Bowtech Reign 6 Review

Editors' review

Bowtech engineers are taking the "Smartbow" concept even further by designing some great features allowing shooters to tweak their rigs without using a bow press. The Reign 6 shoots up to 350 feet per second when shooting in the performance setting paired with a 6-inch brace height and a reasonable 4.3-pounds bare bow weight. The Smartbow technologies are used in conjunction with each other to tune individually for each shooter, and the Powershift allows shooters to choose exactly how they want the bow to feel while being drawn, which will impact the performance a bit as well. The vastly popular Overdrive Binary Cam System carries over to the 2017 lineup as well, which is not a bad thing necessarily, but basically using the same cam could keep those not liking the draw cycle away from Bowtech, and those already owning an Overdrive bow little reason to upgrade to a new model. The $1099 MSRP is fair for a bow of this caliber, but the market value of the Reign 6 may be a bit too pricey for some shooters to manage. Overall, the Reign 6 is a nice shooting bow with a great deal to offer shooters interested in a speed bow. With the addition of some sweet looking camo patterns, the Reign 6 should be on the list of bows to shoot for anyone on the market in 2017 with a larger budget.

Finish

It was not long ago when Bowtech offered only a few traditional camo patterns along with black ops and called it a lineup. 2017 is a bit different than those times, and offers a total of six patterns for shooters to choose from. Blackops and Mossy Oak Break-up Country are the more traditional patterns available. However, shooters can now opt for Kyptec Highlander, Kryptec Altitude, Kryptec Raid, or Sitka's Optifade Elevated II. These patterns all look amazing on the bow, and the riser design helps give the bow a little attitude allowing the rig to pop just a little bit more. In the past, Bowtech had some issues regarding the finish not staying on the carbon core limbs very well. Recently, this issue has been less of an issue, and shooters should be more confident with the durability of the finish options offered for 2017.

Riser

The Center Pivot Extreme (CPX) Riser design is not a new integration for Bowtech. However, it is one they have a great deal of history perfecting and fine tuning over the years to give shooters a fantastic end product. The riser offers some pretty cool cutout designs, and leaves the bare bow tipping the scales at a fairly heavy 4.3-pounds. The idea behind a CPX riser is to take the speed characteristics of a reflexed riser and combine them with the accuracy and forgiveness of a deflexed riser. To do this, the riser is designed to have a separate connection point halfway between the limb pocket and the axel of the bow. This new pivot point allows the riser to have features of both a reflexed and a deflexed riser design. Bowtech also claims this design helps a great deal with keeping noise and vibration at an absolute minimum as well.The CPX riser technology continues to the FLX-Guard. This roller cable containment system flexes inward toward the center of the bow as the string is drawn, which on a stationary cable guard system would transfer the torque to the riser instead. As the FLX moves towards the riser, it returns quickly as the string is released to not cause any sort of contact with the arrow or fletching. The dampener wrapped around the guard also keeps the noise down and the vibration of the movement away from the shooters hand. In the end, the goal is to keep torque away from the riser, which will impact the downrange accuracy.For additional dampening, the Reign 6 also incorporates a rear mounted string stop system. This has been used for years, but it keeps the string from oscillating to rest after the shot, and helps the string stay off shooters clothing in some hunting situations. The Bowtech engineers have also added what they call an outrigger to the bottom back of the riser. This not only helps with vibration, but it also helps offset a bit of weight and maintains a greater balance at the shot for shooters, since it is slightly weighted.  

Grip

The Bowtech grip has wooden side plates fixed to the riser cutouts. It has a tapered feel to fit well in the shooters hand. The grip is a bit on the thicker side, but the taper really helps it stay in place and not feel too large. Those used to the Bowtech feel will have no issues with the grip. However, shooters transitioning from a different style grip may experience some frustration in learning the proper hand placement. The grip finishes are pretty slick looking, and the wooden side plates do give the bow a nice high-class finish.  

Limbs

The carbon core limb technology remains the staple for the limb choice on the Reign 6 in 2017. Like other limbs, the Reign limbs are layered and held together with a resin. The difference with Bowtech's design is the carbon core, which is supposed to be more durable and stronger. Draw weights are achieved as the bow is drawn and the limbs flex. With a stronger carbon center, the limbs theoretically flex less, which allows the bow to reach its maximum draw weight without flexing as much as it normally would without the carbon center. Bowtech sells the Reign with the option of 50, 60, and 70-pound maximum limbs, and they can be adjusted lower in ten-pound increments.The pocket system has a little different configuration as well because it has to work along with the CPX riser to provide a pivot point at the middle of the limb to get the benefits of a reflexed and deflexed riser. This style riser requires to connections points on the split limb design so the bow and limbs securely fasten and have a place to pivot at the midway point. The limb pocket blends in with the rest of the bow, and does not distract from the finish options available.

