The 2009 ATA Show took place January 8-10 in
Indianapolis, showcasing the archery industry’s newest offerings.
Hundreds of items were displayed by hundreds of archery manufacturers,
and the items listed below represent a short list of the most
impressive products I saw. The ATA Show is big, and it’s hard to see
everything. I’m sure I missed some, but these are the ones that made
the biggest impression on me!
Air Raid
BowTech Archer
www.bowtecharchery.com
BowTech's
penetrating power bow with afterburner speed, forged in a forgiving
compact frame, allows tight reconnaissance from treestands and ground
blinds.
My
first stop each year as I enter the ATA Show is the BowTech archery
range. I can’t wait to see what innovative bows they have developed.
Apparently I’m not the only one with that in mind because typically I
have to wait my turn in line to get my hands on their latest and
greatest creations. Ahead of me are numerous shooters from other bow
manufacturers anxious to see what they have to compete against. I don’t
envy them. But I’m like a kid in a candy store.
This
year BowTech unveiled its newest bow: the “Air Raid.” It was so new
that they were still assembling them as the show began. After shooting
one, my only question was, “How soon can I get one?” Here’s the
detailed scoop.
The
Air Raid is a Split Harness bow, which balances the power cables,
reducing cam lean and improving accuracy. A Rotating Single Module
system provides an extraordinary full seven inches of adjustment in
half-inch increments. Add to that the fine-tuning of the adjustable
draw stop and you have a rock solid back wall customized to your exact
draw length.
The
Roller Guard cable bracket significantly reduces cable friction,
increasing efficiency in the transfer of energy to the arrow, and a
lifetime of cable durability.
The
wide flanged Machined Shelf Trough creates a large sight window to see
your target. The machined trough, combined with a thumb groove under
the shelf and lower arrow rest holes, brings your hand closer to the
arrow shaft, creating greater accuracy by reducing vertical torque.
BowTech’s
Vertical Force Technology means force working against force to create
balance. The limbs are placed at parallel angles so that, upon release,
energy is equally distributed in opposite directions.
The
Air Raid features BowTech’s amazing “InVelvet” coating – an armor
coating much stronger than other finishes, which not only protects
against wear and is resistant to chemicals such as DEET, but it’s soft
and warm to the touch, insulating your hands from the cold. Better
still, InVelvet is a noise dampener, significantly quieting your bow.
Air Raid is exclusively available in Realtree Advantage Timber®,
finished with InVelvet top coat, a laminate wood one-piece grip and
bronzed cams, limb pockets and cable rod.
The Air Raid comes with a fully adjustable let-off range of 65 - 85%. It is made with pride in the USA.
Brace Height 7"
Axle to Axle 32 3/4”
Draw Length 26 - 30"
Draw Weight 65, 75, 85
IBO Speed 328 - 336 fps
Kinetic Energy 86.2 fpe
Air Raid MRSP: $849.00
HuntMore 360 Stool
www.HuntMore.biz
Being on the tallish
side (6’2”), shooting a bow from a pop-up ground blind has been nearly
impossible for me unless I shoot from my knees – ouch! The little
stationary foldout seats don’t work; they’re like sitting in a suction
cup. I feel trapped and limited.
Enter
the HuntMore Stool! When I saw this at the show, I knew I had found the
answer for hunting from ground blinds. The HuntMore features a large
19”x19” adjustable padded seat and back rest system for all-day
comfort. The patent-pending cast-aluminum hub system is what makes the
stool truly unique. It allows the stool to rotate 360 degrees on a
dead-silent rotation surface, but also folds down in seconds for easy
transport. The Cast Aluminum hub system is what gives the HuntMore its
unbelievable stiffness and strength within the frame; this translates
into dead-silent operation for the serious hunter! The huge 4.5x4.0”
feet on the HuntMore were designed to keep you from sinking into soft
mud – just another HuntMore first! The stool also features "any length"
adjustable lower legs that allow the hunter seven inches of individual
leg adjustment. The stool also was re-engineered to sit as low as 14”
inches from the ground to accommodate more PopUp Ground Blind shooting
windows, and the seat height is adjustable up to 19 inches. If you
thought the first-generation HuntMore stool was nice, wait until you
see this design. It has solved all the problems that have previously
plagued hunting stools. HuntMore stools are ready to ship for your
spring turkey and bear hunts.
