Published April 21, 2017 in Product InfoBy P.J. Reilly

How to stay dry at a 3-D tournament

How to stay dry at a 3-D tournament
Except for lightning or some other dangerous situation, nothing stops a 3-D archery tournament. Those competitors shoot in all weather conditions.Perhaps nothing is as vexing to a 3-D archer as rain. Water can cause all kinds of problems with archery gear. Besides rusting any steel parts, it can blur sight lenses, soak strings and cables, foul peep sights – you name it.rain2So what can you do to keep you and your equipment as dry as possible at a 3-D tournament? Keeping you dry is the easy part. Get yourself the best rain suit you can afford. Make sure it’s one that allows you to comfortably shoot your bow.Every 3-D archery needs to carry a good umbrella – whether it’s raining or not. Obviously, the umbrella will shield you and your bow from falling rain. You can have a fellow competitor hold it over your head while you’re on the line to give you the best opportunity possible of getting off a good shot.rain7Ironically, you can use that umbrella even when it’s not raining. They’re great for shielding you from wind and harsh sunlight or stadium lights in the shootdown area.You can keep your hand-held release aid in a pocket, along with your rangefinder – assuming you’re shooting in a known-distance class. Binoculars can be tucked inside your rain coat.Now, what about your bow? There are a lot of things to protect from the elements on that bow.Let’s start with the string. Always be sure to wax your string on a wet day. The wax will repel water, keeping your string from becoming waterlogged. Should that happen, count on your sight tape being off.rain5There are several peep-sight covers on the market. Those of you who have any kind of glass in your peep will definitely want a peep cover for rainy days. A single drop of rain in your peep can really foul your view of the target.rain3Same goes for your scope. You have to protect that glass, and so a scope cover is a must. Truth be told, they’re also good on very dry days to keep the dust off your lens.rain9A bow stand is a pretty important piece of gear regardless of the weather, but it’s especially vital on rainy days. You don’t want to set your cam in a mud puddle, or on some other wet surface where it can pick up grit and water.stand1The ultimate in rain protection for your bow is a bow cover. It’s essentially a rain coat. Slide it over your bow while you’re waiting to shoot, and then pull it off when it’s your turn on the line.rain1