Shrew-Carbon/Foam or Bamboo

[BowZen]

Just wondering on your thoughts. Does anyone own/shoot the carbon/foam cores?

Thanks!

[Bob Morrison]

I won't shoot anything else as long as I can get foam.

[David McLendon]

Wondering as well, I have a Classic Hunter with bamboo and am on the list for another sometime next year and am holding off making a decision on limb material.

[robtattoo]

Think of it like this. Foam does everything that bamboo does, just better. And it weighs less.  :D
I wouldn't go back to bamboo.

[Bowhunter4life]

Foam, period, end of story.  If I can get it in a new bow I'd jump at it.  Love the stuff.

[D. Key]

Would someone please explain the type of foam used in the limbs and how it is applied?  When I hear foam core, the only foam which comes to mind is polyfoam for packing or kids swimming noodles.  

Thanks.

[Curveman]

Bamboo, walnut or foam. Smoothness is all string angles and limb geometry not so much the core material. Take two identical bows and put them on a bow scale-one foam, one bamboo. I'll bet you a dollar for doughnuts they'll measure the same incrementally, all other variables being equal. Smoothness is measurable. People's minds are very suggestable. Maybe you would pick up 2-3fps-that I'm not sure of. (X-wood weight to foam etc.). Extra speed I don't care about. I'm shooting XP30's when I know the HEXV Border limbs are faster because I like the wood veneers. I also am shooting a longbow now which is slower thatn my recurve. I know I wouldn't trade my current set-up just for foam but maybe I would try it if it was the same price. I'd bet that some of you foam guys would also buy the next latest core material saying again how much better it is than foam. I'm for science and studies-what can be measured.

[BMG]

all wood and glass for me.

[WESTBROOK]

I have 2 Bamboo Shrews, SS & CH, and honestly dont see how they could be any smoother, even at a 30" draw.

Eric

[Missouri Sherpa]

I have the carbon and foam classic hunter.  I have never shot a bamboo bow so I cannot compare them.  The foam/carbon combo in a 70 pound bow hits hard, doesn't weigh hardly anything and is smooth and stable enough for me.    I like the shrews enough that I haven't shot anything else in the past 5 years and I have liquidated almost all of my other bows and only keep shrews to shoot now.  If you find something you like you might want to stick with it.  I don't think you can loose either way.

[JC]

Not in shrews, but owned both in multiple Morrisons...x2 what Bob, Rob, and Jeff said. Not only better "feel" to me, improved performance is a plus, and seldom does anyone mention the stability with temperature extremes. Bamboo definitely fluctuates a measurable, and sometimes remarkable amount with dramatic temperature changes...foam simply does not. Typically, most builders offer foam as an upgrade for a very marginal amount...and well worth that small expense in my opinion.

[BowZen]

So much good info. Thanks. My question was specific to the Shrew Bows. The decision I will have to make in a few months is weather to purchase a bamboo or a carbon/foam shrew.

I do have a few Morrison bows with the carbon & foam, and they are indeed excellet.

I guess as curveman stated, its all about the gerometry of the bow although I do think materials will play intot he smoothness factor.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Hmm being a wood lover with a bamboo limbed longbow, I have been wondering on this myself.  How does the lighter limb weight impact the vibrations of the bow?  Doe is lessen it due to the foam, or does the lighter bow have more hand shock?

I like the wood limbs for the added beauty to the bow.  Then again you could skin carbon / foam limbs to make them more attractive.

[Curveman]

JC, you may be right-I hadn't really considered how temperature changes might affect the materials in question. Any physicists who can answer this one? I'd been told that with glass or carbon bows, the wood is mostly just along for the ride so to speak-self bows different story. Not having done all the experiments myself I can only learn from reading a lot about the tests of others. For a small price increase-what the heck?....but does foam present problems in terms of breakdown over time? I guess I too often read about the latest and greatest (pick a subject) that later presents its own problems or didn't turn out as promised. (Heroin was given that name as it was thought once to be the "hero" of pain medications)! Maybe the data is already in on this one? I do note however that it appears that the Korean Olympic shooters have been going back to wood core bows from synthetic or so I have read-I follow that sport almost not at all but nobody cares more about such things as those Olympic shooters.

[kadbow]

You can still get the wood limb vaneers on the Shrew carbon foam limbs.  I am in the same boat, my Shrew order is due up real soon.  After talking with Gregg Coffey the other day about this, I think I am going to give the carbon foam a try.  So BowZen, in a few months I will have some feedback for you.  I have a couple bamboo limb Shrews now and love em.

[Bill Kissner]

I have owned two bows with foam in the limbs. One was a longbow with carbon/foam. I sold it because I do not shoot longbows well. Later on one of the limbs simply broke at a 90 degree angle for the new owner while at full draw. I have no idea whether this was caused by either the carbon or foam or maybe neither. I now have a recurve with the glass/foam limbs and do not really care for it for two reasons. The bow shoots great but has a distinct metallic sound when shot and I simply like wood limbs for the aesthetics. I see no major speed improvement over bamboo but I must say I have done no chronograph tests.

I am aware of a bowyer that has extensively tested carbon foam limbs and has not had dramatic improvement. I am with curveman, sometimes we convince ourselves something is better simply because it is new.

[JC]

Originally posted by Bill Kissner:
I am with curveman, sometimes we convince ourselves something is better simply because it is new.

And sometimes it might really be better...but it still may not be for everyone. If said bowyer did not get an improvement using carbon and foam in his design, I offer he may not have been using it to it's fullest potential.

[Bill Kissner]

You might be right JC. I certainly am not into technical stuff. I will leave that to younger and smarter people. I have very limited experience with foam and probably shouldn't have said anything. Everybody that knows me knows how opinionated I am but I've spent a lifetime being this way and even my wife has given up trying to change me!  

[xtrema312]

I have shot a few of both.  I am on the shrew list and right now, and it will be carbon, foam, uniwelt, and wood veneers under clear glass.  I see no reason not to go with this combo.   The last one I shot like that blew me away with feel, performance, accuracy, ..................

[tippit]

I got both in multiple brand bows.  It's funny as some I like the design in carbon foam & other I prefer bamboo.  Guess that's why I have a couple different bows    Doc