Tips for surviving the rain at a competition
Rain. It's probably one of the worst weather conditions you can shoot in. Mud and water gets in your shoes, your hair sticks to your face, and water blinds you. It sucks, but we are here to help. The staff here at HNL has comprised a list of tips that will help you weather the storm.
TIPS:
1. Invest in a good raincoat or waterproof windbreaker and rain pants. There is nothing a shooter wants less than to be soaked and miserable during a competition. The reason you want to get good quality rain apparel is because cheaper quality clothing can have some fatal flaws. A cheap jacket has no guarantee that it'll keep you dry, or that it will keep you warm or cooled off. A good jacket and pants that are 100% water resistant, insulated, but still breathable are an archers best bet.
2. Get clothes that fit properly. This tip applies specifically to jackets and shirts, because anything that is too tight or too baggy can cause some serious problem when it comes to shot execution. Tightness impaires your ability to comfortably reach full draw, while bagginess can interfere with the path of the string, ultimately affecting your arrow's flight path.
3. Wear rain boots. They may not be your favorite form of footwear, but you won't regret wearing them. Just imagine wearing sneakers, the mud oozing between your toes as your feet begin to sink in, the water saturating your socks and squishing as you walk... If that doesn't give you the chills I don't know what will.
4. Wear a hat or visor. When it's raining there is a good chance that is is hitting you right in the face. A hat or visor will effectively protect your face from water dripping into your eyes, and altering your vision. What use is your bow going to be if you can't even see the target?
5. Be consistent. If you are shooting in the rain don't dry off your bow every few ends or so. You'll want to dry it off after every end or just let it be wet and sit in the rain until you are done completely. Archery is a sport of consistency, and every little change you make between shots can change the outcome. You'll be surprised what a big difference such a small detail can make.
6. Don't use regular lubricant on a stuck cable guard. Anyone that has shot in the rain before knows that if the cable guard slide on your bow gets water in it friction can cause it to stutter. When this happens, an enormous amount of energy is lost, which can cause all sorts of unwanted problems while shooting. Most people would just end up lubing the cable guard every other end or so in this situation. Well, we have a better solution for you... Use skin oil. Okay we can feel you judging, but please hold on and let us explain. Regular lubricant is messy, it gets everywhere, and even when you use it it doesn't last a very long time. If you use skin oil, specifically from your face (yes we know it sounds weird), it works for a longer time, it isn't messy, and best of all it's free! Now if you're wondering where we heard this "ridiculous" tip from, trust us it's from a reputable source; this little tidbit came to us from Derek Davis, coach of the Columbia University archery team. Believe us now?
We hope that you found all of these tips helpful!
'Til next time...
-HNL Staff
By Amber
TIPS:
1. Invest in a good raincoat or waterproof windbreaker and rain pants. There is nothing a shooter wants less than to be soaked and miserable during a competition. The reason you want to get good quality rain apparel is because cheaper quality clothing can have some fatal flaws. A cheap jacket has no guarantee that it'll keep you dry, or that it will keep you warm or cooled off. A good jacket and pants that are 100% water resistant, insulated, but still breathable are an archers best bet.
2. Get clothes that fit properly. This tip applies specifically to jackets and shirts, because anything that is too tight or too baggy can cause some serious problem when it comes to shot execution. Tightness impaires your ability to comfortably reach full draw, while bagginess can interfere with the path of the string, ultimately affecting your arrow's flight path.
3. Wear rain boots. They may not be your favorite form of footwear, but you won't regret wearing them. Just imagine wearing sneakers, the mud oozing between your toes as your feet begin to sink in, the water saturating your socks and squishing as you walk... If that doesn't give you the chills I don't know what will.
4. Wear a hat or visor. When it's raining there is a good chance that is is hitting you right in the face. A hat or visor will effectively protect your face from water dripping into your eyes, and altering your vision. What use is your bow going to be if you can't even see the target?
5. Be consistent. If you are shooting in the rain don't dry off your bow every few ends or so. You'll want to dry it off after every end or just let it be wet and sit in the rain until you are done completely. Archery is a sport of consistency, and every little change you make between shots can change the outcome. You'll be surprised what a big difference such a small detail can make.
6. Don't use regular lubricant on a stuck cable guard. Anyone that has shot in the rain before knows that if the cable guard slide on your bow gets water in it friction can cause it to stutter. When this happens, an enormous amount of energy is lost, which can cause all sorts of unwanted problems while shooting. Most people would just end up lubing the cable guard every other end or so in this situation. Well, we have a better solution for you... Use skin oil. Okay we can feel you judging, but please hold on and let us explain. Regular lubricant is messy, it gets everywhere, and even when you use it it doesn't last a very long time. If you use skin oil, specifically from your face (yes we know it sounds weird), it works for a longer time, it isn't messy, and best of all it's free! Now if you're wondering where we heard this "ridiculous" tip from, trust us it's from a reputable source; this little tidbit came to us from Derek Davis, coach of the Columbia University archery team. Believe us now?
We hope that you found all of these tips helpful!
'Til next time...
-HNL Staff
By Amber