Best Drop Away Arrow Rest: My Top Picks

If you are looking for the best drop away arrow rest for your bow then you are in the right place. In this review, you will learn which drop away arrow rest to buy and why also the criterias you have to keep in mind before getting an arrow rest.

Drop-away arrow rests are more sophisticated than their steel spring, or prong arrow rests. Additionally, they are pricier. Nevertheless, they are worth the price. For the higher price tag, you get increased accuracy and virtually zero fletching contact. These are the two main benefits of using the best fall away arrow rest.

A drop away arrow rest comes into contact with the arrow shaft during the first four to six inches of the arrow travel. The rest then drops or falls away, hence the name.

This allows the arrow to travel freely and unhindered and contributes to the arrow’s accuracy and speed. Now that you know why drop away arrow rests are beneficial, let us look at some of the factors you should consider when buying one.

Drop Away Arrow Rest Comparison


Last update on 2024-03-18 / Please note that Prices and Availability Are Subject To Change /Paid links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

You may remember back in the day when bow technology was still in its infancy stages, you had to rely only on your skills to become a good hunter. Thankfully for us, bows and arrows incorporate sophisticated technologies that have given us an edge in the bow hunting department. One of the must have tools for modern hunters is the drop away arrow rest.

Why is the latter tool, so important? Well, this is the question that I will be answering in this article. Furthermore, I will be reviewing 8 of the top drop away arrow rest for hunting and archery.

Which Criteria Makes a Drop Away Arrow Rest As the Best?

When searching for the best, there are several factors to consider. These are;

Cost

Compared to other types of arrow rests, drop away arrow rests are expensive. Thus, most drop away arrow rests have a hefty price tag attached to them.

However, if you are new to drop away arrow rests it will be best to go for something affordable. Fortunately, there are plenty of entry level drop away arrow rests for your selection. All the same, it is important that you find a balance between affordability and quality.

If you want an arrow rest for testing your skills first, affordability will be of at most importance.

On the other hand, if you want an arrow rest to use for a long time, it might be wise to fork out a substantial amount of money for quality.

Ease of setting up

Ease of set up is another important factor to consider in your search for top rated drop away arrow rests. While drop away arrow rests are generally harder to install than other types of arrow rests you can find easy to set up arrow rest.

To know how easy it is to set up an arrow rest, check its total arrow containment and how easy it is to adjust the timing cord.

The drop away arrow rest installation will depend on these two things; It needs to be quick to set up. Additionally, it should always be locked to avoid causing you harm.

Construction quality

Drop away arrow rests are used outdoors, meaning they have to be tough enough to survive whatever Mother Nature throws at them. Therefore, it is important to consider what material a drop away arrow rest is made of. Stainless steel is both durable and resistant to rusting. Thus, the best hunting arrow rest is one crafted from stainless steel.

Performance

The main purpose of buying the best fall away arrow rest for hunting is to improve your archery skills . As such, the drop away arrow rest you select should be able to fulfill its purpose. For improving your archery skills more you can also use the best archery target which will be a best friend for honing your target.

Before settling on a drop away arrow rest do some research first. There are many drop away arrow rest reviews on the web that you can use to make an informed decision.

There are other factors to consider when buying a drop away arrow rest, these are;

Other Factors To Consider

  • First is the type of drop away arrow rest, whether a buss operated system or a limb operated system, it will depend largely on your preference
  • Another factor to consider is the brand; some manufacturers have a reputation for designing high-quality drop away arrow rests
  • Size might be an important factor to consider for some; some people prefer small drop away arrow rests.

Remember: Don’t buy any arrow rest for your hunting crossbow or recurve bow because they are useless and need lots of modification if you want to use them in crossbows.

Best Drop Away Arrow Rest

You might be wondering which drop away rest will be the best for your bow. Well, wonder no more because the answer is below.

QAD Drop Away Arrow Rest: Quality Archery Products HDX Arrow Rest

Quality Archery Products UHXRT-R Right Hand HDX Arrow Rest,...

Drop away arrow rests are considered to be high-end rests. One drop away rest that can be considered truly high end is the Quality Archery Products HDX rest.

Manufactured from stainless steel, this arrow rest is designed to be resistant to rusting. Given its price tag, this arrow rest is pretty easy to set up and comes with an instructions manual, both a DVD a book manual.

Behind its easy to set up nature is its side-to-side and vertical adjustment. The latter adjustment makes it easy to set up your center shot as well as your rest height.

Another beneficial feature of this arrow rest is its timing cord. This cord is designed to be easy to adjust even when the rest is clamped to the buss cable.

