# Wife's First Bow



## bad4u2000us (Jun 17, 2012)

Hello ladies, My wife recently decided to take up archery so we (I) have been doing some research and I think we have it narrowed down to two. The Bear Apprentice 2 and the Diamond Razor's Edge. She hasn't shot either of them yet, but she has held them and I think she slightly favors the Bear, she says it feels lighter and a tad more comfortable. In all honesty, these are the only two bows I can find that are A) In our price range and B) Within a three hour drive. I originally had on my list of bows for her to try: Winchester Destiny, PSE Chaos, Bowtech Equalizer, and Mathews Mission Craze as well as the Bear and Diamond, but I just can't find any even close to here. 

I was wondering if anyone has any insight on the two we are looking at. What are the pros and cons of both? I believe the Bear is a little bit better fit for her because the lb adjustments start at 20, where the Diamond starts at 30 (the second set of limbs for 15 to 29 aren't an option for us right now). Any opinions on the Bear and Diamond are greatly appreciated. TIA!


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## HC Knives (May 20, 2011)

Go with what she can shoot best i.e. feels best.


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## MN Huntress (Nov 27, 2011)

We can tell you what we think is beat according to what we like but ultimately she needs to shoot them and let they be the deciding factor. She needs to like what she shoots, the now needs to shoot well for her and feel good for her


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## bad4u2000us (Jun 17, 2012)

OK let me try again. Anybody who has any experience with either of these bows, I would love to hear from you. Things like if you had to have any warranty work, how was the craftsmanship? Are they good solid bows that will last for a few years? What did you like or dislike about them? Any info ABOUT THESE TWO BOWS would be greatly appreciated.


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## bad4u2000us (Jun 17, 2012)

I just read a review at bass pro (i think) about the Bear not adjusting down past 36lbs unless draw length is under 20". Anybody know anything about that? My wife's dl is 27. Does anybody know what the minimum #pull would be on these with a 27dl?


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## Stubby'smom (Mar 20, 2010)

Well, first of all I have never owned either bow but I work in a shop and we have both of them on hand. My experience is more with the Diamond as the shop just picked up Bear only about a month ago. The Diamond is a good starter bow. There are no issues with it that I know of. One thing is that if your wife decides she really likes archery then either of those 2 bows won't last more than a year or so. If she's satisfied with it then they can last a very long time. With a 27" draw she can shoot any bow out there and both of those bows may be a little short ATA for her and the string angle may affect how it feels to her at full draw. When you go to the shops to try them out, I would ask if they have anything for her to try that is used. For $300-$400 you can get a better quality used bow and it may come with accessories too. 

My 11 year old son bought himself a bow using his own money last fall and he shot the Diamond in 30lb limbs. He decided not to go with it as he didn't like the feel and he went with the Assassin SD (same bow as the BowTech Heartbreaker) just because he liked the feel better.


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## NCstick (Aug 14, 2011)

Coming from a husband, let her shoot them and shoot a good 10-20 shots through it minimum before SHE decides on the bow.

I have put $200 into a used bow my brother had trying to get my wife to shoot in strings, cables, sight and rest. That's not including arrows. She wanted to shoot and still does but after that $ into a bow and She hates shooting it is not conducive to a happy shooter which leads to zero shooting. She liked the bow when she shot 3 arrows through it before the work. Then we went out shooting to sight it in for her and she hates the grip so much she won't pick the thing back up. It digs into her second thumb knuckle and doesn't show up until after 10 or so shots. She will have a Heartbreaker by the end of the month. 

If you can find any other shops that carry other brands, drive to one or two even. Heck most shops close around 3:00 on Saturdays so make a day trip of it and enjoy a nice ride, lunch/dinner and most of all her getting a bow she LOVES to shoot. Add a nice dinner and glass of wine at the end of the day at a nice restaurant you won't have an everyday chance of going to and you have made one happy woman!!


