Mathews Traverse Review

Editors' review

The 2019 Mathews Traverse is not the official flagship bow from the Mathews camo, but many shooters giving the Traverse a shot do not agree. This bow takes the former Halon 32 platform and improves upon any complaints shooters may have had with the previous model. The cam system remains the same, but the new grip, new dampeners, and added inch of axle-to-axle measurement really does a great deal in making the bow feel like an entirely new model. The Traverse gives shooters an option for a 75% or 85% let-off, and an IBO rating of 338 feet per second with a brace height of 6 ⅝-inches. The Traverse also fits a large range of shooters with half-inch draw length adjustments from 26.5-32.5-inches. The 4.7-pounds overall barebow weight is a bit on the heavy side for many shooters, and the differences between the Halon 32 and the traverse may not be enough for some shooters to consider the Traverse. However, for a $1099 MSRP, and the outstanding feel the Traverse has through every aspect of the draw cycle is arguably one of the best from Mathews in recent years. It also has the ability to be used for every style of archery from hunting to target shooting.

Finish

The Traverse looks amazing in any of the ten finish options offered. With the Traverse having the potential to be used for any style of shooting, Mathews is offering the rig in target as well as hunting colors. For the shooters wanting a primary target bow, the Traverse is offered in blue, white, red, black, and stone. For those wanting a hunting finish, the Traverse can be purchased in Realtree Edge, Barren, Elevated II, Forest, and Subalpine. Shooters can also choose different risers and limbs if desired to have a mix and match look, but it may be tough to see one in person first since most bow shops will most likely stick to the solid color options. The camo patterns offer something for every shooter to choose from, and it is flawlessly applied to the riser and limbs. The contrast pops and really looks nice no matter which pattern shooters end up going with. The Mathews name is proudly displayed throughout different areas of the bow, but the graphics are tame and seem to blend tastefully into the overall look of the bow. From a brand perspective, the Traverse fits in very well, and shooters can appreciate the craftsmanship and attention to every detail placed on the Traverse.

Riser

The Traverse riser is very typical of the latest Mathews designs being extremely straight and without much reflex to the riser. The cutouts in the riser are typical of Mathews bows in recent years as well. The top and the bottom of the riser have the dual caged design to add strength and stability on each side of the grip. However, this adds some weight to the overall bow, and the 4.7-pounds barebow weight tips the scales a bit higher than some are willing to go. The overall weight does help create the dead in hand feel shooters love, but not everyone will be willing to make that trade off. The heavier weight may not be a deal breaker for treestand hunters without much distance to travel; however, for shooters hiking miles in the mountains, the added weight may be a deal breaker. For shooters wanting the Traverse as a target bow, the overall mass is not that bad considering the overall weight of other target bows on the market in 2019. Th 33-inch axle-to-axle measurement is almost all riser, which creates an extremely stable platform for shooters to stay on target as steadily as possible.The riser has a couple other nice features as well. Shooters can mount a front facing stabilizer with a back bar mount, or use the rear facing bushing to mount a stabilizer that way. The most recent Dead end Strip Stop System is used in addition to the 3D dampener system with the advanced Harmonic Stabilizer and Dampener to make after the shot as vibration free as possible.

Grip

The Engage grip is a newly designed grip from the Mathews camp, and it feels amazing. Mathews has gone through some grip choices over the last decade, and the Engage grip may become the most popular yet. It has a flat back, which follows the recent trend in the bowhunting world, and is pretty narrow. The older style grips had a shape and design some shooters felt uncomfortable with, while other shooters loved. The Engage grip feels great no matter how large or small a shooter's hand is. There is another option for grips Mathews released at the Archery Trade Association show, which is a first for Mathews in recent years. The new side plates have a thinner feel than the Engage grip does, but still feels great. The option Mathews created for shooters to choose their own grip is a great

Limbs

The Mathews Travers limb choices are fairly limited coming in only three configurations. Shooters can opt for the maximum draw weights of 50, 60, 70-pounds with the draw weight able to be lowered by 10-pounds. The limb decals are tastefully done, and the simple graphics are perfect. The limbs are a wide stance limb, which fit into a zero tolerance limb pocket keeping the limbs in perfect alignment to the riser for the entire draw cycle. The limbs do not come with a factory dampener, but the bow is about as silent as any other on the market, and those could be added from the aftermarket later on if shooters are interested in doing so. Most will see no need to add any sort of limb dampening system to an already tamed bow.

