The hot debate over arrow rests has been raging for years. It is difficult to determine if a whisker biscuit or fall away rest is definitively better. Almost every hunter we speak to has a different opinion on the best arrow rest. In our opinion, a whisker biscuit is the best choice for most archers and hunters. Of course, you will have to try each type out for yourself. Here are our top 4 picks. Below we give our tips about the pros and cons of both types of arrow rest.
The Whisker Biscuit
Also known as a full containment rest, the whisker biscuit is often thought of as a tool for novices. We disagree with this blanket statement. The fall away rest is more technical and has a higher level of difficulty to use. However, that in itself doesn’t mean that is better. Similarly, a more experienced archer will not necessarily get superior results by going to a fall away rest. Many experienced hunters use it to great effect.
Advantages
- Simple to Use
- Consistent Arrow Position
- Secure Arrow Position
- Easy Adjustments
Disadvantages
- Longer Arrow Contact
- Possible Accuracy Decrease
While its use is not limited to novice bow shooters, a full containment rest is without doubt the best choice for the novice. Its design and functionality ensure proper arrow placement when you need to draw. The whiskers have multiple contact points that keep the arrow centered. Of course, your form and technique will greatly determine overall accuracy, but a full containment rest will take care of centering the arrow consistently.
The drawback is mainly that the whiskers have contact with the arrow for a longer time period. After you release, the arrow will have contact with the whiskers until it passes through completely. Any movement by you or the bow will disrupt the true path of the arrow. But this length of time is a fraction of a second. It can easily be compensated for with proper technique, follow through, and breathing.
The Fall Away Rest
The fall away style rest drops when the arrow is released. This minimizes contact with the arrow during the initial part of its trajectory. It allows for superior accuracy by minimizing possible interference from incidental movement. The cons of the fall away rest are the need to reset the rest between shots. Other times, the rest may fall away too soon or be triggered by extraneous movement. This leads to missed opportunities and a bit of frustration. The fall way rest requires more skill and practice to use well. It does allow you a “potentially” higher level of accuracy, but it won’t make a real difference for most of us.
Advantages
- Superior Accuracy
- Minimize Arrow Contact
- Secure Arrow Position
Disadvantages
- More Difficult to Use Well
- Possible Missed Opportunities
Best Whisker Biscuit – Full Containment Arrow Rests
Trophy Ridge – Kill Shot – Arrow Rest
The Kill Shot is the most popular one on the market. Trophy Ridge is the original maker of the Whisker Biscuit. The term is actually its product name. It’s one of those products that dominates the market so well that its name becomes synonymous for the whole category. Like band-aid. So, Trophy Ridge rests are the industry standard and our personal favorites. The only mild drawback is the higher price.
Trophy Ridge has several different models available. The Kill Shot is the best in our opinion. It has superior stability over a long time. The design of the slider has the dovetail form and is super sturdy. It also has outstanding adjustment capabilities. It was the first to have a vertical adjustment which allow for precision, fine tuning and increased accuracy and consistency. The Kill Shot is extremely lightweight compared to others. It is also available in small, medium, and large sizes. There 6 available whicker colors too: brown, green, orange, pink, red, purple, and yellow.
- TRIED AND TRUE: World's most-popular rest sought-out by bow hunters of all skill-levels
- AMBIDEXTROUS: Reversible mount design for use with left- and right-hand bows
- EASY TO ADJUST: Easy corrections with advanced windage and elevation adjustments
TRUGLO- EZ-Rest Full Containment Arrow Rest
TruGlo is a highly trusted archery brand that specializes in quality products at affordable prices. The TruGlo whisker biscuit rest cost about half the price of the Kill Shot, but it delivers much more than half the quality. Sure, the Kill Shot is the superior product, but if budget is a concern, TruGlo is the best runner up.
It is an affordable upgrade that will improve almost any bow. The frame provides excellent strength and moderate durability. It doesn’t last as long as the Trophy Ridge, but it is decent considering the price. It will work for both right and left handed archers. The only compatibility issues are with smaller bows. At times, the sights can be in conflict with it, impinging on the sight window. But it is rare.
The whisker biscuit material is surprisingly high grade and whisper quiet. Making it an ideal choice for hunters.
- TRUGLO ARROW REST - The new EZ-Rest brush-style arrow rest is a great solution for archers looking to hold the arrow at any angle after...
- HIGH PERFORMANCE - Full-containment brushes hold arrow at any angle; .325 in. center hole holds all popular hunting arrow sizes and styles;...
- TOP QUALITY - This capture-style arrow rest features an ultra-tough all-weather design; It is quick and easy to install and tune on any bow;...
Trophy Ridge – Power Shot
This is another whisker biscuit model from Trophy Ridge. The outward appearance is similar to the Kill Shot model, but the build and functionality is quite different. The first difference is the material. It is made from a lighter and stronger composite graphite. The second difference is the sighting controls. It also has sliders for both windage and elevation adjustment. The third improvement is the coating on the whiskers. It’s called Ballistix CoPolymer – a fancy name for new plastic that reduces arrow friction, trajectory disruption, velocity reduction, and noise.
It does cost about 50% more than the Kill Shot, but it does deliver a far superior performance.
It comes in black or camo. And it is also available in small, medium, or large – depending on your arrow size.
- World’s most-popular rest sought-out by bow hunters of all skill-levels
- Reduces vibration while maintaining light-weight strength with Ballistix CoPolymer System
- Reversible small black mount design for use with left- and right-hand bows and high or low anchor points
Compound Bow – Full Containment Brush Arrow Rest
Our last recommendation is a relative newcomer. It is another budget model that delivers outstanding performance for the price. Again, if you can afford it, go with the Power Shot or the Kill Shot from Trophy Ridge. But if you need a replacement whisker biscuit and want to save a few bucks, this one is a decent choice. It has easy windage adjustment, but no elevation control. It comes in black, camo, and pink camo. It is made from polycarbonate material, so it is weatherproof.
- Capture-style arrow rest; Full-containment brushes hold arrow at any angle
- Launcher is adjustable and replaceable; Easy tuning adjustments
- Center hole holds all popular hunting arrow sizes and styles; Great for target shooting and hunting
Conclusion
To wrap up, we want to emphasize a 2 key points about the whisker biscuit arrow rest. whisker biscuit
1. Archers of Every Experience Level
It is great for beginners or advanced archers and hunters. The fully enclosed rest is easy to install, adjust, and use, so it is excellent for the novice. It is simple in design without mechanisms or parts that move. This benefits archers of every skill and experience level.
2. Lowers Possible Mistakes
The ease and consistency of this type of rest gives you one less thing to think about and one less thing to do. When it’s time to shoot, boom the arrows slides in the rest the same way every time. Easy, consistent, better. For all the benefits of a Fall Away rest, there is more that can go wrong with them. The holder can be too sensitive, can trigger at the wrong moment, or it can take you longer to set it. All this can lead to bad shots or missed chances. whisker biscuit
