ATA 2017: Best New Hunting Innovations

January 13, 2017 By Drew Pellman

It's almost impossible to remember every new product you saw after three straight days of walking the floor of the annual ATA Trade Show. But when all is said and done, there are a few certain products that seem to stick in your memory just a bit longer than all the rest.

They don't have to be the most expensive products on the floor, or the flashiest or the most hyped. But what they all have in common is practicality. These items are certain to make next season a bit easier or a bit better for bowhunters, and in some cases you stop and wonder why nobody thought of this before. What follows is a list that I'm calling "The Best of the Rest." In other words, here's a compilation of products that we didn't make into a category of it's own, but are still among the best new hunting innovations at the show.

Hunter Safety System

With all the time and effort to keep our hunting jackets, pants and boots completely scent-free, how many people actually consider doing the same to their safety harness? After all, it goes with us to the woods every time. Hunter Safety System's ElimiShield Technology brings a completely new approach to the table, and it attacks human odors before it starts. This pre-treating is available in four of the company's most popular harnesses — the Hybrid, Elite, Crossbow and Contour — and has a 99-percent effectiveness rate even after 50 commercial washes. Better yet, there will be no price increases to these harnesses.

Celestron

I don't know about you, but whenever I can kill two birds with one stone, I'm all for it. Make it three birds and you've got the ThermoTorch 5 from Celestron. This item is a tactical flashlight with three powers of lightning, a hand warmer and a charging station for all your electronics devices for up to six hours at the same time. Simply put, this is a tool that I'd want to keep in my hunting pack all season long.

LaCrosse Footwear

The Alphaburly Pro from LaCrosse is one of the most popular hunting boots on the market, and now it's the first rubber hunting boot to be connected with Optifade Elevated II concealment after an agreement with Sitka Gear. Brilliant right? Like I said at the start of this article, sometimes things seem so 'right' that you wonder why it hasn't happened before. In this situation, two great brands have come together to make a great product even better. So, although the product already existed in a major way, a great upgrade still took place.

LaCrosse Alphaburly Pro in Optifade Elevated II

Speaking of Sitka, here is one company that went above and beyond to put the best women's clothing lineup on the market. The company's popular Fanatic line has been re-designed for women, by women, for the best fit possible. Now there's no longer a reason to settle for wearing men's clothing that quite simply doesn't fit and won't keep them warm. This was certainly a long time in the making, and I'm glad to see it finally come to fruition.

TRUGLO

TRUGLO has provided a little bit of a twist to your traditional drop-away arrow rest with the Lock-Fire. Delayed drop actuation is one key feature, as this supports the arrow longer for increased accuracy and consistency, but still drops rapidly as the vane approaches for complete clearance. The thumb lever will raise the launcher for full containment, and will remain in the upright position should you need to let down.

More on the Way

There are at least two more items to add to this list that are sure to be a hit. Details, however, haven't been finalized or released to the public at this time. Check back again soon for the latest update — I think you'll be glad you did.

Browning Pro Scout Max with AI Technology

Gear

Browning Pro Scout Max with AI Technology

Curt Wells of Bowhunter TV stops by the Browning Trail Cameras booth to discuss the new AI technology on the popular Pro Scout Max with Chief Design Officer John Traywick. What this essentially means is that users can now control which pictures they'll see and which pictures they won't by telling each cameras what images it should transmit. Gone are the days of having to sort through every picture that features a squirrel, raccoon, crow or any other critter that you don't wish to view. They also take a look at some new accessories — a solar panel with a built-in lithium cell, as well as a rechargeable lithium ion battery pack.

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QAD Archery: Integrate Mounting System Updates

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QAD Archery: Integrate Mounting System Updates

Bowhunter TV's Curt Wells stops by the QAD booth at the 2025 Archery Trade Show for his annual visit with Kevin Fry. By now, most bowhunters know all about the integrate mounting systems that nearly every bow manufacturer has incorporated into their flagship rigs. QAD has a pair of rests to fit those molds — the Ultrarest Integrate MX2 with micro-adjudt capabilities, as well as the Ultrarest Integrate R2. For archers that still wish to shoot an Ultrarest on an older bow that doesn't feature the integrate mounting system, fear not — QAD still offers a full lineup of Berger Button mounted models, including the Ultrarest HDX among others.

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Bowtech's 2025 Bow Lineup

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Bowtech's 2025 Bow Lineup

North American Whitetail's Blake Garlock stops for a chat with Bowtech's Bryan Hodakievic at the 2025 ATA Show in Indianapolis. The brand launched the Virtue on the first day of the show, which features the AeroMag magnesium riser — resulting in a mass wright of just 3.7 ounces. DeadLock Technology also returns, allowing for cam adjustments without the need for a bow press. This bow will hit the market with a price tag of $1,999. Additionally, the pair also discuss the other new Bowtech models for 2025 — the Proven 34 and the Solution LS.

