January 26, 2011
By Jon E. Silks
The Pursuit is one of three bows in Carbon Tech's inaugural lineup.
By Jon E. Silks
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Carbon Tech is best known as a manufacturer of top-notch carbon arrow shafts. The company is led by president Rick McKinney, who is one of the winningest U.S. archers of all time, including two Olympic medals. McKinney's drive for perfection and continuous improvement made Carbon Tech's arrow business a success, and that drive is now leading the company's charge into the bow market.
The Pursuit is one of three bows in Carbon Tech's innaugural lineup. The rig is equipped with a cam system that can be converted from a hybrid configuration to a dual-cam system. Also featured are parallel limbs, a full set of Carbon ZZZZ silencing accessories, pivoting limb pockets, two-piece rubber grip and Next G1 camo finish.
Choices, Choices
Carbon Tech powers the Pursuit to IBO speeds surpassing 310 fps with the CT Hybrid Cam system. A hybrid system uses two cams, a control cable, split-harness power cable and an evenly distributed string (equal length above and below the center point of the bow).
The control cam has two tracks that house the string and control cable while the power cam is home to three tracks, one each for the string, control and power cables. The control cable ties the two cams together so they are forced to rotate in sync.
Much of the load applied during the draw cycle is taken on by the power cable, as it is attached at one end to the axle of the bottom power cam. Both cams ride on stainless steel axles and AF composite bushings designed to reduce friction and increase efficiency.
Two cam choices, LD and SD, cover the entire 24-32-inch draw-length range (the LD spanning 26-32 inches and the SD handling 24-30 inches). Draw-length changes on each cam are made with a set of modules.
A separate module is available for each one-inch increment, while posts on the cam and the adjustable Pro Stop draw stop offer intermediate positioning to fine-tune the fit. For those looking for even more options and adjustability, Carbon Tech offers a kit that converts the hybrid-cam configuration into a dual-cam system.
Power and Control
Carbon Tech invested a great deal on two critical components of the Pursuit -- the Win & Win limbs and Tru-Balance pivoting limb pockets.
The 13-inch, multi-layer glass limbs are pressed and machined into their final form. While the exact materials are proprietary, the basic components are fiberglass and carbon. Limbs are matched as a set, based on deflection testing, which must result in a variation of less than one pound.
Limb sets are offered in peak draw weights of 50, 60 and 70 pounds, each with a standard 10-pound downward adjustment. A special string adjustment on the cam will allows an additional 10 pounds of reduction, for a total of 20 pounds of downward adjustability with each limb set.
The critical limb-to-riser interface is fielded by Carbon Tech's machined aluminum Tru-Balance pivoting limb pockets. A single rocker pivot fixture controls lateral movement of the limb and works with the pivoting limb bolt to allow the limbs and components to self adjust to true center. The closed end pockets are black anodized.
Putting Noise to Bed
Carbon Tech's new Carbon ZZZZ silencing accessories, made with proprietary vibration damping material, can be found on the limbs, cables, string and riser-mounted Shock Stop. Another weapon in the fight against noise is the parallel position of the Win & Win limbs. When the arrow is unleashed, the parallel limbs deliver the shot force in equal and opposite directions, canceling out much of the leftover energy. A bow with parallel limbs will have significantly less shock, vibration and noise compared to a similar bow with upright limbs.
Impressions
Carbon Tech's Pursuit is a pleasure to handle, thanks to its 3.9-pound weight and comfortable grip. A small shock in the handle and lasting vibration are both tamed with a suitable stabilizer. The rock-solid balance of this rig at full draw will definitely grab your attention. It is as motionless on the target as any bow I have tested this year.
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. |