A quiver may be one of the last things bow hunters consider when in the market to buy accessories for their bows. Sights, stabilizers and arrow rests usually take top priority when deciding how to outfit your setup. Some hunters see quivers as utilitarian, and for those who hunt primarily from stationary stands with the luxury of removing them, this presumption may be fairly accurate. In these instances you may not want to spring for the highest end models if a quiver is simply functioning as an arrow holder; in that case a belt buckle is also a cheap alternative for what it’s worth. That said, if you want a little something extra then the ease of release of the best bow quiver on the market might benefit you in terms of reliability and noise reduction when setting up shop for a long sit.
On the flipside, if you are a bow hunter who likes to spot and stalk, one of the most rewarding challenges in bow hunting, then chances are you will have to shoot with your quiver on at least a few times a season at a time when silence is of the utmost importance. Hunters who plan to key in on this particular aspect of the sport should prioritize the quiver near the top of their list of accessories as this could be the make or break difference between bagging that wily, old mountain buck just over the ridge or spooking him into the deepest recesses of the forest for the rest of the season.
What makes the best hunting quiver can be boiled down to three main factors: Design, Weight, and Noise. Oh, and special features are always an added bonus. Let’s take a look at the variations you’re likely to encounter and which could be most advantageous when considering your next purchase. We’ll also explore a few examples of the best compound bow hunting quivers on the market today.
3 Best Bow Quivers
Quiver | For |
|---|---|
Those who want the absolute best quiver | |
Those on a budget and hunting in dark | |
Those on a budget |
Key Quiver Killers
Hood
Quiver hoods come in all shapes and sizes each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Some are designed to save space by neatly tucking arrows in a semi-circle fashion while others lay completely flat to get tight up against the riser, in particular this design is favored by the top notch TightSpot quiver.
Hoods can be either hollow or contain foam padding for a secure hold on your arrow heads to reduce vibration further down the shaft. Many top end quivers these days feature hollow hoods opting instead to place emphasis on tight grippers for arrow hold. Strong grippers paired with a hollow top alleviate the need for blades to be sharpened after repetitive sliding in and out of foam which can dull your broadheads.
Attachment Pieces
Material for the attachment points needs to be a sturdy plastic. One of the common complaints of lower end quivers is that the attachment pieces are unreliable, bend easily or break altogether. Well-made attachment pieces also can allow for varying levels of mounting adjustability which comes in handy when it comes time to fix on your site. Stay away from flimsy plastic here.
Weight
Heavy quivers contribute to accuracy killing arm fatigue and the dreaded torqueing effect that can negatively impact an arrows intended trajectory. When looking for the best arrow quiver for hunting you most certainly will want one that features lightweight construction. In today’s world of carbon risers where a real premium is placed on weight reduction, why add weight in the wrong place with your quiver? Ideally, the quiver weight will have as little effect as possible on your shot. In order to avoid impacting the shot the arrow holding appendage on your riser should be “light and tight” as they say.
Noise
Vibration dampening is the key to noise reduction. Arrows that are not tightly secured will make noise which can cost you the opportunity at a second shot on that Tom that seemed to miss the guillotine broadhead whizzing past his head. Various dampening technologies and designs exists which we will review in detail below.
The Best Bang for Your Buck Quivers
LimbSaver Silent Quiver for Bow Hunting
The LimbSaver Silent Quiver for bow hunting shares the same low profile and lightweight design as the TightSpot quiver at roughly a third of the price tag. For budget conscious hunters this is a safe and solid bet for the money. The Silent Quiver holds five arrows and can accommodate a wide range of arrow shaft sizes from 0.245 to 0.360 inches in diameter and features an easy release system making it convenient to get on and off where necessary. Silent Quiver uses proprietary NAVCOM technology to reduce noise when sliding arrows in and out of the quiver to help keep you undetectable when reaching for an arrow. As an added bonus the hollow NAVCOM hood comes with your choice of 6 camo patterns to meet your surroundings or personal taste.
The grippers will fit both fixed and expandable broadheads depending on your preference however, there are some concerns with the ability to tightly grip arrow shafts due to the lack of adjustability. This is a no frills reliable quiver that will get the job done. It may not be the lightest or the quietest out there but for the price tag it is reliably constructed along with being relatively quiet and lightweight.
Trophy Ridge Lite 1 Quiver Camo AQ500
The Lite 1 Quiver by Trophy Ridge is the next step up from the Silent Quiver offering a few more extras for those seeking some innovation in a quiver. One of the most interesting new features on this quiver is the LED lights on top of the hood and inside it. This could certainly come in handy for those of us who are sneaking in well before dawn when the night is at its darkest. The convenient hanging loop is also a plus if you like to hang your quiver. Weighing in at just under a pound it is not the lightest on the market but will certainly not be largely noticeable either.
The Lite 1 Quiver holds 5 arrows for those occasions where you’re either out there all day or get a rare second and third chance at an animal. The adjustable mounting bracket allows for a good number of configurations to accommodate most sites. The Lite 1 can be used with fixed and expandable broadheads. The grippers feature rather tight compression so this is probably not for those of us hunting heavier spined arrows as the squeeze on a 350 spine can be pretty tight. But if you are not one of the lucky brutes pulling back 70-80 pounds of draw weight then this should work just fine for your spines.
The Cadillac of Quivers
TightSpot Quiver Black
The TightSpot is the unparalleled king of quivers; the unquestioned best compound bow quiver on the market. One look at the solid construction tells you this is a quality piece of equipment. Coming in at a weight of a mere 11 ounces it is feather light. What’s more the quiver’s minimal weight is designed to actually add stability to your bow due to its low-profile and light weight. The company goes so far as to claim this quiver is a shooting aid not a hindrance which would seem like a foreign concept to most bow hunters not lucky enough to own one. The "Right Spot" three way adjustment allows you to balance the weight of your bow using the quiver as a counterweight which gives the company’s claim some real validity.
Every bit of this quiver is designed to be dead quiet. The TightSpot Quiver's 4-way Integrated Vibration Absorption System stifles vibration with its enhanced contact points leaving less of the arrow unattached, where it's free to vibrate and make noise otherwise. QuadFit 4-way spacer lets you insert the quiver along the cable guard for another vibration-reducing added benefit. Then you have the Bulldog grippers which are highly adjustable and tight on the arrows.
The design is perfect for stalking in heavy thickets where you need to be as compact and tangle free as possible. The TightSpot will give you the opportunity to turn yourself into a silent assassin along ridge lines, creek beds and swamps unlike any other compound bow hunting quiver on the market.
Summing it All Up
The hunt for the best bow quiver leaves little contest: it is indisputably the Tightspot. However, depending on your preferred style of hunting, you may be better off saving a few dollars for another accessory, especially if you spend most of your time warming a seat from 20 feet up an oak. For occasional stalkers and those on a budget the Silent Quiver or Lite 1 will likely suit your purposes just as well and leave you room to buy a few extra tags for the deer management areas in your state.
The sleek look of the Tightspot coupled with a barely there feel make it an attractive package. The die-hard stalkers will likely find the Tightspot the only option for them. And if you like to shoot with your quiver on, as I do, it is certainly tempting to find a quiver that may actually help stabilize your bow for those debatable 35 yard shots in the open ground. If you can afford it and you meet these criteria then go with the top of the line - once you do you will see TightSpot is king among quivers for a reason.
