Want your thoughts onTrophy taker smackdown pro

Joined
Apr 10, 2014
Messages
405
I'm thinking of upgrading to the TT crackdown pro the limb driven option. What are the pros and cons. I spot and stalk 90 percent of time. I'm just wanting to try something different other than my whisker biscuit. All reviews would be helpful.
 

good2eat

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 27, 2014
Messages
161
I use both the QAD and rhe smacldown pro, I prefer the TT as it is quieter and I don't have to bring it up into position.
 

Tony Trietch

Part Time Bow Hiker
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2013
Messages
2,104
Location
Northern MI, USA
Like all off Trophy Taker's products, it well designed and well made. Plus it's all metal, no plastic. I really can not think of one thing that is a con. The limb driven activation is the only way to go IMO.
 
Joined
Oct 21, 2013
Messages
941
Location
Bitteroot Valley
All pros with the TT smack down. Zero cons.

Great customer service
Awesome warranty
Top level machining
100% dependability
Easy to tune
Consistent
Accurate
Quiet
Full containment

And, designed by one of the number one elk killers around.
 

maverick351

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
268
It is hands down my favorite rest available. However after running both the limb driven and now the cable driven I will not run a limb driven rest again.
 
OP
V
Joined
Apr 10, 2014
Messages
405
And how does the TT smackdown pro compare to a hamskea full containment. And this is going on a carbon matrix 12
 

maverick351

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
268
The hamskea has a bit more adjustments but to me seemed bulkier and un necessary. The limbdriven has a much longer cord that can be snagged or hung up and is putting a harder shock/jerking motion on the rest. It can cause parts to endure more stress and possibly come loose. The cable driven for me required less maintenance and had less issues. 90% of the customers at my shop use a cable driven vs limbdriven and experience no issues
 
Joined
Oct 21, 2013
Messages
941
Location
Bitteroot Valley
The hamskea has a bit more adjustments but to me seemed bulkier and un necessary. The limbdriven has a much longer cord that can be snagged or hung up and is putting a harder shock/jerking motion on the rest. It can cause parts to endure more stress and possibly come loose. The cable driven for me required less maintenance and had less issues. 90% of the customers at my shop use a cable driven vs limbdriven and experience no issues

It's going to seem like I'm being an asshole here so take it for what it's worth.

As long as the rest is installed correctly it will never come loose and so long as a quality rest is chosen you will not see any parts fail. The cord on a limb driven rest runs almost in line with the existing cables and will not hang up on anything.

On certain bows a cable driven rest can be a tuning nuisance if not tied and timed correctly. Rest cords that are tied to tight can cause undue tension on the buss cable causing timing issues. This cannot be accomplished with a limb driven rest.

Beyond that, the statement of 90% of your customers shooting cable driven rests really holds no merit. Why? They are going to shoot what you shoot. 95% of the bows that leave my shop will have either a smack down or Ripcord Ace rest, Spott Hogg or Black Gold sight, Tightspot Quiver and B-stingers. Why? Because that's what we shoot and what we know will work. Customers weigh heavily on that.

I really can't comment on the smack down vs the hamsky as I haven't used one. I know they are built well though.
 

maverick351

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
268
I was asked for my opinion so I provided it. Down in the brushy oaks and mesquite and manzanita where I hunt I have snagged my limbdriven rest before. Yes you can throw off the timing by setting the cord in the wrong position but anybody qualified to work in a bow shop should be able to figure out the correct way since it takes very little pressure to activate the rest on a cable driven. That's just like arguing that a limb driven puts undo pressure on a limb causing cam lean and unbalance in the bow. Yes it is possible if you have no clue what you are doing but I doubt that the case in most circumstances. And we do run a software program that the owner of the shop created that lets us track exactly what items are bought and sold to be able to better prepare ourselves for future seasons. So yes I can actually state what the % of customers buy. I do understand what you have stated and am not thinking you are an asshole. Having 12 people work in our shop we have a wide selection of rests available that we all use on different bow set ups so to say we are influencing the customer to only buy what we use is incorrect. And while I would say a quality rest regardless of brand will last longer I refuse to say no parts will fail because that has been proven to happen by any company. Hence why they have a warranty. If parts never failed why would they need this?
 

Tony Trietch

Part Time Bow Hiker
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2013
Messages
2,104
Location
Northern MI, USA
And how does the TT smackdown pro compare to a hamskea full containment. And this is going on a carbon matrix 12

IMO, The two best rests made. You can not go wrong with either. I currently have both, one on my #1 bow and the other on the back up. I am getting ready to order next years bow and I am torn on which rest to order. Both are fantastic products.
 

vcb

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
512
Location
Colorado
This.

All pros with the TT smack down. Zero cons.

Great customer service
Awesome warranty
Top level machining
100% dependability
Easy to tune
Consistent
Accurate
Quiet
Full containment

And, designed by one of the number one elk killers around.
 

xcutter

WKR
Joined
Aug 22, 2014
Messages
1,398
Location
Connersville, IN
Had several Trophy Taker rests and nothing but good luck. Only issue I've ever had is the spring broke inside one of them. Called customer service and they shipped me another spring free of charge.

I'm not a fan of the limb driven rests. Over time the cord connecting to the limb gets stretched without you knowing it and causes the launcher to hit the arrow upon release. Also the cord is stretched like a banjo string just waiting to break or stretch. Also easy to get hung on brush and such. Using an old bow string helps with the stretching. You can use it instead of loop cord. Better choice of material for durability.
 

Whisky

WKR
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
1,419
Also had a spring issue. Good customer service. Just not a fan of rests that fail
 

Gumbo

WKR
Joined
Apr 26, 2015
Messages
1,298
Location
Montana
Had two springs break in my trophy taker in less than 6 months, granted one was quite old, but the second was less than three months old. Trophy taker did send replacements for free and they have great customer service, but if that happened in the field instead of my basement I'd be bummed. With that said, I liked the rest and would still shoot one. I switched to a Ripcord Ace, however, and it is working quite well. I removed the top bar and much prefer the tighter containment it offers in the "cocked" position as opposed to the TT where the arrow can bounce around in the cage. My two cents is that any fallaway has the potential to fail and I still think that TT is a solid option.
 
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