# Final Review & Tune Of My Bear Super Kodiak...



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

Well folks?..i've already owned this bow for a month now..unfortunately?..i shot the dickens out of it the first week or two to the point that i was ripping up my right shoulder a bit..so i backed off..hence why i haven't been posting much of late...think i've shot maybe 4 or 5 short sessions (mostly tuning related) in the past two weeks and i hafta admit..it sure was strange sitting next to wifey watching TV while the sun was still up but i spent much of it tinkering with and building arrows for this bow..and the ones it seems to love most?...

*"The Arrows":* Are .600 spine full length (30 1/2") Beman MFX Classics with 5" full helix round back trueflight feathers doning 125gr points...which paint, glue nocks and all?..makes for a 415gr arrow as the shafts are heavy at 8.0gpi..this leaves me shooting 10.9GPP...and i've tried lighter arrow combos but it seems the limbs of the SuperK like to be ladened down with some weight..

*and i think you'll see why in a moment..(massive riser/short snappy limbs)

*"The String":* Remains the original oem string which consists of 16strands of D97 which seems extremely well made with very tight center serving and flem braids hard as a rock to which i applied yarn wraps and cat-whiskers and am using two nocking points..a brass crimp-on up top and a tie-on below..and seemed "fully shot-in" at well under 100 shots. 

*"The Bow Specs":* 

Poundage: Is marked as being 64"/35#@28"...it scales 37 1/4#s @ 28" and i'm holding right at 38# at my 28 1/2" Draw Length. Note: Bear rounds their bows off to the nearest 5# increment on a (-2#/+3#) Basis.

Brace Heigth: Factory Recomended BH for this 64" Super Kodiak is (8"-9")...i shot this bow at all possible variations within that span in 1/4" increments..and for some reason?..it and i like 8 1/4" BH best..so it remains set at 8 1/4"s.

Nock Heigth: Bottom of upper string nock is set at 7/16ths above the shelf..shooting 3under with a Jenkins Tab.

Now?....The Review...

*"The Riser"*The multi-piece bubinga riser of this 64"er is impressively massive...it literally feels like i'm holding a 2 foot length of 2X4 Bubinga with an extrodinarily well sculpted grip that seems to keep the bow remarkably stable throughout the draw..matter fact?..Bear Archery actually states in their AD/Lit that the 64" SuperK IS simply a 60" SuperK..."with a longer riser"..and they aren't kidding..as it almost appears that the riser dwarfs the limbs?..so i measured it..and from fade to fade?..it's a whopping 26" long bubinga riser..










which to me sort of explains why that..

*"At-The-Shot":* This bow is amazingly well mannored (assuming proper state of tune with somewhat heavier arrows) and with no leash or loop?...using a completely open handed loose grip?..it just sits there..as the top limb gently rolls back after the arrows left the shelf....meanwhile?...

*"The Limbs":* Seem short and snappy..as they are..and measure a scant 18"s from the fades to the string nocks..











Together?...strung and braced at 8 1/4"s?..the overall measurement of this 64" bow is 62"s even as measured from end of limb tip too end of limb tip.

*"The State Of Tune":* Like i said earlier...i haven't been shooting much lately..but the shoulder now feels well healed and after a couple warm up groups at 10yds?..i was feeling all strong and puffy..weilding this 38#er like a healthy baby with a rattle..and utter physical confidence..which challenged me to attacking my mental game a bit this evening...so i began my walk-back drills..first 10yds...then 12...then 15..and holding baseball sized groups of 3 fletched 2 bare (quite a few groups straight) and going through my shot sequence like clockwork..enter "mental confidence with a well tuned sweetheart of a bow"...and moved back to 18yds..for the first time in quite awhile..that white pvc stake in the ground is my 20yd mark..










and nailed this for my first group at 18yds this evening..










I thought it "camera worthy"...and words can't express how great it felt to have complete and utter control over every aspect of the shot each and every time...with my tabbed fingers snapping off the string cleaner than chlorox..proving to me..

"it's not where they landed...it's how they got there"

that counts.  