MRSP $199.99
PEEP ALIGNER
www.sternerduttera.com
Finally, no more tubes, no more peep rotation!
If
you use a peep sight without a rubber tubing attachment, you
undoubtedly have experienced the constant string twisting routine to
get your peep sight aligned and ready for the shot. Those days are
over, thanks to this ingenious little gadget that made me say, “Why
didn’t I think of that?”
Sterner Duttera teamed
up with George Wonder of Cedar Hill Archery to produce the Peep
Aligner. Over a year of research and development, they finally solved
the issue of string, or as some call it, peep rotation. Actually, peep
rotation is caused by string rotation. The string is essentially
fighting to “untwist” itself. This causes the string to actually be
unbalanced, thus the peep rotates when the bow is drawn. Some of the
pressure is taken off of the string around the served area and the
string tries to relieve itself.
WORKS
WITH ANY PEEP SIGHT! Simply press your bow to relax your string,
install the Peep Aligner between the bottom serving and the center
serving, and watch over 99% of your “peep rotation” disappear! Once
installed, simply tie in place, using an “over, under knot,” and you’re
done! No more peep rotation. No more speed-robbing rubber tubes that
snap every other year! Machined out of 6061-T6 aluminum, the peep
aligner weighs only 8 grains. Available in purple, red, blue and black.
Patent Pending.
MRSP: $16.99
Montec CS
G-5 Outdoors
www.G5outdoors.com
The latest addition to the Montec lineup includes new steel and a sharper edge.
Montec
broadheads had me at hello. They are incredibly strong, consistent in
weight, and they fly like darts. If there has been one fly in the
ointment it has been sharpness right out of the package. I always
touched up the edges before I hunted with them – a small price to pay
for Montec performance. So you can imagine my delight when I saw the
new Montec CS (Carbon Steel) at the G5 booth. With the new
manufacturing material, the Montec CS is now 25% sharper than the
existing Montec Broadhead.
“We
have some diehard Montec fans and it’s still our best selling
broadhead, but people are looking for more,” said G5 co-owner and
designer Nate Grace. “We have been trying to find a way to keep the
strength of the stainless steel, metal injection molded broadhead, yet
create a sharper edge. We are able to do both with Carbon Steel.”
The Montec CS is available in 100 grains, with 1 1/16th-cutting diameter, and a new black finish. Just like all G5 broadheads, the Montec CS is 100% spin tested and 100% Steel Tough.
MRSP: $39.95 per 3-pack
Treelimb Quiver Premium Series
www.treelimbproducts.com
I use a bow quiver as
an easy way to transport my arrows on my bow until I am settled in my
treestand, and then I find a handy place to hang it. I like shooting
without the quiver attached. The easier the quiver is to attach and
detach, the better I like it and this is where Treelimb Products’ new
Premium Series Quiver with its Quick Detach Mounting System (3- or
5-arrow models) gets my vote. The Premium series quivers are very light
and sturdy and designed to make attachment and detachment a snap –
literally. I particularly like the Rubber Mounting Post Silencer quiver
attachment, which is small and unobtrusive and makes the quiver
attachment/detachment process extremely quiet.
The
Premium Series quiver features an extremely strong, machined aluminum
frame with a built-in Treelimb Hanger above the protective broadhead
hood. The Thumb Tab Arrow Gripper is another cool feature, making arrow
removal more controlled and quieter. The Premium Series Quivers accept
mechanical or fixed-blade broadheads and, believe it or not, have no
moving parts!
