| Champion Bow Company is an up and coming Archery Company that has produced
the ASA Shooter-of-the-Year the past two years in a row. Located
in Canada, Champion, is not a large manufacturer but builds it bows "carefully
by hand to exacting standards". They're focused on building the best
bow for today's archer, whether it be competition or to take on the harshest
elements while pursuing trophy game.
 For
2002 Champion has expanded on its artfulness to introduce several new and
upgraded models of bows. One of which I had the pleasure to evaluate
for Bowhunting.net called the Hurricane. The new Hurricane is described
as a powerful, ultra-compact force and I couldn't think of a better description
or name. For a compact bow measuring 31 inches it packs quite a punch
with minimal torque or hand shock upon release. I especially liked
the very solid back wall enabled by the draw stop integrated into the Laser
Cam.
Let's take a closer look at this little beauty form our neighbors to
the north in Canada.
Riser
A quality-machined riser camouflaged in Realtree Hardwoods provides
for a great looking bow. Closely inspecting the camouflage reveals
quality that extends throughout the limb cups and limbs themselves.
The riser on this compact bow has an exceptional site window that should
easily oblige any type of shooter. The shelf is of average width
and will accommodate any type of AMO arrow rest including many of the drop-away
rests on the market today. The handsome walnut grip proudly displays
the Champion logo and the lower barrel of the grip seems to position the
throat almost perfectly for my low wrist grip. However I feel narrowing
it a bit may enhance the feel. The integrated cable slide is located
above the shelf and incorporates a Teflon slide, which allows smooth cable
flow. The riser cutouts for weight reduction are well balanced which
equally lends appeal to the appearance of the bow. Measuring the
bow results in a reflex of almost two inches, which helps in generating
speeds close to 300 fps. Being
a short and compact bow doesn't compromise shooting performance
however, this can be attributed to the generous 8 ½" brace height
and cam system.
Cam & Limbs
The Hurricane is a single cam bow, which utilizes Champion's top of
the line Laser Cam. The innovative Laser Cams are unique for they
do not require a bow press to modify the draw length. Interchangeable
draw length modules provide a one-inch adjustment dependent on the size
of the module. Simply remove two mounting screws and replace with
the correct draw length module. One feature I especially like about
the cam is the simple draw stop. This setup ensures a solid back
wall and guarantees a precise anchor with each and every shot. The
idler wheel is of a large diameter, which aids in the smooth draw as well
as in the quick and forgiving release of the arrow.
The Hurricane utilizes Champion's Power Flex Limb held in place by a
camouflaged composite limb pocket. Within the pocket are two metal
discs, which help distribute the stress over the limb end as it is drawn.
The limb bolts can be turned to adjust the weight over a range of 10 pounds,
a common range for today's bows. My seventy-pound model was turned
all the way down to the riser and then backed off ¼ turn yielding
a draw weight of just over 70 lbs. Once your desired poundage is
set the limb bolts can be locked in place with Allen screws within the
riser. I shot the bow with these in place and also removed to see
if it made a difference and no backoffs were noted on the limb bolts.
However I do recommend these be fit snug for a sense of security.
The Hurricane is designed for the hunter who is looking for an ultra
compact and lightweight-hunting bow. It will accommodate a wide range
of bowhunters with a draw length range of 25-32 inches. For a short
axle-to-axle bow of only 31 1/8 inches, it is unheard of to acquire draw
lengths of over 31 inches. This is a true benefit to the long draw
length shooter who now doesn't have to sacrifice in shooting a long axle
bow only. I found this bow a blessing to shoot while sitting on the
ground or from within a blind. You don't have to worry about the
lower cam hitting the ground while drawing, which can be summed up in one
word, maneuverability. This maneuverability makes it a great bow
for no matter what type of shooting you are performing. I have had
a few instances where a whitetail has caught me off guard with a 40" bow
to long for a sitting shot. With the Hurricane I don't expect this
to happen.
The string and cables are comprised of BCY material, which measures
87 and 34 inches respectfully. Peak draw weights of 50, 60 or 70
pounds are available with a choice of either 65 or 80 percent let-off.
The Hurricane I was evaluating came with the 80 percent letoff. I
have always been partial to a 65 percent letoff and this bow truly amazed
me at the ease to hold at full draw when pulling into the solid wall.
Letting down you could definitely tell the power curve was quick but very
fluid. All this in a bow that comes in at 3.75 lbs., which will not
tire your arm on an all day hunting excursion.
Last but not least Champion covers all of their bows with one of the
best warranties in the business. All parts except strings, cables,
slides and wooden grips are covered with an unconditional lifetime warranty.
As they state in simple terms, "you break it, we fix it". Can't get
any easier than that.
Camo 4 of 5
The dipped Realtree Hardwoods camo is of the best in the industry.
I have not seen perfection in the industry but this sure comes close.
I also believe the finish on this bow does a great job of cutting down
on glare, including the cam and idler which are black matte. I learned
long ago that fancy finishes do nothing but alert huge whitetails of your
presence, enough said!
Engineering 5 of 5
Looking over the bow closely reveals tight tolerances throughout the
machining process. No burrs or rough edges were noted, especially
on the all-important cam and idler wheel. I especially like the Laser
Cam with it's adjustable draw-length modules and draw stop. Longer
draw length shooters will also like the 32-inch draw.
Grip 3.5 of 5
I do like the way the heel of the grip positions the throat between
my index and thumb but I feel it could be a little narrower. This
would help to secure a perfect grip almost every time.
Shootability 4.5 of 5
At speeds approaching 300 fps from such a short bow I was waiting for
it to jump out of my hands upon the first shot. I tied on a peep,
string loop and began throwing arrows downrange. Amazingly this little
whirlwind was a joy to shoot as it basically cradled my open grip.
It didn't take long either to get it dialed in. Aside from a little
string vibration the only other noticeable sound was the arrow hitting
the target.
For information on these and other Champion
Bow products contact:
Champion Bow Company,
Inc.
Email: champion@escape.ca
Web Site: www.ChampionBow.com |
