When I go on long hunting trips, I am packed three weeks in advanced. Everything I own is protected. 

My clothes are sealed in water/scent proof bags, and of course my bow is in its hard case.  I take all the precaution in the world to ensure that my equipment will make it there safe and sound.  Yet, if I am hunting close to my home, I usually lay my bow in the front seat next to me and drive to my hunting area.  What is the difference between a long trip and a short one? 

I have found, nothing.  The reason I have not secured my bow on short trips is because I want to just grab my bow and walk into the woods.  The last thing I would want to do is mess around with a bow case, undoing all the straps and getting my arrows out.

 Well, Alaris Concepts has answered my prayers with their new BowKaddy™^, a revolutionary way we store, transport, and protect our hunting equipment.

When I received the BowKaddy^, I also received the Kaddy Bracket Pickup, and the Kaddy Bracket  ATV.  We will get into both of these a little bit later. First, lets go over the BowKaddy itself.  The BowKaddy  is made up of four parts and all are made from injection molded high strength plastic.

The base is a five-inch by five-inch octagonal plate, with four holes that allow for stable mounting to a flat surface.  The main support arm connects to the base with a 2-½ inch bolt and a 2-inch quick release pin.  The main support arm has two slots located in the middle and four small holes on each slide of the slot.  The slot is where the last two parts of the BowKaddy , the swing arms, are connected.  At the end of the swing arms there are two rubber-lined clamps that hold your bow while not damaging it, and have two holes drilled through them so you can lock your bow for added security.

Now you might think that this is just like any other bow holder.  Well, not really.  As a matter of fact, the BowKaddy  can form itself to any type of bow that is manufactured, making the BowKaddy the most versatile bow-holder on the market.  It all starts with the swing arms. The swing arms are attached to the main support arm by the means of a wing nut and bolt.  Depending on how far your limbs are apart, you can adjust the arms to where they match your limbs in length, all the way out to 35 ¼ inches.  Now if that is not long enough for you, you can loosen the wing nut just a little more and pull the swing arms up or down until it clicks into place.  How does it keep from slipping when you are on a long drive?  Simple, that is where the holes on the main support arm, come into play. You see; the swing arms are equipped with a stud on the back that slides in the slot of the main support arm.  When you loosen the wing nut more, it allows this stud to slip out of the slot.  Then, when you raise the arm up of down, it falls into one of the holes, thus ensuring both sides will be equal.  While testing the BowKaddy^, I used a recurve, vertical limb, and basic compound bow and there was no problem with the BowKaddy conforming to all of them.

There are a few ways to mount this in your vehicle. One way is to attach the base directly over the wheel well.  You would locate the area you want to mount the BowKaddy  mark and drill the four holes, then fasten it with the hardware that is provided.  I know what you are thinking. Drill?? Well this is where the Kaddy Bracket  Pickup comes into play. Made from anodized aluminum, the main plate is designed to fasten under the box rail with two bolts. For added support, the plate has a slide adjuster that is attached to the wheel well using adhesive Velcro.  This allows the Kaddy Bracket Pickup to conform to any type of truck bed.  Even though you drill two holes, they do not compromise the integrity of your bed, or bed-liner. This is the best way to mount the BowKaddy to your vehicle.

You don’t have to be stuck to mounting the BowKaddy in just a vehicle.  You can mount the BowKaddy on the wall in your den, or even in your garage.  I constantly work on my bow to tweak it to perfection. Sometimes, my friends bring their bows to set up for them.  If I have a few bows that I am working on, I want to ensure I have somewhere I can keep them safe and out of the way.  Well, the BowKaddy is the perfect answer for that problem. I attached the BowKaddy to the wall in my shop, and it is great for keeping my bow out of the way.  Yet if I want to step in my backyard and shoot some arrows, it is right at my fingertips.  Just you can have your bow secure and safe, not just hanging from a hook or propped in the corner.

If I am in Colorado chasing elk, there are roads that are not wide enough for my truck, so I use an ATV.  It is near to impossible to hold your bow with one hand, while trying to navigate the boulders in the road with the other.  You could always put your bow in a case and attach it to the ATV, but that gets back to the point of wanting to be able to grab your bow at a moments notice.  That is where the Kaddy Bracket ATV comes into play.  The Kaddy Bracket ATV is made from anodized aluminum just like the Kaddy Bracket pickup, except this has two rubber lined hooked ends on it.  The great thing about the Kaddy Bracket ATV is, there is no drilling.  The base of the BowKaddy attaches to the Kaddy Bracket ATV. Once the base is connected, the Kaddy Bracket  ATV can be attached to the quad-rack of your ATV. To do this you take the two rubber-lined hooked ends of the Kaddy Bracket ATV, and hook them on a tube of your quad-rack.  Next, insert the rubber coated J-bolt that is supplied, into one of the holes that is by the next tube on the quad-rack.  Then, all you have to do is twist the J-bolt underneath the tube and tighten the wing nut.  That is it, simple as pie and the great thing is, you won’t damage your quad-rack by drilling or scratching thanks to the rubber coating on the hooks and J-bolt.
 

While testing the BowKaddy  and all of its accessories, I was ruthless.  I drove down every back road with logs and holes that I could find.  Although I was bouncing all over the cab of my truck, the BowKaddy held true to word.  My bow never moved, even on the ATV, the BowKaddy  performed excellent. I am truly impressed with the durability, dependability, and versatility the BowKaddy  offers.

Durability: 4.9 out of 5

The injection molded high strength plastic is virtually indestructible.  I and was able to withstand every vibration from paved road to gravel.  After testing, I inspected all parts of the BowKaddy  and found it in the same condition, as it was when I pulled it out of the box. 

 Versatility: 5 out of 5

As I stated before, I was able to put all types of bows in the BowKaddy  and it was able to fit them all.  It has to be the most adjustable bow holder ever made.

The BowKaddy  is simple to install. The only thing I did not like was drilling into a vehicle, but the Kaddy Bracket Pickup takes care of that problem.  The Kaddy Bracket  ATV is the simplest to install due to not having to drill.

Affordability: 4.8 out of 5

When I judge the cost of something that is meant to protect my equipment, I take the cost of the equipment into consideration. The BowKaddy cost $89.99, and the Kaddy Bracket  pickup cost $26.99 and paying a little extra for the BowKaddy is worth the money you save in the long run. Also, most bow holders for ATV’s cost around $49.00. The Kaddy Bracket  ATV cost only $21.99 and since it is detachable, you can move it from ATV to Pickup quickly.

Conclusion:
Overall I am very impressed with every aspect of the BowKaddy^.  If you to transport your bow to and from your hunting area in a pickup or ATV, you need one of these.  The setup was simple and the product is made to last.  There is no doubt to say that the BowKaddy  is a revolutionary change in the way we store, transport and protect our hunting equipment.

 If you would like more information on the BowKaddy, give them a call or check them out on the web at the address below.

www.bowkaddy.com
Alaris Concepts
Red Deer, AB, Canada
(403) 309-6814
Email: info@alarisconcepts.com