If you don't have an extra grand laying around for a top shelfer or a custom?..i highly recomend the Bear Super Kodiak..(for about 1/2 that)..and I think Old Fred knew what he was doing when he melded a target style riser to his fav hunting bow back when...it's a winning combo. 

Hope you all enjoyed...happy shooting and L8R, Bill. :cool2:


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## Easykeeper (Jan 2, 2003)

That's a great bow Jinkster and I agree a lot of it comes from the overall geometry and heavy riser. It is built very similar to the bows I like best. 

A long recurve with a big riser makes for a very nice shooting bow in my opinion. I also find it easier to be consistent with the more sculpted grip they have.

And the best part is not only is it a shooter, it's a looker and has a direct link to some pretty lofty archery history...:thumbs_up


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## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

Easykeeper said:


> That's a great bow Jinkster and I agree a lot of it comes from the overall geometry and heavy riser. It is built very similar to the bows I like best.
> 
> A long recurve with a big riser makes for a very nice shooting bow in my opinion. I also find it easier to be consistent with the more sculpted grip they have.
> 
> And the best part is not only is it a shooter, it's a looker and has a direct link to some pretty lofty archery history...:thumbs_up


Thanks EK...and i'm still thrilled with it as the more i get to learn and know about it?...the more i like it..and it didn't take long for me to notice that it seems this bow was designed and refined with a bias towards tossing heavy hunting arrows...and shoots glassy smooth with a deep and throaty yet abbreviated "THUMMM!" of the string at the shot..with arrows weighing 10gpp and up..but go down in arrow weight?..but it almost immediately starts protesting at 9gpp and lord forbid...less...and with those short working limbs?..i can understand why it likes a bit of a load on the string...but the amazing part?..even at comparitively low poundage with arrows on the heavy side?..it's no slacker..and the trajectory looks real resonable to me and definatly nothing i would term as a slow-poke. 

To boot?...i don't mind at all that this bow likes heavy but loathes light arrows..as it was bought to be my primary hunting rig and i think as long as i stick with heavier arrows?..this bow will last several lifetimes...but light arrows?...not so much. :laugh:

And truth be known?...at this poundage?...i was sorta hesitant about using 5" feathers..but i believe it is "the carry" of the heavier arrow shafting that seems to drag them along just fine..like hanging kite string out a car window..i'm really pleased with this bow and have no reservations that it will make for a fine 20yd hunt'in rig.


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## wseward (Mar 7, 2013)

Nice bow...and nice group.


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## knotdodger (Oct 2, 2005)

Nice job with all the work, then shooting it. It's just great
when you actually like the bow your shooting. Have fun.


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## Easykeeper (Jan 2, 2003)

There's nothing like a heavy arrow to make it really feel like you are getting the most out of a recurve like that. You give up some velocity and the arrows drop off a little faster but I think the gains in "shoot-ability", or whatever you want to call it, are worth the trade off...at least for the relatively short range target shooting or bowhunting that I do. I'm shooting about 11.5 gpp and like you said there's plenty of zip to them and with the heavy riser it just goes "thump". 

Of course if I was playing a longer range game I make make some different choices, but for what I do I'll take a soft shooting recurve and a heavy arrow...:archer:


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## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

Easykeeper said:


> 1.There's nothing like a heavy arrow to make it really feel like you are getting the most out of a recurve like that.
> 
> 2. but for what I do I'll take a soft shooting recurve and a heavy arrow...:archer:


*DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!*

I do believe...Yes You Sir...have won todays Daily Double!

Well said, put and posted EK! :thumbs_up


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## Razith (Mar 24, 2013)

Awesome bow there. I've always wanted one of the older Super K's with Micarta in it, bet that thing would have some weight to it. If you had to guess how much the bow itself weighed, what would you put it at?


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## JParanee (Oct 13, 2009)

My favorite bow of yours yet Bill 

Heres to many great years of shooing with it


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

When are you planning on selling it?


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## Mo0se (Sep 24, 2002)

Congrats on the Super K Bill hope it wasn't a "bear" to tune LOL  By the way the 21st and I are one again.


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## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

Razith said:


> Awesome bow there. I've always wanted one of the older Super K's with Micarta in it, bet that thing would have some weight to it. If you had to guess how much the bow itself weighed, what would you put it at?


