Bear Divergent Review

Editors' review

Anytime shooters look at a compound bow from Bear, they are reminded of the legend of Fred Bear himself. The confidence alone coming with a product named after him is worth it. The Bear Divergent is a compact hunting bow designed for whitetail hunters in mind. The 28-inch axle-to-axle measurement is compact for ground blinds and tree stands. The bow only weighs 3.9-pounds, which is heavy enough for the small framed bow to not feel like a toy, but light enough to still be under the magical 4-pound mark. The limbs are adjustable in a 15-pound range, and the cams fit shooters from 25.5-30-inches. Some shooters may be disappointed in only having 75% let-off and limited camo options when compared to other large compound companies. However, for a suggested retail price of only $699 it is difficult to find flaws with this hunting rig. Bear Archery is often times overlooked when discussing great shooting bows, and the Divergent demands shooters take notice and respect how well designed and great shooting Bear bows really are.

Finish

Bear has never been a company with a ton of finish options available on their rigs. However, the options offered always look great, and last through the torture they endure of being dedicated hunting rigs. For the 2019 Bear Divergent, the options expand a bit, but those wanting some of the higher end designer camos may be disappointed their favorite pattern is not offered. However, there are still six solid choices to pick from, and they all look great. For starters, shooters can opt for the Realtree Edge pattern, which is arguably the most recognized of the camo options. For those wanting something less popular, Bear also has Veil Stoke, Veil Alpine, Truetimber Strata, and One Nation Midnight. If buyers are not interested in a camo bow, the Iron color looks great as well.

Riser

The aluminum riser on the Bear Divergent contains the Bearcage technology, which ensures the rig is as light as possible without compromising any structural rigidity. The end result is a bow that tips the scales under the magical 4-pound mark at a lightweight 3.9-pounds. This overall weight allows the bow to feel like a high-quality rig, while not being too heavy for its smaller 28-inch axle-to-axle frame. Bear has also made sure the Divergent is a vibration free as possible. The single string stop system, located below the shooter's grip hand has some customization available, and works exactly as designed. The string also has Sonicstops installed to keep things as silent as possible. The Hinge Guard cable containment system also does a great job functioning as it should to reduce lateral movement in the cables for each draw length. The hinge guard is a moving system, which stays quiet, and keeps the draw cycle smooth from start to finish. The riser also has the industry standard front mounting stabilizer bushing for shooters wanting to add a stabilizer or back bar for stability and dampening purposes.

Grip

The Divergent grip is named the Narogrip, which is easily justified upon feeling how slim it feels in the shooter's hand. The composite grip fastens to the riser, and is narrow and flat backed. This keeps the bow handle in a very repeatable position without much thought as to where it should be. Shooters will not struggle with the grip to get it in a comfortable hand position, and this will improve shot to shot consistency. A repeatable grip is the start of a confident shooter. If the grip is off, or hard to repeat, the shooter will have shots where everything seems to be executed properly and the arrow misses its mark. The Narogrip will be comfortable and give shooters a sense of repeatability and consistency they need to be confident with their equipment.

Limbs

The limbs used for the Divergent have a 15-pound draw weight range instead of the industry standard of 10-pounds. This allows Bear to offer a 30-pound draw weight range with only having to produce 2 different limbs configurations; a 45-60-pound configuration and a 55-70-pound limb configuration. In addition to having less limbs, it gives shooters more options to back the weight off or increase it to match the season. Shooters could shoot 55-pounds during turkey season and 70-pounds with the same limbs for whitetails. The added draw weight range also gives shooters the opportunity to grow with their rig a bit as well. Given the shorter axle-to-axle range, younger shooters could use the same bow as they grow a little easier than they could with a 10-pound draw weight range configuration. The limb decals also look amazing with the Divergent and Bear Archery logos integrated on the outside of the limbs. Sometimes, these logos can take away from the beauty of the bow in being too simple, or overdesigned. Fortunately, the Divergent name is displayed well and is not distracting in anyway. The max preloaded quad limbs are a staple of Bear designed bows. Split limbs give Bear the ability to keep things as efficient as possible. The limbs are designed to equally distribute the load through the entire limb surface. In theory, this makes the limbs longer lasting for having less stress on any one part of the limb. Bear also installs Shockwaves limb dampeners right from the factory to make sure they are as quiet as possible. None of this matters much if the limb pockets are not high-quality as well. To make sure the limbs perform the best they can, engineers created the Beartrap Limb Pocket system. Bear claims this pocket takes the strength of a metal pocket, and combines that with a zero-tolerance boot. So not only do the limbs stay exactly where they are needed for the whole shot sequence, there is no room for error of any kind in regards to the limbs moving in the pockets.

