If you asked ten bowhunters, “which arrow rest do you use, and why?”, you’re likely to get ten different answers. It doesn’t seem to matter how much experience the archer has; each hunter develops a personal preference over time. You might think all archers with years of experience would only shoot a drop away rest, but that isn’t the case.
Just because the drop away is the more technical of the two, doesn’t mean it’s the better rest for all shooters. The reasons why archers choose a Whisker Biscuit over a drop away rest are simple and straightforward. They are simple in design, reliable, and perfectly designed for their purpose. The rest of this article covers the pros and cons of the full containment rest, along with reviews of the different options.
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Quick Picks: Best Whisker Biscuit Arrow Rests
- Whisker Biscuit Quick Shot – The classic, reliable arrow rest. (See on Cabela’s)
- Whisker Biscuit Kill Shot – Highest Rated, upgraded x-y adjustment sliders. (See on Cabela’s)
- Whisker Biscuit Power Shot – Best Value, enhanced vibration reduction. (See on Cabela’s)
- Whisker Biscuit Sure Shot Pro – Micro tuning mechanism for experienced archers.
Whisker Biscuit Advantages: Simple & Reliable
What exactly makes the Whisker Biscuit so popular? Simplicity and reliability are the two words that come to mind. There’s more to it than that of course, as experienced bow hunters will tell you, so let’s dig into the finer points of this type of arrow rest.
Securely Holds Arrows
The Whisker Biscuit is a full containment arrow rest, which is the fancy way of saying the arrow is enclosed on all sides, making it impossible to jump off or fall out of the rest while the arrow is nocked. Simply slip the arrow shaft through the slot in the bristles, nock your arrow, and you are ready to draw on a moment’s notice.
Easy to Install and Adjust
Installing a Whisker Biscuit is a simple task. The rest is bolted directly to the riser using two supplied allen head bolts. Using two bolts prevents accidental twisting of the rest that can occur over time from bow vibrations.
Next, you need to adjust the side-to-side centerline of the biscuit using the bolt and slot. The hole for the arrow shaft should align on the same plane as bowstring, and the arrow should be at 90 degrees (perpendicular) to the bowstring. After that, you can do some paper tuning to find the best nocking point, and adjust the biscuit up until the arrow shaft is again at 90 degrees to the bowstring.
Great for all Levels of Experience
The simplicity of install and use make it great for beginning bow hunters. The lack of moving parts and mechanisms allows the focus to be on good shooting form, technique, and shot execution. The last thing a new archer needs is to be excited at a shot opportunity and having the arrow hop off the rest. It may come as a surprise to some, but experienced bow hunters appreciate the Whisker Biscuit for the very same reasons.
Minimize Chances of Error
Handling a bow in the woods presents many opportunities for screwing up a shot. Carbon hunting arrows easily bump off a drop away rest when trying to get into position for a shot. The same goes for hunting from a ground blind where space is limited.
The drop away mechanism is another possible point of failure. If the shaft holder fails to fall away on the release, then what? The arrow flies way off target! When a rest fails to drop away, the shaft fletching and nock meet resistance, pushing it off the intended trajectory path.
Accurate, but Less Forgiving to Poor Technique
What I mean by this, is that poor installation or poor shooting technique can negate the benefits of the Whisker Biscuit. Tests have shown that a properly tuned bow with a biscuit rest can shoot groupings nearly as tight as a drop away rest. Any bow accessory can negatively affect accuracy when user error is involved.
The other thing people like to knock on the Whisker Biscuit is the reduced arrow speed. The vanes must pass through the bristles, so yes, arrows will lose a little of speed. The lost speed, however, is minuscule at the 20-30 yard range that most deer hunters try to shoot for. Don’t let those two things scare you away from a biscuit. Plenty of top bow hunters rely on a Whisker Biscuit arrow rest, and see no loss of performance. See this video below for proof:
Do Whisker Biscuits Wear Out?
