Editors' review
The 2020 Kure is an awesome new hunting bow from Elite, that is sure to make a ton of hunters really happy. The bow has an axle-to-axle measurement of 31 13/16-inches, which meets the newer hunting bow trend of being compact and maneuverable. The bare bow weight is a bit on the heavy side, with a 4.6-pounds weight before adding accessories. This is really heavy for the size of the bow, but shooters could argue how much more steady the bow will be holding on target with the added weight. The Elite engineers have fully redesigned the cam system, which offers a draw length range of 23-30-inches, with a brand new rotating module. Shooters can also choose between a brand new cable stop or the beloved limb stop system as well. The cable slide system is adjustable, and the new S.E.T. system allows shooters to change the angle of the limbs to get the best arrow flight and tune possible out of their new bow. With all these adjustments, Elite is really giving shooters the best of tunability and shootability available in 2020, and many of those adjustments can be done without the need for a bow press. With the new cable design, it is possible for shooters to see the cable in their sight window, which may take some getting used to initially, but should not interfere with how well the how shoots in the long run. The suggested retail price of $1099 is comparable to other flagship models on the market, but that price tag is still on the upper end of what some hunters are able to spend on their new hunting rig. Ultimately, the Elite Kure is a sweet shooter for those who love the typical Elite feel, and also offers a different feel for those who want a spongier back wall with the newly integrated cable stop option. For those on the market for a new hunting bow, the Elite Kure is worth taking the Elite Challenge.
Finish
Elite bows are amazingly finished with some high quality patterns built to last the torture tests hunters put on their equipment. The Kure is available in a large number of finishes, but it would be great to see a few more camo options offered. Elite gives shooters the ability to mix and match colors and patterns, but only three camo patterns is a bit disappointing considering how many are on the market in 2020. For riser hunting colors, shooters can get Ninja Black, Hardwoods Brown, Olive Green, RealTree Escape, RealTree Edge, and Kuiu Verde. Shooters can also choose from a large number of Rhinodized target colored risers as well. The Rhinodized finish is a proprietary coating Elite has offered for several years, which has become well known for its durability and great aesthetics. The Rhinodized riser colors include: Sour Apple, Laguna Teal, Graphite Gray, Purple Rain, Cobalt Blue, Silver Alloy, and Copper Flame. Although these patterns may not be the best hunting bow options, they look stunning, and will be great for shooters wanting the Kure as a 3D rig. The limbs are offered in Ninja Black, and the three camo patterns. No matter shooter's style, Elite delivers on the Kure rig, with a rough and tough finish built to last. Adding a few additional camo patterns would be icing on the caked for Elite lovers, but the three patterns offered look amazing.
Riser
The Elite Kure is a hunting bow for shooters wanting the most out of a compact design without compromising a great deal in terms of stability. The Kure offers an axle-to-axle measurement of 31 13/16-inches, which is fairly compact for 2020. The bow has the characteristic riser cages on top of the sight mount, and below the grip area. Both of these cages are designed to add stability and strength to the riser like in previous years, and the more elongated look on the bottom cage makes the Kure look really sharp. The overall weight of the bow is a bit shocking with a listed mass weight of 4.6-pounds. This weight is fairly common in the hunting world recently, although it seems a touch heavy given the more compact design. The benefit of a heavier bow seems to outweigh those of lighter rigs given the trend of hunting bows weighing more and more each year, but this may be too heavy for some shooters based on how they decide to use the bow.From a function and technology standpoint, the rest of the riser is fairly straight forward from what we have seen from Elite in the past. The riser is redesigned in terms of how it looks, but keeps much of the technology Elite has always integrated. For example, the S2S Cable Guide System is used again this year. This carbon bar gives shooters side to side adjustment allowing for properly tuning a huge range of fletching based on individual preferences. This guide also helps to eliminate torque and riser flex forced on the system as the bow is drawn. The Kure also has a rear mounted string stop, which is standard across the board in 2020. Shooters also have a front and rear facing stabilizer mounting bushing for those wanting some counter balance or some added dampening adding a stabilizer can offer. Elite also has a dual holes for attaching rests allowing the rest to fully tighten down against the riser. The flat riser shelf, with a bit of an arrow trough is also great for shooters to use any arrow rest they want.
Grip
The Elite grip gets a slight makeover with the Kure for 2020 as well. The grip is a little narrower than it was in previous model years, but the shape and feel are still familiar for those Elite enthusiasts not wanting the grip to change. The grip has a nice feel, and is ergonomically placed to almost force shooters to have the proper hand placement. It is pretty uncomfortable to hold the bow without proper hand positioning, and that should be a good thing for most shooters, even if it takes a little getting used to. The sides of the grip have wooden plates, but those do not add much in terms of feel. It helps dress the bow up a little and adds a premium look to the bow overall, but they will not feel any different on the grip or removed. The largest downside of the grip for hunters will be how cold the handle will be as an integrated part of the riser. The aluminum will be cold on early morning sits in the treestand. That is not unique to Elite grips, but something to consider for those wanting to spend the most amount of time in the woods as they can.
