In every sport I’ve ever been a part of there has always been some form of protection required for your wellbeing that will hopefully prolong your career. Interestingly enough the hands have always been an area of concern in the sports of my choosing. What I have learned is that archery is no different considering the potential of massive wounds being caused by damaged, weak, or misfired arrows. After reading numerous horror stories with graphic photos as proof it caught my attention to a degree.
As occasionally inspected arrows continued to launch out of my bow reality eventually hit closer to home, as a friend of a relative fell victim to this horrific mishap. This is when I finally realized the extent of damage that can be caused by a 300+ fps carbon arrow shaft shattering into the hand at point-blank range. I am admitting to you that up to this point I was fully aware of the possibility of an arrow breaking on a misfire or release but still kept practicing anyway with just random inspections of my sticks at best. If my groups were clicking together I’d look them over and that’s about it.
Sometimes I’d go through them before an outing but not often enough. I never considered the variables such as slight factory defects and developing weaknesses from aging etc. After recently learning the stats and percentages of the possibility of this infliction I finally realized that it has only been pure luck that my arrows have never failed me, especially considering how many I thrust every year and the odds of one of them being previously damaged or defected.
Let me explain the magnitude of the injuries endured by so many. When my friend’s arrow snapped upon release the tail end of it bored into his upper wrist, thumb muscles and nerves. He broke fine bones in the hand along with severing nerves and turning irreplaceable muscle into hamburger. He permanently lost partial use of his hand and hasn’t been able to shoot since. As bad as this was, the worst was yet to come.
Graphite fibers are notorious for lodging themselves within the injury and can eventually travel through the body and potentially find their way to your vitals. They cannot find their way out of a wound channel because of barbed hairs they develop from shatter that work their way deeper in. They can only be completely removed by a doctor. This was the case for this victim. He was fortunate that after a number of surgeries they found and removed the foreign fibers before they made their way into his pump house.
This leads me to the whole reason for this horror story… To show you how to prevent this from happening. It’s called “THE SHOOTING EDGE PROTX GLOVE“. I never had the chance to try the first two generations of this Kevlar armored super shield but recently had an opportunity to try the third generation. When I heard about it I couldn’t wait to get my hand(s) on it. I figured if Kevlar can stop bullets then it sure as hell can stop a 356 fps arrow blasting out of my Bear LS6 (I’ve always said I’d rather be shot with a gun than this bow).
After numerous tests it has been proven that this amazing glove will stop any arrow shaft from penetrating into the most vulnerable part of the hand. What also makes this glove so special is the comfort and security of wearing it. I’ve found that it gives me added support and a feel like a top-notch shooting glove, not to mention the important feeling of assurance. For under 40 bucks I would be a fool to not wear it consistently when shooting. It has loops on the fingerlings that assist in simple removal of the glove when done with each hunt, competition, or practice. It looks and feels incredible with quality craftsmanship in its construction. I count my blessings that I’ve dodged this bullet (arrow) and at my age I can’t afford to miss even one hunting season, let alone the rest of my career.
This baby has now become my new “hector protector”. I know there are hunters out there that aren’t the “bells and whistles” type but if you don’t see the importance of using this product every time you pick up your bow, you never heard the bell ring anyway and just maybe you hear whistling in your head fulltime. Unlike the OJ Simpson glove there is no mystery to this one. It works. Be one of the smart ones and put yourself in the safety zone. You’ll feel so much more secure and comfortable when resting in the pocket. It is truly a must to have.
For more please go to: The Shooting Edge
For more please go to: Johnny Costello
