Editors' review
The team from Elite Archer have possibly created the most shootable lineup of bows to date. One of the flagship bows is the Energy 32, a 32" ATA rig set on an innovative new riser and producing a very respectable 335 fps IBO. This rig will be found in every aspect of the archery world. This bow is good enough that some of the most hard core shooting pros have dropped their old sponsors and have taken up the Energy 32. This bow is marketed as the "most shootable bow ever."
Finish
This rig comes with a Cerakote performance coating in several color options including black, Realtree Xtra, Realtree Max-1, and Realtree APS.
Risers/Limb
The design for this bow begins with Elite's new Caged Riser. This riser is a cold-forged, machined aluminum riser that provides an extremely solid shooting platform. This new riser design provides additional strength to the rig. Another new innovation in this riser is the fact it has two sets of drilled and tapped sight mounting holes. This allows the shooter to use any sight on the market and have the ability to mount it higher or lower for maximum adjustability. The riser is also capped with a pair of low-tolerance machined pivoting limb pocket. The limbs are a one-piece, three-layer laminated design and can be ordered in 40#, 50#, 60#, 65#, 70#, and 80# peak draw weights. These weights can be adjusted down by approximately ten pounds by adjusting the limb bolts. It is not recommended to turn them out more than two turns. Before the limb bolts can be adjusted, though, the four limb pocket screws must be loosened by about one to 1 1/2 full turns each. Once the limb bolt is adjusted, the limb pocket screws must be tightened back down.When the riser, limb pockets, and limbs are mated together, and the cams and strings are added, this is an extremely solid platform. The technology has provided Elite with one of the most stable shooting platforms in the business.
Other Components
Although the first thing an archer will notice on the Energy 32 is the caged riser, they will also find several Limbsaver products: Ultramax limb dampeners, cable leaches, string leaches, string decelerator, and a cable guard dampener.
Eccentric System
This new Energy Twin track Cam system is a modular system, and adjusting the draw length requires installing the proper module. This cam system eliminates cam lean during the draw cycle, thus reducing vibration and noise. Where most bows today use an easy-to-change module, the Elite 32 does not. To change the module, the use of a bow press and a T15 Torx wrench (star shaped) are required in order to remove the string and cable loops from their respective posts to change the module. The draw length can be adjusted in 1/2" increments, but it still requires a module change. Adjusting the draw stop is not as difficult and can further adjust the draw length in 1/16" increments, but will require some trial and error until it is set to the best position for the shooter.
Draw Cycle/Shootability
Most archers that have shot the Elite Energy 32 have been very impressed with the shootability and draw cycle of this bow. The stiffness of the draw is on plane with the draw weight and is not overly aggressive at all. The draw begins at the stiffest part of the draw and eases throughout the draw cycle. The rig also hits peak weight later in the draw cycle, meaning the shooter does not work as hard by not spending as much time at peak weight before transition to let-off. With an 80% let-off, it makes this bow easy to hold, even at higher draw weights.
Silencing Package
This rig is designed to be quiet, and is one of the few bows you will find where using a stabilizer does not offer much to noise reduction. This bow is quiet enough out of the box, but the shooter may wish to use a stabilizer "just so the feel right" since they are accustomed to using one already. The limbs and the riser are built to evenly distribute any vibrations and reduces much of the noise. The bow also comes with Ultramax limb dampening accessories, four cable leaches, two Everlast string leaches, a string suppressor, and a cable guard dampener.
Grip
The glossy, two-piece walnut grip is fitted into the contoured section of the riser. Its angle and shape are a perfect fit for most shooters' hands. The overall design of this grip ensure repeatable positioning for consistent accuracy. Not only is the grip comfortable in the hand, but it also adds to the already classy appearance of this bow. Comparisons[VS]elite-energy-32,g5-quest-torrentThe Elite Energy 32 is very comparable with the G5 Quest Torrent. The Energy 32 is one inch longer ATA, and both have a 7" brace height. Both are adjustable from 26" - 30" draw length, but the Torrent is much easier to adjust than the Energy 32. The Energy 32 requires a bow press, while the Torrent does not. The Torrent uses a rotating module, and the Energy 32 requires the module to be removed and swapped out.The Energy 32 has a better variety of peak weight limbs - 40#, 50#, 60#, 65#, 70#, and 80# - while the Torrent only comes in 50#, 60#, and 70#. This leads directly to the fact that the Energy 32 produces 335 fps (with 70# and 350 grain arrow), which is 13 fps more than the Torrent. This is also average for all compound bows. The Torrent retails for $499 while the Energy 32 retails for $899. The Torrent was also introduced in 2012 while the Energy32 is part of Elites 2014 line.
Usage Scenarios
This bow is very versatile and will fit any archery situation. Although it was made to be a hunting bow, several "pro" shooters have stated they will also be using it as their competition bow. An all-around rig that is shootable enough to do it all. This rig will fit nicely on a 3D course or in a ground blind, and anywhere in between.
Value
This bow can be found for $899 in the bare bow package. Some prices may be slightly lower if found for sale online as a used bow, but those are rare. This is approximately $200 more than the average price of all compound bows.
Summary
The Elite Energy 32 is a new hunting bow that is ideal for any archery situation. It is part of the 2014 lineup and is being marketed as one of the most shootable bows ever made. The innovative Caged Riser design going to give the shooter "braggin' rights," it makes up for in a smooth, quiet, and accurate shot, time after time.With a 32" ATA, 7" brace height, 26" - 30" draw length, and a variety of peak draw weights, this bow will fit virtually any shooter. If you are looking for a rig that will "follow you into battle," this could be it. From the 3D range, target range, or any hunting situation, this rig will satisfy almost everyone.
