Bear Carnage Review

Editors' review

The Bear Carnage is a quality, smooth drawing and great shooting bow. It has quite a few upgrades over last year's Attack. This bow is fast, smooth and has virtually no vibration when shot. Admittedly, the Carnage is at the top of the list of quality bows for 2011.

Finish

There are a couple finish options for the Carnage. It comes in Realtree AP or the Shadow series which is Bear's version of the "black out" finish that is growing in popularity. Overall the finish on this bow seems to be good quality and the camouflage option is high definition.

Riser

The riser on this bow is made in what Bear calls its skeletal design. It is a machined aluminum riser that is longer to provide a more balanced feel. The length of the new skeletal riser of the Carnage is 27.125 inches compared to last year's Attack which is 25.5 inches. Overall axle to axle length of the Carnage is 32 inches.

Limbs

The bow is equipped with max preload quad limbs, provided to Bear from the Gordon Composite Company. This is Bear's second go around with the past parallel limb design. They were designed to have the most possible energy stored in the limbs and a great cancellation of recoil generated by the limbs upon the shot. The limbs are made from a combination of protruded fiberglass and resin and then are machined to their final shape. They are prestressed and curved to the beyond parallel position so that the bow is a considerably tamer when shot.

Limb Pockets

The limb pockets on this rig are pivoting limb cups that maintain a tight fit between the limb, the limb pocket and the riser regardless of the draw weight. They are solid and in semi upright position. This is required to handle the extreme preload applied to the limbs.

Grip

The grip on this rig is slimmer than it has been in previous years. It is made from a synthetic material manufactured with over mold construction that is designed to reduce vibration, minimize hand torque and provide the warmest feel in cold weather. This grip has a narrow throat for better comfort and accuracy. They also have a wood grip option for shooters who prefer that type of feel.

Roller guard and string suppressors

There are some nice additional features on this bow. It comes equipped with a 4x4 roller guard with 8 sealed ball bearings designed to give you a smooth draw cycle while decreasing friction and achieving maximum efficiency. Another great feature is the dual arc offset string suppressor system, designed to eliminate noise, shock and vibration. These have radical arc design with offset modules to stay out of the motion of the cam and idler wheel while being drawn.

Eccentric System

The Bear Carnage boasts an impressive 345 fps Ibo speed with an extremely comfortable 80% let off. It comes with the new skeleton cam and idler wheel system that is machined from 7075 aluminum. This system has less mass weight and a perfectly placed tungsten carbide perimeter weight that creates a very fast, smooth and efficient single cam system. This performance system is designed to have an adjustable draw length from 25.5 to 30.5 inches in half inch increments. It is a modular system and adjusts by adding different modules without the aid of a bow press. Also with a draw weight range from 40 to 70 pounds it can accommodate a wide range of shooters.

Draw Cycle/Shootability

The combination of the new skeleton cam system and the 80% let off of this bow allows for a very smooth draw that is very comfortable to hold for longer periods of time. This fact won't be lost on bow hunters. The Carnage does have somewhat of a steep valley but once at full draw it has a rock solid back wall. Once at full draw the bow lines up very well even without sights installed and has a large sight window, attributed to the roller guard being mounted lower on the bow, which is very good for hunting situations. Also it doesn't have the creep at full draw that many of the faster bows on the market have.

Bear Carnage vs Bear Attack

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

The Carnage compared to last year's Attack seems to be a better all around bow. It has a longer riser which gives a more balanced feel. It has a 5 fps faster Ibo speed over the Attack. In addition, it is equipped with a 4x4 roller guard and a slimmer, more comfortable grip. Not only that, but it is also 5 fps faster than the Attack. Overall the Bear Carnage is a more shootable and comfortable bow compared to last year's Attack model. That is why this rig is definitely at the top of the list when compared to the top end bows of 2011.

Ideal Hunting Bow

This bow undoubtedly is great for all hunting situations being very fast, quiet and having the ability to hold the bow back for a good duration with your arm getting tired. With attributes of being very smooth and dead in your hand you could easily use this for 3D shooting as well.

Summary

Overall Bear seems to have hit a homerun with this rig. It has all the attributes and features that the modern bow hunter/archer is looking for. With an easily adjustable draw length, excellent shootability characteristics and a low mass weight, the Carnage is capable of yielding fast IBO speeds without generating nearly any noise or vibration. It is a definite upgrade over last year's Attack model. With a draw length range from 25.5 to 30.5 inches and a draw weight range from 40 to 70 pounds there is virtually a set up option for almost anyone.