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The Technology Behind BLOCK & GlenDel Targets

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The Technology Behind BLOCK & GlenDel Targets

Curt Wells of Bowhunter TV visits with Chris James of FeraDyne Outdoors at the 2025 Archery Trade Show in Indianapolis, where they discuss the innovative technologies behind two of the most well-known target brands on the market — BLOCK and GlenDel. BLOCK, of course, features layered foam technology, essentially stopping arrows with friction instead of force. Not only is that easier on your arrows, but also results in easier arrow removal. What's not as known by archers is that the same layered technology is also used in the GlenDel 3-D targets under an added overmold.

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Ripcord Arrow Rest Options for 2025

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Ripcord Arrow Rest Options for 2025

Ripcord's Jeff Baker talks through their latest arrow rest lineup for 2025 with North American Whitetail's Black Garlock at the 2025 Archery Trade Association show in Indianapolis. There are three options to choose from this year, inlcuding the RAK — a cable-driven rest with standard adjustment — as well as the Ratchet line, which comes in either a cable-driven or limb-driven design. This line comes available in standard or micro-adjustable options, and the limb-driven Ratchet also feature the whale tail launcher.

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New Easton FMJ Max & 5.0 Arrows

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New Easton FMJ Max & 5.0 Arrows

Gary Cornum, Marketing Director for Easton Archery, shows Bowhunter TV's Curt Wells some exciting new offerings for the new year at the annual Archery Trade Show in Indianapolis. It all starts with the latest version of the popular Full Metal Jacket arrow — the FMJ Max. Built on a lighter-weight platform than regular FMJ's, you can now get the heavy-hitting benefits of the FMJ while going a bit lighter in the form of the FMJ Max. Additionally, the new Easton 5.0 is an all-carbon arrow built on the lightest-weight platform the company has every produced.

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Prime Form Hunting Bow

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Prime Form Hunting Bow

One of the most innovative products at the 2025 ATA Show came from the G5 Outdoors booth. In this video, Bowhunter Editor Chirsitan Berg gets the lowdown on the 2025 Prime Archery Form from Brand Manager Brian Anderson. The Form is the world's first hybrid carbon/aluminum bow, essentially aiming to place the right materials in the right places. In other words, Prime created a lighter, stiffer rig by placing both carbon rods and aluminum exactly where it needs to be. This method increased overall stiffness by 47.5 percent, while decreasing weight to just 4.1 ounces — the lightest bow Prime has ever taken to market.

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Saddle Hunting Era Set to Begin at Hunter Safety System

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Saddle Hunting Era Set to Begin at Hunter Safety System

Hunter Safety System, long known for their top-notch safety harnesses and lifelines for traditional treestand hunters, has made a big leap into the saddle hunting world for 2025. Here, Bowhunter Editor Christian Berg talks to Michael Wydner of HSS about that transition at the Archery Trade Show in Indianapolis. He also gives us and in-depth demonstration of the new individual products, such as the Defender Saddle, Legend Platform, and the SlapStrap system.

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Kenetrek Elevated Extreme Saddle Hunting Boots

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Kenetrek Elevated Extreme Saddle Hunting Boots

Bowhunter Editor Christian Berg visits with Joe Jacks of Kenetrek Boots at the 2025 ATA Show in Indianapolis. For the new year, Kenetrek has launched the new Elevated Extreme boots, specifically with the saddle hunter in mind. With a 7mm full-length midsole, these boots are built to neutralize platform soreness so that you can stay comfortable all day long. Additionally, Kenetrek's Grapon outsoles give you exactly what you need for the hike out, without the worry of getting your feet caught up on your platform when in the saddle.

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Rage Hypo 2 Broadhead

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Rage Hypo 2 Broadhead

Chris James of FeraDyne Outdoors gives Bowhunter TV host Curt Wells an introduction to the new Hypo 2 broadhead at the 2025 ATA Show in Indianapolis. The Hypo 2 follows a long, successful tenure from the original Hypodermic. Rage fanatics will immediately notice a couple of things. First, the Hypo 2's will come in a 4-pack instead of the standard three, as well as a re-designed Shock Collar system that now allows for each collar to be shot three different times. It didn't take long to garner some attention on the show floor either, as the Hypo 2 took the hardware as the "2025 ATA Best New Broadhead."

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New Traditional Bow Additions from Bear Archery

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New Traditional Bow Additions from Bear Archery

Nobody takes as much pride in their traditional offerings as Bear Archery, and that's as true this year as its ever been. Here, Bear's Neil Byce visits with OSG's Lynn Burkhead at the 2025 ATA Show to discuss the what's new in their traditional world. It starts with the new Hammer Grip on the Fred Bear Take Down — the most popular traditional bow in the world. The new grip option provides a low-profile alternative for a more relaxed, comfortable hold, and is available in both A- and B-length risers. The other addition discussed is a new 64-inch option on the beloved Super Kodiak bow, which will greatly benefit taller bowhunters.

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Trophy Ridge New-for-2025 Accessories

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Trophy Ridge New-for-2025 Accessories

OSG's Lynn Burkhead checks out the latest and greatest from Trophy Ridge at the 2025 ATA Show in Indianapolis. Design Engineer Andrew Hughes shows off a number of impressive bow sights, including the Digital React — available in both single-pin and three-pin models — and the SWFT Duo, a pair of models that will surely solidify Trophy Ridge's place in the industry for yet another year.