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## jbadams66 (May 25, 2004)

I agree with having her shoot as many as possible. I started to setup my old bow for my wife and she got frustrated with it. We stopped by a shop just to look and walked out with a pink mission craze and she loves it. It is light and has a ton of adjustment. She tried several other bows that cost a lot more but the craze felt best to her. Make a day of it and do some driving to find a shop with a good selection, it's worth it.


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## bad4u2000us (Jun 17, 2012)

Does anybody know where I can find a chart that shows the minimum and maximum pull at any given draw length for these two bows?


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## NCstick (Aug 14, 2011)

If you go to the manufacturers websites, they will list all of the specs. Some even list MSRP. 


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## bad4u2000us (Jun 17, 2012)

NCstick said:


> If you go to the manufacturers websites, they will list all of the specs. Some even list MSRP.
> 
> ]


I have scoured the Bear website and can't find anything that lists the min and max lbs at specific draw lengths. All it says (that I can find) is 20-60lbs. I would like to know what the minimum is at 27.


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## jonell (Feb 14, 2012)

Where are you located? It would be well worth the trip to find a bow shop that has a wide selection of bows for her to try out. I have only dealt with Mathews bows - so I can't provide you any insight on others. But pulling back a Passion or Jewel is way different than the pull on a Mission Craze. I really hope that she is fitted properly with a bow and can find a shop that will work with her - this is really important - or you will be buying a different bow if she isn't comfortable and hopefully she was be pushed away from archery for a bad fit.


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## bad4u2000us (Jun 17, 2012)

We are in Mountain View Arkansas. I found a shop 50 miles away that sells Mathews. I stopped in today and they have a Mission Craze. I will have to get her up there to look at it. The problem with that is the place has no range, so she can't shoot before she buys it. We went to Springfield MO to the big Bass Pro, I thought they would have a bigger selection. But they did have the razor edge and the apprentice 2, but she couldn't shoot them, she did draw the razor edge. With the 30-60ld limbs, it was right on the edge of what she could pull. If you go to the manufacturer's web sites, there are dealers closer, but they might have two of the manufacturers bows in stock and those are usually the upper end Men's bows so they would have to special order it, so she couldn't even see them. Or the dealers are out of business all together. I'm not really willing to go more than 3 hours away. If we have problems with it I would like to take it back to the same shop. There are places like Dick's and Gander Mtn in Little Rock, but again, those are the only two bows I've seen them have in stock that are close to what we are looking for.

The place that sells Mathews is in Mtn Home. They also sell PSE. When I went in today they had a total of 6 bows in stock. About 4 Mathews Missions and 2 PSE's. They do have a craze though and they seem like nice folks who would set her up and take care of us. I wish I knew more about what to look for. I shoot a Ben Pearson that I bought used off a guy. I had to take it to a shop in Pine Bluff and have the bow tech there put an extra long loop on the string because it's a DL30 and I need a 32 LOL. Just learned to shoot it in the back yard. I really don't have much knowledge about it.


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## jbadams66 (May 25, 2004)

Stop in to archers advantage if you are near little rock. That is where my wife just got her bow. They have about 30 bows there of several different makes that are tailered for female shooters and most of them are available in pink. We got great help while we were there and they even stayed a good bit past closing time to get my wife set up.


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## bigsarg99 (Jul 12, 2007)

I was just out that way visiting my future in laws in Belle Vista and while there I was able to check out the local bow shops. My fiancée is very intrested in archery and we are bow shopping too, but anyway, we stopped by Outdoor America in Springdale (479 872-6000) and that was a great bow shop. Those guys had a great selection of bows, a indoor range and they were very knowledgeable. If you didn't want to drive there it may be worth a call. It most likely will be worth a drive when the Cabelas opens this summer. Good luck to you and your wife with the search.


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## MN Huntress (Nov 27, 2011)

If they don't have a range at that shop would they let her shoot outside at a bag target or block?


