It's been ages since I've last had a chance to post -- there's a lot of material I need to gradually add in. Coming up: Hunt on Saturday, September 20 and reviews for the Chek-Mate Hunter 1 T/D recurve and the River's Edge Arroyo recurve.
Disclaimer: This is a review from one archer who's shot this bow enough to feel that she knows the bow well and thus is biased towards the short-draw archer who likes performance and comfort, preferably in the same bow.
Specifications
Bowyer: Marc Moriez
Length: 58"
Poundage: 47 lbs @ 25 (~56 lbs @ 28")
Design: 1-piece Turkish-style flatbow with semi-static limb tips
Limb woods: Pacific Yew with grey action-wood core
Riser woods: Chechen and Bolivian Rosewood with grey action-wood lams
Arrows: Gold Tip Traditional 3555 with 145 grain points
For pictures, go here -- my camera seems to have decided to go on strike yet again so old pictures will have to do. Maybe I'm due for a new camera, it's been dying on me a lot even with frequent changes of good batteries.
The Story:
This was one of two bows I got my paws on during my super-macho phase where I was hoping to build up to 60 lbs @ 28 (or more) and I still hope to do so once I'm free from the shackles of being a desk jockey. I had checked out several bows from Chek-Mate and was torn between this and the Crusader (which I eventually got and is now my alpha bow because of its insane comfort). I chose this bow for the exotic looks and the radically different handle. Unlike other bows I've shot, this has a set-back handle. It also sports semi-static limb-tips, which also adds a bit of extra punch in the performance. My first gut instinct with this bow was that it would require a fairly stiff arrow because of the shorter brace-height from the set-back handle, short length, semi-static limb tips, and the relatively high poundage. However, the riser is a tad short of center-cut and the limbs are relatively wide, forcing me to use a more limber arrow than I otherwise would've expected.
This bow does shoot fairly fast for what it is -- I clocked in at 155 feet per second with a ~430 grain arrow and my piddly 25" draw length, so I don't have to worry about arcing my shots for a while. It is a very light-weight bow, making it a bit less stable than any of the other bows I've shot and combined with its sensitivity to form issues (especially torque), it can be a much more difficult bow to shoot. However, when well-tuned, there is absolutely no vibration despite its very light mass weight. When my form is perfect, however, I can hit what I'm looking at. Unfortunately, my form usually leaves a lot to be desired so the result with this bow is extremes -- I either shoot one of the best rounds (and out-shoot the "top" shooters in my circle of friends) or leave the rest of my group wishing I had just about any other bow in my hand.
Side Note:
Several of my friends with draw lengths ranging anywhere from 25.5" to 28" have commented on how the bow stacks after about 25.5" or 26" draw. I don't know for sure if it really stacks that early but I have my suspicions that it may because these friends typically shoot 55-65 lbs @ 28". An experiment with a scale will clarify this issue. In the meanwhile, this bow has earned the nick-name "Stack-Master 3000". Taller archers, you may want to consider a longer version of this bow and/or lower poundage than usual if you do want the challenge and reward of shooting this bow. To me, though, this bow draws very smoothly and I've never run into it stacking for myself, but then again, I don't draw past 25" these days either. Maybe if I tried with my old anchor to give me a 26" draw, I'll know the difference.
Pros: Very comfortable grip, very beautiful, extremely fast, very precise (when form is consistent and perfect), nearly silent and vibration-free when well-tuned, very maneuverable bow
Cons: Very sensitive to errors in form (especially torque), can be very picky with nock-set and arrows, possible stacking issues with 58" bow and taller archers (see above)
Best for: Shooting relatively short (<= 35 yards) distances, 3D events where precision isn't critical
Recommended For: Anyone who enjoys an exotic bow and is willing to deal with a very "honest" bow. I highly recommend using an arm-guard with this bow!
Overall verdict: It's a fun bow to shoot although not one I'd feel very confident in shooting a full-blown field round or a high-pressure 3D because of its sensitivity to form. It's a great bow for analyzing form issues because of its "honesty". If I could re-order this bow, I would've gotten a longer (60" or 62") and a bit lower poundage (45-50 lbs @ 28") and use this bow for SCA-type events. Still, I really enjoy this bow, even if people I shoot with cringe in terror. I don't recommend this bow for the easily frustrated but I recommend it for those who want to shoot something unique.
