2012 Archery Product Review
Bow Improvements
by Jared Bloomgren
I am sure I am like many others and often wonder when is technology going to stop evolving? Each and every year we are offered new and most often improved products by many manufacturers in today’s archery community. Let’s take a look at a few bows that are new and improved for the market in 2012.
The biggest craze each year is with the bow companies and the products that they have to offer. No other debate turns into more arguments or disagreements about which bow company has the best product. There are many archers and bowhunters out there that would rather walk the other direction than talk to you if you shoot brand X. I am the exact opposite; if you own and shoot a bow, I don’t care what brand it is or what year it was made. We are all family when it comes to the sport of bowhunting! Think about it! It is up to us to keep our sport going in the right direction.
Let’s take a look at a few popular bows that are new or improved for 2012:
Precision Shooting Equipment:
The PSE DS Evo is improved for 2012. It has a revamped Evo Hybrid cam system with a 2nd generation posi-lock inner cam, 6” of draw length adjustment in ½” increments, smooth rollover with generous valley and a solid wall. The cam profiles are engineered to minimize limb and string vibrations and nock travel is optimized for tunability at all draw lengths. The sealed ball bearings keep the cams rolling smoothly throughout the draw cycle. It is an improved system over 2011 and is a more efficient set-up than its’ predecessor. It is an excellent shooting machine with a 32 ¼” axle to axle length and a 6” brace height. This combination has a rated speed of 345 FPS, weighs 4.4 lbs, and has 75% let-off. PSE also offers an exclusive camo called “Skullworks; it has a black background with elk and deer skulls over the top. This camo is also offered in pink for the ladies on certain bows. There is also a possibility of picking from numerous custom colors.
PSE introduced the Revenge this year that will be a great backcountry bow. It is a compact 29 5/8″ axle-to-axle without compromising speed and shootability. Inspired by the Vendetta XS, the new Revenge features an all-new riser, limb and cam package that is optimized to deliver ultimate performance. So whether you are hunting from a tree stand, ground blind, or simply want a lightweight bow for stalking trophies out west, the new Revenge gives you a light and compact bow at 4.2 lbs without the sacrifice. It has a draw range of 5.5” and holds the speed up there making it even more appealing for a spot and stalk bow. A bow in this small of a package hitting speeds at 340+ fps has been unheard of!
The Omen Pro is improved for 2012 as well. Because of its’ precision shooting characteristics, speed and accuracy, it has been a favorite for 3D shooters and open country bowhunters. The Omen Pro has the UF hybrid cam system that is draw length specific offering 26”-30” options and has a discreet cam profile at all draw length for uncompromised performance. They are made of high strength aluminum that is 83% stronger than standard cam material and also has sealed ball bearings. With a speed of 366 fps, 5 ½” brace height, 33 5/8” axle to axle and weighs 4.4 lbs. The speed and kinetic energy of this bow is unmatched making it a great option for spot and stalk hunting. These bows are extremely shock free after the shot, quiet, and accurate.
Bowtech:
The new craze for 2012 from Bowtech is the Insanity CPX and CPXL. The OverDrive Binary Cam is the choice this year with each model. It has a 100% tunable split buss cable harness attached to the axles and a cam that is meant for synchronizing the axles. Cam stability is maximized and allows a very comfortable draw cycle. Premium alloy is the material used that allows for a strong, lightweight design while diminishing noise and vibration. Rotating modules come standard with the OverDrive Binary Cam system. This system provides 4.5” of draw length adjustment. The CPX is 32” axle to axle and the CPXL is 35” axle to axle both with 80% let-off. Speeds of 355 for the CPX and 340 for the CPXL. Both bows draw very smooth and hold solid and deliver the energy needed and wanted by many today.
Bowtech is keeping one of my favorite bows around; the popular Invasion CPX will continue to provide shooters with comfort and shootability with great speed.
The Invasion CPX harnesses all of BowTech’s best technologies with a shorter axle to axle. Combining HardCore Limbs, OverDrive Binary cam system and the FLX-Guard cable containment with the CPX technology. It is 3.9 lbs, 31 ½” axle to axle, brace height of 7”, 4” of draw length adjustment, and with a continued speed of 343 fps. Unfortunately we will not see the Destroyer models continue and many are bummed at the loss of such another great bow by Bowtech.
Hoyt:
In 2012 Hoyt is offering the Carbon Element RKT. The RKT cam features ErgoDraw™ Technology, which adjusts the cam profile to draw more smoothly. The RKT cam offers 5.5” of draw length adjustments using various modules, speed of 330 FPS, has a 6 ¾” brace height and 32” axle to axle. It is extremely light weighing in at 3.6 lbs making another great backcountry bow.
It’s brother, the Carbon Matrix RKT offers the same draw length adjustments with a longer axle to axle length of 35”, speed of 325 FPS, 7 ½” brace height and 3.8 lbs and 4.0 lbs for the long draw Carbon matrix with a 35.5” axle to axle. Both bows offer a smooth draw cycle and solid wall with little vibration on the shot. We cannot also deny the great warming touch that the carbon risers have with each of these bows.
So pick your poison. This was a quick rundown on a few popular bow companies and I am sure they and other companies will receive further reviews on the website in the future. No matter what you are looking for in a bow you can find it with one of the many archery companies that are in business today. Remember, the best way to find the right bow for you is to shoot many different brands and models and decide what feels best to you. This will ultimately give you the most compatible bow and will also give you the most confidence in your equipment. I like to say that the bow should pick the customer and not the customer picking the bow. Food for thought…… It can be hard to put aside what you have heard others say, but shoot as many bows from as many different companies as you can, then make your choice. This will ensure a more pleasurable experience in the future.
The future of archery equipment is unknown by most but held tight by those that are privy to the information.…..What will 2013 hold? Only time will tell what improvements the archery engineers and manufacturers will come up with next. Shaving weights, increasing ergonomics and faster speeds with enhanced shootability, visual appealing changes, etc….the list goes on and on. At some point, when will their products quit getting better? Will it ever happen? These are some questions to consider. I have seen and heard some speculations about the future of compound bows and I am unsure of how to feel about it…..can you imagine a three wheeled compound bow that is capable of reaching 450 fps?!?! Only time will tell…..
