Proper bow review

[toddster]

Hi all, just curious as to what all of you like and enjoy in a good bow review?  
Bow length
Bow weight
measurements
simplicity
pointablility
stable
grip repeated
noise
accuracy?

[Rando]

Also appreciate any comparisons to similar bows...
not much is truly "new" in design anymore (that I've seen), it really comes down to execution of build, and consistency in performance.
My two cents.
Randy

[Hackbow]

The measurements you wrote plus:

Good pictures of fit and finish
Video with sound
Draw force curve plotted out
Shelf's 'cut to/past center' measurement
Warranty
Lead time

The subjective stuff is of minimal value. The feeling of stability, accuracy, pointability, etc. can vary widely from one shooter to the next. The one subjective thing that matters most is bowyer's customer service. Enough data points in either direction will paint a likely accurate picture.

[limbshaker]

Usually all we get is: "smooth, fast, no hand shock and quiet" with pretty much every bow ever made, LOL

So anything other than that would be great!

A good close up of the grip shape from a few different angles would be nice. And maybe a description of how the draw feels like "early draw weight but smooth till XX inches" or "builds slowly till peak weight at XX inches"

Just something to get an idea of how the draw feels other than "smooth"

Examples I have are my Kanati which starts with moderate weight then builds steady and fast till 29". But my RER XR starts with higher weight and gains so little so gradually that it actually feels to lose weight at the end of the draw. Maybe that doesn't make any sense at all, but maybe so    :D

[McDave]

The basic statistics are important to include, just for the purpose of forming an image in the reader's mind.  However, bear in mind that probably no reader is going to buy a bow that is exactly the same statistics as the one you are reviewing anyway,

What would be important for me are the subtle things that probably wouldn't be in a sales ad.  For example, how close is the hand to the shelf.  Would it be possible for me to feel the arrow shaft with my forefinger as I draw the bow?

If the bow is reflexed more than usual, why did the bowyer do that?  How did the bowyer deal with potential problems of stability that might arise from a highly reflexed bow?  If the bow is reflexed less than usual, why did the bowyer do that?  How did the bowyer deal with the potential problems of loss of performance that might arise from a less than normal amount of reflex?  

If the bow has a long riser and short limbs, why?  If it has a short riser and long limbs, why?  

Grip is critically important and hard to describe.  What does high, medium, and low wrist really mean?  What does normal, slim, and fat grip really mean?  It would be nice if there were a standard grip to compare these terms to, but that would be hard to come up with.  I would say use a medium grip Bob Lee as the standard, which would be meaningful for me, but meaningless to someone who has never gripped one.

Not everyone agrees on what the correct tiller is for split and three under, or that it even matters.  If a bowyer believes zero tiller is best for 3 under and +3/16” is best for split, why does he believe that?  Is it because the bow draws evenly at that tiller on a tillering stick, or because the limbs recover evenly at that tiller when shot?  How does he test this, or did he pick those numbers because they seem to be what everybody is using?

I don't think a bowyer can be successful these days if all he's trying to do is to build a good bow at a fair price.  There are factories that already do that better than any individual bowyer ever could.  So he has to have a plan as to why the bow he is building is a unique bow that fits a particular niche better than any other bow that exists.  What is his plan, and why is his bow unique?

[toddster]

Thanks all for the good information, and few things I forgot.  All are correct and right, especially on the grip.

I am thinking as a standard grip comparison, wouldn't say a Bear Kodiak Magnum be a great, standard for comparison?  To me it is a classic medium grip, that fits the majority?

[McDave]

Originally posted by toddster:
I am thinking as a standard grip comparison, wouldn't say a Bear Kodiak Magnum be a great, standard for comparison?  To me it is a classic medium grip, that fits the majority?

Probably would be a good choice.

[Tradcat]

Well said McDave. Great questions to be answered & why ! Curious minds want to know

[Possum Head]

Like Pete Ward does  

[Sam McMichael]

Toddster and Hackbow covered just about all my major points of interest. One thing else I would like to see is the mass weight of the bow. Also, I like to have the specs of the arrows used in the test of the bow.