Glove vs. tab

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#4289

Yes, I know it’s a subject that’s been beat to death, and it all comes down to personal preference. Not trying to re-hash old debates here, just sharing personal experience:

Last night’s shooting session still has me blown away. To back up – two nights ago I was shooting with a buddy, and I was using my normal glove. Then last night, with the same bow, same arrows, shooting with the same friend, I used a cordovan tab instead, and the difference in arrow speed (and accuracy) was dramatically noticeable to both of us. In fact, he brought it up, while I was still wondering if I was just imagining it.

I’d dabbled with a tab in the past, but have mostly shot with a glove for years. But last night, the results were hard to ignore.

I know everyone’s results and preferences with one or the other will differ. But it’s still fascinating to me when I see such different results, after thinking I’d pretty much dialed in how/what I shoot with. Still learning and evolving – and therein lies a big part of the fun of it!

[skifrk]

#29266

For me I have always felts I feel the string better with a tab. The only downside is I have lost one while out hunting so I always keep a few spare around for that reason. Otherwise for my big fingers it was always hard to find a form fitting glove I liked.

[Ralph]

#29270

Cool how things can change uh! I really did a number on the meaty part of my bow hand before Thanksgivings and have not been able to shoot with a low grip on my longbows. Matter of fact couldn’t shoot for awhile period. I’ve figured out a way to shoot with a high wrist but it feels uncomfortable with my tab for some reason. I, like you, learned to shoot with a glove, went to a tab for years, and now something feels funny and the glove feels great again:?::?::?: Probably temp though. I’ve always stayed familiar with a glove and a tab with the thinking that one or the other may be all I might have access to at some place or another sometime.

May be it’s partially due to my hands getting old and it’s easier to hang on to the string with the glove.Dunno. I let my third and middle finger slip off the string a couple of times last year using my tab and that kinda bothered me as to why.

Anyway, good luck and if it feels good, do it! At least with the tab vs. glove, some other things….well :lol::lol::lol::lol:

[David Petersen]

#29291

When I was young and shot tournaments I did better with a tab. But I’ve always hunted with a glove and always will … for the same reason we like stickbows–simplicity and nothing to drop in the dirt and lose. But your report, Bruce, prompts me to pick up a tab at Kzoo this weekend and give it a try for tuning arrows. I have never doubted that tabs give a cleaner release, because they’re stiffer, at least the ones I’ve used (it’s been many years). But I prefer the always-ready, go-to certainty of a glove for hunting. We shall see.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#29300

David Petersen wrote:

But I prefer the always-ready, go-to certainty of a glove for hunting. We shall see.

I always have too, Dave. But on the other hand, I like the way a tab works when worn over a warm glove. And I can buy a couple nice cordovan tabs for the same price as a good glove!

Obviously, it all works. The point of my post was more just about trying new things, and the surprising results that sometimes happen, even when you think you have it “figured out.”

[Brennan Herr]

#29312

I have used both…and for me a glove is what I like best. I feel less in control of the string with a tab. I also wear thin gloves when I shoot(under my shooting glove). I think it stems from my football days. I always had gloves on then and it was a mental thing for the game. I get the same feeling when I wear them hunting. I know it is a strange habit but for me it works.

[strait-aero]

#29324

Bruce, I’ve used a tab for years now and worn out more than a few…..but the cold weather reason, with them fitting over a pair of gloves,is why I stay with it. The mercury is hovering at 15 degrees right now and tomorrow’s going to be an ideal day for a walkabout in my snow camos.:wink: Need to get one arrowed before the Feb.3rd deadline. :roll:Wish me luck! Wayne

[Michael Scott]

#29395

Best of luck, Wayne. Go get some meat!

I’ve never shot with a tab. So I really can’t add much to that aspect of the conversation. Have always shot a glove. Or if a glove wasn’t handy, bare fingered. Would really like to get to where I can shoot bare fingers all the time. Just takes time and doing it…unless you put those finger things on the string. Anybody on here shoot bare-fingered??

[David Petersen]

#29430

Bruce (Smithhammer) — Well there IS one thing I have absolutely “figured out” in live … and that is that we can never absolutely figure anything out. Thus the only logical stance is to be a skeptic with an open mind to trying new things and new ideas. Up to a point, of course. 😆 Trying a tab again seems safe enough.