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## jonell (Feb 14, 2012)

I am sure they have a practice bag even from 10 feet in the shop you can get the feel of how a bow draws back. Have you gone to www.mathewsinc.com and looked to see what dealers are within 50 miles of your hometown. I had a hit of six Mathews Dealers in your area. I live in Virginia; our Mathews shop has 50+ mathews bows in the shop; and will change cams or limbs so a buyer can test out bows. You need to find an archery shop that will work with your wife no matter what name brand bow she is buying.


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## NCstick (Aug 14, 2011)

MN Huntress said:


> If they don't have a range at that shop would they let her shoot outside at a bag target or block?


If they don't, I wouldn't buy a bow from them. Just my opinion. 


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## MN Huntress (Nov 27, 2011)

NCstick said:


> If they don't, I wouldn't buy a bow from them. Just my opinion.
> 
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> I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?dan4qn


I agree..... I wouldn't buy a bow before shooting it


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## Jennifer Holton (Apr 10, 2012)

I have shoot both bows. My first was the diamond no problems shooting. I didn't care for the grip the grip on the ddiamond but had nonproblems shooting it. MY sons had the bear and my daughter had the bear apprentice. Both Bears were very comfotable to shoot. I wasbgoing to hunt with my sons, but my husband got me a new bow (hoyt vicxen I like the bear its light easy to shoot and was quick for a youth/ladies bow.


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## ShooterDoc (Apr 6, 2010)

I started out with the Diamond. It was comfortable to shoot and I felt it was a good starter bow. The wall is a bit spongey but I didn't notice it or have it become a big problem until I started to get better and was making stronger shots. If she likes shooting and wants to compete, I would expect to buy a more expensive bow in a year though, so start saving!


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## bad4u2000us (Jun 17, 2012)

We went and looked at the Mission Bows today. She likes the Menace and the Craze better than the Bear and Diamond. I think she likes the Menace slightly more than the Craze. I'm going to get her the one she wants, but I really think the Craze would be a better choice. I think she would "outgrow" the Menace sooner. She wants a black one so we are going to have to order it.


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## NCstick (Aug 14, 2011)

bad4u2000us said:


> We went and looked at the Mission Bows today. She likes the Menace and the Craze better than the Bear and Diamond. I think she likes the Menace slightly more than the Craze. I'm going to get her the one she wants, but I really think the Craze would be a better choice. I think she would "outgrow" the Menace sooner. She wants a black one so we are going to have to order it.


I'm glad to hear you guys went and looked at other bows. Congrats on finding her bow!!


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## jonell (Feb 14, 2012)

Glad she got to shoot the Mission bows. Did they have a Jewel or Passion for her to try?


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## Jsclmetrbl (Feb 19, 2012)

My girlfriend has a black craze and loves it. It's so easy to adjust, and if she has shorter arms and smaller hands like mine does the case will fit it perfectly. Be prepared to wait on the black craze, I think it took a month or so to finally get in...but it looks amazing. Btw it's sooooo easy to adjust.


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## bad4u2000us (Jun 17, 2012)

Just an update, we went to Branson last Friday and stopped in at Branson Archery in Hollister. The nice folks there set up a Diamond Razor Edge and a Craze for her and let her shoot them at their indoor range. She liked the Craze a little better than the Diamond. Out of all the bow shops we have been to, this is the only place that offered to let her shoot. The bow itself has been put off for a few weeks, but when we get one, I'm definitely going to get it from there. We may go back and see if they will let her shoot the Craze and Menace back to back just to make sure the Craze is the one she wants. I am still probably going to try to find a Bear dealer that will let her shoot and Apprentice 2 just to be absolutely sure because weight is really a big deal to her. She really wants the lightest bow she can get. I was also very surprised at how fast those arrows were flying with both of those bows set at 30lbs. I really don't think she will ever want to pull more than 40lbs, and with these bows, I don't see why she would ever need to, even if she decided to hunt with them. And I think all the bows we have looked at can be adjusted for any of my girls that might want to pick up archery. We had a Dr bill come in that was about twice what I expected, so I have to get it paid off before the bow purchase, but I will update as soon as we figure out what we are getting and when. Thanks for all the advice, and keep the comments coming.


