With so many styles of releases on the market today, which one is right for me?

The wrist strap style is the most popular for hunting, as it stays available on the wrist with a choice of a Velcro or a buckle strap. The buckle is becoming the more popular, as it is quieter and allows for always using the same hole so that it does not change draw length and therefore, impact point of the arrow. These usually have an index finger trigger that can be either straight or curved. Companies offer many models, and sometimes several have the same actual release head, but you pay more for adjustability for draw length or various styles of straps. Some adjust by cutting the shank off, or by placing the shank in a choice of screw holes, or by shortening a rope connection to the strap.

Hand held releases have been considered more accurate by many top target shooters and are becoming more popular with hunters, as well. Many will stay fastened on a loop or a ball, ready to draw the bow. These often allow for a slightly longer draw length bow. Your anchor point may be different, as these are made to rotate your hand with the palm facing outward. They have a thumb or a pinky trigger, or no trigger at all for "back tension" shooting which is thought by pros to be the most accurate style of target shooting, though may not be as practical for hunting. A safety is available on some models to avoid misfiring. Any release can be shot using back tension whether it has a trigger or not! Just place your finger on the trigger, but instead of moving the finger, you move the proper back muscles, which will automatically pull the finger against the trigger. (This takes a while to learn properly and to perfect.) Hand held releases can be purchased according to your preference of using two, three, or four fingers on the release.

Releases are adjustable as to how much trigger pressure it takes for the shot go off, however as you loosen the trigger too much you may find the bow will misfire. On most releases, the trigger tension is related to how much weight the jaw can hold. When feeling a release you have in mind to purchase, be aware that a trigger will go off much easier if it is not pulling back the weight of the bow, so what feels like a hair trigger when you pick it up, will not be near as hairy when holding back the weight. The index finger trigger also will hit your finger in a very different place under the tension of the bow than it will by just holding it. If you think it is much too short to reach your finger, try it under pressure before adjusting it.

Release heads also offer choices. A dual caliper jaw opens both sides of the jaw at once, and is good for loop shooting as well as shooting off the string. Some manufacturers of single caliper releases where only one side moves don’t recommend them on a loop, as they can occasionally get hung up for an unexplainable miss. Some heads have a hook, which is easy to hook on a string loop. Another option is a head sporting rollers that hold the string. If you are not using a loop, a trigger with a rope attached is considered very accurate, as there is less chance of torquing the bow string and you don’t loose the small amount of speed you would with a loop.

With some triggers you can feel the movement (travel) all the way till it releases, while others are a crisp surprise shot. Some people prefer models where you pull the trigger to open the jaw for loading and it closes on the string by removing your finger, while others require the trigger pushed forward to close. T.R.U. Ball has several models where the archer can adjust the location of the trigger to fit his/her hand.

Release heads come in both a hard plastic type material, or metal varieties. Some of the less expensive metal jaws tend to sharpen and cut into the serving or the bowstring.

The release is the thing that lets the string go, paying more attention to this piece of equipment and experimenting with as many as possible can pay off in the end.