[Ralph]

#29445

One thing about a tab, it’s easy to roll it around to the back of your hand and operate things like zippers rather than taking your glove off to take care of business. Far as I’m goin’ with that. 😆 I’m talking about taking your coat off and such of course. :~))

[William Warren]

#29491

I hunted with a tab for years. Dropped it from my tree, left it in the truck, etc, so I switched back to a glove and when hunting I prefer the glove, especially when it gets cold out. I do still shoot with a tab though, in fact I like it better for target in summer

[David Coulter]

#29517

I bought and tried a cordovan tap a couple years ago. I didn’t care for it much so didn’t give it much attention. This makes me what to pull it out and give it a good run. I tried a traditional finger glove, but it’s very stiff. I’m on my second duraglove and I like it a lot. I wondered if shooting a lighter bow, 46#, is the reason I didn’t care for the tab, as it’s very stiff. dwc

[Ralph]

#29538

I never liked stiff tabs. I like to feel the string. I make my own tabs but if I buy one I like Black Widow best. Actually I think a tab makes for a cleaner release with less poundage.

[Jason Wesbrock]

#29550

I’m very partial to tabs for both target and hunting.

[Wexbow]

#30563

Learned with a tab three-under. Then started shooting split finger and found the tab would sometimes pinch the nock (I’ve a 31″ draw). I’ve recently tried a glove and liked two things in particular – the nock pinch doesn’t happen and the anchor is fantastic with the middle finger really hooking into the corner of my mouth. But I do think a tab gives a slightly cleaner release and I’m still working on my glove release to get all three fingers cleanly away.

[wolfkill220]

#30957

I like shooting with a glove because never drop or lose while out roving the hills .But found finding a glove that fits good is hard for me . So i shoot with a tab and keep a extra in the pack .

[jpcarlson]

#31658

I like the look of the American Leathers glove, but worry about the added thickness as I am used to a thinner glove and feeling the string. Where does a guy find good leather gloves of the older designs now days? I used to shoot old Bear gloves. They had thin strips coming from the simple wrist band down to small tapered fingers. Any ideas?

J

[hunterLORB]

#32774

I have found that with a tab my arrows consistently impact left where I am looking. With a glove or bare fingers they impact centrally

[Raymond Coffman]

#32843

JP –

3rs sells one similar to what you describe –

check out their website.

Scout

[Nutmeg]

#33236

I flip flopped for a while but went back to a glove many years ago. I just like it better for some of the same reasons Dave stated. I have no doubt that a good cordovan tab will allow for a better release but I’ll stick with my damascus glove. (nut):lol:

[James Harvey]

#44360

I’ve always poo-poo’d gloves, but my wife was insistent that she get one recently, and being the selfish consumer husband that I am, I decided if she gets one so do I. I love it. It’s a damascus doe skin glove and it feels great. I think my already overworked peanut brain has a little more to think about on the release now, but there is a nice ‘feel’ to it, and I’m looking forward to not stressing over dropping a tab in the bush 😛

[Stumpkiller]

#45186

I have hunted both and still much prefer the tab. But, it’s very much a matter of personal preference. I have been in hunting camps where you see the tabs flipped around on hunter’s hands while they cook and brush their teeth.

Even with a glove you have to take it off to pick your nose or wipe your . . . glasses.

If you look carefully in the above image you will see a Black Widow tab on the ground. I ALWAYS carry a spare tab. Luckily. 😉

[Joseph Miller]

#45642

For the last 20 years I have used a SAM (super archery mitt) tab. I never lose it or drop it because the cord keeps it attached to my wrist. They seem to last forever and work for both 3 under and split fingers. The last time I checked 3 Rivers still carried them.

Joe

[Ralph]

#45888

I was sitting on the edge of a cliff glassing and had my tab turned around on the back of my hand. I swatted a fly and my dang tab slipped off and went flying down the canyon. Had to turn into half mountain goat to fetch it. Lesson learned? Use tab in winter when no flies? :D:D:D Just be a little smarter actually. I always have a spare tab and or glove in my bag (Wexbow, you ain’t gonna believe this) in case it rains 😆 or the flies get really bad.