Eccentric System

The Divergent bow is outfitted with a hybrid cam system capable of draw lengths from 25.5-30-inches, in half-inch increments. Bear engineered a rotating draw length module into the cam system, which means shooters will not need to purchase a new cam or module to get a different draw length. Simply move already included module to the desired setting, and shooters can get dialed in again. Perhaps one of the largest negatives about the hybrid system on the Divergent is the ability for only 75% let-off. Many companies are offering cam systems with let-off ranges, and even more are offering high let-offs up to 90%. For shooters needing either of those options, they will need to look elsewhere. The Divergent also has an impressive IBO speed rating of 338 feet per second with a 6.5-inch brace height.

Draw Cycle/Shootability

The Divergent is a straight up shooter for anyone interested in a shorter axle-to-axle model. At the upper end of the draw length range, the string angle may be less comfortable. However, shooters wanting a short bow are already aware of that before shooting. For speeds up to 338 feet per second, with a 6.5-inch brace height, the Divergent is smooth drawing, and as free of vibration as a bow can get. The weight stacks up pretty quickly towards the beginning of the draw force curve, but levels out well, and lessens as the let-off reaches 75%. The back wall is firm on the back end, which makes for a very easy aiming bow down range as well. The Divergent just floats on target without much effort on the shooter's end. After the shot, the arrow is sent downrange at a fast pace, and the noise and vibration are almost non-existent. Shorter bows are often hard to hold on target because they have less stability than a longer rig, and often weigh less. This is not the case with the Divergent, and most will be pleasantly surprised at how well this bad boy shoots.

Usage Scenarios

This bow is designed as a hunting bow without a doubt. For those spending most of their hunting hours in a blind or treestand, the compact design of a 28-inch rig is hard to beat. For shooters wanting to win 3D tournaments on a larger scale, there may be better bows. However, for the bowhunter who wants to dabble in 3D to keep the shooting form and skills sharp for hunting season, the Divergent is outstanding. Most rigs of this size are either significantly heavier or $300 more expensive. If a compact hunting bow is desired, there may not be a better bow on the market.

Bear Divergent vs Bear Kuma 30

Bow	Bear Divergent	Bear Kuma 30
Version	2020	2020
Picture
Brace Height	6.5 "	6 "
AtA Length	28 "	30 "
Draw Length	25.5 " - 30 "	25.5 " - 30 "
Draw Weight	45 lbs - 70 lbs	45 lbs - 70 lbs
IBO Speed	338 fps	345 fps
Weight	3.9 lbs	4.1 lbs
Let-Off	75%	75%
Where to buy Best prices online	$380 to $1000 Compare prices	$500 to $750 Compare prices
	compare more bows

These two bows have a lot in common and will surely be the top two choices for those in the market for a compact hunting bow from Bear Archery. The Bear Kuma 30 is a bit longer axle-to-axle, and has faster IBO rating. However, for those wanting the shortest, lightest model, and a $200 smaller price tag, the Bear Divergent may be the winner. Both bow are excellent in regards to quality and shootability and as all decisions come down to in archery, the shooter will need to decide what makes the most sense to them.

Summary

The world of compound archery equipment is amazing. Bow manufacturers understand so much of what shooters look for in a new bow is personal preference, and companies like Bear are making rigs from starter bows to high end flagship models to meet the needs of anyone interested in getting started in the wonderful sport of bowhunting. The Divergent may be the best short axle-to-axle bow on the market when considering value, technology, and quality. This bow can easily be compared with bows $300 more expensive. For shooters wanting a compact hunting bow, they owe it to themselves to give the Divergent an honest look. 75% let-off is not the high let-off option many shooters are leaning towards in 2019, but it was not long ago when 75% was the ideal specification either. This bow is a great hunting bow, and with only one let-off option, and less designer camo options being the only negatives, this bow deserves a lot of attention for only $699.