| Product Review - Part 1 - Carter Chocolate Addiction Release Aid |
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| Written by Aneal Roney | |
| Saturday, 13 September 2008 | |
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In the countless hours I spend at my local Sportsman's Warehouse and other local archery pro-shops, I decided early on this year that I was going to change out my release aid. Prior to 2008, I have used the T.R.U. Ball Loop Master. I have nothing but good things to say about the T.R.U. Ball release aids, however, I was after more than simply changing brands. I had been hearing bout the merits of "Back tension" and "Thumb Trigger" style releases. Anthony and I have, on countless occassions, talked about looking to professional paper and 3D shooters for the equipment that could make you more accurate in the field. Overwhelmingly, professional shooters use "Back Tension" style releases. Why? What do these types of release feature that makes you more accurate? Are they practical in the field?
So my journey began. I first tried some of the new wrist strap style (index finger trigger) releases to start with. I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything with some of the new models. In all honesty, other than a little comfort and "feel" most wrist style release felt and worked pretty much the same. I felt like I was equally accurate with most of the major brands, and they all seemed to work relatively well.
But again, I wanted to find out what all the "back tension" and "thumb trigger" hub hub was about. The first back tension style release I tried was the Carter Evolution- and I won't lie - I punched myself right in the face and had no idea where my arrow went (it was in the target 10 yards away, but I didn't know it until I actually looked after the shot - and stopped seeing stars). The Carter Evolution is a back tension release, however, it does have a thumb safety. You place your thumb over a release while you draw back, then after you remove your thumb, the release gives as you apply back tension. No trigger. This did not at all feel comfortable for me, and I worried about how this could possibly work when I was drawing on an animal in the field. So the first question I had to answer for myself was why do pro shooters use back tension?
Most of us have a trigger on our release aid. Just like a trigger on a gun, pressure is applied to the trigger which ulitmately leads to the "release" of the string. Pretty straight forward, right? Well consider that applying pressure with your index finger to a release aid is another element (or variable) of body movement that is affecting your overall arrow flight and accuracy. "Punching" the trigger will cause your bow to move in your hand, often sideways affecting your shot. Even with a well practiced "squeeze" of the trigger, there is a certain mental and physical relationship that is hard to control. Thinking about when to squeeze the trigger and actually doing it takes energy away from focusing on your target. This fact ultimately left me with curiosity in trying out back tension style releases.
With all this being said, I do believe that using a back tension style release in the field is a pretty dramatic jump. In hunting situations (as opposed to tournament archery situations) I am not convinced that back tension style releases are the best way to go....so I decided to try a thumb trigger "style" release, that still had a trigger, but would minimize the variable of "punching" the trigger. So, I settled on using the Carter Chocolate Addiction release this year.
So what can I say about the Carter Chocolate? The first thing has nothing to do with the brand of release, but rather the type of release. Moving from a wrist style index finger style to a thumb trigger release is a large jump. My first solid week of shooting with the Carter Chocolate had me questioning whether or not I just wasted $169! I was releasing when I wasn't intending too, my groups were all over the place, and I couldn't see any "accuracy" light at the end of the tunnel.
I can honestly say that will all the adjustments the Chocolate provides for, once I got the "feel" right, I have never adjusted it again. It is customized to me....and that is how just about every piece of archery equipment should be.
With 80 lb limbs (I am pulling 76 lbs), I also initially was a little uncomfortable when drawing my bow with this release. I never realized how much I was leveraging my wrist strap to do a lot of the "pulling back" of my bow string. When it is up to 3 fingers wrapped around a thumb trigger style release, you immediately feel these smaller muscles doing a lot more work. While I was still able to draw my bow back, my fingers became pretty sore after a long session of shooting. I finally minimized this with two techniques - 1) I put a small piece of foam sticker on the inside of the release to "cushion" my fingers between the hard metal release and 2) I learned to "lock" my index finger and thumb to gain more leverage when I was pulling the string back. With these 2 techniques and a little practice, I now feel comfortable that I am drawing the bow back in the same fashion and level of comfort I had when I was using a wrist style release.
