Athens Archery closes doors

[ericacymcdonald]

Looks like they closed due to a lawsuit on their accutune cams being to similar to the deadlock system. It's a real bummer seems tough for new bow manufacturers to really break into the market

 

[doncarpenter]

That's a bummer for sure. I've owned several Athens bows, always enjoyed shooting them. The customer service was great too.

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[TheBootBowhunting]

However you feel about it, Bowtech is having themselves a hell of a year.

 

[pattimusprime22]

Sad to see. I was excited about their new bow and was hoping to buy one of their bows in the future.

 

[doc holiday13]

However you feel about it, Bowtech is having themselves a hell of a year.

Good year or Bad year? Link to story?

 

[TheBootBowhunting]

Good year or Bad year? Link to story?

Nah, Im just talking about them firing Kyle and Gillingham 1 year into long term deals and putting Athens on the canvas, and sure Athens shouldve steered clear(er) of the deadlock system. Its been a year for them one way or another.

 

[sneaky]

Nah, Im just talking about them firing Kyle and Gillingham 1 year into long term deals and putting Athens on the canvas, and sure Athens shouldve steered clear(er) of the deadlock system. Its been a year for them one way or another.

Bowtech got sued by Mathews too, but that may have been last year for the weights in the cams.

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[Kularrow]

Really a lose lose for the archery community as a whole. On one hand you have one less viable manufacturing to contend with the dominant major manufacturers. On the other, you have a company who felt the need to infringe patients just to survive in the marketplace. There’s only so much innovation left and those with the deepest will mine it out, rightfully so I suppose.

 

[OR Archer]

Bowtech got sued by Mathews too, but that may have been last year for the weights in the cams.

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If they’re not being sued currently by Mathew’s over their “bridgelock” system I’d be shocked.
With everything that’s transpired with BowTech this past year it makes me believe that their parent company is having financial issues of some sort.
Athens should have done more due diligence on their design before bringing it to market. If not enough difference in design a possible royalties payment could have been reached. Would have kept them in business.

 

[sndmn11]

I don't necessarily see this as an admission that there was a patent infringement. it is a bummer that litigation is so costly because it can get in the way of innovation easily. An entity might fund the development of something new and cool, but that ends up eating its funds to defend that idea. I was slightly surprised to not see any "patent pending" language around what Athens had done.


In a dreamy world, Hoyt or Mathews would reach out to Athens and purchase, deal with the litigation, and then if victorious call it the "Athens Adjustment" and incorporate it into their stuff.

 

[Highvoltage1]

As mentioned earlier, I feel like the bow technology is pretty well maxed out. People like fast quiet bows and if you’re trying to produce what people like, there’s a good chance some of the innovation will be very similar if not the same.

 

[ericacymcdonald]

I'm not going to pretend that I'm smart enough to know if Athens was doing patent infringement or not. I've never owned a Athens but I will say the accutune was "Patent Pending" according to their website, we'll never know the similarity but I did hear that Bowtech sent a cease and desist which is kinda crazy Athens didn't knowing they couldn't afford to fight it in court

 

[sndmn11]

I'm not going to pretend that I'm smart enough to know if Athens was doing patent infringement or not. I've never owned a Athens but I will say the accutune was "Patent Pending" according to their website

I see that now in the paragraph copy; I never scrolled that far on their product page before. Thanks!

 

[Billy Goat]

Until something changes with limb technology, materials etc, we have peaked with bow performance. 350 ibo is about the threshold for a shootable bow, at least according to a few manufacturers (I have heard that from both Hoyt and Mathews)

Now it's improving the shooting experience. That's the ease of tuning, better accessories, building as many forgiving factors into the bow as possible.


I don't know enough of how the Athens system worked, certainly looked similar. I honestly didn't know Athens had come out with anything like it til I heard they were closing. Guess they spent all their funds on R&D and not enough on advertising. I know the only shop around me that carried them got pissed off and dropped the line several years ago, I think it was over them selling bows direct to consumer.

All I know is archery isn't the easiest place to make your living, no matter if you are a shop or a manufacturer.

 

[sndmn11]

That's the ease of tuning,

forgiving factors into the bow as possible.

I don't know enough of how the Athens system worked, certainly looked similar. I honestly didn't know Athens had come out with anything like it til I heard they were closing. Guess they spent all their funds on R&D and not enough on advertising.

I get strings from Catfish Customs and Mike had tried to connect me with them to review an Axxis, but they ghosted. I'd have probably had a lot of fun fiddling with the cams.

 

[Billy Goat]

I get strings from Catfish Customs and Mike had tried to connect me with them to review an Axxis, but they ghosted. I'd have probably had a lot of fun fiddling with the cams.

I'd be curious the difference in the systems. I believe the deadlock cam rides on threads, where the Athens system still had a 1/4" axle that was pushed within a block.


But I might be wrong on both counts.

 

[sndmn11]

I'd be curious the difference in the systems. I believe the deadlock cam rides on threads, where the Athens system still had a 1/4" axle that was pushed within a block.


But I might be wrong on both counts.

The world will never know

 

[Billy Goat]

The world will never know

I think bows were out in use.

At some point someone will tear one apart.


If they are different enough, or had good enough lawyer to show thet are different enough so it wasn't infringement?

That's what we won't know.

 

[sndmn11]

They should do what Kifaru did a handful of years ago when they were giving away free scabbard backpacks with the purchase of a frame presumably because the packs had previously been challenged by some patent.

Free Axxis with the purchase of a set of $1500 strings.