Editors' review
The Blaze lives up to its name as the fastest bow Mission has prodiced. With an MSRP of under $600, it is hard to find anything wrong with the Mission Blaze. For about the same price as many flagship bows, shooters can have a brand new Mission Blaze fully rigged out ready to shoot. The AVS cam system is adjustable in half-inch increments between 26-30 shooting IBO speeds up to 340 feet per second. With a mass weight of 4.3-pounds, some may feel that is a little too heavy, but others will really like the extra weight for holding on target. The grip is a bit on the bulky side as well, but again, for $599 it is tough to complain.
Finish
Mission is made by the wonderful Mathews archery bow company and with that comes the Mathews exclusive Lost Camo AT pattern. This finish option is fantastic, and only offered on Mission and Mathews products. Shooters not interested in an all camo bow have the option to go all black as well. Regardless of which option shooters go with, the bow looks great, especially coupled with the stock wooden grip and orange limb graphics. Despite the relatively small price tag, the bow has a high-end look to it. It would be nice if Mission offered a few different options, but the two available are nice offerings.
Riser
The Mission riser is forged aluminum to help cut down on the cost of materials used and the overall bottom line. With that being said, it is strong enough to produce great results shot after shot in terms of accuracy and repeatability. With an overall mass weight of 4.3-pounds, some fat could have been trimmed to make it the 33-inch axel-to-axel bow a bit lighter although many shooters prefer a heavier rig. The string stop system is not adjustable like many, but still serves its purpose nicely stopping the string from causing excessive vibration and noise after the shot. There is also a front mounting stabilizer bushing for shooters wanting a stabilizer. To further help with vibration, the riser has round hole cut out near the bottom limb pocket. The Harmonic Stabilizer is color customizable and does a fantastic job keeping vibration away from the shooters hand.
Grip
The Blaze sports a classic walnut grip that adds a great deal to the overall appearance of the bow. The grip feels a bit on the bulky side in hand. The bigger grip will take a bit to get used to. Proper shooting form is not tough to achieve with the thicker grip after a while, but it will take some time shooting before it feels natural. Mission retailers are able to personally engrave the wooden grip as well for those wanting a really cool customization feature not offered by many bows much more expensive.
Limbs
The Mission Blaze has a parallel split limb design with ten-pound adjustments for each limb configuration. With maximum draw weights of 50, 60, and 70-pounds, most shooters proper draw weight will be available. It would be nice to have a 40-pound maximum weight to cover all shooters, but most should still be within the available 30-pound draw weight range. The orange graphics look fantastic with the Lost Camo AT background and give the bow a really nice look overall. The limbs do not have any dampeners from the factory, but it is a simple fix if shooters wanted to add them. The limb pockets are functional at holding the limbs in place with tight tolerances. The black plastic composite does take a bit away from the look of the bow, but they function well and serve their purpose.
Eccentric System
The Advanced Vectoring System flings the Blaze arrows at IBO speeds up to 340 feet per second. The AVS dual cam cam is also adjustable in half-inch increments from 26 all the way to 30-inches, which will fit the majority of shooters interested in the Blaze. The cam is also a module cam adjustment system. This means changing the draw length is relatively easy by swapping an inexpensive module instead of a full cam. The cams also sync with each other making them a dream to tune and stay that way. With an 80% let-off, shooters can hold the bow at full draw for a long time without feeling overwhelmed and extremely uncomfortable.
Draw Cycle/Shootability
The AVS cams are going to win over a lot of people. It features an even draw from start to finish, which falls into the back wall a bit hard. The back wall is not the most solid wall produced, but does not feel mushy either. With an 80% let-off, holding against the back wall while aiming is almost effortless. After the shot, the Blaze is ready for the tree stand out of the box in terms of noise. There is a bit of hand shock, but adding a good front mounting stabilizer will go a long way to eliminate it. The longer axel-to-axel measurement makes it easy to hold the Blaze on target, and although the rig weighs in over the magical 4-pound mark many shooters look for, it actually helps a bit with holding steady on target. For a budget bow, the Blaze is a straight up shooter!
Usage Scenarios
The Mission Blaze has some pretty great specifications for a multipurpose bow, but chances are most shooters will be buying the Blaze for a hunting rig. Although it could be used for shooting foam with some nice success, the Blaze will really shine in the stand as a hunting bow. The popular hunting bow trend is to go lightweight and compact. However, the 33-inch axel-to-axel measurement is not too long, and a few extra ounces is pretty tough to notice.
Summary
The Mission Blaze is a great bow for anyone needing performance on a budget. For $599 it is very tough to find anything wrong with the Blaze from a performance and shootability standpoint. The grip is a little bulky, and there is a bit of hand shock from the bare bow, but the Blaze is still a solid contender based on how great it shoots. With the AVS cam system, speed is a strong positive along with easy tuning. Although some may be scared with a shorter brace height, the extra speed will more than make up with the forgiveness some feel they are giving up going below a 7-inch brace height. Overall, this bow deserves a test shot, especially for $599.
