Speed Nocks on Bow Strings: 3 Safe Alternatives | 60X

A couple of years ago, there was an unfortunate incident that has had a major impact on the bow string industry. A custom bow string company had a customer that dry fired their bow. As a result of the dry fire, it sent a brass speed nock flying and caused blindness to the customer.

The bowstring company ended up paying a large settlement when it was no fault of theirs. I was surprised at first, but I realized that we get several bows in every year that have missing speed nocks. The customer hadn’t removed them, so they must have flown off through the shrink wrap. Read on to learn more about alternatives to speed nocks on bow strings.

About Archery Speed Nocks

Every day we get asked several speed nock-related questions. Does my bow string need speed nocks? What can we use instead of brass speed nocks? Will my bow lose speed without speed nocks? Do you have anything that looks better than brass speed nocks?

The answer is “no,” your bow does not need speed nocks to shoot. However, in almost every case, they will make the bow perform better. The general rule is if your factory string has speed nocks on it, try to duplicate similar weight and location on your new custom string.

We have seen bows gain up to 14fps by adding some style of speed nocks on the bow strings, along with making some bows paper tune that wouldn’t before the install. Other bows will see little to no difference in speed, but it varies from bow to bow.

Through our research and testing, we’ve found 3 safe alternatives to brass speed nocks. Each of these gives great performance and dampening abilities while making the bow string more attractive at the same time. All of these alternatives slip on the bow string over the end loop and slide into position. You can use a cotter pin for installation, or my new favorite tool is a crochet hook. It will help protect your end loops during install of your archery speed nocks.

1. Pine Ridge Nitro XL

Available in 8 colors, these speed nocks weigh in at 19 grains and do a great job at adding speed to your bow while making it look better at the same time. Some of today’s most popular bows come from the factory with Nitro XL’s, and most of the speed nocks on the bow strings of my personal bows are this style.

2. Bow Jax String Sleeves

Weighing in at 16 grains and 8 color options, the String Sleeve also does a great job at adding performance. I personally feel these don’t look as nice as the Nitro XL’s but are more attractive compared to brass nocks.

3. Pine Ridge Nitro Buttons

With a weight of 2.2 grains each, the Nitro Button is the most versatile of the alternative speed nocks on bow strings. The compact size and weight allow the archer to add a specific amount of weight at the perfect position. I find these very useful on older bows that don’t require a large amount of weight on the string.

As you can see, when it comes to archery speed nocks, there are several options that will allow your bow to perform at peak performance without the dangers associated with brass speed nocks. Adding a little “bling” to your bow is just an added bonus.

Shop Speed Nocks and Alternatives from 60X Custom Bow Strings

Find your new favorite speed nocks and bow string speed nock alternatives at 60X Custom Strings. We provide high-quality parts and custom strings to suit any bow. For more helpful articles, subscribe to our newsletter.