Quivers are probably the most overlooked piece of gear when it comes to bow hunting. Many people will overlook the quiver and just buy whichever one is cheapest. But choosing the right quiver will help you become a better hunter and can even make you a better shooter.

Here is the short answer:

The best bow hunting quivers have a quick disconnect system, are tight to the bow when mounted, hold enough arrows to be worthwhile, will not rattle around when attached to your bow, are lightweight, and are from a good brand like Tight Spot, Fuse, Trophy Ridge, Easton, or G5.

There is more to buying a quiver than just what was mentioned above. We still have to consider weight, why you want a quiver that is close to your bow, 6 arrow vs. 4 arrow quivers, and hip vs. bow-mounted quivers.

six arrow quivers vs. four arrow quivers

There actually is an advantage to having two more or two less arrows in your quiver. So which one is better? It depends on what you want out of your quiver.

Weight. As you can imagine having two fewer arrows means a smaller quiver, and smaller means lighter. So if you are backcountry hunting and you need a lightweight bow setup, you may want the lighter 4-arrow quiver. Or maybe you just like to shoot a light bow; If so, then you might want a 4-arrow quiver.

Price. A 4-arrow quiver is generally less costly than a 6-arrow quiver. So if you spent all your money on your bow and other accessories, then you may only have the money for a good four-arrow quiver. 

How many times are you going to shoot? If you are elk or moose hunting, you may have to shoot five or six times just to bring the animal down. With big animals like elk, you have to keep shooting till they die, and if you are in the backcountry and can’s just walk back to the truck to grab more arrows, you will want a six-arrow quiver.

Hip vs. bow-mounted quivers

Hip quivers are becoming more and more popular, but how do they compare to normal bow-mounted quivers? And are they worth buying?

When you would want a hip quiver. If you are hunting in open country where you are going to be doing a lot of spot and stalk, then you might consider a hip quiver. A hip quiver will help keep your bow low profile and will eliminate any possible noise from your quiver. Another situation you might want a hip quiver is if you are in a tree stand or ground blind and need the extra mobility that your bow has without a quiver.

If you are hunting where you might need to take a follow-up shot, like elk hunting, you will want a bow-mounted quiver. If you have a bow-mounted quiver it is less movement to grab another arrow and take another shot.

Tip: If you want a hip quiver but don’t have one, there is a way to make your bow-mounted quiver a hip quiver. If you take a twist tie you can put it around your quiver and then twist it around your belt loop. Then you will have a hip quiver that doubles as a bow-mounted quiver.

Why you want your quiver close to your bow

As mentioned in the short answer, you want your quiver close to your bow. Why is this, you may be asking? The answer is multiple reasons.

If your quiver is close to your bow, then your bow’s weight will be more evenly balanced. This means that you won’t have a bow that will want lean towards the quiver. If your bow leans one way or the other, you will have a hard time leveling the bow. This is why you buy from brands like tight spot and fuse, they have designs that will keep the quiver close to your bow and prevent leaning.

Other things to consider

Now that we have looked at the big differences in what aspect you will want in a quiver, here are some smaller things to consider:

Arrow grip. Where and how tightly your arrow is gripped by your quiver can determine how many arrows you lose in the field. If your quiver grips your arrows with a single gripper that is most of the way down your arrow (most of the way down your arrow meaning you have 4-8 inches of arrow below the gripper), then you are less likely to lose arrows as there is less area below the gipper for your arrow to get caught and come out of your quiver. If your quiver has two gippers high on your arrow (high on your arrows meaning that you have 10-15 inches of arrow below the grippers), it will be less ideal because you have more arrow length for brush to leverage on and pull your arrow out of the quiver. So ideally, you have the least amount of arrow below the arrow gripper.

Quick detach. If your quiver doesn’t quickly detach from your bow, then can cause a problem. If you are in a tree stand just before light and you have to fumble around and make a bunch of noise to get your quiver off, you could be spooking any game in the area. That is why I like quick detach quivers, they are quiet, fast, and they can be taken off and on with ease.

Hanger. A good quiver has a hanger on the top. The hanger will allow you to hang your quiver on a tree limb and keep it out of your way. Without a hanger, you will have to keep your quiver on your bow which can get in your way when you need to swing your bow in a tight area.

Conclusion

If you get a quiver with a hanger, quick disconnect, a good arrow gripper, is close to your bow, is lightweight, is over 100 dollars, and is from a reputable company, you will be ready for any hunt you go on. And better yet you will shoot better and lose less arrows.

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