When evaluating anything - from archery products to a car seat that may possibly hold one of my five children, nothing commands my attention more than quality. Now quality can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, but to me it means solid construction, and features that actually provide a useful benefit. Sight Master's new Elite 2000 is without a doubt a quality product.

Let's take a look at the Elite 2000 and judge it's quality based on the two criteria above.

Solid Construction: Bob Closson, owner of Sight Master, has made it his personal goal to manufacture the highest quality adjustable sights on the market. The materials chosen to construct the Elite 2000 are proof of his commitment. The "base" Sight consists of four major components: the base sight plate, yardage arm, scope plate, and a short connection plate. All are machined from incredibly rugged 6061 aircraft grade aluminum. These four plates are connected with self-locking, hex-head 10-32 steel screws that are secured into brass inserts. It also incorporates two extra sturdy brass AMO standard 10-24 stand-off posts for quiver mounting. Both adjustment knobs are manufactured from brass and are hearty enough to withstand a fair amount of abuse.

The base plate is mounted to the riser with two 10-24 hex-head steel bolts and will fit all AMO standard bows. The Elite 2000 comes standard with Sight Master's new starburst XL2 Fiber Optic Scope. The Scope is made up of materials that range from liquid in the bubble level to a threaded, stainless steel rod. To determine the ruggedness of the Starburst XL2, a few parts had to be tested before I was convinced that it was at the same quality level as the rest of the Sight. I started by placing the steel threaded rod into a fixture and clamping it in a vise. At that point, the testing began. I used steel weights and a string to test, which did not bend even with a 50-lb. weight attached. Several "drop tests" were conducted at heights of three and six feet onto a concrete surface (not attached to bow). Other than a few scuffs and scratches the scope faired well. The clear polycarbonate Scope Ring did not crack or break and the Sight Pin and crosshairs stayed in place. The only item I could get to move was the fiber optic rod that is laced through two holes in the scope ring. If hunting thick brush, the fiber optic rod is likely to come out sooner or later, but this has relatively little effect on the Sight's performance. The section of the fiber optic rod that is used for sighting will not move.

Useful Features: The Elite 2000 has many features that are useful to both bowhunters and 3D archers. 

• To start, one of the features that grabbed my attention first, was how incredibly smooth the yardage arm adjustment was. A smooth action does two things for you. First, it allows for infinite pin adjustment. In other words, the pin does not "click" from one position to another in relatively large increments. The second benefit to a smooth action will come to light when you are trying to adjust yardage with an animal close by. If the adjustment were rough, it would take more time to hone it in on your desired yardage than it would if it were smooth.
• Another useful feature on the Elite 2000 is the yardage arm positive lock down. When the adjustment knob is tightened, it locks into a serrated plate that allows absolutely no play. When you lock it down, it stays!
• Sight Master's new Elevation Micro-Adjust feature allows you to set your yardage markers one time without fear of having to peel them off and reset them every time you make a slight adjustment. With this patent pending innovation, you simply turn the knurled knob until your pin is in the precise position you desire. The yardage arm and yardage markers stay put.
• Some of today's bows have high mounted cable guards. These guards can interfere with some normal adjustable sights, but the base plate on the Elite 2000 has an angled arm to avoid any such problems.
• The Scope Plate consists of six mounting positions that allow for a wide range of Scope placement variability. This makes it possible for the Sight to be used on virtually any bow regardless of set-up.
• The Starburst Scope has a clear polycarbonate Scope Ring that lets in more light. It also includes a bubble level to make every shot consistent to control canting.

It should be noted that the Elite 2000 is a premier 3D Sight. When you are trying to hit the "ten" ring on a target that ranges anywhere from ten to sixty yards, fixed pin sights are lacking. The adjustable, single pin, sighting system handles this type of shooting requirement perfectly. No longer do you have to place the target between pins to account for odd distances. 

One note of caution: Trying to keep tabs on a wary game animal and adjust your Sight for yardage at the same time can be tricky. My recommendation to anyone who plans to use this or any other adjustable Sight is to set your yardage at 20 to 25 yards and let it stay there. If a shot at the animal absolutely cannot be taken with this setting, then, and only then would I try to adjust my Sight. Also, if you do plan on adjusting the sight during a hunting situation, invest in a Touch Master by Sight Master that allows you to adjust the yardage with a one-finger trigger pull feature. This adjustment is made with your "bow hand" and can be accomplished even while at full draw.

Durability: 5 of 5 
The Elite 2000 is the result of excellent machining, high-grade materials, and sound mechanical engineering. This all adds up to a durable Sight that will last for many years of service.

Design: 4 of 5
The "action" of the 2000 is smooth and repeatable with no apparent flaws. The use of a tighter radius allows for a smaller, more compact design that is light and easy to maneuver. Suggested improvements: While the Starburst Scope itself is durable and functional once in place its adjustability is somewhat sloppy.

Adjustments to the windage and Scope Ring position were difficult to fine tune. A more sophisticated adjustment method would be purchasing Sight Masters new Windage-MicroAdjust.

The threaded Scope Mount Rod was too long for my set-up and interfered with the last arrow in my quiver however I simply cut off the excess to alleviate the problem.

The shim provided, which offsets the Sight for more windage adjustment in the direction of the riser, was adequate to sight-in my bow. This could have been a hassle if I had needed more adjustment. Again, Sight Master does offer an offset scope bracket to correct this. It would be nice however if it was included as a standard addition. Especially when considering the high quality and functionality of this superior Sight.

Features: 4.5 of 5
As noted in the above review the Elite 2000 is loaded with practical features and therefore scores high in this category.

Affordability: 3.5 of 5
The Elite 2000 is a high end Sight, retailing at nearly $100.00. The value that this Sight possesses depends on what you are looking for in a Bow Sight. If you just want something sticking on the front of your riser for a general reference and are not concerned with quality, adjustability and accuracy, perhaps you should do what I did when I was 13. Tape a matchstick to your riser and go hunting. However, if you are looking for a top of the line sight that has quality and performance built in, the Elite 2000 is just what the doctor ordered.

Contact Information:
Sight Master
1093 Highway 12 East
Townsend, MT 59644
(406) 266-5516
Email: Sightmaster@Bowhunting.net
http://www.sight-master.com