October 28, 2010
 The Team Realtree Pro Series Releases are built on the ultra-smooth Hurricane head and are available in black or Advantage Timber. |
In 1984, the husband and wife team of Lynn and Judi Tentler took their passion for archery and turned it into the Tru-Fire Release Company. Since that time, over 3.5 million releases have been manufactured and sold by the family-owned business! Year after year, Tru-Fire, now operated by the Tentler's son Steve and his wife Cheri, produce and sell more releases than any other company in the world.
To get a better picture of the company's history and achievements, I asked Steve what he considered to be the key to their success. His immediate response was customer service, quality, and an affordable price. Every model is repeatedly tested at 200 pounds on a specially designed hydraulic release machine.
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Another measure of quality is the return rate. Many companies would consider one and two percent to be a terrific number. Tru-Fire, however, has an amazing return rate of only three-tenths of one percent! When a release is returned, Tru-Fire has a "one day" policy, which states that a release may not remain in the building for more than 24 hours from the time it is received. When you consider the number of releases Tru-Fire ships every year, it is amazing that they have not had one backorder in over three years!
My first experience with a release came in 1990, when I splurged and spent all of seven or eight dollars on a Tru-Fire Crackshot. A year or two later, after successfully shooting in several 3-D tournaments and harvesting a few deer with the Crackshot, I upgraded to the Tru-Fire X-Caliper model. My first X-Caliper was my constant companion for the next ten years. This year, the Team Realtree Hurricane model, with its ultra smooth action and comfortable wrist strap, will tag along for the hunt.
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Hurricane And Team Realtree
An eye-catching partnership has emerged for 2002, joining Tru-Fire with Team Realtree. These new additions, built around the popular Hurricane Power Strap model, are available in black or Advantage Timber. The Advantage Timber Camo pattern is reduced 10 times, and then applied to the head through a special printing process. The strap on both is made of SaddleCloth and utilizes Tru-Fire's patented continuous loop system and Velcro closure. This system is designed so that the archer does not have to open the strap all the way, instead you simply slip your hand through the loop and cinch the strap.
Tru-Fire Hurricane release heads incorporate an ultra-smooth action achieved through the use of a free-floating, self-centering, stainless steel roller that rolls, not slides, off of both jaws. The jaws and trigger are heat treated and coated with Teflon to ensure years of trouble free use. The jaws open when the trigger is pulled and close when released. There is no need to "push" the trigger forward to lock it onto the string or string loop--a feature that I personally enjoy and appreciate. Another factor contributing to the smooth feel of the Hurricane, is a lack of "loading up" on release--pressure created from bow-pull weight being translated into unwanted excessive trigger pressure upon release. While some releases load up to nearly two pounds of trigger pressure on a 70-pound bow, the Hurricane requires only 3.5 ounces of pressure to activate the trigger.
Classic Caliper Power Grip
Archers who attach their release directly to the string will rave about Tru-Fire's Classic Caliper Series. The releases in this series offer the patented "Tru-Rotator" feature that allows the head to rotate 360 degrees in front of the trigger. There are seven different Classic Caliper releases to choose from, including the Power Grip Camo model. These are the only wrist model calipers on the market that have a true 360-degree rotation. Another useful feature incorporated in the Classic Caliper series, is the Auto-Jaw. There is no need to depress or push the trigger to load the release on the string. The Auto-Jaws automatically lock into place when pushed onto the serving.
 For 2002, the X-Caliper has undergone two major changes. First, the trigger sensitivity was boosted by over 50 percent and second, the jaws were redesigned to easily fit the popular string loop. |
The fully padded Power Grip, constructed of soft camo SaddleCloth, is easy on the hand and wrist when pulling even the heaviest of bows. This style is similar to the Power Strap in that it attaches around your wrist but also resembles a glove with its padded palm area. This release also incorporates Tru-Fire's continuous loop strap, enabling the archer to put the release on in record time. A simple clockwise or counter-clockwise twist of the trigger assembly adjusts the length to allow for shooters of all sizes.
X-Caliper Camo Power Strap
I can personally attest to the durability of this particular model, as it served me well for over 10 years and still fills in as a reliable backup! This release has long been the workhorse in the Tru-Fire lineup and has been made even better for 2002. The heat-treated and Teflon-coated jaws have been shortened and thinned to accommodate the use of the popular string loop. Most importantly, the cam in the trigger mechanism has been redesigned, increasing the trigger sensitivity by 50 to 60 percent! In years past the X-Caliper required nearly 10 ounces to fire a 70-pound bow, whereas now that number has dropped to four ounces. That is a significant improvement.
Most archers have experienced target panic at one time or another, and know the frustration that it brings. The X-Caliper features a "relax to fire" mode to overcome this hindrance. Fully depressing the trigger and then manually locking the jaws around the string readies the release. Then, at full draw, all that is required to fire the bow is for the shooter to relax the tension against the trigger. Archers can still choose the traditional positive-closure mode of firing by pushing the trigger forward to lock it onto the string. Just like the Hurricane and Classic Caliper Power Grip, the X-Caliper utilizes the simple "no tools" length adjustment system.
The Tru-Fire Release Company has been manufacturing quality releases at affordable prices for eighteen years, and has once again entered the ring in 2002 with a host of heavy hitters. In all, 46 releases grace the pages of the Tru-Fire catalog, including many new and improved models. For more information on the company's entire line, contact: Tru-Fire Corp., Dept. PB, N7355 State Street, North Fond Du Lac, WI 54937, (920) 923-6866, www.t rufire.com.
