PETE WARD
PETE WARD
"WELCOME TO MY OUTDOOR WORLD"
Custom Built "Kid Stix" Arrows
by
Rob Green
Rob Green
254-394-4218
Kempner, Tx.
Rob Green
E-mail Address(es):
rgreen1958@yahoo.com
Review
Emily with her new Kid Stix
These arrows are not what you normally see the kids shooting. They are a very high quality and professionally made arrow that any adult would be proud to shoot.
They are straight as a die, and beautifully crested and fletched. These arrows are also an excellent choice for anyone shooting lightweight bows. Many of the women shooters shooting light bows can do well with these arrows.
Rob is passionate in trying to have our youth become our archers of the future, and like me he firmly believes that for the kids to enjoy shooting they need proper arrows, and if they look good, the kids like them even more. Good-looking arrows like this are also motivation for the kids to look harder to find them in the grass, and bush.
Rob uses premium "Surewood" Douglas fir 5/16" shafts in light spines to match the kid’s bows. I have enlisted my Grand Children to assist me with the review, and they are quite happy to help out. Emily the oldest has been shooting since she was 3 years old and has always had arrows to match her bows. Now she is shooting a closer to adult bow, a Chek-Mate Beaver Creek longbow that we made from a blank. It draws 28# at 28" and Emily has a 23" draw now.
Quote from Rob "That's why I build sets of arrows for kids that are "match-grade" in spine/weight tolerances. My sets are usually spined one to two pounds apart between 20 & 30# and I weight match them to within 6-10gr. My philosophy is simple.....High Quality, Colorful, Durable arrows will allow the kids to like what they shoot, shoot them well, and continue the "tradition". When I started shooting at age 10 in 1967 my arrows were "consistent"....Bear Fiberglass...lol. But that consistency taught me to be very accurate as a kid with no mentor to teach me. I didn't really get into making my own arrows from cedar shafting until the late 1980's."
The arrows Rob chose for Emily are spined 25-26# and are cut to 28". She can grow into them, as she gets older, but right now they fly perfectly. The big smile when she saw the arrows says a lot. Emily appreciates the arrows Grampy makes, but this time I have been out done. Robs arrows are far better than the ones I make.
One of my biggest annoyances is seeing a child with dads broken and cut down arrows passed on to them. Often a child with a 15 or 20 pound bow is expected to enjoy shooting an arrow with the equivalent spine and weight of a pick handle or broom stick on our bows. A 55 or 60# spine arrow cut to 22 or 24" would be like Dad fletching the broom for his bow, yet we see this a lot.
Kids want to shoot far, shoot lots, and have the arrow stick in. It just is not fun to have them bounce off the target. If you want your kids to enjoy archery they need proper arrows that match the bows. For those that make their arrows the solution is simple, make some Kid arrows, and for special occasions like a birthday, Kid Stix make an affordable gift that will bring a smile for many days.
The name "Kid Stix" night make you think cheap, low quality, however this is completely wrong. Kid Stix arrows are very high quality, and a better quality than a lot of adults shoot. I say this based on the very tight spine tolerance Rob uses as well as the close weight matching, straightness and then there is the perfection in the cresting to consider. There is nothing cheap or shoddy in any way with these arrows. They are very high quality in every way. The price does not reflect the quality. These are a bargain, and it is obvious Rob is not making these arrows to earn money. Kid Stix arrows are under priced.
With each purchase you will receive a printed page detailing the shafts used, and recording the weight and spine as well as the arrow batch number. Rob records all of this information as well as a photo of the arrow so that you can order more arrows that are exactly the same. You can get the exact same spine, weight, fletch, and crest on your next order. Try to get this service with your adult arrows you order now!
Data Sheet I received.
You will notice on the data sheet that 2 sets of arrows were sent and I have concentrated on Emily's arrows in the review so far.
There is a reason for this, and that is, the second set for the small bows my other grand children use are just to big for the bows. Rob and I have been discussing this over the past week, and looking for a solution so that Tiny ones can have the same shooting experience as the big kids.
Abby is 4 and she has a Samick Little Angel 16# bow. The bow is 32" long; with a 5 1/2" brace height .She draws about 14, to 16". Abby was delighted with the pretty arrows, made just for her, and could not wait to shoot them.
It is easy for kids to be happy, but Grampy was a bit disappointed. Here is why. The little bow simply is not suited to the 5/16 arrow and normal size fletching. However the little bow is perfectly matched to Abby and her 21-month-old sister Carly that already wants to shoot like the big kids. The problems are easy to see, the fletch goes past the riser, the arrow just is to heavy, and the bow will not make it stick in with any sort of regularity. So the arrow is made with perfection, and the bow is ideal for the child, but they are not a good combination together.
Solution..
Rob is looking at making arrows now for the real tiny kids and the bows they need and have. As of today Rob has ordered 1/4" shafts, etc to rectify this void. He will not compromise the quality of arrow he makes in order to supply to the small fry needs, so it may take a while for him to be happy with what he can accomplish with 1/4" arrows. My suggestion was to make them like I do. A couple quick coats of sealer on a straight 1/4" shaft, fletch with 2 1/2" feathers and a good 60 grain glue on point. {Those crimp on silver points are junk!! They are blunt and do not stick in.}
The thought of slapping together an arrow like this seemed great to me, it is very functional, however to Rob it seemed horrific. I was quickly told his is not going to happen with Kid Stix. Rob will not compromise the quality of the shafts, the vibrant colors, and the number of sealer coats he has determined needed to bring out the colors needed build arrows that he is proud to sell. I cannot wait to see how this works out.
So at this time you need to consider the size of the child and the bow before making the order, and talk to Rob first. We need to determine the difference between a Kid and a Child, or Toddler and size the arrow accordingly. Talk to Rob about the Childs size when ordering.
It is fine to look at what is available from Kid Stix, and for the older, but still kids, this will work out just fine. Just use some thought when you are choosing for the real tiny ones like Abby and Carly. I feel confident that in a short time we will see some arrows available at Kid Stix that are going to be just as perfect for the smaller bows like Abby and Carly use, and just as good the wonderful arrows that are being made now for the big kids.
To sum up this long-winded page, I think that the "Kid Stix" arrows are the best kids arrows I have seen. The quality is superb in every aspect, and these arrows are above the quality we see in many adult custom made arrows. These are very well suited to our youth and many adults that are shooting bows that are light draw weights. Considering the quality of arrow, these are a bargain. We owe it to the youth to properly match the arrows to their bows, if we truly want them to succeed and take a serious interest in our sport. I feel confident in saying that Rob shares this feeling, and that he puts his best into every arrow he makes.
From the Girls, Emily, Abby and Carly and Myself, Thank you Rob.
Pete ward
"Welcome to my outdoor world"