Limbs
Peak draw weights are available in 40, 50, 60, 65, and 70-pounds, with a safe adjustment of ten pounds for each configuration. The 65-pound limbs are a great offering to make available for shooters, but it would be nice for some to see 80-pounders as well. As smooth as the cams draw, and with the massive let-off Elite is known for, 80-pound limbs would not be all that difficult for shooters to manage. However, what is available is appreciated, and should meet the needs of most shooters wanting a new flagship hunting bow.The limbs outfitting the Kure are a split limb design seen in recent years on the Elite models. These limbs have proven tough and durable since Elite made the switch from solid limb technology, and come equipped with a factory installed split limb dampener to keep the bow as quiet as possible. The limbs do feature a wider stance than used before, which should be more stable and perhaps offer better performance than in the past. Elite also integrated into the pockets a VibeX Block. These blocks are designed into the limb gap or 3/4 or 1-inch in order to pivot with the limbs to reduce the dynamic vibration of the limbs. This is another way Elite is looking out to provide shooters with the best possible experience they can.The pockets are where the real technology comes into play on the Kure. The Stabilock Pockets are fully redesigned to include the Simplified Exact Tuning (S.E.T.) Technology. These pockets are firm fitting to the limbs and riser to keep everything as securely fastened as possible with no room for wiggle. The S.E.T. Technology has the ability to be a straight up game changer in how shooters tune their rigs. This built in pocket adjustment micro adjusts the limbs angle into the pockets to correct any sort of imperfection during the tuning process. Instead of having to adjust the cams (which can still be shimmed if needed) this adjustment can have the same effect on paper tuning, walk back tuning, and broadhead tuning. Micro-adjustments for each individual shooter's needs, based on their prefered setup of choice, without needing a bow press. How sweet is that? From first impressions, this system seems to be very well done, and gives shooters another option to tuning their rigs for the best arrow flight. This type of innovation has the potential to be a serious game changer in the archery world, and Elite shooters should be thrilled to have this level of tunability in such a user friendly design. The riser even has which way the adjustment should go based on the paper tear to make adjustments absolutely foolproof.
Eccentric System
Elite went all out with the technology for the 2020 Kure introducing a brand new cam system to the mix as well. The new cam, known as the Asym Tri-Track Cams are truly special for shooters as well. When paired with the Kure, the cams adjust in half-inch increments from 23-30-inches. The Kure shoots up to 335 feet per second, which is not super fast, but also produces enough energy to kill whatever shooters are interested in pursuing. Unlike other Elite cams, the all-new Asym Tri-Track System has a rotating modular based system as well, which means no mare cam modules. The Versa Mods are easy to adjust, and no bow press is needed to make the adjustments. The fully-synchronized system does not stop there for adjustments either. The let-off is also fully adjustable as well from 70-90%. Now, the draw let-off can not be set at say 82%, because there are four locations, each about 5% difference between each other, but that is still a ton of options for shooters to get the specific draw they want. Elite is known for the let-off and back wall. With the Kure, shooters can also opt for cable stops as well. If they prefer having a spongier back wall, instead of the rock hard feel, shooters can opt for that with the new limbs. Everything Elite has changed allos shooters more say in how they want their bow to feel overall, and that is awesome. The speeds are a bit on the slow side, but Elite has always been about shootability, and the Kure seems to have that in spades.
Draw Cycle/Shootability
The Kure is a dream bow to shoot. Everything about the bow is customizable from the fletching clearance, the valley, the feeling of the back wall, and how the bow balances with the front and rear mounting stabilizers. The S.E.T. system also gives shooters more control than ever before in fine tuning their rigs for the best arrow flight, all without needing a bow press. The new grip feels amazing, and is easy to get used to. The bow aims well, and does not feel too heavy while holding on target even though the mass weight is a bit on the heavy side. The arrow releases silently, and the vibration is nothing after the shot. Perhaps the most frustrating part of shooting the bow is that the cables can be seen in the sight picture for many shooters. This will more than likely not be bothersome after getting used to seeing them, but the first few shots it may be hard to look past. The draw can be the typical Elite feeling cam, or it can be tuned to have an entirely different feel. The Kure is going to make an amazing hunting bow for anyone interested in a new Elite for 2020.
Usage Scenarios
The 2020 Kure is a premium hunting bow from the company with one of the most distinguished draw cycles in all of archery. This rig can be adjusted to fit each shooter, and has some really amazing features to make it an outstanding hunting rig. For most shooters, the Kure will be a hunting bow, with some use on 3D courses during the summer to fine tune shooting skills. For super serious 3D and target shooters, Elite offers the 2020 Rezult, which is a legit bow for any style of competitive archery. Shooters will easily adjust to the Kure, and its exceptional shootability, but it will not be used by many shooters as a do it all kind of bow Elite has made available in the past.
Summary
The Kure adapts to each shooter, without the need for a bow press, to match exactly how shooters like their rigs to feel. The 31 13/16- inch axle-to-axle is somewhat compact, while still maintaining some stability. The mass weight is a bit heavy, but the Kure carries the weight well, and never feels unbalanced or uncomfortable. For those wanting a solid performing hunting bow, the Kure is competitively priced with other flagship hunting models, and offers more customization than elite has ever provided on a hunting bow. It would be nice for Elite to offer some additional camo patterns, although the three included look great. It may take some getting used to seeing the cable in the sight picture. The bow may be too slow for some shooters, and may be too heavy for others. However, all these are personal preference items. The Kure is a flat out shooter, and that is not based on personal feeling. For those on the market for a flatout hunting bow, the Kure has a comfortable shot and is easy to hold on target. For an MSRP of $1099, the 2020 Elite Kure is worth a test shot for anyone interested in a top end hunting bow with interest in tinkering to get the desired set up personally outfitted to each shooter and their equipment.
