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By
Jeff Johnston, Senior Editor
I credit Mathews with revolutionizing
the archery industry when it brought out its little 32-inch Solocam
bow in 1998. Though the company introduced single-cam technology
six years before, it was the little MQ32 that made hunters on the
range cock an eye and ask incredulously, “Is that a kid’s
bow?” Then they saw it shoot faster, farther and quieter than
the long piece of lumber in their hands. Soon, virtually every manufacturer
offered a little bow with a single cam, and today these bows dominate
sales.
The competition is so tight now that it is very
difficult to say objectively if one top-end bow is better than another.
In response, Mathews, like all the other companies, must re-up each
year or else get left behind. Each year new features are added to
its Solocam line; some years the new addition is miniscule, while
other years its improvements represent true advances. The Drenalin,
Mathews’ latest version of the Solocam, borrows the proven
advances of prior models and combines them with a couple new ones.
In 2002 Mathews laid claim to one of, if not the,
smoothest-drawing bow on the market when it began featuring a patented
cable guard that utilizes ball-bearing rollers to shepherd the yolk
strings. Most other manufacturers use a simple plastic slide. Slides
produce more friction than rollers. Together with the Drenalin’s
perimeter-weighted cam, the bow’s draw is a fluid pull, not
an incremental one. A smooth draw doesn’t represent a big
technical advantage, but it sure does feel nice. I’ve found
that it’s easier to draw slowly and with less jerky movements
when game is close.
Other advancements include String Suppressors
and Harmonic Dampers that reduce noise and vibration all around;
its parallel limb design is proving to be superior to older, more
vertical-limb orientations because it produces faster arrow speeds
and seems to lower noise levels. The inclusion of a centershot marker
on the grip is a simple yet terrific feature. But last year’s
model, the Switchback XT, also had these features. So what’s
new with the Drenalin?
First, its limbs are made of a new SE3 composite
material that Mathews claims makes them twice as durable as its
older limbs in factory tests. (The company won’t reveal how,
or of what, the SE3 is made.) By making the limb material tougher,
engineers could shave material from them. The Drenalin’s new
Slimlimbs are a mere 1 1/8 inches wide—dramatically thinner
and lighter than former Mathews limbs—yet are just as strong
and fast. The Drenalin weighs 3.85 pounds, compared to the 4.25
of last year’s Switchback XD, yet it doesn’t sacrifice
durabilty or speed.
I like a light bow that I can carry and maneuver
easily. But by the time I add sights, a stabilizer, a rest, quiver
and all the other necessary doodads, what was formerly a light bow
can become 7 pounds. My Drenalin, fully rigged to shoot (except
quiver) weighs 4.75 pounds.
Secondly, the Drenalin has a revamped system of
attaching the limbs to the riser. Its new SphereLock system is basically
a skeletonized limb cup that is lighter but functions the same as
the older V-Lock system. It has a rocker that it now calls its Limb
Turret, and it uses a Swivel Lock system that lessens the tendency
of the limbs to bind as they change angles when the limb bolts are
adjusted.
My complaints on the Drenalin are personal, yet
threefold. First, its back wall is not as concrete as I like. Secondly,
I prefer an ultra-thin grip, but Mathews continues to stick with
its trademark wooden grip. Aftermarket grips are available, but
why not give shooters options? Lastly, new advancements (and inflation)
mean new costs. The Drenalin is expensive.
In practice, I set up my test Drenalin at my house,
and in a matter of minutes I shot a whisper-quiet, 2-inch group
at 20 yards. The Drenalin is super-light, easy to set up, shoot
and maintain; it’s fast and it is extremely smooth.
You can’t go wrong with a Mathews bow for
hunting. If you desire the company’s latest, the Drenalin
is it. |