Right now since my bow hand is about well and I’m shooting again I can’t decide on tab or glove. Never really have anyway it seems anyway. I think one should stay in touch (pun intended)with both because you never know what might be available at some point in time.

[Wexbow]

#46142

R2 wrote: I always have a spare tab and or glove in my bag (Wexbow, you ain’t gonna believe this) in case it rains 😆 or the flies get really bad.

Hey Ralph, you should be ok for another three years or so then 😆

[Ralph]

#46177

You ain’t gonna like it when I get the rain and you get the flies. Get a big tab and it’ll be a good fly swatter too. :~}} Just strap it on snug. :):)

[Wexbow]

#46898

Hey Ralph, take it easy on your sorcery I had to send the wife out to clean up the yard after your post:

[lyagooshka]

#46930

If it starts raining frogs, you should maybe consider moving… 😆

[Ralph]

#47450

Neil, we don’t have near that many horny toads around here so the “drier’ it gets, no problem. Looks like your wife could use a little help:D. Hope I didn’t start somethin’. 😆 The way I was shootin this evening maybe I need a little sorcery used on my no anchor tail. Thought I’d add a touch of green:D

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#51121

I had an interesting experience today, and so I figured I’d dig this thread up and add to it, rather than having multiple glove vs. tab threads floating around.

I’ve been shooting a tab pretty much exclusively for more than a year (when I first started this thread) and I’ve been pretty happy with the results. But last week I started shooting a bow that is a few pounds heavier than my others, and my consistency has been anything but. Sometimes I’m nailing it, and sometimes it’s all over the place. My sneaking suspicion (which I’ve been loathe to admit) is that muscle fatigue is affecting my shooting, even though it’s just a matter of a few pounds difference.

And then last night I was rummaging through some stuff and came across my ABS glove, and started thinking that one thing I always liked about a glove was that I could get a really secure, deep hook on the string…which led me to start wondering if that might help with drawing my higher poundage bow.

So today I got out in the woods to stump shoot for a bit, and it was undeniable – I was shooting this bow much better with a glove than I had been for the last week with a tab.

Not sure if this indicative of other form issues I should be working on, but the short of it is that I’m back to a glove for now. Funny how things come full circle…

As a side note, I can’t believe that ABS stopped making the Super Glove. I’ve never used a better glove. The full finger style and long cordovan tips allow for a great hook and a very smooth release, while still being able to feel the string. I hope someone offers something comparable in the future.

[James Harvey]

#51158

I tried a few gloves this last year Bruce and 3rivers’ Dura-glove was the stand out for me. I rate those Cordura finger stalls over any of the leather I have tried.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#51258

Thanks, Jim – the Dura Glove is one that seems to get mentioned so often that I really should try it one of these days, when my ABS finally wears out. But I sure do like those cordovan tips. Once they get broken in, they’re smoove as buttah…

[David Coulter]

#51284

I’m on my second Duraglove in the several years I’m shooting again. Love it. Seams on the tips came undone on the first one, so I sewed it up for a back up. Smithy, one more nod to that one. dwc

[Charles Ek]

#51393

Smithhammer wrote:

As a side note, I can’t believe that ABS stopped making the Super Glove. I’ve never used a better glove. The full finger style and long cordovan tips allow for a great hook and a very smooth release, while still being able to feel the string. I hope someone offers something comparable in the future.

Two Super Gloves in the rotation here, and I just ordered a third after your reminder about the production halt! Haven’t found anything better suited to me.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#51916

Yep – when I heard they were going away, I bought a backup that’s still sitting in a box. So far, the one I’m using has lasted a long time, so I’m probably covered for a while, but if I could find another in my size I’d pick it up. I haven’t found any other glove quite like it.

[wahoo]

#53010

I used a tab forever but at NALS a couple years ago I bought Americn leathers big shot . I almost cried when I saw the price but really like it . It’s broke in now so real comfy and I thought I was shooting better. I also switched to 3 under ??? seems to work for me. I was also going thru tabs like crazy so I went glove

[Stephen Smiley]

#54269

I’ve been shooting with the American Leathers glove and love it, but now I have to try a tab!

Always need a spare anyway so no trouble justifying the purchase.

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