Editors' review
The Bear Revival is perfectly named because it is getting Bear back into the target world again with an offering that is at the most affordable price point for a new target bow of any on the market at only $699. For new target archers wanting to dip their toes into the indoor or 3D world, the price of compound target rigs are generally close to what a shooter would expect to spend on a fully rigged out hunting bow with some relatively nice accessories. For those just wanting to try it out, that is a giant commitment, or means shooters will have to look into something used in order to keep the price down. The Bear Revival at $699 allows shooters to get a 37.5-inch axle to axle target bow, which would do indoor or 3D equally well, draw weights from 45-70-pounds, and draw lengths of 27.5-30-inches to accommodate almost everyone interested in a target bow, and they are available in right and left handed models. Many times budget friendly models are only available in right handed dexterity, but in the case of the Revival, all shooters can use this bow. Bear is only offering the Revival in two finish options, and has some limits on customization many dedicated target shooters are not going to love, but these are really minor cons because the price is less than half what competitors would sell a comparable target bow in regards to specifications for. For anyone new to the target world, or just not interested in spending high end target bow prices, the Bear Revival is going to be really great.
Finish
Bear has never been known for a large number of finish options for their rigs, and that remains true for the Revival as well. In the case of the Revival, the two options are Iron and One Nation Midnight. Both of these colors are nice looking offerings thanks to the in-house dipping process Bear uses for their rigs. Each riser is hand prepped and cleaned and then sent over to their state of the art hydrographics dipping machine. After the bows are dipped, any touch up required is finished up by hand to give a perfect end result for a long lasting product that looks great. The two options will look nice with the shooter's other equipment installed given their somewhat neutral color to start. Some shooters have mentioned finish needing to be removed from the threads on the models they purchased in order to stall accessories, but that is easy enough to do. Many target shooters get heavily involved with customizing their bows making them as loud or as much of a personal statement as possible, which will not be an option with the Revival only having two choices to choose from. However, with the price of the Revival, shooters really wanting a different color would be able to get it dipped in whatever aftermarket options are available, and it would still be far cheaper than a new target bow from any other major brand.
Riser
The Revival riser looks like a standard target bow riser with an ever so slight reflex design. Bear engineers chose to keep things simple in terms of the technology integrated, and did not carry over much of their flagship technology to the target bow side of things. The cable slide is a standard rod and slide system used for years, but in modern times is typically replaced with some type of roller system or flexible cable slide system instead. Target archers are notorious for playing with different setups and making adjustments in hopes of cutting as many valuable lines as possible. The Bear riser does not offer that option with limited stabilizer mounting holes integrated into the riser design. Shooters will still be able to get the balanced feel they prefer, but it may not be as easy as some other rigs with multiple mounting holes. There is also a standard string stop system used as well. Although there is not much with the Revival in terms of Earth shattering, or industry leading technology what has been added functions as designed and works appropriately. If shooters demand the latest and greatest technology offered, and want a great deal of stabilizer mounting locations to toy with, the Revival is not the bow for them. Those not getting too caught up in the marketing and new technology and just want a bow, the Revival may be more appealing.
Grip
The Revival grip is directly integrated into the riser design and feels really great. The thickness of the grip feels comfortable and the flat back is easy to get used to as well. There are cutouts in the grip area to help keep the weight down and balanced, but they do not impact how the grip feels in any way. It would be nice to see a one-piece grip that fits over this one to give shooters a couple of options to choose from. Many high-end target models have a few factory options shooters can choose from since the grip is so personal in terms of what feels nice. For the price point, it is understandable to have limited options, but from a selfish standpoint it would be nice to have options.
Limbs
The Revival limbs are split limbs like the rest of their flagship models made of fiberglass and offered in two configurations for a draw weight range of 45-70-pounds. The lighter limbs offer a 15-pound adjustment from 45-60-pounds, and the higher poundage limbs are 55-70-pounds. These offerings are great in allowing shooters to choose which draw weight makes the most sense for them, but are far from ideal for those who like to have their limbs maxed out at peak weight because that limits shooters to 60 or 70-pounds.
Eccentric System
The Revival gets a hybrid cam system as the power supplier like many other Bear rigs have in the current lineup. This is something Bear has designed to be pretty comfortable, and shoots acceptable performance as well. The hybrid cam is adjustable from 26-30.5 inches with a rotating cam module. Shooters will not need a press, or a different module to change the draw length, which helps with the initial set up, and any adjustments shooters may want to make later on to fine tune their exact draw length. The let-off is a bit of a let down with the cams only capable of 75% let-off. Although 75% is super popular on the target line, and in the 3D woods, it would be great to see Bear offer shooters an option or a few different choices. Again, target shooters are tinkerers and they like to fine tune and mess with their setups to get them the exact feel they are looking for. To not have this option may turn some shooters away. With that being said, most experienced target shooters will not be looking at the entry level Bear Revival, so it may not be that big of a deal in the end anyways. In terms of performance, the Revival is rated for 320 feet per second, and should not have much issue meeting that mark. So no speed demon, but pretty comfortable to shoot with a forgiving 7-inch brace height.
Draw Cycle/Shootability
The Revival is a relatively large bow, and handles as such when shooting. The rig is sturdy on target, holds pretty well, and can be balanced the way a shooter wants with front mounting stabilizers and side rod bars. The draw cycle is acceptable, but not fine tunable at all. Target guys are getting accustomed to having target bows with endless tunability and preferences. The Bear Revival does not have that. What you see is exactly what you get with the Revival, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. For the marketed user of the Revival, it is going to be just fine the bow is not as customizable as others on the market, and for half the price, no one should expect it to be directly comparable to those rigs. After the shot, there is some felt vibration in the hand, and shooters will more than likely want to install an aftermarket limb dampening system to help get rid of that feeling. However, the arrow is zippy enough and the bow is comfortable to hold on target. All in all, the Revival is a nice shooting target bow with one amazing price tag.
Usage Scenarios
The Revival is a target bow shooters will be able to use for just about any competitive archery style available to compound bow users. Based on the specifications alone, it would be popular among those interested in indoor spots or 3D leagues. The Revival does not have any industry leading technology, but the price point makes it affordable and available to just about every shooter. For those interested in getting started into target archery, the Revival is worth considering given its price. For those super serious or with a little more knowledge about tinkering with their target set ups, the Revival may be too simple considering the limited ability to make adjustments.
Summary
For diehard Bear Archery shooters, there has not been an option for a dedicated target or 3D bow. Bear has focused their energy on creating a huge variety of compound hunting bows of varying specifications and price points to have one of the most well rounded lineups in all of archery. The Revival aims to change that with Bear making available a fully dedicated target bow. For the target archery who loves to tinker with their bow in order to get the best balance and feel for them, the Revival is relatively limited. The Revival also has no major technology integrated into its design, and even has fewer upgrades than some of Bear's high end flagship hunting bows. However, target archery is expensive. Sights can be priced as high as $450, and that's just to house the scope, which is hundreds more. For those just starting out in target archery, an all inclusive peep sight kit is $200. For a compound target bow to be offered at only $699, many people who would not otherwise be able to start in target archery will get to try out the sport, and that is awesome. Target archery is a great way to keep shooting all year round when hunting season is not open and to make it available to so many additional shooters is truly amazing. The Revival may not have the best technology, and for veteran target archers, it may lack some features to fine tune the bow to the shooter. However, for those wanting to get started in target archery with a nice shooting bow for the best deal in the target world, the Revival may be the bow for them!
