I put a drop away on my bow. I hope you’re happy.

I bet you will like it, I cannot remember anyone ever going back to a biscuit/capture type rest after getting a drop away.

You did the right thing


I remember the first drop away rest i put on my bow.....it was life changing. IMO people spend too much on sights and not enough on a rest, that's backwards logic. I can glue some matchsticks on the riser to use as a pin as long as the rest is good I'll shoot accuratly.


The capture type rests are a good idea in theory, but they are not conducive for good accuracy.

Well it’s already cost me a couple of vanes and you can see where the vanes are slicing up the moleskin. But my bare shafts are flying real good and penetrating deep as ever. I did some google research, I think I might have set it up too low on my down cable so it don’t fall fast enough.

That’s the problem changing stuff on your bow mid season.

Which rest did you go with?

It’s a trophy ridge with the micro adjustments. I forget the model but it’s a $110 rest, definitely not the cheapest in the store.

I just read about this exact same issue with a QAD, diagnosed as attached too low on the cable.

Well I set mine up so I would not have to trim off the excess. I guess that was the wrong idea.

It did not come with instructions.

My QAD had the same issues, move it up the string and it should be in time. My Hamskea is a limb driven rest which at first I was extremely skeptical about but so far it’s been good, but I think I prefer it served into the cable. Also like the ability to flip up the rest for better containment which I can’t do with the Hamskea.

Yeah I like to pre-[censored] the rest. I shoot short arrows for my draw, I pretty much have to if I want to shoot anything less than a 250 spine. I pretty much have to pre-[censored] my rest for some of my fixed blades.

I guess you can’t put c-o-c-k in without getting censored. What a world

Limb connection is good as long as it doesn't walk along the limb like I have seen quite a few do if attached where the limb s tapered a good bit. For a cable driven rest the easiest way to time one is served into the down cable. Tie a serving at the bottom of the grip, split the cable and insert the control cord through it. Draw the bow back a few times and the control cable will pull to where ti needs to be then cut and melt it off like the end of a d-loop to finish it off. Takes longer to type it out for me than it does to do one.

With the little plastic clamps it is a little more of a pain getting it times right. I wondering about the timing of the rest shoot with a fletching pointed straight down and there should be no contact with the rest at all, if it is there is a timing issue

Most bows heights for the rest will have the arrow at the same height as the Berger hole (threaded hole through the riser that you screw the rest into from the opposite side than the arrow).

Too far down the cable can cause problems and I have seen some put the control too close to the rest and break that string, a little below but near the bottom of the grip works well from what I have seen and worked with

When hunting I always have the rest clicked up so it captures the arrow, if I have an arrow knocked it the rest is in the up position with my QAD.

QAD is one of the best things I ever did to improve the accuracy and repeatability on my bow.

Well the closest I have come is to move it as far down as possible. By setting it up all the way down the cable, using the whole pull string, I think I have finally got it timed. At least as far as I can tell, by the sound of the shot and no new damage to the moleskin as far as I can tell. Interestingly, that puts it about 1” below my grip as per most recommendation on the web. They literally packed it with exactly the right amount to time it.

I did use a QAD string clip to install it, I’m sure that doesn’t help. But it’s what I got.

So now I gotta put some fresh moleskin on my rest and see if it gets cut up or not.

Edit- I was able to re-stick the sliced up moleskin where it was sticking out, a bit shredded but it taped back down nicely enough. Ran a few arrows from the lightest to the heaviest, none of it peeled back up. I think I’m good.

I was all geared up to take it back to bass pro, too.

I wouldn’t let the guys at bass pro screw in a stabilizer let alone set up anything vital on my bows.

Yeah I never let them touch it. I took it to the range and did everything on my own. I have nothing but bad experiences dealing with their archery department. But they have a big parking lot so I can get in and out easy in my rig, and they usually have a range I can use, and pretty much a no question return policy so I still shop there pretty regular.

As a matter of fact I popped in to Cabelas in Owatonna, MN to grab some Saunders cable slides for my bows, I brought my bow to make sure they at least fit this one, first thing this a hole does is jam a Allen key in my whisker biscuit and loosen it. I mean quick, with the exact right size and everything not a warning or a question or anything. I’m like what the hell are you doing? He reminded me I said I wanted a Dropaway on the phone I’m like hey I said I’d like to look at them. I wanted to kick his [censored], I think it was a test from the Almighty.

It wasn’t even the right bolt. It was the windage adjustment. Went from shooting 4 different arrow setups like darts, to literally shooting around corners. Blew my mind.


I bought my Dropaway at a different location because f that guy. But it’s also why I got a micro drive Dropaway to begin with. I don’t want to deal with the headache if re tuning my arrows with my whisker biscuit, or anything really without some type of micro drive adjustments. When I finally hit the biscuit dialed in the only way I could be sure I moved it at all is by where my broadheads hit.

