Bear Apprentice 3 is the newest version of the famous Apprentice series. It’s light and overwhelmingly adjustable. With a huge range of draw length and draw weight it can perfectly serve 5 year old and a 15 year old. It will definitely not be outgrown quickly and high quality finish will make it last for years. The bow is also a high performer being able to shoot at 265 fps IBO speed. Comfortable wide valley and smooth draw cycle makes it a perfect bow for beginners. Apprentice 3 scores high in most customer reviews for the new, modular cam that enables quick and easy adjustments of the draw length. Thanks to the above features and a very affordable price Apprentice 3 has become one of the most popular bows among youth archers and beginners.
To keep the weight down without compromising on the strength the riser is made of machined aluminium alloy. It has a modern shape with large cutouts to further reduce the weight. A string suppression system is mounted on the front of the riser, below the grip. There is also a cable guard on the front of the riser.
The grip is slim to eliminate hand torque and enable comfortable operation for users with small palms. Its shape promotes proper hand position thus enhancing accuracy. It features black plates with white Bear logo on its sides.
Limbs of the Apprentice 3
Bear Apprentice 3 comes with famous Flared Quad Limbs. They are optimised for efficient energy storing. The construction and position of the limbs reduces vibration and their positioning eliminates hand shock. The limbs are secured in place with Bear’s renowned Zero Tolerance Limb Pocket system. It ensures consistency and precision thus promoting accuracy. The pivoting pockets also help minimizing vibrations after the shot.
Eccentric System (Cams)
G3 cam
Bear Apprentice 3 features the G3 cams. A third generation of a high quality, lightweight and and durable cams that makes this bow extremely smooth and provide enormous power if needed. This optimized rotating module design allows for draw length adjustments in the range of 15″ to 27″ in 1″ increments and draw weight adjustments ranging from 15lbs. up to 60 lbs. The let-off of this bow is 70% which enables comfortable aiming.
Finish
This compound bow comes in two finish options:
Realtree APG camo pattern which melts into many different environments such as hardwoods, pine thickets, prairies, river bottoms and others. It’s an ideal turkey hunting camo.
Realtree AP Snow PINK.
The camo pattern covers the riser whereas limbs, cams and accessories are black.
Vibration and Noise Reduction
The string suppression system mounted below the grip captures any string oscillations and prevent noise. Vibrations are also minimized by the structure of the Zero Tolerance Limb Pockets.
Content of the Package
The Apprentice 3 is sold as a complete ready-to-hunt bow package. It contains:
Compound bow;
Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit (black with brown whiskers);
Trophy Ridge 3 pin fibre optic bow sight (black);
Trophy Ridge quiver for four arrows (black);
Wheel Peep Sight;
Nock loop;
Printed manual;
Warranty card.
Summary of the review
Pros:
great adjustment range of both draw length and draw weight;
If you are looking for a dependable, fast, high quality bow that scores high in any customer review and is easy on the pocket look no further – Hoyt Charger is exactly what you need. This bow despite its high-end specs and performance has a very reasonable price tag of less than $500. The ultra rigid TEC LITE riser and Pro-Lock limb pockets ensure you won’t experience any vibrations or recoil. Behind the speed of this compound are uniformly preloaded split limbs that are in past parallel position. Charger has been praised in numerous customer reviews for its silky smooth draw cycle which can be attributed to the unique design of its hybrid cam system. The bow feels just right in the hand thanks to the ergonomically shaped rubber grip which can be easily replaced if you prefer so.
Charger is equipped with a famous TEC (Total Engineering Concept) LITE riser. The extensive cutouts makes it incredibly light while unique geometry provide unparalleled strength of the structure. It’s construction similar to the architecture of a bridge with evenly distributed load eliminates the flex which means no recoil. Thanks to the patented technology TEC riser makes this compound exceptionally accurate. It’s shape guarantees not only high performance but also makes it stand out in terms of its aesthetics. The riser has stabilizer mount made of stainless steel and on its back features Stealth Shot string suppression system. Charger comes with Hoyt’s renowned Pro Fit grip system thanks to which you can easily change the grip to suit your needs. The default black, rubber grip is quite wide but feels just right in the hand. Due to it’s design, texture and materials used it dampenes any residual vibrations and offers exceptional thermal insulative properties which makes it very comfortable to use in cold winter days. There are four other grips to choose from that can be used with Pro Fit grip system, including wooden grips.
Limbs
The beyond-parallely positioned quad limbs are manufactured using Hoyt’s multilayer lamination technology which ensures high performance and great reliability. The lamination process enables contouring and preloading the limbs with Uniform Stress Distribution Technology (USD) which in turns facilitates even distribution of the energy over the entire limb during the draw. It eliminates the “hot spots” known in other limb systems and provide more speed with limited stress to the limbs. As the limbs are 2.5 inches wide they offer unmatched torsional and lateral stability.
Pro-Lock pivoting limb pockets
The limbs sit firmly in place thanks to Pro-Lock pivoting limb pockets. Their high quality and advanced technology ensures bow’s accuracy and consistency. Six hard locking points per limb guarantee precision and reliability of the design.
