Make Magazine published an article last fall in its Kit issue about our atlatl kits and how they worked. They asked us if they could review the kits last summer for the article. The review appeared in the magazine’s Siege and Ballistics Kits section.
Here’s a You Tube video showing our Kanakadea kit being used. The section about the our atlatl kit starts at about 4:58 if you don’t want to watch the entire video!
The Atlatl made it to the Top Shot program on March 20 on the History Channel! The show used our favorite primitive weapon for an elimination round. The show did a nice job of presenting the atlatl to the contestants and setting up the target range.
The contestant who won the elimination round had never seen the atlatl before but managed to figure out a technique that won the round for him!
We know the atlatl is a lot of fun in competition so it was nice to see the show finally using it for a competition. Next time, maybe they can try the Aztec Atlatl Battle game or try some of the targets used at Silver Springs State Park for a little variety!
In the photo below, Silver River State Park set up a great atlatl range with a few different creatures earlier this month!
Casting an atlatl is great fun but it’s even more fun with other people! We have had some customers recently ask if there are other people in their area interested in the atlatl. If you are looking for someone in your area who is also using an atlatl, give us a call at 800-836-4520 and we would be happy to try to connect people.
You can also start your own group. There are several college atlatl clubs and regional groups who get together to share atlatl fun. We have group package rates for both our finished atlatls and darts and our kits. Just call us at 800-836-4520 and we’ll help you get started.
We have been working on updating our You Tube channel, Facebook page and our online catalog. These are all still works in progress but check out some of the videos we have updated on You Tube. We will try to post them on this page too. Many of thee are from programs we have done over the years. Thanks to Peter Berg for helping us update the You Tube videos!
We think our new online catalog is easier to use then the previous catalog but we are still trying to perfect it. If you have any questions, give us a call at 800-836-4520. You can always order over the telephone too if you are having problems with the online catalog.
Check out this video from a program Vermont Public Broadcasting did with Bob Berg of Thunderbird Atlatl a few years back.
If you meant to order an atlatl set and now realize there isn’t enough time for it to arrive before Sunday, you can just email our shop at contact@thunderbirdatlatl.com or give us a call at 800-836-4520 or 607-743-4379 and we can email a gift certificate to you or your recipient before Christmas! Our operators are ready to take your call (or at least someone will be available!).
We were delighted to receive Make:Ultimate Kit Guide 2012 in the mail and found out our atlatl kits are featured on page 72 under the category “Siege & Ballistics”. The special issue is available on newsstands now through February 15 or available direct.
You can check this out online.
Merry Christmas from the Thunderbird Atlatl staff.
Thunderbird Atlatl’s Nanticoke Atlatl is part of the action on Spike Television’s Deadliest Warrior episode Aztec Jaguar vs. Zande Warrior.
This video gives a fantastic look at our Nanticoke Atlatl and one of our wooden ash darts Thunderbird\'s Nanticoke Atlatl with Dart
Check out the discussion of the show here Discussion of Deadliest Warrior Show
The show will be aired again Tuesday, May 18, at 9 p.m. on Spike TV. It is also available online. A promo for the show on Spike Channel says: “Aztec Jaguar, the ruthless ritual warrior of North America battles the Zande Warrior, a blood-thirsty killer of Central Africa. In a fight to the finish, these two pre-gunpowder tribal fighters will face off using Razor-sharp obsidian swords, jagged-edged spears and flying blades of death.”
Atlatl discussion boards pretty much agree that the show’s use of only a couple of darts in the battle is unrealistic and modern day atlatlists agree they would carry more than a couple of darts into battle. Watch the show and let us and Spike TV know what you think!
Below Thunderbird Atlatl’s Nanticoke Atlatl. This is the type of atlatl used in portions of the program.
