The riser is the definitive part of the bow. Along with the limbs,
this is what you refer to when you talk about your bow, and it's more than just a big grip.
It's the central hub for every attachment on your bow, and it can be the most costly component.
The market covers both wooden and metal risers. The lower end
risers cost around AU$100, while my Win&Win InnoCXT cost around
AU$830, and was the most expensive riser on the market when I
bought it. Then Hoyt released the Formula Ion-X at over AU$900
dollars on nearly AU$1000 in Australia with GST.
Seriously! You could buy an entire archery package for the price one of those.
So, what is the difference?
Wooden risers are on the lower end of the price range,
costing you a AU$100-150. If you're a casual archer
this is probably what you'll be aiming for. The look and feel will be familiar, and
the price wont kill your hip pocket.
This Samick Journey costs around US$140 on Lancaster Archery for the entire bow.
Many of these risers have limited attachment options,
often allowing for a sight and stabilizer but little else.
The limb pockets also tend to use specific limbs, so you can't freely swap them out.
Metal rises are usually made of aluminium or magnesium for the lower end, and
carbon for the top-end. These bows are designed for sport archery, and their
features are optimized for performance, being sturdier and having less vibration than a wooden riser.
If you're taking up archery as a sport, this is the sort of riser that you want to
invest in. Generally speaking the most expensive risers
don't have that much difference between them. So again, it mostly comes down to
preference and often appearance as well.
The key advantage with metal takedown risers is that they almost always have
universal modular attachments.
So you can swap limbs, stabilizes, and other accessories.
The budget risers come up about US$100 - 200, and
include brand names such as Samick, Cartel, and SF.
At best they're glorified hunks of metal in the shape of a riser.
This Samick Agulla is typical of this price range.
It looks cool and does the job, but that's about it. Cheaper risers can lack in
manufacturing quality and finish. The grip on the Agulla is actually glued on and
came off after a few months. Risers like these are usually categorized as
entry-level, and their simplicity is appropriate for beginners.
However, depending on how seriously you take the sport,
you may find yourself wanting a bow with more flexibility and features
sooner rather than later.
The mid-range risers will cost around AU$300-600 dollars. These intermediate
level bows have more advanced designs, making them lighter and more stable.
Risers like the Hoyt Horizon, Formula Excel, and the Win&Win Winex are solid choices,
providing good performance for a moderate price.
If you're taking the sport seriously, but don't want to spend too much money,
getting one of these will probably last you a lifetime.
These are especially good if you anticipate outgrowing your bow fairly
quickly, thus skipping that step, and giving yourself the extra motivation to
make your money's worth and using it frequently.
Then there's the top end competition level. The professionals typically use either
Hoyt GMX or Win&Win InnoCXT, but in the past couple of years the release of the newer
Hoyt Formula Ion-X and the Win&Win Inno AL1
has added some more options at either end of the price range.
These risers offer the best balance, efficiency, and options for fine adjustments,
such as adding weights to the riser.
The manufacturers are more or less
showing off their engineering here, and these riser are the choice of professionals.
It's difficult to explain the differences without having a shot yourself.
Think of it like explaining the differences between different models of
cars and motorcycles.
Roughly speaking, they all do the same thing, and it comes down to look and feel.
Having shot one of these
there is definitely a difference between a high end bow and a low end bow.
I feel like I felt more control of the bow, I felt more connection, and the
feedback is much more sensitive. Design differences, such as the ergonomic shape
of the grip and overall weight of the riser, are tilt factors. The top end risers
also come with protective pouches and colorful detailed manuals. Whereas the
cheaper risers come as-is, and usually with a single sheet of instructions.
Which one you get mostly depends on preference, but there is a vital
difference in how much you're willing to spend. How much you spend depends on how
seriously you want to take the sport. A beginner probably won't make the most
use of an expensive bow for a while, but the potential for growth is there.
On the other hand, buying a cheap bow may be a limiting factor in the way you develop as an archer.
If you're a casual Archer
there's nothing wrong with using a cheap riser, however, if you want to take it to
the competition level, be ready to fork out over AU$500, and that's just for the riser.
As usual, I hope you found it informative and enjoyable.
Thanks for watching and I'll see you next time.