :coffee:
Jeremy,
from my 4 days of shooting, i found out that I needed a longer tab. If it didn't extend close to the tips of my fingers, I couldn't get the solid anchor I wanted with the tab too short.
I hope this helps, and I hope it made sense. lol.