The Amateur Archer - bows, equipment and related gear

Centaur Carbon Elite review Having heard and read some really good testimonials regarding Centaur bows, I looked into trying to order one.  I was a bit dismayed to find the waiting list for a custom longbow to be over a year.  Fortunately, I noticed the Centaur website had listed stock bows for sale.  I immediately contacted Jim Neaves, owner of Centaur Archery, and was placed on a short list for the next one being made. A month later, I had a Carbon Elite in my hands.  When the bow was near completion, Jim called me up and asked me for some hand measurements so he could add custom finger grooves for a more comfortable grip.  I really did not expect that in a stock bow and it goes to show what kind of attention to detail Jim has for his customers and his devotion to crafting some of the finest bows available.  My Carbon Elite is 58" overall and is marked 47# @ 28". - Riser - According to the Centaur website, the stock Carbon Elite features a dese...

Border Archery Covert Hunter Review Border Archery of Scotland has been known to push the performance limits of the recurve with incredible limb design and use of advanced materials.  The result of years of R&D culminates in the latest Hex-series limb out of Scotland - the Hex-7.  The Covert Hunter is a recurve utilizing the newest limb offering in a compact, smooth drawing bow.  I feel quite privileged to be among the first in the upper American Midwest to own one of these recurves and will do my best to provide as objective of a review as I can. The complete kit out of the box from Border.  The StikTamers and Limbsavers are my add-ons. - Riser - The Covert Hunter I ordered has a 19" riser with short limbs, giving me a 60" AMO recurve drawing 45#@27".  The riser is made of a Shedua center strip with Indian Rosewood back and belly strips, separated with carbon laminations.  The carbon lams are accented with a thin strip of red re...

WhippenStick Whipplash I recently had the good fortune to come across a listing on TradTalk for a WhippenStick Whipplash and jumped on the opportunity to own one. Whipplash by WhippenStick This particular model is AMO 62" and draws 48# @ 28".  I contacted Ken at WhippenStick and inquired about recommended brace height and he replied saying 6 3/4" is a good starting point.  I just happened to have a new flemish string made by Rick Barbee that fit the bow and gave me the 6 3/4" brace with a few added twists.  A few bareshaft tests and I had my nocking point figured out and had the string served up and string puffs tied in place.  Even without any string puffs, the Whipplash launched arrows with some kick and relatively quietly.  There was a pronounced thunk sound with a little bit of string buzz, but all that turned into a subdued thump with a couple dyneema puffs tied on. The limbs appear to have bamboo cores with clear glass back and belly over a v...

Dryad Epic 13 with Legend ACS-CG In my previous entry, I had taken a closer look at a ILF longbow with a metal riser.  In my opinion, metal risers are superb for their durability and no-nonsense approach to holding together a pair of limbs.  While I do like a metal riser, I also like wood risers for their wonderful aesthetics and warm feel.  One can really appreciate a wooden riser if out hunting on a cold autumn morning.  While the grip on a metal riser helps insulate the hands, it is noticeably colder than wood.  Additionally, wood has natural dampening characteristics and is usually lighter than metal for a given riser length. I will be taking a more in-depth look at Dryad's Epic 13 ILF riser paired with a set of extra-long Legend ACS-CG longbow limbs in this entry. The complete longbow with limb dampers and string silencers Dryad currently offers wooden ILF risers in three different lengths: 13", 15", and 17".  The riser I am reviewing here...

TDX13 with Dryad Legend ACS-CG limbs Being that I got this riser with longbow limbs in mind, it was only natural that I complete the bow with a pair.  I opted for a set of long Legend ACS-CG limbs made by Dryad Bows.  They are composed of bamboo cores with carbon and black glass laminations and feature their patented ACS cross section.  As I understand, the ACS design was patented by John Havard who is partnered with Dryad.  He has done some extensive research into limb design and his hard work shows with how well the limbs perform.  If you are up for some good reading on the ACS design, stop by Dryad's website and you can read up on John's notes: www.dryadbows.com I like minimalist lettering - everything you need to know and nothing you don't Dryad puts a nice matte finish on the CGs - durable and nonreflective Smooth aerodynamic tips with generous string notches Long limbs and a 13" riser make for a bow that is 58" AMO overall length. ...