Whisker Biscuits are extremely durable, but depending on your arrow fletching, the bristles can wear out after a hundred arrows. The good news is the bristles are easily replaced. Remove the end caps on the biscuit, and a new disc with brush inserts into the rest frame. Another tip for longevity is to buy a real Trophy Ridge product. You can find nearly identical products on Amazon, but they are mere imitators, with most using crappy bristles and suspect hardware.
Best Whisker Biscuit Arrow Rests – Comparison
Trophy Ridge currently offers four models of Whisker Biscuit rests. The models follow a progression of enhanced features with enhanced adjustment features. When reading these Whisker Biscuit reviews, keep in mind that the difference between the models is incremental. If you are new to bow hunting, you will get just as much out of the entry Quick Shot model as you would the top of the line Sure Shot Pro.
1. Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit Quick Shot
- Fundamental fail-safe rest sought-out by bow hunters of all skill-levels
- Reversible medium mount design for use with left- and right-hand bows
- Make easy corrections with advanced windage adjustment and convenient reference marks
- 150% increase in strength compared to previous models with composite-encased biscuit
The Quick Shot model is the base model in the lineup. This biscuit is a cost effective upgrade for almost any bow. It is simple, quiet, yet improved upon in several ways from the original. Trophy Ridge says the redesigned frame is stronger than ever and has a smoother adjusting slider. It also has a simple reversible mount design, permitting archers to switch the rest about depending on their handedness.
Owners have mentioned that it is quite good for stabilizing a shot without negatively affecting the speed or trajectory of their arrow. One of the only concerns is that it can rub against certain bow sights and potentially affect aim, but this appears to be isolated to smaller bows with less space along with the sight window. Hunters can quickly adjust with the engraved reference marks. Another major selling point is its quiet performance: hunters who need stealth won’t have to worry about spooking their quarry.
2. Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit Kill Shot
- World’s most-popular rest sought-out by bow hunters of all skill-levels
- Reversible medium brown mount design for use with left- and right-hand bows
- Easy corrections with advanced windage and elevation adjustments
- Increased strength with the composite-encased biscuit
The Kill Shot has several upgrades over the Quick Shot. First, it has a sturdier dovetail slider design, making the alignment much harder to come loose over time.
Second, the Kill Shot introduces vertical adjustment (elevation and windage), which is great for fine tuning alignment. Third, this arrow rest is smaller and lighter, thanks to composite materials used in the frame.
Like all the other Whisker Biscuits, there are rubber boots for silent arrow loading. The Kill Shot has three sizes, with inner diameters of .300″, .320″, and .395″ respectively.
3. Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit Power Shot
- 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 medium camo mount design for use with left- and right-hand bows and high or low anchor...
- Enables easy corrections with advanced windage and elevation adjustments and convenient reference...
The Power Shot looks nearly identical to the Kill Shot, but looks are deceiving. The Power Shot also has a composite frame with horizontal and vertical adjusting sliders. Only the Power Shot can boast the silencing effect of Ballistix CoPoylmer coating.
The coating system reduces noise that metal parts can create, as well as dampens vibration from the bow. The Power Shot is a popular rest and comes in a black or camo color pattern.
4. Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit Sure Shot Pro
- Accurate and consistent sight with advanced tool-less micro windage and elevation adjustments
- Increased accuracy with convenient laser-engraved reference marks
- Prevent binding over time from dust and dirt with nylon bushings
- Increased strength with aluminum-encased biscuit
The Sure Shot Pro is the top of the line model for the archer who won’t settle for second best. While the Power Shot and Kill Shot really are the best “bang for your buck” value for most hunters, the Sure Shot Pro is the overall best whisker biscuit model. Your experience level should dictate whether you can justify the additional cost of this model over others.
The Sure Shot adds additional micro-adjustments for the avid shooter who understands how and when to use them for the most precise shot possible. The horizontal and vertical sliders have laser engraved markings to make tuning easy.
*Last updated 2023-09-22 at 22:12 / Product Links & Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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