Eccentric System

The Overdrive Binary Cam System has been used with Bowtech bows for a while now, and the technology is proven and field-tested to be what many shooters are looking for in regards to performance and shootability combined. Engineers have done some tweaking to the features of the Overdrive Binary Cam System to allow some more adjustment and customization of the cams, while still keeping the same basic features shooters have come to love from a characteristic Bowtech bow.The Reign 6 will accommodate shooters ranging from 24-30-inches in half-inch increments using a modular based draw length adjustment system while shooting an IBO rating up to 350 feet per second. This is not too shabby considering the smooth and comfortable draw cycle produced by the engineers at Bowtech. The Flip disc technology allows for two distinct performance settings. One setting is for shooters to get the most speed available, while the other is a more comfortable setting. This disc can be removed and replaced to either setting fairly easily without the need for a bow press.The design of the Overdrive Binary Cam System allows the cams to be perfectly in sync with each other as the bow is drawn. This means as the string is drawn the top and bottom cam let out and take up cable at the exact same rate keeping the timing of the bow and perfect nock travel throughout the entire draw cycle. As the cable stretches overtime, shooters may notice the nock is not perfectly behind the arrow at all times, or there is a bit of variance. The Micro Sync Dial allows for ten distinct positions for shooters to adjust how the cables fit with the cam, essentially adding twists to the cables without tearing the bow apart, or needing a bow press. Of course with split yolks on the top and bottom cams, shooters have the ability to do major adjustments the old fashioned way. The Micro Sync Dial allows for smaller, faster adjustments, even from the treestand if necessary.  

Draw Cycle/Shootability

The Reign 6 is a performance bow, and as such feels very similar to older Bowtech speed bows powered by the Overdrive Binary Cam System. The draw cycle can be tweaked to have a more aggressive feel in the performance setting, or a more comfortable draw when the flip disc is used the other way. On the performance setting, the valley is a bit shorter, and the back wall is a little more finicky. Shooters still wanting a 6-inch brace height bow with a little more of a comfortable draw will appreciate the comfort setting, which has a larger valley, and a less touchy back wall. With the exception of the back wall and valley, both options seem to draw well, and roll through the transitions nicely. On target, the balance is great, and the Reign 6 wants to hold steady on target. The arrow speed after the shot is impressive, and the dead in the hand feeling after the shot along with virtually no noise is an added bonus of the Bowtech engineering behind the Reign 6. The 4.3-pounds bare bow never feels heavy in the hand or holding on target. The 32 5/8-inch axel-to-axel measurement is a great compromise between a short compact bow for hunting with a longer frame for some added stability. The Reign is a pleasure to shoot, and the cams performance is outstanding for the kind of draw cycle it offers.

Usage Scenarios 

The Bowtech Reign 6 is a designed hunting bow, which will do well on the practice range and 3D shoots with friends. As a straight up competition bow, shooters are sure to find something a little more fit for winning tournaments. The Reign 6 will shoot well, and the CPX technology will allow it to feel a bit more like a target bow, but ultimately the bow is best suited as a hunting rig.

Reign 6 vs. Reign 7

Bow	Bowtech Reign 6	Bowtech Reign 7
Version	2018	2018
Picture
Brace Height	6 "	7 "
AtA Length	32.625 "	32.625 "
Draw Length	24 " - 30 "	25 " - 31 "
Draw Weight	40 lbs - 70 lbs	40 lbs - 70 lbs
IBO Speed	350 fps	340 fps
Weight	4.3 lbs	4.3 lbs
Let-Off	80%	80%
Where to buy Best prices online	$499 to $1100 Compare prices	$475 to $900 Compare prices
	compare more bows

Bowtech Reign 6 & Bowtech Reign 7 are identical except the brace height, which also impacts the speed of each bow. Despite the CPX technology and Bowtech engineers get the best of both riser designs, some shooters are still not comfortable shooting a bow with a 6-inch brace height. For those shooters, the 7-inch version may be a better choice, while still getting a decent amount of speed out of the bow. For shooters demanding the most speed, or wanting the ability to shoot an extremely heavy arrow for more kinetic energy, the 6-inch version may be more appealing. This decision will be more based on personal preference than anything given the same technologies incorporated into each bow. For those set on a Bowtech, you really cannot go wrong with either one of the choices.

Summary

The Regin 6 is a great shooting bow. It has a premium suggested price tag of a $1099, but keep in mind that number is comparable with other flagship model bows on the market for 2017 from giant companies like Bowtech. The Reign offers a great deal of tinkering for shooters that like to play with their set ups or want to get the absolute best performance possible. Most of the tweaking can be done without the need for a bow press, which makes it even more appealing for some shooters. Although the ability to toy and tinker on the Reign 6, most shooters are not going to utilize these features, especially after the initial set up of the bow. Therefore, the "Smartbow" technology becomes more gimmicky than practical. Understand the technology is useful, and it will help fine-tune every part of the bow and how the arrow flies. However, after the bow is set up and shooting well, the tinkering should no longer be needed. The Reign 6 is a wonderful performance centered hunting bow, and has the specifications most hunters are interested in regarding overall size and performance. The new finish options are a great addition, and shooters with a larger budget should no doubt give the Reign 6 a few test shots.