The release of the 2010 bow models caught me completely off guard. It felt like my hunting season had just ended and, boom, there are new bows ready to drool on. I guess that is what happens when your archery tag isn’t filled until January!
So like any ‘great athlete’ does in the offseason, I took a few weeks off to regroup and then got back into the saddle preparing for the yearly “wallet gauntlet”. I always start researching new bows by looking at websites and reading forum’s to compile a wish list, it saves gas money and gives you an idea of which bows everyone is talking about. I then transition into annoying my favorite archery pro, Brandon, at Scheels All Sports to fix me up. From my first shot to the last, I am surprised by what I found in bows this year.
After last year I muttered quietly to myself, and anyone else who would listen, that the 2010 bow lines could be a really big let down from 2009. There were so many great advancements in the industry in ’09 I assumed bow manufacturers were ripe for an off year of re-tooling. Some classic lines I can recall proclaiming:
“I think there are going to be a lot of disappointed consumers in 2010.”
“I just don’t see how many more innovations they can come up with at this point.”
“With the economy circling the drain I bet manufacturers tighten up and play it safe with research and development. Prepare for a lot of fluff.”
“There is no way that ‘so and so’ can make a better bow then they did in ’09.”
Well [insert loud chewing noise], it is a good thing my words taste good [more chewing] because I am eating a steaming bowl of them this year!
It never ceases to amaze me what engineers and manufacturers can dream up and apply for practical use. The 2010 bows are a true testament to that.
If you caught my inaugural review from last year, you may remember that I have three rules I follow during bow reviews or bow shopping. These, of course, are my personal beliefs only but need repeating for the purpose of the article:
IBO is overrated! It is a best case scenario if you want to reach the number being sold to you. Plus, anything over 250fps is plenty fast to kill any of the animals I chase. IBO creates a baseline to compare companies and bows, and provides a great marketing tool to grab consumer’s attention. Besides that, every bow made nowadays is over 250fps.
Quiet and accurate bows are more appealing to me then a rocket maker that sounds like a poorly strung tennis racket. Having confidence my arrow will be where I aim is far more important to me then speed.
I don’t get any bows for free. When I make a purchase decision, money factors in. The bow has to be worth the price of me explaining the receipt to my wife!
So without further delay, here is my 2010 bow review.
Heavy Hitters -
Hoyt Maxxis – I, along with others, felt Hoyt hit a homerun with the Alphamax last year and would have a difficult time duplicating or even topping that this year. Surprise, surprise, they did!
The Maxxis shares a lot of similarities with the Alphamax in IBO, weight, brace height, and of course bullet-proof Hoyt durability. The Maxxis comes in two models Hoyt fans are familiar with; 31 and 35 inches. You will loose a few fps in the Maxxis 35 but it does provide two extra inches in optional draw length for you long draw readers.
New elements added into the fold are past parallel XTS ARC limbs and an in-line roller cable guard. The new limbs give Hoyt a different look, but more importantly remove all shock and vibration from the bow. The roller cable guard is the nicest addition in my opinion; it reduces friction on the already silky smooth draw cycle and increases overall performance. Arrows zip off clean and quick leaving a dead bow in your hand.
I loved the Alphamax when it debuted last year, and like the Maxxis even more – it makes me excited to see what is coming for 2011!.
IBO:
(fps)
Axle to Axle:
(in)
Brace Height: (in)
Mass Weight: (lbs)
Draw Adjustment: (in)
Grade:
323
31
7
4 (3.9)
26-32*
A
*31 and 32 inch lengths are only available in the the Maxxis 35
Also worth a pull:
Ok, so in reality, shooting the Carbon Matrix was an exercise in futility. I would compare it to test driving a new car when you are not even remotely in the market for one. Sure, you get to drive around the city in a decked out 2010 Escalade for an hour, but then you have to give it back and chitty-chitty-bang-bang your way home in a 1995 Dodge Avenger.
But, for that hour you felt like you were "it", and that's how I felt with the Carbon Matrix at full draw. It is the best bow I have ever shot. Hands down. The price tag is the deal breaker on this one; for me to spend $1400 on a bow...improbable. I cannot even get into specifics on the bow, I just can't. I might do something crazy like talking myself into believing that buying one would benefit the economy. I will say though, if you can get your hands on one and have money to burn, you need to shoot it for yourself.
