Archery Releases ad Nauseum: Stanislawski LynX Hinge

My usual longform essay review. Please excuse the sound of my furnace at the beginning and some chirping from my birds (I don't have anywhere soundproof in my house to record)
Timecodes for Topics:
00:00: Intro
00:26: Disclaimer
01:22: LAS as Social Media Manager
03:05: What is it?
03:55: What's in the Box?
05:52: Sizing and Ergonomics
08:53: Living Dangerously
09:35: How many fingers am I holding up?
11:09: Thumbs Up
11:40: On the TL
12:45: Lanyard Attachment
14:10: What's the catch?
15:58: Speed Moon Adjustment and swapping moons
18:25: Head Geometry: Playing all the angles
22:53: Fit and Finish
23:57: Marketing 101: Don't make sh!t up on the spot
28:20: Projectile Dysfunction
31:12: Fit and Finish (cont'd)
32:25: Competition by Price
32:50: Amendment to list of competitors (ADR, so audio sounds different)
33:20: Conclusions
34:10: Predictions for 2025 and the future of Stan Archery
35:18: Outtakes
Etsy Shop: AJBHolsters.etsy.com
Website: www.artandarchery.com
3D Printed Plugs and accessories for archery releases: www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?item=...

[@manueltoro5996]

Any time you upload a video it makes my Day, top notch content, finally someone brings transparency to the industry, great work!!!

[@ajbholsters2035]

Thank you for watching. I appreciate the kind words and I'm glad you find my analysis useful 👍.

[@thenameiwantedwastaken]

I come for the in depth reviews, I stay for the deadpan, snarky comments 😂

[@ajbholsters2035]

Thank you very much. I wouldn't have it any other way 😈.

[@alanwigley6891]

Same here! 😅

[@JustTony72]

There's at least 10k of releases behind you. Damnnnnnn. I want

[@ajbholsters2035]

Thanks for watching. I call it my wall of impending bankruptcy 😜.

[@acohen5267]

This release fits my hand and the way I grip my release much better than the Onnex. My middle finger kept pushing the head forward on it (L-XL). Could have been overcome but I don’t want to change my form or shot process to accommodate my gear. The Lynx does lack some features that are nice to have but I quickly forgot all about them after shooting for a bit. Resetting the hook became part of my shot process and helped slow me down a bit which I needed. Fits my hand great and accommodates how deep I grip it in my middle knuckles. Adjustment is super easy and more fine-tune than one would think, at least for me anyway. The big problem I’m having right now is the click just stopped working (fast click) after only two weeks of having the release. I’m about to find out how good/poor Stan’s customer service is. Another great review! Always appreciate your content.

[@ajbholsters2035]

@@acohen5267 thank you very much for watching and for your impressions of the LynX. It's taken over as my primary hinge because its shortcomings (i.e. lack of micro-adjust sear and no hook return) are outweighed by its strengths (good ergonomics, thumb peg adjustability, head angle conducive with most styles of grip on the draw). Stan responded to my email asking about the hook return fairly quickly, and when I asked for updates on the Onnex Hinge click hooks, they were pretty responsive. So I think they should take care of you fairly quickly. So far my clicks haven't worn down, so I'll consider myself lucky. Thanks again and if you feel like following up and letting me know how your experience goes with Stan's customer service, I would appreciate it so I know they're taking care of their customers. Take care, stay safe and happy hunting 👍

[@acohen5267]

@@ajbholsters2035absolutely will follow up with ya and thank you for your reply! Even without the click, I will continue to shoot this release joyfully. It is the best I’ve shot to date. Who knows, maybe no-click is what I need right now. Thanks again!

[@acohen5267]

Update. Spoke to Stan today and they are sending me a new fast-click sear. The guy I spoke with was super nice and seemed genuinely bummed I have this problem. They are handling it no problem which is awesome. My Ex Okie custom barrel arrived today and installed. Had it made 3-16” longer to help my fat thumb from rolling over. This thing is a serious unit now! Keep up the great content as you are able and stay cool.

[@ajbholsters2035]

@@acohen5267 that's very good news. I'm glad they got you sorted out in a prompt and courteous manner. It's always nice when a company takes care of their customers and backs their products. Thank you for the follow-up and I hope you have a pleasant evening 👍

[@ramikoudsieh3799]

Another great review. Thank you

[@ajbholsters2035]

Thank you very much. I'll keep them coming 👍

[@kennethosborne6497]

Yet another good review. 👍Yes, Stan's Onnex hinge does spread the fingers far more than some of us find comfortable, so this new model should suit the Morex fans who if like me, would appreciate the additional benefit of LynX adjustable thumb peg. However, the huge negative is lack of micro adjust, so no thanks.

[@ajbholsters2035]

Thank you very much for watching. Everybody has their list of preferred features, and I can't say I blame you for writing it off because it isn't micro-adjustable. I still think they're going to do more with this handle, so maybe next year the LynX Pro will become the perfect hinge. All it needs is a spring under the hook and a dual moon system (micro or not) and I think it would be a hit. That said, the Lynx is starting to grow on me the more I use it. The lack of micro-adjustability on the moon is unfortunate, but the ergonomics, the sizing, the multi-axis thumb peg, and offering it in a full package (no need to shell out extra money for parts) may offset the inconvenience of adjusting the moon. Or it might not. Cheers 🍻.