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## Gunther57 (Jul 18, 2012)

I say the mission craze. Very fine bow. I have one for my wife as an anniversary gift. She loved it when she shot it. The bow is easy to adjust and most women can shoot 50lbs easy with practice. I am glad she liked it.


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## zx5go (Mar 14, 2012)

Branson? Are you in southwest MO? I'm in the Joplin area and my step-mom owns an Apprentice 2. I am not at all impressed with it and neither is my wife. We've been eyeing a Hoyt Ruckus. If light weight is important I think it would be worth checking out. Carthage has a good bow shop, Hideaway Archery. Hoyt, Elite, Bowtech/Diamond, and Strother dealer (maybe others). Bill is extremely nice and will setup and let you shoot.


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## kevoswifey (Feb 14, 2012)

Just so you know, if she bow hunts in Arkansas, she is required to pull at least 40 lbs.


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## mfinders (Aug 2, 2012)

Sounds like you may have figured this out already, but here is the minimum for 27" DL: with the 60# bow, lowest is 40.5-44.5# DW / with the 50# bow, lowest is 34-38# DW. You can download the 2012 users manual on the Bear website for a full length vs. weight chart. 
I actually just returned the Bear Apprentice 2 bow that I purchased for myself, I have a DL of 27" as well and can only pull back about 30 pounds. We didn't realize the weight was dependent on the draw length before we purchased and it is too heavy for me to pull back at 27". Although my husband thought I should just start lifting weights to bulk up, that was highly unlikely : )
I have decided to get the PSE Chaos and am still deciding between single or dual cam. The dual cam Chaos FC allows draw weight to be set independently of draw length and is very adjustable. I have shot this bow before and loved it! The larger axel to axel measurement also allowed me to use the tip of my nose as a secondary anchor point, which greatly increased my accuracy and consistency. I was not able to use my nose with the Bear Apprentice 2 because the axel length is much shorter (creates a more acute drawback angle). 
The Chaos One has a smoother draw and is faster, but does not allow for very much adjustment. I will most likely go with the FC model.


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## mfinders (Aug 2, 2012)

bad4u2000us said:


> I have scoured the Bear website and can't find anything that lists the min and max lbs at specific draw lengths. All it says (that I can find) is 20-60lbs. I would like to know what the minimum is at 27.


Here is the minimum for 27" DL: with the 60# bow, lowest is 40.5-44.5# DW / with the 50# bow, lowest is 34-38# DW. You can download the 2012 users manual on the Bear website for a full length vs. weight chart. From the home page scroll down and click on the Service/Support link... click on product manuals... then download the Compound Bow Owner's Manual.


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## Alpinetimes (Jul 4, 2012)

The Craze is a good bow, it is simple to adjust the DW on it. I would recommend not buying the kit that is sold with it and upgrading to a better rest, site, etc. That way, if she starts getting into it, you will be able to sell the bow and move all the parts to the new bow. My wife started with one and wanted something better soon after. She was pulling 40# in no time. She ended up with a Jewel after 2 months of the Craze. BTW, the Jewel and Passion are two bows she should shoot if possible. I am not a die-hard Mathews fan(I do like them), but I think the Passion and Jewel are some of the best bows for women to consider when making a purchase.


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## MnJewelHunter (Aug 4, 2012)

I thinking shooting is key. When I started 3 years ago I was set on a Diamond Razor after reading many forums and the positive feedback. Little did I know every bow is different for each individual. I am left handed so I was very limited on what was available for me to shoot. After shooting the Razor and a couple others I ended up with the Mission Maniac and loved it! After two years I finally was able to shoot the Jewel and purchased it a few weeks ago. I would never have purchased it as my first bow but now that the addiction is set in I was ready to take the plunge. It is amazing. I am keeping my Maniac as back-up. The most comfortable bow in her hands while shooting is the bow for her. Good luck to her and just glad to hear more women getting involved.


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