Easy micro adjustments are almost a necessity to get your broadheads and field points to the same POA much past 30 yards.

It’s not a timing issue after all. It’s whether I pull hard into the back wall before I release the arrow. If I’m not pulling hard enough into the back wall, it’s not pulling the rest back far enough to snap back down on the release. So then, it doesn’t drop until the vanes smack it. Cost me a few vanes too.

I need a rest that does not remain “cocked” in the up position.

I thought the drop away rest was supposed to be more forgiving than a whisker biscuit. Yeah, right, hahaha.

You've got a mess going on. You really need to go to a real archery shop and get your stuff set up correctly.

I know. The only legit place I can think of is three hours from home. And let me tell you about Cabelas in Owatonna. That’s not even the half, there’s more and none good. I just don’t want to waste my time telling, I know y’all have heard it all before.

Edit- I’m not taking this test to an archery shop. I will just as soon return it to bass pro and buy my equipment from the shop that is providing me withadequate customer service.

If they are not willing to hire/pay for a good bow wrench then they can eat the cost in returns as far as I am concerned. I’m not gonna insult my shop by walking in there with a bass pro shops rest to set up.

i don't think thats insulting to bring in a rest that you can't get timed.



There is a real problem in the archery industry with a general lack of well rounded-know how in pro shops, never mind the goons at Bass Pro or Cabela's. They shouldn't even be allowed to sell bows let alone set one up.


It's been my experience that most bow shops are staffed with with guys that are decent shooters but at best, have a very modest amount of hunting under their belt. They will bullshyte and half-truth their way thru a conversation about setting up a bow 1. to sell a product and 2. because they don't know any different. A shooter isn't the guy who you need to ask advice from on the best set up for hunting and you don't wanna ask a hunter what the best set up is for 3-D comps or target shooting.


Nothing wrong with your rest, I would take it to the shop 3 hours away and have them properly set it up and tune it for you and leave it at that. Its worlds better than the whisker biscuit and your just having some trouble shooting issues.

I only go there when I get routed through. I will shoot the whisker biscuit before I spend 6 hours on the road on my only day off.

Midwest Archery has helped me enough for little to nothing, and deserve my business.

I do think I’ve about got it figured out though.

I agree with Bryan and TX there is nothing wrong with taking it to a shop with that rest to get it right. They set it up right and gain a customer for other needs when time arises sometimes there is a shop charge but that should be expected. Happens quite often. I know one shop near a Bass Pro shop that has a sign something to the effect Want it right get it here, want to see us when it is wrong, go to Bass Pro.

Ok well I got it timed. Now I have to get it tuned good times.

You’ll have it shooting good in no time.

Get they this season and for next year we will work on your arrow and broadhead choices….

Next season I will have another rig. Probably something 80 pounds.

I tried to shoot 100 arrows without a single failure. I never made it through 20 shots. Close range watching the needle pass the mark. The last arrow I shot didn’t drop the launcher at all.

I started with 11x 300 spine and 10x 250 spine arrows. I have 7 300’s and 5 250’s left with undamaged vanes.

I returned the Dropaway. I’m gonna shoot a whisker biscuit until I find a.quality fixed rest, old school 2 prong or something.

Why are your shooting a 250 spine?

I shoot .300 spine at 27’” 76# and 150 grains on the point, which is a stiff arse arrow.

Do you have an extra long draw?

I have a 30.6” draw. I shoot a bow maxed out at 30”. But I am willing to bet it is closer to 30.5”.

I shoot 250’s because I don’t like the little 12 grain inserts. Sometimes you Robin Hood an arrow and that’s all it takes to cram the insert back into the shaft of both arrows, and split them. Longer inserts are heavier and that requires more spine. My 250’s have 100 grain inserts.

By comparison, with a 50 grain insert in a 300 spine Gold Tip, I can bury the front end of that shaft with a broadhead in a tree and unscrew it and the arrow is fine, bounces off the insert leaving a small gap. I can pound that right back in and she’s good to go. I actually did that when my bow slid off the hood of the truck and I had to verify the sights. That was before the Dropaway… I have not hunted with a Dropaway yet.

With just a standard 12 grain insert and 100 grain point and 32 inch shaft I am already underspined at 300 unless I cut my shaft down. Cut it down to 29.5” shaft and I am good to go for a 50 grain insert and 125 grain point, according to the charts. Add a luminoc just for weight on the back of the shaft to increase dynamic spine, plus I like luminocs. The long insert should also increase dynamic spine but it really doesn’t seem to matter with my bow.

My 300’s actually would not quite tune with 100 grain points, without the luminocs. I hesitate to try and push it.

Another thing I learned is that sure, you can tune an arrow that is underspined. But that is all your bow will shoot.