Pros

  • Has a locking feature that prevents bounce back and vibration
  • Keeps arrows contained even when the bow is drawn and let down
  • It is a high quality and durable rest thanks to its stainless steel construction

Cons

  • The clamp that holds the timing cable to the buss cable is poorly designed

Specification

  • Realtree AP color
  • Stainless steel construction
  • Advanced vibration technology
  • Velocity drop away technology

VERDICT

The Quality Archery Products HDX Arrow Rest is a pretty pricey arrow rest. Thus, it is best suited for professional hunters looking for something to use for a long time. This drop away arrow rest qad is thus worth its rather hefty price tag.

Vapor Trail LimbDriver Pro V Rest

Vapor Trail Archery Arrow Rest Pro V, Right Hand, Red Arm

The Vapor Trail LimbDriver Pro V rest is truly a wonder arrow rest to use. Not only is it easy to set up it is also more accurate than other rests.

This is essential because this arrow rest is attached to your bow’s limbs and not cables.

Unlike other arrow rests, this rest supports up to 70% of the arrow during launch. This produces a flatter shot and improves accuracy. The improved accuracy is thanks to this rest’s arrow shaft cycle support. This support also offers minimal fletching clearance.

The adjustable spring tension gives it additional versatility as you can fine tune it match the amount of force required for your bow.

Pros

  • It is easy to set up
  • Drops away very first giving you minimal fletching
  • Can support arrows for a longer time
  • It is easy to time

Cons

  • This arrow rest is not 100% containment

Specification

  • 9 inches long
  • 5 inches thick
  • PVC with multi-layer drop stitch
  • Large deck pad
  • Bungee cord
  • Detachable center fin
  • Adjustable aluminum paddle

VERDICT

This arrow rest is another high-end rest designed for professional use. However, given that it is easy to set up, this top drop away arrow rest can be used by virtually any hunter.

Cheap Drop Away Arrow Rest: Ultra W-QURH Rest Quad Hunter

Quality Archery Designs Ultra Rest Hunter Drop Away Rest...

A reasonably priced arrow rest, the QAD ultra W-QURH rest is a great arrow rest for hunting. A cheaper alternative to the pricier HDX models, this arrow rest comes with an instructional DVD manual.

Unlike other arrow rests in its price tag this arrow rest uses velocity drop technology. What this means is that the rest only drops away when the carbon arrow is fired. Thus it remains cocked irrespective of vibrations or low let downs.

Rubber bumpers ensure that this arrow rest offers quiet operation ideal for hunting.

To make it adjustable to arrows of different sizes, it also features a laser-cut felt.

Generally, this arrow rest is compatible with arrows of up to 4 inches shorter than those of other rival arrow rests.

Pros

  • It has rubber bumpers that ensure zero noise
  • It is an affordable arrow rest
  • Stays cocked all time thanks to its velocity drop technology
  • It works with arrows of different sizes

Cons

  • The rest is made of aluminum and plastic thus its quality cannot match up to that of stainless steel models

Specification

  • Velocity draw technology
  • Total arrow containment
  • Adjustable timing cord
  • Break away safety
  • Laser-cut felt

VERDICT

The Ultra W-QURH boasts of impressive features at an affordable price. Thus, it is the arrow rest of choice for hunters looking for a cheap arrow rest without compromising on quality.

QAD Ultra-Rest HDX

Quality Archery Designs Ultra-Rest HDX, Right Hand

The Ultra-Rest HDX is another rather pricey arrow rest from QAD and is one of the arrow rests in my possession.

There are many things I like about my Ultra-Rest HDX.

The first is how snugly it fits my bow without bouncing back into the fins. Using harmonic dampener technology, this arrow rest is virtually free of noise.

Additionally, its mossy oak color is appealing and makes it blend in perfectly in the field.

On the other hand, the patented cam/break feature allows for increased spring tension. Meaning that the rest drops away faster allowing my arrows to travel faster and unhindered.

Pros

  • It is easy to install thanks to its instructions manual
  • Thanks to its felt, it is a quiet arrow rest
  • The adjustments on this bow are easy to effect
  • It attaches to a bow firmly and does not bounce

Cons

  • It is quite pricey compared to other arrow rests

Specification

  • Laser cut felt
  • Total arrow containment
  • Break away safety
  • Overdraw adjustments
  • Stainless steel constructions
  • Full draw indicators

VERDICT

If you are wondering which is a better drop away arrow rest or whisker biscuit? the Ultra Rest HDX proves that the drop away arrow rest is the best. In this regard, this is an ideal arrow rest for anyone wishing to make the transition from a whisker biscuit to an arrow rest.

NAP Apache Drop Away Arrow Rests

NAP Apache Drop-Away Rest Right Hand Camo 360 Degree Sound...

The New Archery Apache drop away arrow rest is a simple and inexpensive arrow rest. However, there is nothing inexpensive about the feel of this arrow rest.

Setting up this arrow rest is a simple as its design. Included in the package is a set of screws and a bolt that you use to attach the rest to your bow.

Similar to the set-up, tuning this arrow rest is also simple. It boasts of vertical and horizontal adjustment. Therefore, when you want to tune this rest all you do is loosen the adjustments.

