Bear Attack Review

Bear Attack

Average user rating

out of 6 user reviews
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  from $79.99

Pros

  • Very fast single cam bow with a solid back wall
  • Forgiving and accurate
  • Draw length can be adjusted easily without using a bow press
  • Extremely smooth (but a bit stiff) draw cycle
  • 80% let off for less arm fatigue
  • Excellent shootability

Cons

  • Could have more finish options for 2011
  • Factory grip will not appear to everyone (can be replaced)

Video

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Editors' review

The Bear Attack is a very good combination of speed, excellent shootability and adjustability. It was featured in Bear's 2010 line up and is back again for 2011. Without the aid of a bow press you can adjust the draw length on this bow. It has little vibration or hand shock, a very smooth draw cycle and a firm back wall. Overall it is a very solid choice for a wide variety of archers.

Finish

The finish on the Attack is high quality and durable. On the 2010 version of this rig it came in two finish options Realtree AP and the shadow series "black out". The black finish is a bit rougher to the touch than the camouflage version. For 2011 there is just the Realtree AP option.

Riser

The riser on this bow is a one piece, machined aluminum riser with a skeletal design. The design of the riser makes it very forgiving and doesn't have much vibration when the bow is shot.

Limb Pockets

Equipped on the Attack are Bear's zero tolerance limb pockets. These pivoting limb cups totally encapsulate the end of the limbs and keep a tight fit between the limbs, cup and riser no matter what draw weight the bow is set at.

Limbs

This rig is set up with max preload quad limbs that have a profile that is in the beyond parallel position even before the bow is drawn. These limbs store the most possible energy and are designed to cut down on recoil when the limbs are released. Bear's limbs are constructed out of protruded fiberglass and resin, and then machined into their final shape.

Grip

The grip on the Attack is one piece, slim design and made of a rubberized composite material. The material the grip is made of is designed to reduce vibration and give your hand a warm feel in cold weather situations. It also has a narrow throat on the grip which in turn cuts down on hand torque for better comfort and accuracy.

Eccentric System

The Bear Attack features their E cam which is a very smooth and efficient single cam and idler wheel system. It has an IBO rating of 340 fps coupled with 80% let off which in turn gives a very smooth draw that can be held for longer durations of time for those tough hunting situations. The E cam is designed to transfer the entire bow's energy to the arrow for increases kinetic energy. This cam system also rotates on two sealed ball bearings for added smoothness. It is also installed with the asymmetric power track that relieves friction and increases the life of your cables. This system also has an adjustable modular system that adjusts by adding different modules without the need of a bow press. The draw length range of this rig is from 25-30 inches that is adjusted in half inch increments.

Other components

Installed on this rig are dual arc string suppressors. These noise dampening components are tipped with a limbsaver like material and are offset. They do a good job of canceling vibration, shock and noise when the bow is shot. Also there is a stainless steel stabilizer insert on this rig which ensures a long lasting and durable insert for years of use. It is also equipped with a standard Teflon cable slide system.

Draw Cycle/Shootability

With the marriage of the E cam system, and the 80% let off of this bow it gives you an extremely smooth draw and the ability to hold at full draw for a good amount of time which is very bow hunter friendly. The attack transitions very well through a very smooth valley to full draw and once there it has a solid back wall. Even though this is a speed bow, with the single cam set up the draw cycle isn't very stiff at all. When the bow is shot there is very little vibration or hand shock. It also is very balanced and holds very steady in your hand. With the rubberized composite grip it gives it a very warm feel and has almost zero hand torque.