Tune with a properly spined arrow and just about any arrow properly spined will fly perfect.

Plus my bow does not have yokes or anything like that. So I need a properly spined arrow or it won’t tune without turning down the weight.

I used the 300’s to tune this time around. they are ballpark of 480 grains with inserts, heads, and luminocs. And moving about 270 fps out of my bow. I can shoot 35 yards on one pin with this arrow and don’t even have to hold over at all. I could probably push it and zero 35, shoot 40 but that gives me no margin for error without holding over/under.

The heavier higher FOC 250’s tune way easier.

I’m not done with Dropaway rests forever though. I almost got a NAP nighthawk when I returned it, because it does not set up in the up position. But it’s Chinese, not unlike the Trophy Ridge rest. I have plenty of f Trophy Ridge stuff nothing wrong with it, but for something like a Dropaway rest with all the moving parts, I think you need to buy all the quality you can afford.

Next time around with the Dropaway, I am going to spend the $ for quality made in USA and get it installed by a pro.
Probably a Ripcord at Midwest Archery.

In the meantime I have a micro drive whisker biscuit and two large replacement inserts on the way.

Rip Cord is a good rest and is one you can lock back or let it drop when you let off. I prefer one I can lock in the up position for keeping the arrow in place while hunting (captive type rest). One less thing to worry about like an arrow dropping off while hunting.

30.5” draw, are you 6’10”? I’ve hunted with a QAD rest for over ten years and never once had a problem with it.

I’m 6’2”. I guess I have orangutan arms. 30” draw is plenty of draw though, I’d rather shoot a 30” bow that is maxed out and operating at peak efficiency than to get one of those long draw setups and set it at 30.5”. 30” is the shortest of the long draws, those long draw bows are made for giants.

What is your draw weight?

For a 30” draw and 480 grain arrow 270 fps is on the slower side for a modern bow at 70 lbs.

I would recommend setting up a pin for 20 and 30 that way in the heat of the moment you don’t subconsciously make a mistake

I’m shooting 280 fps and it’s not fast enough to shoot one pin to 30 yards, the impact at 20 is too high

Your definitely the shortest 30.5” draw I’ve ever heard of. What bow are you shooting?

PSE Brute NXT.

I’ve been measured more than once. There is at least one other 30” draw shorter than me. Heard of the name Fitzgerald?

Other than that, all I can tell you is I’ve had it up to my gills with internet pro’s telling me I’m not a 30” draw. I don’t care what my draw is, it is what it is.

Edit- people love their toys, any time you challenge the status quo they will gang up on you. “Been doing it this way for years, newb”. I’m burned all the way out on it.

I know two guys that are 6'2 with 30" draws. thats not uncommon. My business partner is 5'11 and he has a 28 1/2" draw. One of my buddies is 6'4 and his draw is only 29"



I don't doubt he has a 30" draw, and that length arrow would denote a stiffer spined arrow.

29 inch draw. Never grew to fit my arm length, 6'1" wingspan and 5"8" tall

Hey. That's me exactly.

Oh you guys are a bunch of damn liars. Everybody knows you have to be over 6’ to draw 29”. It’s just a known fact.

That last comment was tongue in cheek. This whole thread was supposed to be but it got serious when my Dropaway started to suck. I had high hopes!

I knew it was . Hopefully in the off season you can get it working right for you.

Sorry but when I read this statement I had to question your draw length. There’s a reason 95% of bows only go to 30”. One of the biggest setup mistakes I’ve seen is people setting them up longer than their actual draw. Good luck with that 30.6” draw.

Longest draw bow I have worked on is 33.5 inches. Guy was right at 7 feet tall.

Wingspan measurement finger tip to fingertip then divide by 2.5 will get you really close to needed draw length. Grip plays a big role as well

Good luck with that know-it-all attitude big guy. I have a 30.6” draw without reaching, and I can’t even straighten my right arm all the way out.



What does it matter to you anyway? It does not make you a better hunter.

Since deer season is long over I decided to give the Dropaway rest another go. This time I got a Trophy Taker Throwdown. It was only $80 at Bass pro and since it does not have a lockup feature, I assume that it will not give me as much grief, and probably be a little bit more forgiving.

Maybe it was the experience gained from several weekends of frustration. Maybe it’s because the trophy taker is just a better rest than the Trophy Ridge micro drive Dropaway. Maybe I just got lucky. But I got this sucker dialed in, walk back tuned with bare and fletched shafts, and confirmed with a broadhead within far less than a hour. I haven’t even had much practice lately, the bow is shooting so good!

What a great little product. You can’t beat this Throwdown rest for $80. What a awesome little arrow rest.

Those slick tricks really drive deep!

You will be much happier with that drop away compared to the whisker biscuit. Longer range accuracy will be much improved