I recently made the switch to a hinge release after shooting trigger release for years. I tried a few hinge releases over the past year or so because it seems like everyone is giving them amazing reviews. Finally found one I believe can be used for 3D archery as well as hunting and I’m excited to share it with you.

Truball Sweet spot 2

The Sweet Spot 2 is the perfect way to safely learn back tension shooting. The revolutionary thing about the release is the thumb lever safety built into the top. The safety allows you to lock the release in place during your draw to prevent premature firing. The safety clicks in giving you a tactile response so you know it’s ready. Then you hook on to your d-loop and draw your bow with your thumb on the barrel like a normal hinge release. Once you are at full draw you press the back on the safety with your thumb to unlock it. After unlocking it works just like any other back-tension release!

The best back tension release for beginners

My first experiences with other hinge releases were quite embarrassing. It took a lot to learn the draw stroke because I am accustomed to a trigger release with a wrist strap. Drawing a hinge release you have to keep your hand at an angle where most of the pressure is on the thumb side to prevent your bow from firing. For me this turned me off immediately simply because I can already shoot very accurately 20-60 yards with is adequate for bow-hunting purposes. I did not feel the juice was worth the squeeze.

Specifications of the Sweet Spot 2 by Truball

The newest truball release can be had in a 3 or 4 finger variety. I Chose the 3 finger because it was most comfortable for me so that is what I will discuss here.

dimensions – 3.1 x .8 x 2.4 inches very thin design that fits will in the hand.

Weight – 2.4 ounces which is light enough to carry in a pocket unlike some brass releases I have tried that feel like lead sinkers.

Colors – Black, Blue , Pink and green you will find a perfect fit for you.

Back tension accuracy

I signed up to shoot the Total Archery Challenge in Tennessee this year. The TAC is an event where participants shoot 3D targets out to 100 yards which requires every bit of your form to be perfect to make a solid hit. I spent a couple of days at a local range to get my sight tapes dialed in and to practice. My friend who has been trying to get me to switch over to hinge releases brought along his Sweet Spot 2 and I fell in love with it. My group sizes past 60 yards were cut by about 75%. I feel that inside this distance with a trigger I have practiced enough to not notice much of a difference but at extreme distances the advantage was absolutely clear. With a “surprise shot” as long as you do your part you will see an improvement on group size.

Locking Hinge Release advantages

For archers who have already made the transition to shooting back tension releases I cannot say the Sweet Spot will offer any significant changes for you. For someone wanting to give it a try however, I think this is the perfect place to start. I had a couple premature releases just trying out a few other options which turned me off of the whole concept. But after using the safety mechanism on the Truball that is no longer a possibility. The release cannot be fired no matter how you torque your drawing hand as long as the lock is engaged. So draw your bow, press the unlocking lever and then go through your shooting sequence. This should allow everyone to at least try out back tension shooting without fear of loosing arrows.

Truball V-Lock wrist strap compatible

Another reason I stayed away from hinge releases is because I mainly use my bow for hunting whitetail. Most offerings on the market today are handheld release I did not feel comfortable taking into a tree stand for fear I could easily drop my release and have no way to fire my bow. Truball designed the Sweet Spot 2 to be compatible with their V-lock wrist strap. It is basically a traditional buckle strap with no velcro (which I prefer for hunting) that locks into the rear of the release. This was I can keep my release ready to go and accessible while hunting or on a hike and shoot target match.

Price and availability

Having a well stocked archery shop is the obvious place to start but not always an option. I bought my Sweet Spot release HERE. if you’re a hunter and want to check out the V-Lock wrist strap those can be found HERE. The releases are fairly new and are slowly becoming available locally so the internet may be the fastest way to get your hands on one if you’re not the patient type.