Bowtech Destroyer 350 – Bowtech continually pushes the technology envelope and this year that envelope has been shredded. The Destroyer truly has too many features to outline in this article so I will pick the three best.
The new FLX-Guard cable system replaces rollers and eliminates troublesome torque from the riser on draw. It’s a huge advantage towards accuracy and tune-ability.
New Hardcore limbs have an inner carbon core that allows more energy to be stored on the inside of the limb instead of just the outside. Sharing this energy storage increases limb longevity and reduces shock and noise.
Last but certainly not least is the Overdrive Binary dual cam. In simplest terms, they synchronized their cams with a gear…why nobody has mass produced this before is a bit of a head scratcher because it is a great idea. The positive this provides is it ensures cam stability and consistency shot after shot. My only concern with this technology is that gears eventually will wear out and real world application of its life expectancy may take time. Even that concern would not deter me from buying this bow though. Fantastic draw cycle, no shock or vibration, accurate, and very fast; an extremely sweet bow!
IBO:
(fps)
Axle to Axle:
(in)
Brace Height: (in)
Mass Weight: (lbs)
Draw Adjustment: (in)
Grade:
350
32 3/8
6
4.1
25-30
A+
Also worth a pull: Being a new dad I have started to set my sights on youth bows. I stumbled across the Diamond
Nuclear Ice in my shopping and was quite impressed. It’s a dual cam bow that offers 14”-24” draw adjustment, a 10-29 lb. draw weight option, and can top out at almost 200fps! On top of that, it looks cool too! It is a sweetheart of a bow that your youngster can easily grow and improve with.
Mathews Z7 – Mathews dove into the speed bow market last year with the Monster and Reezen models. They were met with tempered success. People I spoke with either loved or hated them.
With the Z7 Mathews returns a little bit closer to its roots and to what it does best, engineering solo cam bows. With a more traditional Z7 Solo cam set up and a Reverse Assist Roller Guard the Z7 is very smooth through the draw cycle and provides a solid back wall that is easy to lean against. For those of you who want precise draw adjustments, the Z7 has half inch draw adjustment as well.
What surprised me though, was the weight. Even though the riser looks like Swiss cheese, the Z7 felt heavier then competitors bows. It was not overwhelming or drastically heavy, and it certainly did not feel out of balance, but I was a little surprised as I held it.
As I have come to expect with Mathews, the Z7 was uber quiet. Between the Dead End String Stop, Harmonic Stabilizers, and Monkey Tails there wasn't extra vibration to be found. Don’t expect the Monkey Tails to last through a lot of shots though. High performance in-string suppression tools like Monkey Tails do an awesome job, but they wear out fast.
The Z7 is going to be a hit with Mathews fans for sure, but anyone looking for a smooth drawing, quiet, fast, and accurate bow will not be disappointed with the Z7!.
IBO:
(fps)
Axle to Axle:
(in)
Brace Height: (in)
Mass Weight: (lbs)
Draw Adjustment: (in)
Grade:
332
30
7
3.97
25-30
A-
Also worth a pull: Mathews is trying to do all the male hunters a favor by establishing a presence for the female huntress with the Passion.
It is decked out with classic Mathews features as well as other features tailored to the female shooters. With 30-70 lb. draw adjustment, 80% let off, and four stylish colors to choose from, it can make a pretty awesome introduction to the outdoors for the special lady in your life.
PSE Axe– The Force continues to be strong with the PSE brand, X Force that is. The X Force series is going into its fourth production year, and PSE keeps cranking out new features to compliment the series. The Axe comes in two models; Axe 6 or Axe 7. The differences lie in brace height (6” or 7”) and fps (335-345 respectively). I shot the Axe 7 because I like the forgiving extra inch of brace height. They both have the highly adjustable Axe Inner Cam which provides a baby bottom smooth draw, as well as 6 inches of draw adjustment. The Axe did give a little hand thump upon release, but nothing you couldn’t eliminate with the proper accessories. I liked the Axe, but it does not stand out that much from the rest of the PSE line.