Hoyt’s Renowned Cams
Behind the speed and smoothness of the draw stays Hoyt’s hybrid cam system called Charger Cam & ½. This cam system was specifically designed for this bow. It comes in three different configurations covering a wide range of draw lengths from 24 inches to 31 inches. One cam covers draws lengths between 24 and 26.5 inches, second 27 to 30 and third is for 30.5 and 31 inches of draw length. Cam modules can be easily exchanged without a need for a bowpress. A generous let-off and a forgiving valley which can be attributed to Charger Cam & ½ system make aiming very comfortable.
Strings and Cables
Charger comes with high quality Fuse strings and cables. They are produced using a special machine that provides constant tension during the process. The technology behind this process (Continuous Tension Technology™) enables Fuse to construct, twist and serve the strings while being preloaded of several hundred pounds. This unique manufacturing ensures highest level of performance which greatly exceeds traditional methods. After production inspection is done by experienced craftsmen to ensure flawless work.
Fuse string used in Hoyt Charger. This string is made with BCY X material.
Fuse strings used in this compound are made from BCY X material which is a mix of SK90 Dyneema and Vectran. A similar concept as 452X material, however, with less Vectran. Strings made with BYC X offer:
Great Arrow Speed;
No Creep;
Minimal fuzziness;
High abrasion resistance.
It is composed of 83% SK90 Dyneema and 17% Vectran and therefore offers all the benefits of 8190 along with additional stability.
Issues with string premature wear on 2013 models
Some bows produced in the first half of 2013 had issues with string tearing. The premature wear is localized where the cable rolls over the cams. Some professionals suggested that it was caused by the shape of the cam. Hoyt has never admitted that there was a problem but the cams were redesigned and after mid-2013 they are more round in shape. Users of affected bows were usually offered a replacement string and new cams by the customer service. Several cases of string snapping under full load are described on various internet forums but none of them resulted in damage to other parts of the bow. This may suggest that Hoyt Charger is quite resistant to accidental dry fire.
Finish options for Hoyt Charger
Charger comes in several different finish options to suit everyone needs. The standard hunting finish options include:
Realtree Xtra (camo pattern on riser and limbs);
Realtree Max-1 (camo pattern on riser and limbs);
Black Out (black riser and limbs).
Custom hunting color options include:
Half and Half (Black Riser and Realtree Xtra Limbs);
Half and Half (Black Riser and Realtree Max-1 Limbs);
Bone Collector (Realtree Xtra riser with custom Bone Collector Limb Graphics);
Realtree AP Pink (pink camo pattern);
Realtree AP Snow (snow camo);
Vicxen.
There are also additional custom paints and powdercoats. Available options are:
Pearl white;
Red;
Blue;
Black;
Black Out;
Target Pink.
Vibration and noise reduction
Most of the vibration is reduced by the sheer construction of the riser. Additional noise and vibration cancelling devices in Hoyt Charger include:
Alpha Shox – mounted on limbs state of the art vibration dampeners. The five-fin shape was rigorously tested and proven to dampen any vibration more efficiently than any other design. It guarantees whisper-quiet shoots without compromising the performance.
cable dampeners,
Stealth Shot String Suppressor – newest Hoyt’s vibrations reduction and silencing tool that effectively kill noise and recoil. Promotes clean arrow launch and prevents arm slap. With its new elastomeric material that is softer and thus quieter Stealth Shot String Suppressor makes Charger more accurate and quiet than ever.
Thanks to the stabilizer mounting on the front of the riser a stabilizer can be attached if you find it necessary. According to most Hoyt Charger customer reviews if the bow is properly tuned the stabilizer is not needed.
FUSE high performance accessory kit
Accessory package for Charger
For additional $150 you can order Hoyt Charger with a complete accessory package including:
FUSE ProFire 3 Pin Sight with precision-built metal pins;
FUSE Vector 4 Arrow Quiver made with hyper-light machined aluminum;
Diamond claims that their Infinite Edge bow is so awesome and versatile that you will never have to look for another bow and if you look at the specs it’s hard to disagree. The draw length range is of 13 to 30 inches is nothing by amazing. Similarly the the draw weight can be adjusted in an unseen in other bows range of 5 to 70 pounds. This bow is fast, light and has unparalleled adjustability. Customer reviews of Diamond Infinite Edge indicate that it has it’s fans among both advanced and novice archers. It’s often referred as “all in one package” as what you get is a bow that would suit any bow hunter or archer regardless of age, sex, strength or armspan. What is even more amazing all the adjustments can be done at home, without a bow press, by using just two wrenches and you wont need to order any additional modules. With Infinite Edge you can’t go wrong.
The riser of Infinite Edge is ultra light due to cut outs and lightweight aluminium used for its production. Modules can be easily replaced thanks to holes located in standardized locations.
Grip used in Infinite Edge
This bow comes with a black thin grip made from a durable, hard rubber. It enforces proper hand placement no matter how small or big your hand is. Thanks to its texture it does not twist and stays firmly in the hand and due to material used does not feel cold even in low temperatures. The thin shape of the grip and a hard material used prevent torque during the draw. The riser is also equipped with string stop which is extremely efficient with reducing vibrations.
