Northern Mist Whisper vs. JD Berry Morningstar

[Tradcat]

Ok gang...give me the pro's and con's with these two reverse handle bows. Of those who have shot them BOTH...which one do you prefer and WHY ?
                               Thanks

[Brianlocal3]

I have owned both the Morningstar and Whisper. I still have the Morningstar and I don't see it going anywhere.  

My Whisper was 64" 55@28 bamboo cores
My Morningstar is 68" 56@28 red elm cores.  

The Nm whisper was a very nice bow.  Steve's craftsmanships is amazing and his bows are very well built.  I liked the 64" and that draw was smooth.  I have a personal preference to elm over boo, or almost any core over bamboo go be honest so that was a negative with the bow.  I can "feel" something in bamboo cored bows that I don't like and after 20 something bows having boo cores I prefer not to have them.  I also am not a fan of the glass over riser look on the Whisper and most other reversed handled bows.  I always wanted to see one like theMorningstar.  And the most important part for me is the grip and the grip on the whisper was too small for me.  The six NM I had we're all  too small, that's not a bad thing just all personal preference.

The Morningstsr is a great bow.  It's no secret here but I like my Berrys. I seem to have found the "perfect" bows for me. The Morningstar has an unfair advantage because its red elm cored (my favorite core). James craftsmanship is great his design is smooth, stable and zero Handshock. The straight grip on James bow is just phenomenal. The way it's made is hard to describe, but it just melts into the hand.   Also, I love the look of how he does the reverse handle. Glass stops at the end of the ramps, and the riser maintains that classic American longbow look instead of the swoopy look of the Whisper and other reverse handles I have seen.

Bottom line is both are fantastic bows made by fantastic bowers. You asked for the opinion of those who have shot both, there's mine. Good luck on whatever new bow you decide on.

[Green]

Brian, any chance you can post an unstrung pic of your Morningstar?  For the life of me I can't get used to the look of a forward handle Hill design.....but I'm coming around to it.  I just haven't seen one of these backset bows unstrung and would like to as James doesn't have that pic on his site.

[Brianlocal3]

Green, I still try not to look at it unstrung. HA.  They are different looking for sure.  
Ill try to get you a pick up in a bit. Unstrung it looks like a left handed stringfollow bow.

[Brianlocal3]

Sorry for my lack of photography skills

[Green]

Heck, they look like a mis-strung left handed bow anyway.  I know several folks have remarked, and Howard and others have written, how well they shoot....the look is growing on me, but I guess I just need to get the full effect.  Lol.  Thanks in advance.

[Brianlocal3]

Jwhitetail said it best the other day, "once you shoot it, you'll get it". There is something unique about them that feels great.

[Tajue17]

Its funny Brian how you mentioned the bamboo because with my morning star I think I'm going with ALL Yew Limbs instead of the bamboo..

[Mudd]

I have had both, one owned and one was on loan for me to try.

I sold the one I owned, I continued onward in my quest for "a better" bow for me.(absolutely nothing wrong with the bow)

The one on loan was hard on me.... sure didn't want to give it up...lol

I loved it so much I order an almost duplicate as far as the riser/grip but with my "dream" combo of woods for lams and riser.

God bless,Mudd

[Mudd]

Originally posted by Green:
Heck, they look like a mis-strung left handed bow anyway.  I know several folks have remarked, and Howard and others have written, how well they shoot....the look is growing on me, but I guess I just need to get the full effect.  Lol.  Thanks in advance.

Green, if you look at enough pictures of Howard shooting the reverse handle...it starts to not only look sort of normal...they start to look sweet...lol

Having said all that, there's nothing like putting your hand to one and letting it do what it was made to do.

It's as if the "X's" were built into the bow and you have to really screw up the shot not to make it...lol

At least that was my experience, hence now waiting on my build to come up...lol

I ordered mine to be a brother bow to the Vixen that's going through it's "Born on the 4th of July" birthing pains as we speak.

God bless,Mudd

[Green]

You're not helping this situation any Roy!        There have been numerous posts that say exactly what you've said.  I guess I'm going to have to be prepared to do some trading if one shows up in the C'fied's. Thanks for your insight...and enthusiasm!

Thanks for the pics Brian....looks like a bow you can share with a left handed friend if that situation presented itself.  Lol.

[Gordon Jabben]

Tradcat, I doubt if you could go wrong with either bow.  I have the "Whisper" and liked it so well that I ordered another a few pounds lighter.  The forward handle seems to make the bow easy to shoot well.  To be honest, I still haven't gotten used to the strung backwards look.

[L82HUNT]

While you are looking check out a eaglewing frontier.  It's a slight string follow that can be had in double carbon.   It's all the plus' of a string follow but the cast of a R/D bow

[Tradcat]

Thanks gang...keep em coming !