Being one of the best drop away arrow rest, the Apache features full containment as well as a 360 degree sound dampening feature.

Pros

  • This arrow rest is easy to set up
  • Thanks to its tool-less adjustment it is also easy to adjust
  • It is made from high-quality materials
  • This arrow rest has a great feel

Cons

  • This arrow rest is designed for right handed people only

Specification

  • 360 degree sound dampening
  • Vertical and horizontal adjustment
  • All metal construction
  • Laser graduations
  • Camouflage color

VERDICT

So is the Apache really worth its price tag? Well for a beginner this can be a great arrow rest to start with. Its simplicity is its greatest asset. This arrow rest does not require any kind of tools to adjust, meaning you will have a breeze with it in the field.

Left Handed Drop Away Arrow Rest: Truglo Downdraft RT Xtra

TRUGLO Downdraft Drop-Away Arrow Rest Reatree XTRA

I have had the pleasure of using several arrow rests in the budget level category, one of which is the Truglo Downdraft Drop away arrow rest.

My first impression of this arrow rest was that it belonged within its price point.

Apart from its affordability, I loved this Truglo arrow rest for being easy to set up. It took me approximately 15 minutes to set up my arrow rest and attach it to my bow.

This arrow rest attaches to a bow’s downward moving buss cable. Fitted with rubber dampeners, this arrow rest is whisper quiet.

Unlike some of its competitors, this arrow rest is designed for both right and left-handed individuals.

Pros

  • It is easy to set up
  • It is whisper quiet thanks to its rubber dampeners
  • It offers great value for money considering its price tag
  • Improves your accuracy

Cons

  • The rubber dampeners suffer from wear and tear after some time

Specification

  • Sealed bushings
  • Realtree Xtra Camo design
  • Downward-moving buss cable attachment

VERDICT

Its price, ease of set up and adjustment make this an ideal arrow rest for a beginner. Thus, despite its drawback, it is a great arrow rest to start with.

Ripcord Fall Away Arrow Rest

Ripcord Camo Arrow Rest RH

Ripcord markets the fall away arrow rest as everyone’s favorite arrow rest. So is this true? Well, there is a lot to be said about this Ripcord fall away arrow rest.

For starters, it is in the mid-level price range. Secondly, this arrow rest can be locked into position manually and will automatically fall away at full draw. This ensures complete arrow clearance. The included containment arm guarantees total arrow containment.

One of the best things about this arrow rest is that it does not require a bow press to attach to a bow’s cable. In addition to this, the arrow rest boasts of internal dampeners that ensure a quiet operation.

On the other hand, the drop dead internal brake system eliminates bounce back.

Pros

  • Have internal dampeners that ensure quiet whisper operation
  • The large windage adjustments makes it compatible with a wide array of bows
  • This arrow rest does not experience bounce back
  • It has fast fall away to allow for unhindered arrow travel

Cons

  • The little football clip of this arrow rest might take time to adjust

Specification

  • Containment Arrow system
  • Drop dead internal break system
  • Red over molding
  • Two position containment arm
  • Large windage adjustment
  • Offset cord

VERDICT

The Ripcord fall away arrow rest is a great rest that works with a wide variety of bows. In this regard, it makes a great addition to any hunter’s arsenal of arrow rests. Also, it is not as expensive as other arrow rests.

Hamskea Hybrid Hunter Pro Right Hand Microtune 

Hamskea Archery Solutions Hybrid Hunter Pro Right Hand Black...

The Hamskea Hybrid Hunter can best be described as a lighter version of the well-known versa rest platform.

As such, it is not surprising that this is the priciest arrow rest on this list. Everything about it screams quality, from the stainless steel bearing balls that on which the launcher shaft rides on to the zero tolerance technology.

Another great feature of this arrow rest is the textured adjustment knob that allows you to adjust the rotation tension of the launcher shaft.

An anti-bounce back clamp means zero bounce back. The containment bracket is covered in a rubber cover that ensures minimal noise.

Pros

  • Its features are taken from the proven Versa platform
  • It is a lightweight arrow rest
  • This arrow rest is designed to minimize noise
  • It is easy to set up

Cons

  • It is quite pricey compared to other arrow rests

Specification

  • Microtune windage
  • Vertical adjustments
  • Zero tolerance technology
  • Overmold containment bracket
  • Launcher shaft with proprietary coating
  • Non-slip pad

VERDICT

The Hamskea arrow rest is a great rest for the professional hunter. Its price tag means that it is the kind of arrow rest to get when you are sure of yourself. Crafted from top quality materials, this arrow rest will serve you for a long time.

Conclusion

The question what is the best type of arrow rest can be answered based on your preferences. However, in my opinion, drop away arrow rests have something that other types of arrow rests do not. That being said, the above drop away arrow rest reviews will help you find the best drop away arrow rest. Thus, it is my hope that this article has been of great help to you.

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