Thanks and strictly guessing?..i would say the physical weight of the bow is somewhere's around 2 1/2#s



JParanee said:


> My favorite bow of yours yet Bill
> 
> Heres to many great years of shooing with it


Thanks Joe!  and i concurr..in a month?..this bow has already found a spot deeper in my heart and soul than any other did in a decade. 



Hank D Thoreau said:


> When are you planning on selling it?


When Montgomery Wards has a 50% off sale on .22's...in DC.



Mo0se said:


> Congrats on the Super K Bill hope it wasn't a "bear" to tune LOL  By the way the 21st and I are one again.


Thanks Jeff and it wasn't...not at all...matter fact?..i dare say this SuperK is currently at a higher state-of-tune than any stickbow i've ever owned and i'm happy you and the 21st are re-united again.


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## flyfisher76544 (Dec 14, 2011)

Nice, I take it you had an injury lately?


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## Arron (Nov 18, 2012)

Certainly a nice looking bow there Bill. I was just noticing on a the picture above (the one with your caddy and your target in the distance) you have a very well worn path to your target. Boy that's a few thousand steps back and forth over time.


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## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

flyfisher76544 said:


> Nice, I take it you had an injury lately?


Thanks and not exactly "recently"..i totalled a kawasaki ZRX1100R into the side of a minivan that pulled out making a left in front of me in 2001..at impact i spun off the right side of the bike (so i didn't get 1/2ed by the hood) and my right shoulder took the brunt of things...right before i got slammed unconscious (even with all my gear and a helmet on)...no broken bones (that they caught with xray) but a lot of soft tissue damage..and when i push it and shoot too much?..i hafta lay back for a week or two to heal or i wind up listening to the gravel that is my shoulder get louder and louder on the draw. :laugh:



Arron said:


> Certainly a nice looking bow there Bill. I was just noticing on a the picture above (the one with your caddy and your target in the distance) you have a very well worn path to your target. Boy that's a few thousand steps back and forth over time.


Thank You Arron and yeah..i had my home built and moved in here in Nov. 1989..i built that target butt in Jan. 1990..so yeah...think i very well have taken that walk a few times! :laugh:


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## UrbanDeerSlayer (Feb 10, 2012)

Bill, I must admit looking at that Super K is making me want to get one! But I just unloaded a bunch of bows and im trying to keep it simple, but it ain't easy!


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## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

UrbanDeerSlayer said:


> Bill, I must admit looking at that Super K is making me want to get one! But I just unloaded a bunch of bows and im trying to keep it simple, but it ain't easy!


:laugh: Well don't feel alone Bro! :laugh:

I can't remember the last time i looked at a one piece laminated wood anything and thought to myself..

"Nah...i don't want that one." :laugh:

But i'm pretty much OVER my "Bow Junkie Phase" and have nailed down "The Golden Three"

1. This Bear SuperK (as my only recurve and hunt'in rig)

2. My Bushman R/D Hybrid (currently being reworked by the original bowyer as my only RD Longbow for ASA/IBO MLB)

and?..

3. The Falco Vintage Force Carbon (that's currently being built in Estonia which will be my only D-Longbow for NFAA)

i have two others at the moment..my 66"/33# Falco Trophy Carbon and my 68"/42# Holmegaard Selfbow...haven't really decided if i'm gonna leave'em hanging around or toss'em on the chopping block at some point but...prolly the latter...no point just leaving them set here collecting dust.


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## FORESTGUMP (May 14, 2008)

JParanee said:


> My favorite bow of yours yet Bill
> 
> Heres to many great years of shooing with it



Lots of comedians out of work already. Any bets it will be gone before Christmas?


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## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

FORESTGUMP said:


> Lots of comedians out of work already. Any bets it will be gone before Christmas?


Go for it Joe!!! 

TAKE AS MUCH OF THAT ACTION AS YOU CAN BITE OFF!

Forest?...did you wanna buy that Holmegaard of mine?...figured i'd ask while ya still got some money left! :laugh:

you know..."before".....Christmas comes? :laugh:


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## AzadM (Mar 5, 2019)

Thanks for the review! Just got my Super Kodiak and I can't wait for it to arrive!


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