Is That, Like, a Full-Sized Bow?<\/p>\n
I shot as a fill-in for a local archery league last night. About 20 arrows in, one of the guys in my squad turned to me and asked, \u201cIs that, like, a full-sized bow?\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned and looked at him, not sure if he was serious, and then turned and looked back at my bow hanging on the hook. \u00a0It sure looked full-sized to me\u2026<\/p>\n
Maybe it\u2019s the fact that I stand 5 ft tall. \u00a0Maybe it\u2019s the pig-tails. \u00a0Maybe it\u2019s the fact that my carbon arrows aren\u2019t much longer than crossbow bolts. \u00a0Maybe it\u2019s my 24-inch draw.<\/p>\n
Whatever the reason, my Hoyt Carbon Defiant didn\u2019t quite hit him as being a \u201cbig kid\u201d bow, in his words. \u00a0I have to admit, he\u2019s not the only person who has asked that question.<\/p>\n
When I started shopping for a replacement for my PSE Stiletto Verge, I visited countless bow shops in search of a \u201cbig kid\u201d bow that was in stock in my draw length that I could try and shoot.<\/p>\n
All the well-meaning advice of \u201cjust shoot anything you can to see what you like\u201d was proving to be easier said than done. \u00a0Most women\u2019s bows at that time were available in a draw length of 25 inches and up. \u00a0That didn\u2019t help me much.<\/p>\n
Most of the pro shops I walked into tried to talk me into a youth bow. \u00a0Their main selling point? \u00a0\u201cIt will grow with you!\u201d \u00a0I hate to say it, but at 33 years old, I ain\u2019t growin\u2019. \u00a0This is as good as it\u2019s going to get. \u00a0My draw length isn\u2019t going to magically hit 26.5 inches in 2 years.<\/p>\n
After 5 months of frustrating and unproductive pro shop visits, I discovered (on the Hoyt website, not at a dealer) that nearly every Hoyt compound bow was available with a #1, #2 or #3 size cam system. \u00a0That meant that my draw length of 24 inches was available in the \u201cbig kid\u201d bow I had wanted from the get go! \u00a0The Hoyt Carbon Defiant.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m going to repeat that: the Hoyt.Carbon.Defiant. \u00a0In my mind, the holy grail of bows and the bow that felt best in my hand could be ordered to fit me!!!!<\/p>\n
Next hurdle: Finding a dealer who would order a $1500 bare bow with a 24-inch draw in my preferred colors so I could shoot it and confirm. \u00a0I had only had an opportunity to shoot a few arrows out of one, but it was at 26 inches of draw. \u00a0Once my brain got past the arm slap from a hyper extended elbow, it was hard to develop any warm fuzzies about the bow.<\/p>\n
Enter Jay\u2019s Sporting Goods in Gaylord. \u00a0Huuggge shout out to their archery department! \u00a0I called and told them what I wanted from draw length to string colors. \u00a0Their response? \u00a0\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am. We\u2019ll have it in 2 weeks and will call you when it comes in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fantastic! \u00a0Progress! So, the day arrived and over to Gaylord we went. \u00a0Armed with snacks and books, we settled the kids in to a pop up blind and I eagerly picked up the Hoyt Carbon Defiant.<\/p>\n
She was all set up just for me. \u00a024 inches of smooth as butter draw cycle made the 50 lbs feel like 30. Wow! \u00a0The perfectly contoured grip fit my small hand as though it had been made for it. \u00a0Even without a single component on it (including a stabilizer), it was absolutely dead still in my hand. \u00a0She was quiet, still, steadfast and seemed to say, \u201cyes, I\u2019m yours, darling, and I belong here.\u201d<\/p>\n
I shot 20 arrows bare bow and said, \u201cyep! \u00a0Let\u2019s do it!\u201d \u00a0I had a list of every component I wanted on her. \u00a0My first item was the Axcel Accuhunter Single Pin Adjustable sight. I have been a multi-pin archer since I started shooting archery about 5 years ago. \u00a0I am easily distracted and wanted to keep my user interface simple and clean.<\/p>\n
Next, was the Hoyt QAD drop away rest. \u00a0I loved the ergonomics of the drop-away mechanism. \u00a0As a right-handed shooter, I can hold the grip in my left hand, nock the arrow with the right hand and effortlessly flip the forks up using the handle to the right of the riser. \u00a0It is a simple, efficient and highly effective mechanism. \u00a0The best part? \u00a0It\u2019s ultra quiet for those awkward treestand moments when stealth is paramount.<\/p>\n
Next, is the stabilizer. \u00a0I went against a few opinions and selected the Axion 4 inch stabilizer. \u00a0I had Axion components on my last bow and really like the function and aesthetic.<\/p>\n
I looked at some larger stabilizers but wanted a universal rig for both hunting and target uses. \u00a0I didn\u2019t want to have 2 stabilizers with upwards of a foot in stabilization protuberances. \u00a0I wanted a streamlined set up that was lethal and functional in the woods and effective on the range. \u00a0Additionally, the Hoyt Carbon Defiant was such a still and gentle bow in the hand, there really wasn\u2019t anything I needed to compensate for with a massive stabilizer.<\/p>\n
Quiver \u2013 for a quiver I went with the standard Hoyt quiver. It can hold 4 arrows and it clips seamlessly onto my sight\/riser assembly. \u00a0The broadheads snuggle in nice and tight, but it also holds my field points well. \u00a0I love how flawless this quiver integrates into my Carbon Defiant.<\/p>\n
For shafts, I have two sets. \u00a0First, I have the Easton FMJ limited edition Autumn Orange shafts. \u00a0I love the oomph of aluminums with the advantages of carbon. \u00a0They are a great hunting arrow because they can deliver the energy I want. \u00a0The downside? \u00a0They\u2019re HEAVY\u2026. \u00a0They drop quite a bit past 30 yards.<\/p>\n
So, for longer range, non-hunting applications, I like my Easton Carbon Da\u2019Torch shafts. \u00a0They are super light, weighing in at a whopping 6.3 GPI. \u00a0To make sure I adjust accordingly, I have two different sight tapes for my Axcel Accuhunter sight.<\/p>\n