Three Arrow MRSP: $94.99 / Five Arrow MRSP: $99.99
Truck’N Buddy
Great Day, Inc.
www.greatdayinc.com
If
you ever considered how many times you climbed into the bed of your
pick-up truck in a lifetime, Great Day Inc’s Truck’N Buddy sells
itself. It’s the best thing that could happen to a truck owner! The
Truck’N Buddy creates a whole new world of possibilities for pickup
truck owners: a step up for aging pets, a step up for aging truck
owners, a perfect seat for hunters, sporting clay shooters, NASCAR and
football tailgaters, campers and comfortably handling miscellaneous
work, etc. Add a second Truck’N Buddy and have a tailgate party!
The
Truck’N Buddy attaches to the tailgate of standard pickup trucks and
has a 300-pound weight limit. It is constructed of aircraft aluminum,
weighs only 16 pounds and stores compactly on the inside of the
tailgate. The Truck’N Buddy folds effortlessly in seconds. Its
step/seat platform is supported by 1700-pound test cables and has
built-in traction ridges for sure footing. It also features a handy
grab-rail to ensure safe entry onto the truck and is finished in
super-tough black powder-coat enamel.
MRSP: $179.00
M-1 Millennium Climbing Stand
Millennium Treestands
www.millenniumtreestands.com
Those
of us who have cherished the comfort and practicality of Millennium’s
great M100 HangOn stand have been waiting, well, rather impatiently,
for the arrival of its climbing counterpart, the M-1 Climbing Stand.
Finally it is here and well worth the wait. None of the great features
of the M100 have been sacrificed in the climber. The M-1 weighs 24
pounds, folds up easily for backpacking and offers comfortable, easy
and quiet set-up. The Lightning levelers allow the luxury of safely
leveling the stand while climbing.
The
M-1 features Featherlight, all-aluminum construction and Millennium™
sure grip teeth, as well as Millennium™ Series contoured, tight
Textilene® sling seat, which folds against the tree, providing a
platform for standing shots. The M-1 has a 300-pound capacity and its
cables easily and safely attach to trees with no pins or knobs. Add a
durable powder coat finish, platform and seat stabilizing straps and
TMA-certified full body harness and you have the ultimate climbing
stand that will keep you comfortable all day! The M-1 carries a
lifetime warranty.
MRSP: $299.95
ULTRA-REST HD Pro Series
Quality Archery Products
www.qualityarcherydesigns.com
Being
somewhat (understatement) mechanically challenged, I gave up on
drop-away arrow rests years ago. “Who needs the headaches?” I thought.
Then one day a bowhunting buddy of mine showed me his ULTRA-REST,
claiming it was the greatest invention since the wheel. So I tried one
and have been sold ever since.
The
2009 Models have some new features that make the ULTRA-REST even more
ULTRA. My pick, the ULTRA-REST HD Pro Series, features an Advance
Vibration System, which keeps peak vibration amplitude to a minimum.
Durable molded rubber creates a quiet feel.
The
new mounting block is designed especially for bows with contour shelves
and lower Burger Button holes and a shorter mounting block designed to
accommodate bows with thinner risers.
The
larger and more comfortable Thumb Lever makes it easier to cock the
rest into the capture position. Full Draw Marks ensure the proper
launcher position at full draw, and the Cord Lock enables you to adjust
the timing cord to the proper length even after it is clamped to the
buss cable.
I
have just passed my 1-year anniversary of shooting and hunting with the
Ultra-Rest in every imaginable condition and it has performed
flawlessly. Call me a satisfied customer!
MRSP: $149.95
Show Stopper
Lee & Tiffany Lakosky
At times
the aisles at the ATA show get so jammed that it’s hard to move. At one
such point, I was trapped behind a lineup that was almost as long as
the Indy Convention Center. I asked a man whom he was waiting to see.
“Lee and Tiffany,” he grinned. “They’re signin’ autographs up there.”
So,
if I am to report on the ATA show with any degree of honesty and
realistic perspective, I must report on this as well. If the length of
any line to see anything at the ATA Show is indicative of its
popularity, then Lee and Tiffany stole the show. They are
unquestionably the American Idols of bowhunting in this country. They
were gracious enough to allow me this photo of them. And if you look
really close, you’ll even notice a set of antlers.