[@kennethosborne6497]

@@ajbholsters2035 Is it any wonder that the (now discontinued by new ownership) Stan "Black/Morex" hinge releases are still so highly regarded ? Great comfy ergonomic grip, simple single hex key location micro adjustment, large hook, etc. Particularly for us "no-click" fans who weren't required to swap moons.

[@ajbholsters2035]

@@kennethosborne6497 agreed. The MoreX was ahead of its time in features, and used Blackjacks don't stay on the market for very long. I suppose they could have pared down the line a bit and keep it going (8 models and 2 materials would make for a busy production schedule) but new owners gonna do what new owners do.

[@colingregory7464]

Somewhere I have an ancient Stan closed loop head (Stanislawski pre take over) The only simple solution I ever found for consistent ish adjustment was marking the cam with a micro fine fibre permanent marker, so that you can see the mark moving

[@ajbholsters2035]

Thanks for watching. I think that's would be an easy way to keep track of the position of the moon. Thanks for the suggestion 👍

[@colingregory7464]

@@ajbholsters2035 the closed loop head is currently on an almost equally ancient Zenith, but I am fairly sure that it came on one of the "original" cast Stan handles, its a nice idea but has fairly limited usefulness (to a target 3d shooter) for most of the time, the O ring closure does a decent job of keeping it attached and hanging from the D loop while waiting

[@ajbholsters2035]

@@colingregory7464 i think I just found one of those on eBay. It's a Stan Safari but instead of a hook it has a fully enclosed jaw. I'm going to do a follow-up video on the Evolution Outdoors Ibex and I'm going to use it as an example of a hinge that can be hung on a d-loop. It falls off if you shake it (like the Ibex). Another piece that was ahead of its time 👍

[@thewilderlifer9910]

Nice video, mate. The release definitely looks cool but at this stage I see no reason to switch from my Ascents. Got a Stan Clicker coming in the mail from a friend next week so that may get pressed into rut use down here if it works well for me. Super keen to see what you have to say about the Evolution Outdoors Ibex hinge. I'd consider pre-ordering one but they only ship to the USA and Canada so that screws me over. Plus, for the money they're asking, I'd nearly wait for them to be out for a year or two first so potential kinks are ironed out. That being said, Aron Snyder seems to rate the Ibex highly and his opinion is solid to me. We will see in good time.

[@ajbholsters2035]

Thank you for watching. Yes, I think your Ascent is safe for a while, at least until they develop a "Pro" version. I became just as punchy with the Clicker as I had with any other thumb release, so mind is set with minimal travel and no click. Everyone reacts differently to different stimuli, so I would be interested to see how it works for you. The Ibex should be interesting. I think it has potential, and is well thought-out, but it's also expensive and a first run from a company that has never made a release. So it might be good or it might flop. I'll find out soon enough. Cheers 🍻

[@thewilderlifer9910]

@@ajbholsters2035 I'll likely make a video of my shot process with both the Stan clicker and my hinges so that might be interesting or useful to people.

[@ctreece7506]

So I currently have the Stan clicker that I’ve been hunting with this season. I love the release but since hunting season is wrapping up here in Alabama I’m wanting to give a hinge a try again. I had the onnex hinge and I didn’t like it. I will admit I probably didn’t give it enough time... So the two hinges I’m thinking about trying are the lynx or executive flex. Any opinion on which direction I should go?

[@ajbholsters2035]

Thank you for watching. Damn, that's a tough call between those two. They both have a good feature set with different strengths and some overlap. If you like the feel of the OnneX, then the LynX would feel right at home because they have the same finger beds and sizing (the difference being the position of the hook and the neck thickness). That said, I prefer a large Onnex Thumb/Clicker and a medium LynX since I like a tighter fit for my hinges than my thumbs. So for sizing the LynX is hard to beat with 4 sizes and interchangeable finger attachments. The LynX's thumb barrel adjustability is superior to everything else on the market by a significant margin. The moon system on the LynX is easy to adjust but tricky to get dialed in. It boils down to rocking the moon too far one way, them a little too far the other, and repeating the process until you get it "close enough" to where you want it. If it were micro adjustable, the LynX would almost be perfect. So that's probably it's biggest drawback. It's a lot less expensive than the TRU Ball, and it comes as a full kit, so it has that going for it. The Executive Flex has three sizes, but the sizing isn't exactly uniform since the Medium and Large use the same flex fingers. The Small (which is the one I need but haven't gotten yet) is really the only size that feels appropriately sized on all the finger beds. The Executive Flex has a simple thumb peg with three positions you can set it. It has independently micro-adjustable click and speed, so it beats the LynX on that front. The extendable neck is nice if you find value in it (I don't), and the hook has a magnet to keep it in place after you reset it. Lastly, TRU Ball has gotten into the habit of only including the bare essentials and making the customer pay extra for parts they used to include (namely the 4-Finger Flex fingers). So if you wanted to use it as a 4-Finger, then you're out another 40 bucks on top of the $280US you already spent. If I had to pick between them, I think you get more for less with the LynX with the trade-off of a moon system that's a little harder to fine-tune.

