Best ILF Riser: Pro’s Guide to Being a Marksmen

Introduction

Ever find yourself wondering whether you’ll snap your bow or not? That’s probably because you have low confidence in your bow riser. The bow riser is the centerpiece that holds the entire bow together.

Not only will your entire bow fall apart, but the wrong riser may lead to your wrist spraying. So, it must be a top-quality piece.

This begs the question, how do you choose the best ILF riser? Don’t worry we got you covered.

Down below, we have a top 5 list of the best ILF risers available on the market today. This was brought to you by the arduous labor of our research team. They’ve scoured the net for worthy candidates, and they’ve shortlisted their scope to these five.

Now, let’s tighten your wristguards, and let’s get shooting!

Comparison Table

TOPOINTARCHEs Unison Aluminium Recurved Riser

Another exciting feature about the Unison is that it’s built out of Aluminium and Wood. This hybrid composition is finished with an Anodized Camo print. This makes it fit for any excursions that you might go out on.

The Unison comes in a standard 25-inch size. This is according to ILF specifications and as such allows it to be retrofitted in any bow.

However this comes at a cost, the Unison is the heaviest on the list. This makes the Unison durable but a little bit of a burden for some users. So we recommend that if you’re a seasoned archer, you should go for this.

Pros

• Excellent Stabilization.
• Great Durability.
• Excellent adaptability.
• Excellent Grip.
• Comes in standard size.

Cons

• Only for right-handed users.
• Heaviest on the list.

Samick’s Olympic Standard Avante Die-Cast Riser

Furthermore, the Avante also comes in a standard size. Its standard size of 25 inches means that it can pretty much fit any bow you can throw at it. Plus it’s an Olympic Standard Recurved riser, which means you can expect top-notch quality.

The Avante is also lighter compared to the Unison, weighing in at 2.42 pounds. This means that it won’t be that hard to use. Moreover, the body’s build is fully die-cast aluminum.

As more its other features, the Samick can be retrofitted with a lot of things. These include stabilizers, clickers, plungers, and sights. All of which is pretty standard for most Risers.

Pros

• It is user-friendly.
• Excellent durability.
• Decent adaptability. 
• Great value for money.

Cons

• Screws for sights are not up to standard. 

Samick’s Olympic Standard Ideal Die-Cast Riser

Like the Samick Avante, it’s also made of Die-Cast Aluminium. It even boasts 5/16-inch steel bushings for its central, top, and bottom stabilizers. It also features ILF standard center alignment along with weight/tiller alignment.

Like most of the risers on the list, the Ideal has a standard 25-inch size. This means it should have no trouble fitting most of the bows in your range.

Lastly, it’s also one of the more aesthetically pleasing risers on the list. Its attractive “Gunmetal grey” is the perfect balance between standing out and remaining lowkey. It was decreed by our research team as the most eye-catching of the bunch.

Pros

• Aesthetically pleasing.
• Decent durability.
• Excellent build quality.

Cons

• Only for right-handed people.
• Issues regarding changing poundage bolts.

HYF’s Aluminium CNC Milling Bow Riser

Another important feature that you have about this product is its size range. The HYF comes in 21,23 and 25-inch long risers. You get to choose from all of these sizes, which is why it’s so user-friendly.

It’s also easy to assemble and disassemble. This again is a testament to how easy it is to use for every user. 

Pros

• Comes in a wide range of sizes
• Decent durability
• Convenient to use
• Easy to assemble and disassemble

Cons

• Only for left-handed users

Samick’s Fully Machined T6 Aluminium Riser

This means the T6 won’t strain your wrists as much as the rest of the ones on the list. The T6 weighs a mere 1.85 pounds. This is the lightest one on the list.

As for its build, it’s made of high-quality 6061 T6 Aluminium. So why is this such a big deal? This is because the 6061 is stronger than the traditional 7075 Aluminium. It’s also retrofitted with a wooden grip for comfort.

Other than these, the T6 has an adjustable ILF limb pocket. This allows for a positive limb alignment making your shots more accurate.

Pros

• Lightweight.
• Budget-friendly item.
• Excellent durability.
• Decent stabilization.

Cons

• Fit smaller hands better.
• For only Right-handed individuals.

Things You Need To Consider Before Buying ILF Riser

Now, risers are one of the most important pieces in archery that you need to know about. This section focuses on that. In laymen’s terms, a riser is a glue that holds all the components of the bow together.

