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While in France again for work I decided to finally put together an ILF rig I could compete with in the Traditional division (WA). Under this newish category the riser has to be wood or have wood in it. Also, I wanted a lighter bow to train on at the local Oly archery range, as my 52lb heavy arrow hunting setup (which I brought with me for no good reason) was making a mess of their blank bales, arrows too hard to remove.
I wanted a riser that:
With this list the White Feather Lark on the top of the list. I won't pollute this thread with my reasoning but despite the White Feather Lark ticking those boxes I finally decided against it, based on the experiences of others. You can read the thinking process based on reports in this thread.
I suppose it was @Heeney that finally tipped me over the edge on picking up the little known (for now) Buck Trail Nobleton riser. I don't remember but he may have got me searching for it in the first instance. It ticked all the boxes with the exception it didn't have micro-laminations, rather a solid piece of unknown wood. I called a local vendor here in France that had a great deal going, and they assured me, in very serious French, that the Nobleton had proven to easily carry 50lb of weight in their extensive tests.
The only other candidate at 19" was the drop dead gorgeous Morrison Phenolic Wood, which at $646 is way beyond my 'wood ILF experiment' budget. Let it be known I will own that riser one day.
With that I bit the bullet and ordered from a shop here in France. EUR155. As for limbs, I ummed and ahhed about that too, until I found an incredible deal on Buck Trail 3k Cross Carbon Wood limbs, at 45lb on a 19" riser from another vendor. EUR110 (normally 2-3x that). None at 40lb, as I'd hoped.
So here goes.
Limbs and riser came from two different vendors, but in brand boxes labeled from an original supplier Archers Gear, a large European archery distributor.
Packaging
![Packaging and labeling Font Wood Rectangle Box]()
Limbs came in high quality sleeves.
Nobleton Riser
The Nobleton looks like quality kit. Mine came very well finished. Not a flaw or burr. My bow hand immediately got on well with it. I could tell just by picking it up that I would not have to wear a glove or tape it up - no palm slipping up to grip throat. Easy to locate the thumb and lifeline. It has a similar shape to the grip on the Black Hunter, but a little shallower.
![Musical instrument Wood Natural material Tableware Fashion accessory]()
The shelf fit the bill, albeit I could've done with a little more radiusing on the strike area. Center cut is just where I like it.
![Musical instrument Wood Natural material Metal Jewellery]()
Limb pockets are nicely done, limbs sitting right on the phenolic. The tiller bolts are of a high enough quality at the price, and have plastic washers under the caps contacting the limbs. Brass sleeve on the bolt where it contacts the U groove on the limb is a nice touch.
![Wood Camera Material property Camera accessory Cameras & optics]()
![Bag Wood Beige Sleeve Collar]()
It has a 'coin' embed, with the Buck Trail logo. It's well seated in, no glue or burrs.
All in all very happy with the riser out-of-the-box. Onto the limbs (next post due to attachment limit).
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Edited for grammar, and a photo double-up.
I wanted a riser that:
- Has a dense phenolic or micarta layer for mass and stability
- Has LLA and LLA bolts going into the phenolic or micarta (not the wood)
- Has a radiused shelf
- Has locks for tiller bolts
- Can reliably take at least 50lb without blowing up in my face (I carry the scar on my head of a wood riser doing just that)
- Is 19" long (I know I won't win much with a riser that short, but I struggle to shoot longer with med limbs)
- Ideally had Dymondwood/micro-lams for strength (like the famous Black Hunter does)
- Be under EUR200 (I want to test the water with wood and ILF, not buy in big too early)
With this list the White Feather Lark on the top of the list. I won't pollute this thread with my reasoning but despite the White Feather Lark ticking those boxes I finally decided against it, based on the experiences of others. You can read the thinking process based on reports in this thread.
I suppose it was @Heeney that finally tipped me over the edge on picking up the little known (for now) Buck Trail Nobleton riser. I don't remember but he may have got me searching for it in the first instance. It ticked all the boxes with the exception it didn't have micro-laminations, rather a solid piece of unknown wood. I called a local vendor here in France that had a great deal going, and they assured me, in very serious French, that the Nobleton had proven to easily carry 50lb of weight in their extensive tests.
The only other candidate at 19" was the drop dead gorgeous Morrison Phenolic Wood, which at $646 is way beyond my 'wood ILF experiment' budget. Let it be known I will own that riser one day.
With that I bit the bullet and ordered from a shop here in France. EUR155. As for limbs, I ummed and ahhed about that too, until I found an incredible deal on Buck Trail 3k Cross Carbon Wood limbs, at 45lb on a 19" riser from another vendor. EUR110 (normally 2-3x that). None at 40lb, as I'd hoped.
So here goes.
Limbs and riser came from two different vendors, but in brand boxes labeled from an original supplier Archers Gear, a large European archery distributor.
Packaging
Limbs came in high quality sleeves.
Nobleton Riser
The Nobleton looks like quality kit. Mine came very well finished. Not a flaw or burr. My bow hand immediately got on well with it. I could tell just by picking it up that I would not have to wear a glove or tape it up - no palm slipping up to grip throat. Easy to locate the thumb and lifeline. It has a similar shape to the grip on the Black Hunter, but a little shallower.
The shelf fit the bill, albeit I could've done with a little more radiusing on the strike area. Center cut is just where I like it.
Limb pockets are nicely done, limbs sitting right on the phenolic. The tiller bolts are of a high enough quality at the price, and have plastic washers under the caps contacting the limbs. Brass sleeve on the bolt where it contacts the U groove on the limb is a nice touch.
It has a 'coin' embed, with the Buck Trail logo. It's well seated in, no glue or burrs.
All in all very happy with the riser out-of-the-box. Onto the limbs (next post due to attachment limit).
----
Edited for grammar, and a photo double-up.
