Bowtech Fanatic 3.0 Review

Editors' review

Bowtech is getting back into the target archery market, and the Bowtech Fanatic 3.0 is the latest offering from their camp. Some target bows are significantly different in technology and feel from hunting bows, which can be difficult for shooters to adjust to. The Fanatic 3.0 is not like that at all, and in fact shares some popular technology from their hunting lineup to give shooters a bow that is a bit more familiar to shoot. The Overdrive Binary Cam System is a staple of the Bowtech lineup for years, and it is offered on the Fanatic 3.0 in a shorter SD or longer XL model. The Fanatic gets a stiffer riser, newly designed grip, new rear stabilizer mount, and additional sight bracket threads as upgrades from the previous Fanatic 2.0 offered last year. Bowtech understands the importance of engineering a target bow without any compromises because the stakes of target shooting are often times high. Unfortunately, this means the suggested retail price for the Fanatic 3.0 is $1499. To be fair, this is a competitively priced target bow, but the sticker shock is still real. For those interested in a target bow with some hunting bow characteristics, the Bowtech Fanatic 3.0 may be a serious contender.

Finish

The Bowtech target lineup is outfitted with a total of seven different color options, which look pretty sweet in person. The finish options include: Ano-Black, Ano-Blue, Ano-Green, Ano-Orange, Ano-Purple, Ano-Red, and White. The finishes feel very durable, and when considering this bow could spend time at 3D tournaments in a limb clamp or on the ground, it is a nice touch to see. The colors really pop, and the look of the bow is premium. Some target archers like to keep the camo finish on their rigs, but Bowtech went with what most shooters prefer, and that means having more color. It looks like Bowtech will do well with this finish and the colors available for this bow.

Riser

Upon first glance, the riser looks very similar, if not identical to the Fanatic 2.0. However, upon a closer look, shooters will see some positive changes to make it a bit more appealing. The new riser gets a rear mounted stabilizer mount, which most target archers will utilize. The riser also gains additional sight bracket threads to fully optimize where the sight will best mount for each shooter. Bowtech also claims the new Fanatic 3.0 riser is 10% stiffer riser than the outgoing model. The geometry of the new riser also creates a forgiving 7.38-inch brace height on the XL version and a 7-inches brace height on the SD version. Each model of the Fanatic 3.0 features a 37.75-inch axel-to-axel measurement and weighs a bare bow weight of 4.75-pounds. The riser also includes the Bowtech designed FLX roller guard for keeping the cables in the best spot possible.

Grip

The Fanatic 3.0 gets a brand new grip upgrade from the 2.0 grip. The new grip design is wider and fatter than the outgoing model, and this hopefully means a sturdier hold on target. The throat portion of the grip is slightly rounded, which for some shooters gives an illusion of it being a little thinner than other same sized grips without the rounded edges. The flat back grip matches the feel of what many other target bows, and even hunting bows, are leaning towards. Some shooters may find the rounded grips more comfortable, but from a performance and repeatability standpoint, the flat back typically gets the nod. This grip, designed in part by feedback from the Bowtech pro staff members, should be easy to switch to, and being integrated into the riser could be easily modified with grip tape for those wanting a more personalized feel.

Limbs

Bowtech is known for split carbon core limbs, and the Fanatic 3.0 stays with that trend. The split limbs are fixed at the front of the riser, and also farther back as part of the hunting bow riser technology Bowtech named the Center Pivot Extreme (CPX). This helps the limbs support the draw weight and cam torque well, and the zero tolerance pockets keeps everything in the right spot. The Fanatic 3.0 limbs are available in maximum draw weights of 40, 50, 60, and 70-pounds. The Carboncore limbs have had some issues in the past, but the last several years, Bowtech has seemed to address them.