But, there is a thing to consider. Not all risers are the same. And more importantly, people’s tastes in risers may differ. But don’t worry we’ll go over the basics in this section.

So, let’s strap ourselves and get to shooting!

The Riser’s Size

The first thing you need to know about risers is their size. The size comes into effect when you’re keeping arrows around. This makes it an important consideration because that’s the whole point of archery.

There are a whole lot of sizes available, starting from 13 inches. The riser is the vertical component that holds the entire bow together. The standard size for risers is 25 inches.

But there are smaller sizes that cater to other people’s needs too. The 17 inches risers are a popular choice among archers. Some risers even come in ranges between 21-23 inches.

Draw Length

Draw length is another key aspect you need to consider before buying a bow. In simpler terms, the draw length of a bow is the measure of distance. 

The distance is from the knock of the string to the farthest part of the grip. Then you have to add 1 and ¾ of an inch to that distance. This total distance is the draw length of your bow and arrow.

So why does this matter?

A long draw length may require you to lean back to view through your peep sight accurately. This leads to poor form and excessive bow tension. This has a chance of harming your equipment. 

It may also result in you extending your front arm fully. This puts your inner elbow in close contact with the string and you risk the chance of injury.

On the other hand, a draw length that is too short might result in floating anchor points. This badly affects your performance, compromising an archer’s accuracy and consistency.

If your bow is too heavy to draw back, you can employ extra downward force. This can be attained by fully drawing the bow by arching it toward the sky. This might jeopardize your shooting form, resulting in inconsistency and safety problems.

Draw Weight & Let-Off Amount

Next up, we have the bow’s draw weight. The Draw weight is the maximum amount of weight you can pull back. It depends on the user and the bow.

An important issue people often overlook is that your comfort level determines your draw weight. You should feel comfortable drawing your bow back repeatedly. This isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.

Now, most bows have a standard draw weight of 40 pounds. This is partly correlated with the draw length. In this case, the draw length of the bow is 28 inches.

But there is a rule beyond the 28 inches. For an additional increase in draw length, you need to add two more pounds. So for a 29-inch draw length, the draw weight would be 42 pounds.

So why does it matter?

If your bow is too heavy to draw back, you need to apply extra downward force.This leads to poorer shooting form and results in shooting problems and safety concerns. Plus you might blow out your back too because you need to pull back towards the sky.

However, too low a draw weight might result in an unclear and underpowered shot. Not only will you miss the shot, but it will also put your target in danger. You’ll just end up hurting the animal when you’re out hunting.

Build Quality & Adaptability Of Riser

When it comes to the quality of the build of the riser its material matters. There are mainly two types of builds- aluminum and wood.

Although wooden ones are cheaper to use, they don’t last that long. Aluminum-built risers are long-lasting and durable on the other hand.

Last but not least we have the adaptability of the riser. Now, you might think that all risers will match their designated ILF limbs. That isn’t the case all the time.

Some ILF risers are not standardized. This might lead to inconsistencies in their builds and might not match with your limbs. So be extra careful to look for ILF standardizations.

FAQs

Question: What does ILF mean and how does it matter?

Answer: ILF stands for International Limb Fitting and it’s one of the most important standardizations in archery. This allows archers to match and pair an ILF riser to an ILF limb. It’s the measuring standard that all archery tools use.

Question: What are the issues of shooting from a short/long bow?

Answer: As a basic estimate, a longbow should match your height plus a few inches. The problem with shooting from a short bow is that it’s difficult to draw the string smoothly. However, a longer length of the limbs of a bow during drawing wastes energy when held for too long.

Question: Why do Archers let go of their bows?

Answer: Contrary to popular belief archers are not securely gripping the bow with our hands. This is why archers will drop and let the bow swing. When archers grip the bow, the strain from pulling back the string pushes the bow into their hands. This causes it to slide forward when the archer releases it. This puts less strain on their wrists

Question: Which is faster, recurved bows or longbows?

Answer: The short answer is that recurved bows are faster. Most contemporary compound bows have a wide range of arrow speeds. But recurved bows are 10-20 fps faster than a longbow of the same draw weight and length.

Final Words

Well, that’s all we had for today on the best ILF risers on the market. We sincerely hope we could show you the basics of picking out a good bow. However, if we’re to sum it up, it’s the one you feel the most comfortable firing.

Either way, we’re confident that you’ll make the right choice regarding the matter. A great riser is the backbone of a great archer. But this is time for us to say goodbye for now.

Till then, as always, take care and stay safe!