Cams
Cam used in Diamond Infinite Edge
The shape of the cams enables for a smooth draw cycle of this bow. It also stands behind a standard 75% let off. The rotating modules in the cams that enable instant tuning of the draw length and the range of this adjustment is what makes this compound stand out. All you need to do to change it is: remove the screws, rotate the modules and put the screws back. A great feature of this cams is an infinite draw length setting. This makes Infinite Edge a great choice for schools or other organizations where the bow is shot by multiple users without the need of changing settings. Thanks to this particular feature this bow can also be used for bow fishing as you can snap shot with it quite easily.
Diamond archery is a sister company to Bowtech. The first specialize in bows with binary cams whereas the latter produces single cam bows. Diamond archery specializes in production of highest quality compound bows and is a leader in terms of new technologies and popularity among archers and bow hunters around the world.
Limbs
Diamond Infinite Edge comes with solid style limbs which are parallel to each other. This positioning of the limbs eliminates hand-shock and in this model the efficiency of it is so high that apart from string stop no other vibration cancelling mechanisms were not applied. The limbs in all finish options are black in color with white DIAMOND logo on it.
Finish
There are three finish options available:
BlackOps;
Mossy Oak Infinity;
Pink Blaze.
Vibration and noise reduction
Apart from string stop the bow has no other noise reductions mechanisms which are not needed in this bow. Hand shock is completely eliminated by the parallel positioning of the limbs and effectiveness of the string stop in cancelling the oscillations of the string prevent any noise.
Content of the package
Infinite Edge Bow
Octane DeadLock Lite Quiver – ultra light quiver with five arrows capacity, easy to use quick-detach mechanism and a tree hanger hook;
3-Pin Apex Sight – a light and durable sight made of composite materials, contains a TruGlo fiber-optic steel pins;
Hostage XL Arrow Rest – a simple and durable design with no mechanical parts;
Tube Peep Sight
BCY String Loop
Applications of Diamond Infinite Edge
perfect choice for a youth archer as the it can be easily adjusted as they grow. Infinite Edge is also highly praised and recommended for archers that had a longer break as it is easier to come back to this sport with bow that has low draw weight and increase it as the muscular memory comes back.
Changing string in the field
Even for an advanced bow hunter it may sound unrealistic but thanks to enormous adjustability of this bow it can be tuned down so much that the string effectively goes limb. This allow for changing the string in the field by using just a hex wrench. Within minutes you can have the bow with a new string and set to 70 pounds draw weight which is plenty even for a big game animals.
pros:
huge adjustability;
price;
quality of finish;
infinite draw length setting;
cons:
In some customer reviews users indicated that the default sight does not meet their personal preferences and decided to replace it. The most common choice for an alternative sight for Infinite Edge was the TruGlo 5-pin sight.
The new killing machine from Bear in full of contradictions. It’s amazingly fast and still thanks to double string silencers extremely quiet. The new cam system helps to accumulate huge amounts of energy during the draw but also makes the draw surprisingly smooth. If you’re after a high end bow offering top speed and packed with state of the art technology Bear Motive 6 is the one to consider.
The riser in Motive 6 is all about ergonomics and performance. Modern and expressive design was combined with stress resistant shape. It features integrated dual string suppressors positioned directly opposite accessories mountings which helps to keep the bow perfectly balanced. Motive 6 comes with two grips. The default one is a very comfortable rubber grip with Bear logo overmolded on it. The second one can be uncovered by unscrewing the default grip. It is machined in the riser in the way that enables steady and dependable grip even in the most aggressive setup. On the riser is also mounted a 4×4 roller guard with four rolls on two sealed bearings each. This aluminium guarded solution facilitates neutral position of the cables once the bow is fully drawn and thus reduces torque.
Limbs
The Max Pre-Load Quad limbs used in Motive 6 reach a past-parallel position once the bow is fully drawn. Being made from Gordon Composite material they are design to store enormous amounts of energy. For smooth and vibration free release of this energy Bear used Zero Tolerance Limb Pockets which keep the limbs tight in the pockets.
Cams
The new H13 Synchronized Hybrid cam system with two elliptical cams was designed to make the most of this rig. Thanks to rotating modules in the cams the draw length can be easily adjusted in the range between 25.5″ and 30″ (in half inch increments). To adjust the draw length no bow press or modules are needed.
Finish
Bear offers new Motive 6 owners plethora of finish options to choose from. Namely the finish options are:
Realtree APG,
Realtree APS,
Shadow,
Red/Black,
Green/Black.
Vibration and noise reduction
Dual Offset String Suppressors were used to eliminate any vibration and noise of the pre-stretched Contraband HP string after the shot. The suppressors are adjustable and it’s worth spending some time looking for your perfect settings. For limb vibration reduction the new Zero Tolerance Two-Piece pockets were used. They prevent any movement of the limbs in the pocket which reduces vibrations. Post-parallel position of the limbs is also a huge factor in overall vibration characteristic of this bow. The forces of upper and lower limb cancel out which prevents kicking effect and makes using Bear 6 even more pleasant.
