Traditional bow hunting, pretty soon, may become a thing of the past, as most of bow hunters now use the best lighted nock for target practice or game hunting.
A nock, by the way, is the notch located at the end of the arrow shaft. Some hunters may feel strongly against the use of lighted nocks and believe that it poses a threat to the good old bow-hunting tradition.
Yet, it cannot be denied that there are benefits in the use of these lighted nocks.
Where before a hunter is hard put to track down his prey after hitting it, with a nock he is now able to see immediately where he hit it and run it down more effectively.
For a hunter, improved recovery of the game and increased retrieval rate of arrows are very important to the sport.
For now let’s put aside the debate and focus on the lighted nocks offered in the market by some of the most trusted manufacturers.
Contents
1. Lumenok GT Nock review
The Lumenok GT package comes with three green nocks that would fit a 0.246-inch (inside diameter) shaft. The Lumenok GT has three main parts the battery pack, the nock itself, and two plastic sleeves to sheathe the battery and press snugly onto the shaft.
Each nock has replaceable batteries and is designed for longer use Lumenok GT reviewallowing hunters to easily track the arrow’s path.
Unlike other nock lights, the Lumenok GT requires no unnecessary magnets or switches; the LED light is set off upon shooting and relies mainly on the conductivity of the shaft.
How it works is rather easy to grasp. Before taking a shot, pull the nock slightly out of the shaft, ensuring that the two metallic loops that serve as contacts do not touch the shaft.
When you shoot the arrow, the force will push the nock tightly against the shaft and engages the connection loops that finally turn the LED on. This may seem rather tricky, but you’ll get the feel of it in no time at all.
Each pack contains three green nocks and a replaceable battery.
2. Firenock D3h-R Hunting
The Firenock D3h-R hunting is certainly afire with complex features involving the most advanced technology.
Consider the following innovations: a miniature printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) is affixed inside the nock; a battery pack is set on the back of the PCBA with a titanium wire; the PCBA is equipped with a motion sensor that turns the LED on upon sensing a force of 65Gs or more.
There’s more the nocks have two versions of application (hunting and target versions), and corresponding methods in turning the LED off.
If you’re on a hunt and want to shut the LED off (otherwise it stays lit for over 24 hours), merely drop the arrow (with the nock facing down) from a height of, say, 8 inches on top of a hard surface and the sensor deactivates.
On the other hand, the target version will automatically shut off after 12-17 seconds.
All these high-tech features, the Firenock D3h-R comes in a pack of 3 with end caps and battery.
3. Nockturnal Lighted Nocks
These nock lights from Nockturnal operate on piston-driven contact switch with a LED light for brighter illumination even in broad daylight.
The package comes in a pack of three red lighted nocks, which are nicely compatible with arrows having 0.246-inch (inside diameter) shaft, and requires no assembly.
The nocks are waterproof and shock resistant with over 20 hours of battery life. To deactivate the light, you need to flick (with your pocket knife or the tip of the broad head) the shut-off switch through a small port on the side of the nock base. A bit inconvenient perhaps, but it has its own advantage of not being turned accidentally off.
The features of these lighted nocks may not be at par with top quality and technologically more advanced brands. You can get your money’s worth in terms of the product’s durability, according to customer reviewers on Amazon.
Lighted nock reviews in 2017
Let’s compare the nocks’ brightness, which is a summary of what customer reviewers on Amazon are saying:
The appeal of the Firenock is on its advanced technology which is way ahead of its competitors. While it lights up the arrows trajectory, though, it also lightens your wallet faster.
The Lumenok, which costs only half the price of the Firenock, is the most visible at the peak of its brightness. Its battery life is approximately 40 hours. It also is the brightest at the farthest distance observed during simultaneous flight of the three nocks. In flight, the Firenock’s performance is flawless, but because of its complicated mechanism, it has the tendency to shut off upon impact which defeats the purpose of making game retrieval easier. Battery life can run from 24-28 hours.
The Nocturnal is the cheapest, with considerably bright light in flight, too. Battery must be constantly checked, though, because it can last up to a maximum of 20 hours only.
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