Editors' review
The Athens Accomplice 34 is a showcase of great craftsmanship and quality. From the great specifications on paper, to the machined aluminum riser, to the finish options, the Accomplice is a wonderful choice at a reasonable price of $749. The smooth drawing EV2 cams, forgiving 7-inch brace height, and stable 34-inch axel to axel bow flinging al IBO arrow up to 330 feet per second sounds really great, and feels even better. Do not be nervous about Athens being a newer company in the archery world, because they are doing things right and should be around for a long time.
Finish
There is actually a variety of finish options available for the Athens Accomplice 34. The standard options of black on black and Next Vista Camo look fantastic and help to finish off the wonderful workmanship that created the machined riser. Additional finish options include a black riser and Next Vista limbs, Bonehead Skulls or Bonehead web designs, Predator Brown Deception, and Pink Vista Camo. Although some of these patterns are tough to find accessories that match, Athens also produces accessories such as quivers and sights with matching camo patterns. This is a really great offering by an up and coming company, and helps shooters who like having a matching rig outfit their new bow.
Riser
The machined aluminum riser is made for Athens by Athens. Athens archery is owned by a machine shop that formerly designed automotive equipment until business for automotive machinery took a downward spiral. The detail produced by the best machinery money can buy is really top notch. The cut outs are flawlessly done in part because of the detail engineers spent designing, and in part because of the machines used to do the work. The great looking riser is also equipped with a rear mounted string stop system for eliminating noise and vibration caused after the string is released. Located directly in front of the anchor string stop system is a stabilizer-mounting hole for shooters wanting to add a stabilizer as well. This not only transfers vibration away from the shooters hand, but also allows shooters to steady their hold a little better on target.
Grip
The two-piece laminated grip feels really great in the shooters hand, and will be warmer than models that have the grip incorporated into the riser for cold weather hunting. The machined shelf guard also adds a bit of detail to the grip area shooters would expect from a high-end rig. However, none of this matters if the grip is not functional or comfortable. The Accomplice grip is comfortable to shoot for most, but may be a bit on the blocky side for some. Overall, it feels nice and gets the job done. Shooters will find the grip to be repeatable and feels great in the hand after some time adjusting to it.
Limbs
Aftermarket Barnsdale Archery solid limbs are featured on all Athens models. The target caliber limbs have a superior design and will last for a long time under normal shooting conditions. Available in ten-pound increments, maximum draw weights are available in 40, 50, 60, and 70 pounds. With 40 pounds of draw weight adjustment, the Athens Accomplice has one of the largest ranges available. The industry leading limbs also come stock with factory installed Bowjax dampeners to help deaden the vibration and noise even more. The rear pivot limb pockets offer a better feel on the draw, and do not stand out from the bow in a negative way.
Eccentric System
The Athens Accomplice features the Extreme Velocity dual track cam system with dual sealed cam bearings. The EV2 cam works like other dual track cam systems by being slaved to each other. Tuning becomes a little easier, and cams stay in sync and timed longer because they operate in conjunction with each other. In simple terms, the bow performs at its maximum efficiency without needing checkups. With an adjustable let off between 65 and 80 %, moving the draw stops can change the overall feel of the cam as well. The cams are draw length specific, which is not great news for shooters that need to change the draw length. The draw length range offered by Athens for the Accomplice 34 is between 25.5-30.5-inches in half inch increments. Cams are relatively affordable, and offer a little smoother draw than if the Extreme Velocity cams were module cams, but more expensive if any thing needs to be changed.
Draw Cycle/Shootability
The best two words to describe the Accomplice are smooth and quiet. The draw length specific cams are buttery smooth and measures right on with the given draw lengths. From the start of the draw cycle to the solid back wall, the bow is fantastic. While holding on target, there is a little room to creep forward a bit. Although this harms form and accuracy, the bow does not want to rip your arm off after relaxing just a bit at full draw. For hunters, this is a nice feature, especially if shooters are forced to be at full draw for an extended period of time. After the shot, the bow is dead in the hand and more importantly, quiet. With a 7-inch brace height and IBO speeds up to 330 feet per second, the Athens Accomplice really has exactly what the majority of shooters are looking for in a hunting rig.
Usage Scenarios
The Athens Accomplice would actually make a really great multipurpose bow if used for hunting and 3D archery. The specs are great ones to have for both scenarios, and would help shooters save a little money by allowing them to have one rig capable of all shooting styles. With a bit longer brace height than many hunting bows on the market, the Accomplice 34 is still a great size to have in the tree or ground blind, and shooters will love the axel to axel measurement for 3D shoots. Combine this with a 7-inch brace height, and speeds of 330 feet per second, and shooters in both the hunting and 3D archery worlds will find this Athens is a shooter.
Summary
The Accomplice 34 is a hands down winner for many shooters. With tons of customization, unique camo patterns, and specifications thriving on the right combination of forgiveness and speed, Athens has done a great job with this bow. The decently priced rig has a lot to offer shooters from any archery background, and the multipurpose shooting potential of the bow is a huge positive for shooters not able to purchase more than one bow. Overall, the Athens Accomplice is a great feeling bow, and deserves a test shot to see if it is the correct choice.