Eccentric System

The Traverse draw cycle feels familiar considering it is the same cam system as the Halon and Triax series. The Crosscentric cam system on the Travers platform is capable of draw lengths from 26.5-inches all the way out to 32.5-inches, which is a massive range, and provides those long draw shooters with limited options, another bow to choose from. Shooters have the ability to choose between 75% or 85% let-off to best meet their shooting style and personal preference. With the Traverse's ability to be used for every major style of archery, it is nice to see perhaps the two most popular choices being offered on the Traverse. It would be sweet to have a sliding let-off, giving shooters even more customization, but the two offerings available should meet the needs of most shooters anyways. The Traverse riser geometry allows the bow to have a 6 ⅝- inch brace height, giving it an IBO rating up to 338 feet per second. This is not a blazing fast bow, but the speeds are reasonable, and the draw cycle is smooth and easy.The Traverse cam is a culmination of a great deal of Mathews engineering resulting in the merger of two very popular cam designs. The Crosscentric cam system is a variation of the No Cam from a few years back, and the Advanced Vectoring System (AVS) is a carryover technology from the Monster series of bows. This cam system is easy to tune, easy to shoot, and produces one of the best after the shot feelings of any bow Mathews has ever created. The cams work along with each other to provide great nock travel, and a solid back wall feel shooters have come to love.

Draw Cycle/Shootability

The Traverse is a sweet shooting bow for not being a flagship model. It has a carryover cam technology, but on the other hand it is familiar and well backed with years of performance and testing in the field by real world archers. The draw cycle somehow feels smoother on the Traverse, and the two let-off choices are greatly appreciated. The back wall is solid, and the valley is nice allowing shooters to hold the Traverse back for what seems like forever. The long riser helps keep the pin steady downrange, and the overall weight does not feel too heavy to manage despite its 4.7-pounds. The Traverse balances well, and has the ability for shooters to add a rear mounting stabilizer to give the exact feel they want. The new grip is just about perfect as well. Those wanting to use the new one-piece will love how it feels, and the choice to have side plates added in the lineup for 2019 is a welcomed addition for many as well. As great as the Traverse is to draw and shoot, the best part of the shot sequence is after the arrow is released. Shooters are left with a feeling of almost nothingness given the limited noise and vibration after the arrow is released. Feeling nothing but a smile as the arrow hits it mark is pretty outstanding, and the Traverse does just that.

Usage Scenarios

The Traverse offers an opportunity for shooters to use the bow for a variety of purposes including 3D, hunting, and target archery. The Traverse is built on a hunting bow platform, but the 33-inch axle-to-axle measurement, and the overall 4.7-pound bow weight works great for all styles of shooting. There may be better bows available for each specific purposes, but shooters interested in a rig that does everything will appreciate how versatile this model is.

Mathews Traverse vs. Mathews Halon 32

Bow	Mathews Traverse	Mathews Halon 32 6
Version	2020	2018
Picture
Brace Height	6.625 "	6 "
AtA Length	33 "	32 "
Draw Length	26.5 " - 32.5 "	25.5 " - 31.5 "
Draw Weight	40 lbs - 70 lbs	30 lbs - 70 lbs
IBO Speed	338 fps	340 fps - 343 fps
Weight	4.7 lbs	4.73 lbs
Let-Off	75% or 85%	75% & 85%
Where to buy Best prices online	$699 to $1100 Compare prices	$600 to $1000 Compare prices
	compare more bows

These bows have been compared to each other since the Traverse was released back in November. They share similar specifications and the same cam system, but the feel of each bow is pretty different despite the minimal differences on paper. The Traverse holds steadier on target, feels smoother and quieter after the shot, and the new grip choices are truly spectacular. The Mathews Halon 32 6 is a fantastic shooting bow and had a large number of shooters several years ago as well as folks still holding onto them today. The Traverse is a refined Halon 32, and should appeal to the same type of shooter interested several years ago in the Halon 32.

Summary

The Traverse is a winner all around. Yes, it has an older style cam system, and it weighs more than other comparable size bows. However, the cam style is a beloved Mathews cam with proven performance and results, and the added weight will help the firm hold on target and will be hardly noticeable in most situations. The new grip is truly amazing, and feels just right in the hand of most shooters. The draw is comfortable, and very familiar for the Mathews faithful, and the feeling after the shot is just about perfect. Although the Mathews Traverse is not the flagship bow for the current model year, it is still going to have a large following of shooters. The $1099 price tag is competitive in the field of high end hunting bows, and the Traverse's ability to be used for every style of compound archery makes it a bit more appealing for consumers wanting one bow to do absolutely everything. For those on the market for a new rig, the Traverse feels great, and is going to make a lot of people proud to display the Mathews sticker.