Bear Attack Review

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

Bow	Bear Attack	Bear Carnage
Version	2011	2012
Picture
Brace Height	7 "	7.25 "
AtA Length	31 "	32 "
Draw Length	25 " - 30 "	25.5 " - 30.5 "
Draw Weight	40 lbs - 70 lbs	40 lbs - 70 lbs
IBO Speed	340 fps	345 fps
Weight	4.2 lbs	4.0 lbs
Let-Off	80%	80%
Where to buy Best prices online	$79.99 to $139.99 Compare prices	$55 Compare prices
	compare more bows

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.