Eccentric System

Some target rigs have a cam system, which has a very distinct feel, typically much different than how hunting bows feel. The Bowtech Fanatic will not be this way because they chose to use the Overdrive Binary Cam System and Powershift Technology, which are used on Bowtech's hunting lineup as well. The binary cam system has been the flagship model powerhouse for a long time gaining a great deal of popularity. One of the most loved features about the Overdrive Cam System is the adjustability offered. The cams are adjustable on the XL version from 28.5-32.5-inches, and the SD model from 24-29-inches. Either option has a let off of 65 or 80% and an IBO rating of 315 or 320 feet per second depending on which cam shooters opt for. The cams also come with a triangle or round draw stop depending on the feel shooters are going for. Shooters can also utilize the Powershift disc in order to create the best feeling draw cycle.

Draw Cycle/Shootability

The Overdrive cam system does not disappoint when paired with the long riser the Fanatic offers. The bow feels as great as any of the Bowtech hunting rigs on the market, and with the Powershift technology, can be fully adjusted to match exactly what shooters want out of their bow in regards to a draw force curve. Target archers are typically drawn to low let off modules, but those wanting less holding weight will be pleasantly surprised with the 80% modules. Shooters can even choose how the back wall feels using either of the draw stop pegs included from the factory. The bow balances well, and does not feel heavy even though it is pushing the 5-pound mark. For setting up, the added sight holes in addition to the rear-mounting stabilizer make the Fanatic a contender for anyone wanting a high-end target shooter. The brace heights are forgiving, the speeds are decent, and the long 37.75-inch brace height gives shooters an outstanding platform to start from. The new grip is comfortable and effortlessly fits right where it should. For a target bow, it is really hard to find anything to critique in regards to first impressions.

Usage Scenarios

The Bowtech Fanatic 3.0 is a target bow, and specs out very competitively with other 2018 target rigs. As mentioned in this review, the Fanatic 3.0 shares some technology with Bowtech hunting bows, which means the Fanatic, could potentially be used in the woods. However, for a dedicated hunting bow, there are several options shooters will more than likely find better in the woods based on a hunting bows overall design. If shooters are primarily target archers, and want to dabble a bit in the hunting side of the industry, this bow may meet their needs better than other target bows. With that being said, the Fanatic is designed to toe the line indoors or shoot 3D targets in serious competitions.

Fanatic 3.0 vs. Fanatic 2.0

Bow	Bowtech Fanatic 3.0	Bowtech Fanatic 2.0
Version	2018 SD Cam System	2016 29 Cam System
Picture
Brace Height	7 "	7.13 "
AtA Length	37.75 "	37.5 "
Draw Length	24 " - 29 "	24 " - 29 "
Draw Weight	30 lbs - 70 lbs	30 lbs - 70 lbs
IBO Speed	320 fps	308 fps
Weight	4.7 lbs	4.7 lbs
Let-Off	65% or 80%	65, 70, 80%
Where to buy Best prices online	Not available now. Please check later.	Not available now. Please check later.
	compare more bows

Both of these bows are well equipped for serious target archers, and actual feature some of the same technologies. With that being said, the new grip, stiffer riser, added sight holes, and the rear stabilizer-mounting hole are all features target archers should appreciate. For many target archers, the new features will be difficult to turn down when considering the 3.0 and the 2.0. However, some shops may have a price break on the Bowtech Fanatic 2.0 in order to sell some left over stock. If that is the case, shooters may need to decide if the added features are worth the larger price tag.

Summary

The Fanatic 3.0 is a pretty decent upgrade over the outgoing 2.0. The added features are all highly sought after for most shooters on the market for a new target bow, and Bowtech delivered. It is also a decent selling point the Overdrive Binary Cam System feels just like a hunting bow to help shooters more easily make the transition to target archery. These cams have been around for a long time, and there is good reason for that considering the performance and adjustability offered. The price tag is pricey, but not more than competitors in the target world. Shooters interested in this caliber of compound bow are serious archers, and the Fanatic 3.0 should live up to that type of hype.