Ever since Abe Penner released pics of the prototype of this model it was love at first sight. Hadn't sampled any kind of Cari-bow yet but made up my mind last year, that when the opportunity arose, the Tuktu EX would be it. The reviews of Abe's bows have always been favorable; actually my original bow collecting 'mentor' LOL..he swears by his Silver Fox 3pc and he's probably owned a couple hundred bows. The Tuktu 'pass around thread' here on Pow Wow cemented that resolution to acquire a Tuktu EX even further. I missed out on the sign up for that bow, even though a dedicated lefty I can shoot righty well enough to test a bow. No worries, the aesthetic design of the bow, which I to me is a knockout, and the fact that it was a static recurve meant I wouldn't hesitate to buy one second hand like I have with many bows or get up the nerve to order one from Abe. I waited for months, hoping a lefty would pop up on the classifieds. Even tried a WTB ad for a short time. Nada. Apparently there just weren't any lefties out there yet OR no one wanted to sell theirs. I suspect the latter
I hadn't latched onto the idea of ordering one. Waiting is difficult and I had/have been waiting on another bow to be built with a different bowyer for a while so I decided I'd stalk Abe's inventory page daily/weekly until a lefty with the right numbers appeared. I was jonesing for a 60" since it was likely the shortest that would be plenty smooth for my 29" draw. Back in November Abe listed one lefty, but I wasn't taken by the woods, don't get me wrong, it was a beauty, but just not 'quite' what I was after.
Well, about a week ago there she was staring back at me on Abe's inventory. Another lefty! Lefty Tuktu EX, 60" 55@28, Koa and Chechen. Game time...
I read Koa and it was all over from there. Koa has become one of my all time favorite bow woods since getting my hands on a Koa Thunderchild last year and here was the model I had been planning to find all ready to roll with Koa!
I had Abe send me some more pics just for inspection (ogling!) and then had him throw a beavertail wrap on the bow prior to shipment. My first Cari-bow had to have that detail
The bow took about 5-6 days total via UPS but it felt like 2 weeks LOL.
I picked her up from UPS on my day off and got the box home and unpacked the beast. The prior pics didn't do the bow justice. It's SO handsome. The Chechen riser looks more like a 'reddish' Bocote and I swear if you look close there's about 4-5 colors in the grain. The Koa is nuts. Pics don't show how the grain dances like some psychedelic geometric print when you move the bow around in the light. Absolutely superb woods. Fit and finish on par with any of the other top makers. Under very very close inspection just enough indication that its made by human hands and not a robot. Love it.
The 'hooks' are outta control on this one. I was amazed at the thinness yet rigidity of the limbs and how elegant and delicate the ends of the limbs/tips were compared to some bows out there. But don't get me wrong, the graceful lines of this bow exude nothing but a sense of effortless power. The grip just fills every bit of your hand and makes you forget the bow is separate from your arm. Love it!
It's a cinch to string with a stringer and Abe is adamant that one only use a stringer on this one.
Strung up and ready to go! String and nock point were in place on the unbraced bow as sent from Abe and I suspected the bow would be ready to shoot. Yup
I'm pleased to report that first draw confirmed all I had hoped drooling over this model for months. Effortlessly smooth. Early draw weight and a draw force that just gets sweeter the farther you go back toward 30". You can just feel the energy build. I pulled out my Centaur Triple Carbon to compare the draw feel and they were both feeling just as buttery. The difference being the Tuktu built weight a bit sooner in the draw cycle by my reckoning. My Triple is only 1# more so I made ready to shoot the same ~10gpp arrow from both out in the yard.
The first shots with the Tuk were pure fun. The bow is surprisingly quiet. Probably the trait I am most picky about on hi-po bows. Shot back to back with the Triple, the Tuk is probably not far off in terms of noise which is awesome. Their tones are different, one bow being boo-glass the other boo-carbon, but volume wise the Triple only seems to have a faint edge. The Tuktu appears to have zero limb resonance on the shot, i.e. vibration, aftershocks, echoes LOL. Just like the Triple, you release, the arrow is gone, and it all just STOPS. Me likey!!
The Tuk is also a blazer. I mean quick! Easily held its own with the Triple in terms of trajectory/ perceived point of aim and impact. Actually I think the Tuk' is a bit faster than the Triple but I'd need a chrono to confirm that suspicion.
Abe has created a truly awesome bow with the Tuktu EX. To me it is just everything you could want in a recurve. The strung profile alone is art to me. Now that I've learned how sweet it shoots its just plain fun fun fun!
This bow has a character all its own. The design is destinct so you know its a Tuktu when you see it and it shoots in a way that tells you the maker thought things through.
I've tried a nice little handful of static setups so far and there are so many great choices for us all out there..RER, Eaglewing, Bigfoot, Dryad come to mind...but as it stands for now this new bow from Abe is my choice in a recurve (trying to diversify from longbows/hybrids :D ) and I strongly suggest you give him a call if you are looking for your next recurve. Abe is a super nice guy to boot and I enjoyed calling him after receiving the bow and giving some praise where I felt it was due.
And now...
Topic: 'Koa' Cari-bow Tuktu EX (pics!!): all I hoped, impressive and highly recommended! (Read 1056 times)