Bear Attack vs. Bear Carnage

BowBear AttackBear Carnage
Version 20112012
PictureBear AttackBear Carnage
Brace Height7 "7.25 "
AtA Length31 "32 "
Draw Length25 " - 30 "25.5 " - 30.5 "
Draw Weight40 lbs - 70 lbs40 lbs - 70 lbs
IBO Speed340 fps345 fps
Weight4.2 lbs4.0 lbs
Let-Off80% 80%
Where to buy
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The Bear Attack and Carnage are compared to each other because they are very similar in design. The Carnage has an IBO rating of about 5 fps faster than the Attack. The riser of the Carnage is a bit longer at 27 1/8 inches while the Attack is at 25.5 inches. Also the limbs of the Carnage have a bit more drastic beyond parallel bend to them because of the longer riser. When comparing the draw cycle of the two bows the Carnage definitely has a much steeper valley, so the Attack has a smoother feel when being drawn but both bows feel very similar at full draw. The Carnage has a slightly longer 7.5 inch brace height while the Attack's brace height is 7 inches. Between the two bows the Carnage is slightly faster but has a slightly harsher draw cycle while the Attack has a smoother draw cycle at only 5 fps slower. The price comparison between these two bows is the Attack has an msrp of $750 and the Bear Carnage has a msrp of $850.

Usage

This rig without a doubt would be a very good choice for the bow hunter. With a short axle to axle length it would be great when used from a tree stand. It has all the attributes a hunter wants smooth, quick, quiet and forgiving. However the Attack isn't limited to hunting whether you're a 3-D shooter or a recreational archer the Attack would be a solid choice for those applications as well.

Summary

In all this is a very solid option for the archer, which is probably a big reason why Bear kept it in their bow line up for 2011. While being very similar to the Carnage, this rig has a smoother draw than the Carnage while only giving up 5 fps. The Attack can be held at full draw for a good amount of time without arm fatigue which is very helpful on stubborn game while hunting. Speeds, smoothness, accuracy, adjustable draw length and being very comfortable when shot are all very good reasons that make the Attack a very viable choice.

User Reviews

  • 6 reviews
  • ( out of 6 reviews for all versions)
Great Bow

Version: 2011 Bear Attack

Rating:

Pros: Quiet, easy pull and backwall. Easy to hold.. just the right weight for me, or maybe a bit on heavy side but that just means I have to toughen up.

Cons: Can't think of any

Full review:

Just bought this bow used from KIJIJI and I am a new shooter. I think I got pretty lucky finding this bow and love it. First thing I did was take it to Cabela's and new strings and draw length adjusted.

So far I would recommend this bow, but keep in mind this is the only compound bow I have ever shot.

Sweet shootin bow and good looks to go with it

Version: 2011 Bear Attack

Rating:

Pros: I like everything about the bow, except a bit on the heavy side. Bear archery has been around a long time. Shoot one, you wont regret it

Cons: Just a bit heavy

Full review:

I have been a bear fan for a long time. Its the best shootin bow i have ever owned. Solid in hand, fast and quiet. I wouldnt overlook bear as a solid contender, pick one up and give it a try. Bear has been in business since 1933, what more needs to be said. My dad shoots pse, my friends shoot bowtech and hoyt. My bow is quieter and as fast as anything they got

Smooth drawing, dead in hand, blazing fast single cam!

Version: 2010 Bear Attack

Rating:

Pros: -Smooth Draw
-Fast
-Quiet
-Zero Vibration
-sweet lookin

Cons: -String suppressors wore out quickly
-could be lighter

Full review:

The Bear Attack first caught my attention with its sleek look, thus forcing me to go out and shoot one as soon as I found a dealer who had one. First shot was like "Whoa!" I gotta shoot that again just to make sure it wasn't a dream. It wasn't a dream, I had just shot one sweet shooting bow! I was amazed at the lack of hand shock or vibration that I felt! The draw was smooth as silk, the grip was thin but not too thin for my liking. Never before had I shot a bow that fast with none of the bad habits that you normally find in a "speed bow". I saved up my money and bought one, set it up, and first day shot my first robin hood ever! Chronograph reads at my draw length of 28.5" and 69 lbs draw weight with loaded string, drop away rest, and 432 grain arrow right at 280 fps which is smoking fast for such a heavy arrow! Only thing I've found that I didn't like was the string suppressors that came on the bow only lasted 500 shots, ordered some from Bear and they had them there within a week and are improving the design. Very impressed with my 2010 Bear Attack!

