Concept Believer

To enlarge this image, please click here.

Concept Archery is built upon the knowledge and passion of individuals who love the sports of archery and bowhunting. Their goal is to use top quality components to build the best functioning bow possible. Industry trends and the voice of the customer led them to create a bow with 99-percent letoff. Still, that is not their complete focus, as they believe the ideal bow blends many key attributes important to the average bowhunter.

Concept's Believer bow is geared toward the Christian archer. The Believer is decorated with God's Country Camo, complete with crosses and doves blended into the camo, along with two fish symbols machined into the riser and a gold cross emblem in the sight window. Beyond aesthetics, the rig also includes the Concept 99 Cam, Sims Vibration Laboratory dampening accessories and a pair of swept back Gordon Composite limbs.

Hold Please
Many of us have been in a situation that requires holding our bow at full draw for extended periods of time. Unless you practice that specific discipline, it won't be long until your shoulders and arms start to shake uncontrollably, and when at last you release the string, it usually isn't pretty. Concept has a solution for the times when things take a little longer to develop — the Concept 99 Single Cam.

Holding such a light weight took some getting used to. However, once I realized there would be no delay in my pulling the trigger and the string moving forward, I was able to relax. Other than being a little too deep (front to back) for my hand, the black walnut wood grip had no rough transitions and was well formed. I do not typically hold a bow at full draw for more than a few seconds. So, when I reached the two-minute mark, I was surprised.

At three minutes, I was impressed. And at four minutes, I finally let up, figuring there were not too many situations that would require that duration. The technology required to reach 99-percent letoff is centered on the bottom axle, where a perpendicular trough machined halfway along its length cradles the cable at full draw. Allowing the cable to seat into the axle is all it takes to go from 80 percent to 99 percent.

The end of the axle has a fixture that wraps around a portion of the limb tip to keep it from turning. To adjust from 99 to 80 percent, you must press the bow, pull the axle out part way, flip it 180 degrees and reinstall. This brings the un-machined, rounded portion of the axle around to the position that meets the cable, therefore not allowing it to sink to the lower position. Cams are draw-length specific, meaning a new cam is needed for each one-inch of draw length adjustment, with an additional half-inch offered through a second post on the cam. A cam-based draw stop provides a solid wall.

Silence Is Golden
Understanding that bowhunters rely on stealth to get the job done, Concept adds several shock and vibration accessories to reduce shot noise. Each limb has a pre-installed Sims LimbSaver, and the cable guard is outfitted with a Sims Dampener. Mounted opposite the stainless steel stabilizer insert is a Sims String Decelerator. Concept's limbs are precision machined from Gordon Composite's fiberglass material and reach a near-parallel position at full draw.

In testing, a notable "bump" was felt in the handle. However, it and a small amount of vibration were quickly dispersed. Noise at the shot was low, and the small amount present was reduced even further with the addition of two small string silencers.

Editor's Note: Our standardized High Grade testing includes the use of the same equipment and test methods. All bows are tested with a draw length of 29 inches and a draw weight of 65 pounds. Speed tests are conducted with two different arrow weights — 375 grains and 425 grains. For more detailed information on the testing parameters, go to www.bowhuntingmag.com and click on "Bow Testing Parameters."

---