Some other considerations with this style of release include how it will be used and carried in the field. No longer is my release always attached to my wrist (which was a good thing because I tend to lose a lot of equipment in the woods!). I wear the Chocolate on a lanyard around my neck. The bad news there is it can get tangled in bino harnesses or calls I am wearing around my neck. I have found that a camo shirt with a front left pocket makes for a good place to "stuff" my release while it is hanging on my neck. Also, there is a little weight to the Carter Chocolate, so that was something else I had to get used to wearing it around my neck.
And here is the big bottom line - I have never felt more comfortable in "surprising" myself with a shot as I now do with this Carter Chocolate release. My groups are tighter, and basically that overshadows any of the nuances of moving into this style release. Through my practice, I have gotten into a routine of getting into my anchor, and just slightly tensing up my shoulder muscles causing just enough pressure on my thumb to allow the release aid to do its job (without me thinking about or punching the trigger). At $169, the release is not on the cheaper end, but the accuracy both on the range and in the field is well worth it.
I'd love to hear any other questions about this release that I may not have addressed as well as hear from anyone else out there in BowCast land that has used the Carter Chocolate Addiction, and what your take is on it.
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Comments (8)
  written by bkrowe, September 13, 2008
Would you use that style of release in the field then? It sounds like you would. I've always heard that you should use a back tension release only for practice. You said yours has a thumb trigger. How does that work by using back tension? Don't you really "squeese" somehow with your thumb? I've always been curious about using a different style of release. Especially if it helps my shooting! I am thankful that you mentioned that you have it strapped around your neck. I always wondered about loosing or dropping one at the wrong time.
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 written by aroney, September 13, 2008
Bkrowe,
That's a great question and I should have called this out better in my blog entry. I would NOT use a back tension style release in the field. I believe it is a fun release aid to play around with, but probably has it's merits in archery tourneys. I AM USING the Carter Chocolate Addiction in the field an am happy with it. It has a thumb trigger - so it is not a TRUE back tension style release. I still need to apply pressure to a thumb trigger to release. As far as how I release....after I draw, I put my thumb gently on the trigger (safety position has my thumb behind the trigger while I am drawing). I essentially think about "pinching" my shoulder blades together while applying back tension to the release. I have my trigger set fairly sensitive, so the "application" of back tension usually gives my thumb enough pressure to cause the release to release. In reality, there is still a "squeeze", however, it is much more minimized compared to a wrist/index finger style release - IMHO. HTH, Aneal report abuse
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 written by roddog, September 13, 2008
So did it influence your draw length? In looking at these style of releases, I always thought that my wrist caliper types were a bit further forward than these types of releases.
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written by aroney, September 15, 2008
roddog,
Absolutely no effect on my draw length or anchor point. Just a slightly different hand angle against my jaw bone. report abuse
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 written by dustyvarmint, September 23, 2008
Aneal,
Considering I have short, stubby hands also - When you draw with this release is your hand more like a fist and the release is closer to your palms or is your hand more stretched out and the release is further away from your palms? This is tough to ask/explain. More like drawing with a closed or semi-open hand? Jerry report abuse
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written by aroney, September 23, 2008
Dustyvarmint,
It think what you are asking is when I draw, is my hand more in a closed fist position, or are my fingers just gripping the release and my palm is relatively open. In reality, I think it is somewhere in the middle. My fist is not completely closed around the release (i.e. the bottom of my palm does not touch the release itself), but my hand is slightly open. I guess a semi closed fist is best way to describe it. Not sure if this will work for everyone, but it is what feels most comfortable to me. I also think that a true closed fist would not do anyone any good as you are loading up too much pressure in your release hand. HTH, Aneal report abuse
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written by dustyvarmint, September 23, 2008
Thanks Aneal you answered my question. I bought a much less costly version two years ago that doesn't have the adjustability of the Chocolate - without loading up all that pressure you talk about by making a complete fist my thumb can't reach the lever.
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written by aroney, September 23, 2008
DV,
Ah...yes. Without the adjustability of the chocolate, I don't know how I could shoot this style release with my pudge digits. It is a must in any thumb trigger style release. Aneal report abuse
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