Split limb or single limb bows

[stilllearning]

Here it is.
I have been watching Ebay and dreaming about a newer bow someday and I have noticed some split limb bows. I am wondering what advantage and what your opinion is on these bows or are they just somthing else to go wrong with your bow?
How esaly does somthing like that warp?

Just wondering as I am a little scared of them. Am I just in my thinking or am I way off base and they are the way to go?

[BT]

Some of the older models did have issues when they first hit the Market

Personally I wouldn't look for a split limb in particular but I wouldn't discount a good one either

[Greg Krause]

Everyone has a different opinion on them. They are supposed to give you a wider limb with LESS chance of warping. i'm not sure one way or another. I'm pretty sure BT told me he wasn't crazy about the idea of them. I do know however that I have shot split limb hoyts for the last 5 years. I have owned 3 of them and I really put them through there paces without any problems at all. I shoot a lot and always shoot at least 70#'s. I'm sure not all split limbs are created equal, but I haven't seen any problems with hoyt. I also want to say that although I love Hoyt bows, I'm not super loyal to them. If I felt there was a problem with them that I wouldn't have with another bow, I'd switch in a heartbeat.

[Greg Krause]

I see BT and I were responding at the same time.

[BT]

....as I said....I wouldn't discount a good one

Hoyt has Mastered it I believe.

[smj]

I think that the original idea of the split limb was to reduce over all limb mass and speed up the bow. Todays bows, I think, the fastest bows are not split, and probably don't have as much mass as the two split limbs put together. Good idea, but I think they had to beef the limbs up so much to get reliability that the possible advantage was lost. Some people like the look, but I think looks is all you are buying. I had a split limb for three seasons. After two, I had to have the limbs replaced as they would not tune up to the correct draw weight. They lost about 15% in two years. So buy with much care any older split limb.

[stilllearning]

Thanks guys. I like have as many opinions on stuff as I can get. I know my buddy here Eastern does not like them at all and won't even try one. I just thought I would ask what other opinions were.

[mahly]

Also theoretically, the split limb is stronger due to the fact that it has only straight cuts. A solid limb is split at the end for the cam, and split at the other end for the bolt.
I am sure others have had the opposite experience, but EVERY limb that has gone bad on ME have been solid limbs.
One of the issues bowtech had was some bows limbs were failing. They would split down the middle and become TRUE split limb bows
From what I understand, this has been a very limited issue, and bowtech stands by their product better than most...if they made a bow that I liked, I wouldn't hesitate at getting a bowtech bow.
Pretty much....this is the LAST thing I look at when buying a bow (if it is split or not).

[BT]

I have had a number of bows that split their limbs.

Most manufacturers aren't betting on an average of 60K shots a year

I believe my first blown limb was on a Pearson and that broke in half....horizonally.

All the rest were vertical splits

[michihunter]

I agree with Mahly. The solid/split limb issue is the last thing I'd be worried about in a bow. Hoyt didn't make it to the top because of bad limbs. And check out who's usually on top of all the tournaments- HOYT!!