While know-it-all elitists frequently dismiss bow stabilizers as an unnecessary tool used only by amateurs, the best compound bow stabilizer silences your bow by eliminating excess vibration. And any bowman who’s ever hunted in the field knows that old cliches are sometimes true. On a hunt, silence is golden.
At Bow Addicted, we want you to find the right stabilizer for you, so we reviewed some of the top products and put together a buyer’s guide explaining what you need to know before buying.
Check out our picks for the best compound bow stabilizers available today:
If you’re on the market for a high-quality bow stabilizer, but you’re pressed for time, look no further than the Bee Stinger Sport Hunter Xtreme Stabilizer
Top-Notch Compound Bow Stabilizers
Best Overall: Bee Stinger Sport Hunter Xtreme Stabilizer
If you want a bow stabilizer that offers a ton of different color and length options, Bee Stinger’s stabilizer might be a good choice. Each stabilizer comes with three 1oz weights for balance customization, and the body is made from durable carbon.
Pros:
- Extremely customizable
- Available in several sizes and colors
- Impressive internal dampener and de-resonator
- Durable carbon body
Cons:
- Higher price point than some stabilizers
What makes this model truly exceptional is the Sims Internal Harmonic Dampener and De-Resonator, which combine forces to reduce vibration.
Best Lightweight: Trophy Ridge Static Stabilizer
This ultra-lightweight static stabilizer has all the durability of aluminum, but it’s 25% lighter thanks to Trophy Ridge’s Ballistix CoPolymer System, which offers vibration reduction with a soft-touch Ballistix coating.
Pros:
- Includes two weight options
- Drastically reduces wind drag
- Provides braided wrist sling
- Offers several different lengths
Cons:
- No internal vibration dampening
The unique, slotted design allows air to pass through the stabilizer, offering a steady shot even in high winds.
Best Design: SAS Archery Aluminum Bow Stabilizer
Designed with multiple slots to allow airflow and minimize wind drag, this sleek, stylish stabilizer from SAS offers internal vibration dampening to reduce vibration and noise. There’s also a full draw counter balance for additional stability.
Pros:
- Features an internal dampener
- Reduces wind drag significantly
- Available in several different sizes
- Attractive design
Cons:
- Weight isn’t adjustable
It’s available in three different sizes, but there’s no way to adjust your weight with this model, which is a major point against it for some bowmen.
Easiest to Carry: Trophy Ridge Hitman Stabilizer
Available in four different sizes, this stabilizer from Trophy Ridge features a quick-connect system for rapid removal of your stabilizer, so you can pack up and go in seconds.
Pros:
- Offers an internal dampener
- Quick-connect feature makes it easy to transport
- Comes in four different sizes
- Adjustable weight
Cons:
- One of the most expensive options
This stabilizer is made from lightweight carbon, and it comes pre-assembled with two removable 1oz weights for extra customization. You’ll also get a wrist strap, a mounting bar, and colored rings for personalization.
Best Value: Dead Ringer Vector Bow Stabilizer with Quick Disconnect
Dead Ringer’s stabilizer is aerodynamically designed with open grooves to minimize wind drag. Its quick-disconnect feature lets you remove your stabilizer in two seconds or less, making it easy to transport.
Pros:
- Lightweight, durable construction
- Extremely affordable compared to some stabilizers
- Aerodynamically designed
- Offers a quick disconnect feature
Cons:
- Only one length available
- No internal dampener
However, there’s no length variation with this model. You’re limited to the 10-inch option, which may not be the best for hunting in dense underbrush. It also lacks an internal dampener.
Buyers Guide
Along with a rangefinder (read.. top-notch rangefinder), a bow stabilizer is one of the most useful accessories in any archer’s kit. Now that you’ve seen our top picks for the best bow stabilizer on the market, let’s go over the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions, so you’ll know everything you need to know before you make a purchase.
Why Do I Need a Bow Stabilizer?
In addition to absorbing excess vibration, which effectively silences your bow, the best compound bow stabilizers also provide balance.
Because every archer has different needs, bows are built with personal modification in mind. On their own, unmodified bows can be unbalanced and prone to shaking in hand after firing, hence the need for stabilizers. A high-quality stabilizer should do two things: provide balance and reduce vibration.
Balance
You might find the extra weight of a stabilizer foreign at first, but it’s the sign of a good stabilizer if your bow feels harder to use. You have proper balance if your bow no longer twists and shakes easily. But you’ll need extra power on the drawback at first. Just think of it as an extra workout. Once you adjust, you’ll notice a marked improvement in your aim.
read.. how to balance a bow with a stabilizer
Vibration
Losing an arrow (read.. best mechanical broadhead) creates great potential energy, directly impacting your arrow’s flight and causing your bow to vibrate. Smaller, cheaply-made bows vibrate much more than others and might even warp in your hand. Attaching a stabilizer increases the surface area of a bow, which gives all that excess energy an outlet.
Thanks to the added stability, vibration levels drop off to a negligible degree, which can also boost your accuracy.
Even better, using a stabilizer all but silences your bow, making you more effective in the field when you’re hunting targets with sharp hearing.
Should I Use a Stabilizer with a Compound Bow?
You should if you can, but if your compound bow doesn’t have a port, you won’t be able to attach a stabilizer. Check your bow for a universal threaded hole built to accommodate a screw. You’ll find it on the back of your bow — the side that faces your target (read.. top-notch target shooting bow).
If you have an older or custom-made compound or recurve bow, you probably won’t be able to attach a stabilizer, but most modern compound bows have an installation port.
What Size Bow Stabilizer Should I Use?
Weight is usually a matter of personal preference, but a heavier stabilizer provides more stability during target archery. On the other hand, if you’re an archer fond of hunting, adding too much weight can be problematic in the field.
In terms of length, shorter stabilizers are great for hunting, especially if you’re using a compound bow. A shorter stabilizer provides increased noise reduction, which is a boon when you’re hunting game.
A longer stabilizer will do more to boost your consistency, so they’re more popular amongst target archers.
Conclusion
While all of the stabilizers on our list are great options, the best is the Bee Stinger Sport Hunter Xtreme Stabilizer, which offers everything you could want in a stabilizer and then some.
It’s more expensive than some other models, but its price point accurately reflects its performance.
Our runner-up is the SAS Archery Aluminum Bow Stabilizer. The only point against it is the lack of weight adjustment. Otherwise, it’s pretty close to perfect.
But it’s not quite as perfect as Bee Stinger’s stabilizer, which is why the Bee Stinger is our top pick.
