Bowtech Boss Review

Editors' review

Bowtech has added a new, longer draw bow to the 2015 lineup with the Boss. Most see this as a rebuild of the Prodigy in a longer ATA platform, and this bow is every bit as solid as any traditional sized rig. It comes in at 36" ATA, 7" brace height, and 4.6 pounds of mass that is perfectly balanced. It also has Bowtech's patented PowerDisc/PowerShift technology that essentially makes it three bows in one. The ability to adjust this rig to so many lengths, weights, and performance levels make it a pleasure to shoot at any level.

Finish

This bow has a film-dipped finish and comes in two standard colors - Mossy Oak Breakup Country or BlackOps. It can also be ordered with the RealTree Xtra Green or Kyptek Highlander finish for an additional cost. Regardless of which color option you choose, this bow is sure to stand out.

Risers/Limb

This machined aluminum riser is milled out of a single block of aluminum and cut to exacting measurements. It is stronger, stiffer and more balanced than most bows in this category. At the ends of the riser, the shooter will find a pair or Center Pivot Extreme pockets that are sleek in design, but hold the Carboncore split limbs firmly in place.The riser has a trimmed grip section perfectly placed to enhance the balance of this rig. The thin grip section is fitted with a pair of Bowtech's side plates that are comfortable to the shooter and reduce torque for a more accurate shot.The limbs on this rig are the Carboncore split limbs that are highly efficient and respond quickly to the shot. The limbs and the overdrive binary cams are perfectly matched and offer the shooter lots of power. The limbs have an extreme impact resistant skin with a carbon center for enhanced vibration dampening and added power, and they are very efficient. The limbs also come in 50#, 60#, and 70# peak draw weights to accommodate most archers. The limbs and cams pull together to give this bow a very respectable 333 fps.

Other Components

This bow not only comes with the PowerDisc technology and the Overdrive Binary Cam System, it also comes with a FLX cable guard, carbon rod string stop, center pivot system to maximize limb performance, Revolver Dampeners, and various other noise and vibration dampening components.

Eccentric System

The cam system on this bow is the Bowtech Overdrive Binary Cam System that includes the patented PowerDisc Technology. This combination gives the Boss plenty of power and adjustability, as well as a very smooth draw. The PowerDisc technology gives us the PowerShift capability to adjust the performance levels of this bow. The PowerDisc can be set to one of three positions that match the shooter's desired performance level, which is like having three bows in one. The performance setting is the stiffest draw and least amount of let-off, but the fastest speed. The traditional setting makes the draw a little more manageable but maintains plenty of speed and knockdown power. The comfort setting has the smoothest draw but less speed, but still maintains plenty of knockdown power.The cam system also hosts the rotating draw modules. These mods give this rig the draw adjustability of 26.5" - 31.5" by simply loosening the mod, rotating to the correct position, and tightening back down. It is highly recommended to remove these screws and add some blue Loctite before you begin shooting this rig as they have a tendency to come loose. This should be done on the PowerDisc as well.

Shootability

The Bowtech Boss comes with the PowerDisc/PowerShift technology that gives the shooter plenty of options for shot preference regardless of the limb set chose. The bow is also a smooth drawing piece of gear that will not leave the shooter feeling totally drained after shooting a few arrows. The draw begins smooth and builds quickly to let-off where there is a slight hump, but nothing that would cause a lot of concern. At let-off, there is a nice valley and at 80 percent, this rig can be held on target easily. At the shot, this bow is quiet and has no vibration.

Silencing Package

The Bowtech Boss is inherently quiet in the overall design and manufacturing. It also comes with a FLX cable guard, carbon rod string stop and DuraFlex string dampeners.

Compared to Similar Bows

Bow	Bowtech Boss	Bowtech Prodigy
Version	2016	2017
Picture
Brace Height	7 "	7 "
AtA Length	36 "	32 "
Draw Length	26.5 " - 32 "	25 " - 30.5 "
Draw Weight	40 lbs - 70 lbs	40 lbs - 80 lbs
IBO Speed	333 fps	343 fps
Weight	4.6 lbs	4.2 lbs
Let-Off	80%	80%
Where to buy Best prices online	$750 Compare prices	$500 to $525 Compare prices
	compare more bows

The Bowtech Boss is the "big brother" of the Bowtech Prodigy, which drew rave reviews from around the archery world. Another longer ATA bow on the market the Boss could be compared to is the Elite Energy 35. Both of these are longer ATA - Boss is 36" and the Energy 35 is 35." The Boss produces 333 fps and the Elite has 335, and the weights are 4.6 pounds for the Boss and 4.5 pounds for the Energy.The Boss gives the shooter a half inch longer draw length at 31.5 inches, but the Elite goes down to 24.5 inches as opposed to the 26 inches of the Boss. Overall, the Energy 35 has one inch more overall draw length. One key difference in these two rigs is retail price. The Energy 35 had a list price of $899 while the Boss has a list of $1149. Both are very good shooting bows, but the Energy 35 came out with Elite's 2014 lineup, and the Boss is new for Bowtech. This just means that the Elite Energy 35 will be easier to find used, and probably for a little less money. If you are in the market for a longer draw setup, give the Bowtech a try.

Usage Scenarios

This rig is designed for the shooter that requires a longer draw bow, and it provides everything the shooter needs in a shooting platform. This bow will easily fit well in any archery situation from shooting your block in the back yard, to a competition course, or into your favorite hunting location. With a 36" ATA, and a 7" brace height, the bow offers the shooter 333 fps, but it is a little on the heavy side at 4.6 pounds overall mass.

Value

The Boss is new for 2015 and has some relatively new technology. It was designed for the shooter that needs a longer draw length, but will accommodate those with the mid-range draw as well. It also offers the shooter plenty of speed and accuracy, with plenty of adjustability. It also comes with a price tag of $1,149 for a bare bow package. By the time this rig is ready to shoot, you could easily have over $1,500 invested.

Summary

Bowtech hit a homerun when they came out with the Prodigy in 2014; a super smooth draw bow, lots of punch, and the technology to actually adjust the performance range of the bow. So, what did they do to step it up a little in 2015? They designed a longer ATA rig with the same concepts in the Prodigy and gave the archery community the Boss. The Boss has the same PowerDisc/PowerShift technology, overdrive binary cam system, super smooth draw, and 333 fps that is very accurate and efficient. Adjustable from 26" - 31.5" of draw length, 40# - 70# of draw weight, 7" brace height, and the ability to adjust between a performance setting, traditional setting, and a comfort setting, this rig can be setup for any shooting season. This bow has all the quality one would expect from Bowtech and does not disappoint.