If you are a traditional archer, then surely at some point you have at least considered a back quiver. Let's face it, they look cool, but are they practical?
I have used and continue to use both back and side quivers, and I have found little difference between them in terms of practicality. One advantage of the back quiver is it is less cumbersome while walking (something for field archers to consider), but a side quiver is less likely to get your arrows caught in low hanging branches (also something for field archers to consider).I find that drawing arrows from a back quiver makes for a smoother motion when nocking one's arrows, but getting your arrows back into your quiver without taking it off can prove an ordeal.
The pros and cons of the back quiver seem to balance out. So here are three quivers I have used, each with a significantly different price tag. Behold my review of these acquisitions to help you determine whether they are worthy of your money.
THE MAC LEATHER BACK QUIVER
My first back quiver was the MAC leather quiver from Merlin Archery, priced at £17.17. This is a very attractive price tag for such a fine looking artifact. I had no trouble holding as many as 14 arrows in here at a time. However, it is not too comfortable to wear, and getting arrows back into the quiver was often difficult. That being said, under £20 for a good-looking leather back quiver is a bargain.
THE TIMBER CREEK SUEDE BACK QUIVER
A better looking and more comfortable back-quiver, which I also acquired through Merlin Archery, is the Timber Creek Lil Bear Tan, priced at £29.95. A beautiful suede quiver with faux fur and a couple of feathers for decoration, it is undoubtedly an attractive piece of equipment. More importantly, the three point harness makes it considerably more comfortable to wear than the cheaper MAC leather quiver. If you are committed to wearing a back quiver, you may want to consider this.
THE SODIAL PORTABLE QUIVER
The third quiver I shall review here is aesthetically inferior to the above, but practically superior, and what's more, far cheaper. The Sodial Portable Archery Quiver which I procured through Amazon for a mere £9.84 functions as both a back and side quiver. It is easy to put on and looks nice enough. If, like me, you enjoy shooting with both side and back quivers, this is a great item! It cannot hold as many arrows as the back quivers mentioned here. I can just about squeeze 12 arrows in (6 if the arrows have broadheads). The strap needs to be done up tightly to be able to reach arrows if going for the strapped to the back option, and even then you likely will be drawing arrows from the nock rather than from below the fletchings. Due to the material, drawing an arrow from the quiver can be a little noisy, so for hunting it may not be ideal. But I think you would be hard pressed to find a better bargain. Due to the limited storage, when field shooting (in which many arrows may be required in one session since losing arrows is more likely) I can use this as a side quiver with a back quiver for extra arrows, so it is a very handy piece of equipment which I highly recommend to traditional field archers and target archers alike.
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