IBO:
(fps)
Axle to Axle:
(in)
Brace Height: (in)
Mass Weight: (lbs)
Draw Adjustment: (in)
Grade:
335 - 345
32.5
6 or 7
4
26-31
B
Also worth a pull – Super short bows aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I did like the Bow Madness XS. It is 28.5” axle to axle and equipped with the proven Madness single cam system. It felt really good in the hand, and the draw cycle was perfect for its size. A very performance driven bow that is affordable at $500.
Quest Primal– This G5 Company continues to impress me with every passing year. For 2010, Quest is kicking out four new models; Heat, Smoke, Hammer, and Primal. The Primal is the leader of the pack in my book. It of course features the I-Glide Cable System I raved about last year, and I still think it is awesome! They have also re-tooled their cam setup to the SYNC Cam. This twin track system provides a much improved draw when compared to last year’s dual cam. It has a smooth pull all the way through, no valley, and a comfortable back wall, no complaints at all. The GFade is Quest’s answer to the popularity of blacked out bow models. It is meant to provide the best of both styles and to blend into any hunting scenario thrown at it.
IBO:
(fps)
Axle to Axle:
(in)
Brace Height: (in)
Mass Weight: (lbs)
Draw Adjustment: (in)
Grade:
330 – 332
32
7
3.9
26.5 – 30
B+
Also worth a pull: Any of the other Quest models, which are all single cams, were enjoyable to shoot. Out of the three I would recommend the Heat. Fair price for a bow loaded with premium Quest features.
Bear Attack– For being around as long as they have, Bear flies under most hunter’s radar. Yet year after year they produce solid, dependable bows and make progress with efficiencies and features. 2010’s Attack is a great example of this. The Attack is loaded with progressive Bear specific items like Max Pre-Load limbs, Dual Arc String Suppressors, Contra-Band strings and cables, and the Bear solo E-Cam. The E-Cam is sweet feature since it allows for cam adjustment without a bow press. Bear also claims it to be the most efficient cam in the industry.
However, in my opinion, the normal flaws often associated with Bear bows are still present. In the hand and at the end of an extended arm the attack is heavy; a few extra ounces add up fast, especially after accessories are bolted on. Secondly, and biggest of all, it pulls hard. Even though the draw cycle is smooth all the way into the solid back wall, the cycle is heavily stacked on the front end. This is a kiss of death for hunters expecting to pull back a bow in sub-zero temps.
In the price point it is at, it is a nice bow, but there are better bows on the market. With that said, Bear is continuing to move in the right direction with the Attack, and devoted Bear enthusiasts should really like the bow.
.
IBO:
(fps)
Axle to Axle:
(in)
Brace Height: (in)
Mass Weight: (lbs)
Draw Adjustment: (in)
Grade:
332-340
31
7
4.2
25-30
C+
Also worth a pull: The Bear Assault has the same quality features that the Attack does minus a couple hundred dollars and a few feet per second. Nice bow considering all the elements.
Budget Buddies –
The next few bows are on the list because they are obviously good bows, but they are also much easier on the wallet then a few of the heavy hitters above. That will leave you more cash for accessories!!
Mission Eliminator II – The child company of Mathews produces affordable, stylish, and functional bows and is building a strong following among hunters. The Eliminator II keeps that momentum going. For around $500 you will get an easy drawing, accurate, durable, and feather light bow that statistically has 40 -70 lb. draw weight, 24-30” draw length, 30.25” axle to axle, and 320fps. Grade: B
Martin Pantera – I have not shot a lot of Martin bows, but I really liked this bow for the price. It looks sharp with the Next G1 Camo (black and camo combo) and feels very balanced throughout the draw cycle and release thanks to the Acu-Trak single cam. It kicks out good speed (IBO 315 to 320fps) and is packed with a lot of additional features for around $500. Grade: B-
Bows on my wish list that I could not shoot were the Rytera Alien Nemesis, Carbon Tech CT Phantom, Strother SR-71and Darton Pro 3300. If they are at your local pro-shop shooting them should be worth your time.
As I prefaced at the start of the article, I have my own priorities when it comes to shopping for a new bow and I realize they might not be the same as other archers. I do feel that everyone in the market for a new bow needs to shoot as many as they can. If you don’t do this you are doing yourself a disservice, not to mention you are depriving yourself of some fun! More often then not it seems the bow you should be shooting will choose you. Once that happens you may need to give the receipt to your buddy for “safe keeping”!
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