Shooting a Hinge: Tru Ball HT

When it comes to Archery, Winter is my least favorite time of year for shooting. There is just something about being outside and walking through the woods that makes the sport so much fun. With the major shift to Indoor as the cold weather sets in, I feel like something is missing every time I take out my bow.

On the other hand, Winter is my favorite time of year to be a member of an Archery Club. As the cold weather chases people into the Indoor Range, there is no shortage of people to shoot with. It is nice to catch up with the archers that you haven’t seen all Spring / Summer.

It was one of these meet-ups that gave me a chance to broaden my horizons as it pertains to shooting a hinge (Back Tension Release). Up until last week I’ve been working with the Tru Ball Sweet Spot Pro – with mixed results.

Last week I got together with a couple of the guys and one of them, Chris, was kind enough to let me try a couple of his hinge release. The first of which was a Tru Ball HT 3-Finger Medium. The biggest difference between the HT and the Sweet Spot Pro is the weight. The HT is probably 1/4 of the weight of the other release.

The other main difference is that the HT is setup to click. I’ve heard mixed things about the click – mostly that it can lead to shot anticipation. In my limited experience with it, I’m finding the click very useful during setup.

Once anchored in, I relax my hand into the click, then begin to pull through. I still hit a sticking point from time to time and it feels like ages before the release fires. I should probably let-down and start the process over when my bow arm starts to wave about (due to fatigue) but I’m stubborn.

After a few ends, Chris handed me his Tru Ball HBC to try out. Much like the Sweet Spot Pro, the HBC was heavy and had a nice feel in the hand. It also has a click and was setup to be a little hotter than the Tru Ball HT. I didn’t really notice it at the time, however, the shape of the HBC is less swept back than the HT and I think it makes it a bit easier to trigger.

Before calling it a night, Chris was kind enough to loan me the Tru Ball HT to practice with. This morning I shot 60 arrows with it and the more I use it, the more I like it. For comparison, my scores with the hinge are only about 0.5 points per arrow (average) lower than my Spott Hogg Whipper Snapper (thumb trigger). With a little more practice, I think I can get my scores up a bit before league matchups begin.

Having the ability to try a couple of release before buying my own has been huge. A used hinge, for the most part, is going to cost between $100 and $150 (they go much higher than that). It is nice not having to buy one to try, then be forced to re-sell it if I don’t like it. I’m not sure what I’m going to buy just yet but I certainly wouldn’t mind owning a Tru Ball HT 3-Finger Medium.

Which Release Do You Use?