Great bow at a good price, worthy of being compared to top line bows.

Version: 2010 Bear Attack

Rating:

Pros: Great speed for a smooth drawing single cam. Almost no hand shock at the shot. Fairly solid wall with an adequately deep valley. Very quiet bow, noted by most that have heard it. Looks great. Holds great on target, accurate.

Cons: Seems to be a little grittiness to the draw. Bow has had a tendency to give me a wrist slap on occasion. I like the string but it can't be duplicated by custom stringmakers. Stringstoppers seem to wear out after around 1000 shots.

Full review:

My Attack is set up at 29" and 70lbs, i am getting 319fps with a 350gr arrow around 290fps with a 450gr arrow. I only have a d-loop and meta peep on the string. Draw is stiff but smooth and steady all the way to a fairly abrupt drop into a forgiving valley. Has been a very accurate bow for me, i like to shoot three arrow groups on occasion and i have had 3 robinhoods since i got it. At the shot it is very shock and vibration free with no noticeable kick in any direction. The attack is not what would anyone would consider a light bow but for me it helps me settle the pin better and hold steadier. I had a lightweight bow and could not hold it steady. I have shot several different weight arrows out of it and it felt as good with the light arrows as the heavy ones. Very quiet with all weights which is surprising considering the only noise reduction on the bow is the duel stringstops. The grip has been the talked about feature on this bow but for me i like it, the rubber should be more comfortable in cold weather than other grip materials. I bought the Attack as a hunting bow and it should do great in that role. Great bow at a reasonable price, worth a look. I rated this bow at four stars because all bows have there faults and none are perfect but the Attack comes close for me.

Home Run for Fred Bear

Version: 2010 Bear Attack

Rating:

Pros: Smooth, Quiet, Fast

Cons: Not a lightweight, and grip, have to get adapters to work on the bow with ez press

Full review:

Fred Bear hit a home run with this bow. The bow has an agressive draw cycle but is very smooth threw the draw cycle. Once you hit the wall its there and holds solid against a nice wall. After the shot there is no noice and no hand shock threw the bow. No string silencers are needed and stabilizer are optional, with the built in dual string stoppers that fit the bow nicely there is no string noice and no hand shock so you can actually use a stabilizer for what it is supposed to be used for to STABILIZE. The bow is no slouch in the speed department with this bow which is a surprise from Bear. Set many up and hit right at what it should be 1. 27in draw 70 lbs with 350 grain arrow and was getting right at 315 which puts ibo right at 335 with a loaded string. 2. 29in draw 70lbs 375 grain arrow shooting 312 which again puts the bow very close to ibo speeds that is advertised. The bow is not a lightweight that is for sure at 4.2 lbs with nothing on it, it gets quite heavy at the end of setting one up. If you use a ez press you have to purchase the adapters specifically for the attack limb tips to be able to use the press which makes for an incovience. Overall Fred Bear made a huge improvement over the last year line up of bows.

Fast and foregiving single cam bow, vibration free, with a solid backwall.

Version: 2010 Bear Attack

Rating:

Pros: 1. Smooth draw cycle with a solid backwall.
2. Fast single cam, with easy module changeouts for draw length adjustments without a bow press.
3. Dead in the hand on the shot, NO vibration
4. VERY quiet.
5. Foregiving with 7" brace height

Cons: 1. Stock grip is a little thin - doesn't bother me, but others might not like it
2. A little heavy, but manageable

Full review:

I have limited experience with other bows to compare to, but I love the way this bow feels before and during the shot. It is very smooth with a solid backwall and vibration free on the shot with VERY little noise. I am set up with a Trophy Ridge Wisker Biscuit Pro and the Trophy Ridge Alpha V5 verticle pin sight. I'm shooting at 67lbs and 28" draw length getting 280 FPS (chrono'd) with Trophy Ridge Blast 400 arrows weighing in at exactly 400 grains. The stock strings are great and I got next to zero stretch out of them. The tubeless peep has stayed dead on from initial installing through over 500 shots so far.

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