What's your opinion on arrow rests and strike plates??  Do you like to use something solid such as leather or something cushy such as fur, feather or velcro, and why.??  Or does it really matter??

The arrow rest only holds the arrow until release. Once the arrow has been released it should not touch the bow anywhere or in any way. I use materials that are quiet as the bow is drawn.

Personally the rest should aesthetically match the bow. Not a fan of the way velcro looks. I have some nice calf hair on hides that I use to trim shelf and sideplate pieces. Have several color variations.

I think I have hair type rests on all but one bow.

My bows do not have rests... I shoot off the hand, same way I did more than 60 years ago when I got started.  My bows do have strike plates -- usually a piece of horn or shell set into the handle. 

I shoot off the wood. I think most buyers want a little cush on two sides

On my BBO bows I use tanned deer hide.

On my glass bows I use a plunger button and a spring loaded metal rest or a leather rest, depends on the bow..

I like to use seal skin. It's super slick and cushions enough to keep an arrow from bumping against the riser.
Dave.

Ken, this is the rest that most of my bows get. Thanks to Mickie Lotz for this little piece of archery genius. The Ferret's Floppy Rest.

I like arrow rests, they fit on the kind of style bow I make.

I like to hide them under the leather, no lumps sticking out.

Thats a nice add on Fits perfectly into the web of your hand. With the leather wrap, it does not look like a carbuncle stuck on the side of the bow.

  Cool stuff guys... Thanks for your opinions...

  After posting the same question on multiple FB groups and considering my own experience...  The arrow rest does not seem to be such a big deal...  As long as your arrow is not bouncing off of it (which it should not) you are good to go with anything you want to use... I just used what I been using...  I use some tanned cowhide...  However I think if you have a little softer strike plate it may help to act like a plunger and help with consistency...  I got an idea from a FB person...  For the strike plate I took some tanned goat skin about .035" and cut a thin strip of about .025" and glued it to the back of the strike plate... Now I have a raised vertical line on my strike plate that the arrow has minimal contact and it also has a little more give to it...
   Seems to be working fine...  Now it's all about Practice, Practice, Practice....

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Nice Rich
I just pick up a piece of pig or deer leather at the Tn. Classic every now and then Red, Black and Tan colors