One piece bows really that bad to lug around?

[Matabele]

Thanks for the replies guys, appreciate it. Some good points raised here to mull over!

[Matabele]

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.

[Frenchymanny]

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

[calgarychef]

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.

[Michael Arnette]

I hardly ever take mine down to travel, if Brian at TallTines ever made a one piece I would probably own one

[Brock]

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.....

[newhouse114]

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.

[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?

[old_goat2]

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.

[myshootinstinks]

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.

[Chain2]

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.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

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.

[Bladepeek]

Originally 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.

[ChuckC]

I have no issue in a car / truck.  It is the plane that makes a three piece a better deal.
ChuckC

[Stumpkiller]

Originally posted by Bladepeek:
 

Originally 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.

   [/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.

 

[Mr. fingers]

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.

[KeganM]

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!

[Bladepeek]

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.

[Gdpolk]

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.

[tippit]

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