Swiftcreek posted a video showing a unique release idea:

https://youtube.com/shorts/Zk8Nd340aEg?is=O8aAgAgmKgUtlYxZ

He added an extra knot to the finger loop such that this extra knot made the small release knot feel much larger…. but still allows the small release knot to slip out of your hands fast.

Very clever!


Anybody do something else that is unique?? Please share!



Myself, I tie not one, but two overhand knots on the release cord. My two knots are separated by 0.50” and bracket the front/back of the side of my index finger. Gives precise location when holding the release cord and also feels more solid so can hold the cord more lightly.

Here is pic of my release knots.

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haha yeah that grip/loop system is a really reliable, relatively simple and effective release setup. Theres a ton of ways to achieve similar results.  The release cord is loaded in between the two cords wrapping around your pointer finger and placed on the knot in the finger loop which acts like a sturdy platform to pinch the release knot with. The two strand loop acts like a rail guiding the release cord out and protecting your finger from blisters. It creates a really solid feeling and reliably releasing assembly. It also puts the release and retention cord in line with each other across your middle finger. One is not farther forward on your fingers than the other which works well with many throwing styles

Huh, very interesting. Never seen anything quite like that before! Seems like it'd give a pretty good grip and "trigger" release point.

I'm pretty well stuck on the acro tab myself. @swiftcreek have you tried a simple leather tab like this on any of your slings? How does it compare to your grip/loop system?

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My pref is typically just a smooth taper. No knot at all. Balearics are my go to. Ill simply splice in uhmwpe cord for the cracker.

For release cords that are woven, is the acro tab considered the best?  Every comment I have seen is very positive. Does the leather wear out and need replacing frequently?


Has anyone placed an acro tab on a single strand paracord release cord (seatbelt sling for example)?


Leadrocks: how do you know where to grip the release cord without a knot?  Do you have to load ammo and measure your grip each throw?

bandit111964 wrote on Jun 22^nd, 2026 at 5:16pm:

For release cords that are woven, is the acro tab considered the best?

As with most things in slinging, it's very subjective. Most people who use them love them. But there are plenty of excellent slingers who don't use them.


bandit111964 wrote on Jun 22^nd, 2026 at 5:16pm:

Does the leather wear out and need replacing frequently?

Nope, almost never. The photo below is one that has 24k throws on it and is showing no signs of giving up the ghost soon. And I'm using cheap polyester thread I just had laying around the house so I'm sure you could even do a lot better than that.


bandit111964 wrote on Jun 22^nd, 2026 at 5:16pm:

Has anyone placed an acro tab on a single strand paracord release cord (seatbelt sling for example)?

Yep, works just as well there. I've primarily used it on braided slings and dyneema, but any type of cord works great. Just make sure you have it aligned correctly when you sew it in place so you don't end up with twist in your cord when holding it(the tab goes under your thumb).


bandit111964 wrote on Jun 22^nd, 2026 at 5:16pm:

how do you know where to grip the release cord without a knot?  Do you have to load ammo and measure your grip each throw?

Basically yes - although it becomes an incredibly fast and natural motion once you get a feel for it after a few throws. If you're thinking it slows you down, it doesn't.

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Fascinating picture. 24k throws!! Maybe little fraying in center threads, but acro tab still looks solidly attached. The leather looks more frayed than the thread. Lol.

Probably feels broken in as the leather is smooth and shiny at thumb contact area…bet if you put a new piece of leather on it would feel a lot more grippy or “sticky“ at first.


As for no release knot at all, I can see measuring grip each throw could become habit.  But I could never do that because every errant throw I would automatically blame or second guess holding the release cord wrong…instead of blame my poor throwing skills!   

Bandit
In reference to leadrocks post, when you have no knot you just get the correct spacing by holding your ammo in the pouch and pulling until both cords are taut. It becomes very instinctual and intuitive. One of my braided slings I gave to a friend had a taper after the pouch, stayed a certain diameter, then tapered again right before the holding position. This enabled me to know when to stop by feeling the cord diamter begin to shrink as i pulled it tight.

these non knotted slings seem to release extremely quickly and with a specific crack i dont get with other slings that have a release knot

Eric
I made one a while ago out of really terrible leather and i cut it too small trying to minimize weight/profile and it ripped through after a month or so. Havent tried again as i have no flat braided slings left. Working on one rn though that im planning on using the acro tab.

From my recollection though it worked well and was really comfortable and smooth. Thats my only experience with it though.

A simple overhand knot has always been perfectly acceptable for me… but just for fun, I just 3d printed a quick release… or I suppose you could call it the world’s smallest staff sling 😆

It’s super fast! …so fast that I feel like I forgot how to sling when I use it. I keep releasing the shot way too early and have no power whatsoever, but I’m tempted to try retraining my brain until I can actually hit a target with it.

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Video:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZ95qJ6KoD7/?igsh=MXNsbXBsem1qa2lrcg==

Whoaaa, very cool! I've thought about doing something like this for a while, just never went to the trouble of designing it.

I would be interested to see some longer-term practice with it to see if it does result in improved consistency compared to a standard release.

Very interesting that your instinct gives you an early release with it - that indicates a standard release with a knot or tab has significant delay involved? I would have expected some change, but I would not have thought it would be terribly different between the two in terms of timing, moreso in consistency.

Side-note: you should cross-post to youtube shorts! I'd love to see your content more often, but I'm not on instagram. I believe there are tools out there to do this automatically when you post to one or the other.

I haven’t fully analyzed the high speed yet, but for a rough order of magnitude on a linen balearic, I measured about a 50ms release time (from the moment the cord starts slipping until it disconnects from the hand). I am getting something around 10ms for a disconnect on the quick release clip. If those rough numbers are correct, then the quick release is 5x faster.

Whoa! Yeah that'll do it. Crazy!

Is the 3d printed quick release spring loaded??

Is that why it is so fast?

If it is spring loaded is the spring a linear spring or a torsion spring? 

No, no springs. It’s passive… very much like a handcuff mechanism but smaller. It only opens if there is tension on the cord it’s holding.

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Fascinating! 

Kind of like a rifle trigger with a sear. Bet re-working the geometry and some polishing you could alter the sliding contact to reduce trigger pull force if you wanted. Make it a hair trigger as an extreme example.

Also looks like heavier ammo pulls harder so heavier ammo should release even faster(???)….at least up to the point the heavy load binds the pivot.

Lots of potential with that mechanism!!

There’s no reason to lighten the trigger right now. It only takes ~100g of pull to release a 5lb load with the current design, but yes… lots of potential!

Correction… I meant to say 200g. Either way it’s not much!

Damn man that is a slick little mechanism. You could integrate that "little staff sling" into a full on staff sling pretty easily I think.

Would you be willing to share the STL (or 3MF, step, I'm flexible)?