[@ctreece7506]

@@ajbholsters2035 awesome, that’s good stuff. Thanks for all the info. I pulled the trigger on a medium lynx after reading this and watching your videos

[@ajbholsters2035]

@@ctreece7506 my pleasure. I'm glad to have helped you make an informed decision. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[@zer0875]

Your opinion on the best release ? Cheers

[@Will_I_am128]

Can you review more index releases and some spothogg stuff?!

[@ajbholsters2035]

Hello. I can probably cover some wrist straps in the future when I have the money to purchase them. I have all the Handheld spot Hogg releases, so I can do a segment on those.

[@bktwos4147]

Good day sir…stumbled upon you last night…easy sub…been researching a lot lately as I’d like a new release…one of the most cut the bs real opinions on KZbin with exceptional attention to detail…as a “want to try a hinge release” guy what would u recommend? I’d have to drive 4 hours to a shop where I can try a couple…was wondering if you’ve ever shot or reviewed the goat by truball as I may be able to cover to options as one…button would be hunting and I’d use the hinge as more of a “keep myself honest tool” or do u think that’s asking too much? I’m not against just a true hinge either… Price is not really an issue I just want to make sure I’m getting the right tool and wanted a well rounded opinion…you are second to none imo …thanks ahead of time…once I make a decision I’ll be ordering a holster …keep up the content !!

[@ajbholsters2035]

Hello and thank you for watching and subbing. I appreciate the kind words. I'm not a big fan of "dual purpose" releases, because there are usually compromises built into one mechanism to make room for the other. You can only stuff so much tech into something that is meant to be held in the human hand. The GOAT is a "good enough" thumb release, but you can't hang it from the d-loop due to the open hook design, and you may have to push the hook closed because it doesn't have an auto-return. It has similar internals to the Blade, so the trigger is good. As a hinge, you're working with "thumb release" ergonomics and hook position, which may or may not feel right depending on what you're accustomed to using. So the GOAT doesn't really do either thing well, but because people see Pro archers using it in competition, they think it's good. I tend to ignore what the pros use in general because they're paid or sponsored, and if you're good enough to be sponsored, you're also good enough to figure out how to use any piece of equipment effectively. If you check out my review of the TRU Ball Abyss Xtension Flex, I touched on the GOAT and the GO2 briefly when talking about dial purpose releases. The other thing people are starting to figure out is that just because a hinge and a thumb have the same handle and hook location, it is not a guarantee of getting a matching point of impact. It's a good start, but the shot process is different, so there are a lot of other factors at play. The four hinges I use regularly are the HBC Flex, Executive Flex, Scott Ascent and now I'll be using the LynX. I think any one of those would be a good starter hinge, but the LynX has the trainer pin feature, so you can practice drawing and letting down without worrying about a misfire. The sizing is better with the Stan (if you watch my other videos on TRU Ball I touch on their flawed system), and the Thumb barrel system is more versatile. It's also less expensive than the others (except the Ascent) If you are new to hinges, I would recommend investing in a good shot trainer. I use a Saunders Firing Line because you can practice drawing with it and learning the right hand position to draw it without worrying about a misfire. I think I answered your question. If you have any others, please feel free to reach out to me. Take care, stay safe and happy hunting.

[@brandonpatterson5705]

Have you ever tried the Whalen Hooker release?

[@ajbholsters2035]

Hello. I have tried the Whalen Hooker releases (there's a few on the wall behind my left shoulder, actually). They are a modern interpretation of a hook or spike release aid where there are no moving parts and the d-loop slips off the hook with a sufficient amount of rotation. They are very well made and the fit and finish is excellent. If you can use a hinge with no click and can tolerate a "surprise" release, then they can be a great little piece of kit. I am not one of those people, so I can't say I enjoy using them. Also, the way I angle my have when I draw makes them extremely slow, and I would need a longer set screw to make them hotter (which is available, if I'm not mistaken).

[@brandonpatterson5705]

@@ajbholsters2035 awesome I tried looking at your wall it’s just hard to see lol, I have just found out about them and really want to try one and see how it works for me, I’m intrigued because of the no moving parts and I understand the concept of what it is but just need to put one in my hand. Thanks for your reply I’ve watched several of your release videos and enjoy them. :)

[@colingregory7464]

The Scott Backspin had a two finger adapter

[@ajbholsters2035]

That's true. Good call. They seemed to be ahead of their time with the Backspin/Anchor/Exxus Core line with their changeable finger pieces, and it's a shame they discontinued them. I have one of the stainless "nubs" they offered. Do you remember if it was included with the release, or did you have to buy it separately?

[@colingregory7464]

@@ajbholsters2035 I had to buy mine separately, might have been different in the states

[@elncalls]

Coming from the UV cult😂 Where are your UV Hinges and Button?

[@ajbholsters2035]

The UV Cult keeps me pretty busy 😜. They're over on the other side of the basement in my workshop. No point putting them up on the wall because I have to keep taking them down to test all the holsters I make for them.