Obsession Fusion 7 Review

Editors' review

Obsession Bows, first premiering in the 2012 Ohio ATA Show, has come a long ways from their incredibly popular first year models such as the SS and Lethal Force. It is easy to see that in the Fusion 7, the high-performance, draw length specific upgrade in place of the Pheonix. With an IBO of nearly 350fps, it would be expected to find a short brace height and axle to axle, or low letoff percentage to come up with that kind of speed output. That's where this compound is different- it has a full 7" brace, a fairly standard axle to axle measurement of 32.25", and 80% letoff. This extra velocity is attributed to the new PerFX DS cam system; although draw length changes come from replacing the entire cam system itself, it is much more efficient than their previous modular design. With its MSRP falling close to, or even under most flagship models at $999, this is a bow that deserves to be shot at your local dealer.

Finish

The Fusion 7 is offered in all of the typical finish options available from the factory at Obsession. This is quite the extensive list, with options like Prtedator 3D, Black, Anodized target colors, and all of the dozen or so options from Stormy Hardwoods. When most manufacturers use hydrographic dipping, Obsession uses a dye sublimation process to decrease the finish imperfections and make the finish more resistant to wear and blemish marks from continuous use. Further adding to the custom properties of the finish available, anodized cams in red or orange and strings to match are options when buying from the factory. Lastly, their hardware is Type III hard-coat anodized to minimize rust in the heads of bolts and on metal surfaces.

Riser

This compound features a carefully machined riser with extremely large cutouts to reduce mass where possible while still maintaining adequate stiffness and durability. Spec-wise, the riser is designed for a 32.25" ATA, is paired with past-parallel limbs, and creates an extremely forgiving 7" brace height for a speed bow. Similarly, with a simple sight and rest, this bow balances very naturally to eliminate the need for a long, weighted stab. It also features Obsession's angled cable guard rod design to aid in cam symmetry at full draw.

Limbs

The Fusion 7 contains extremely pre-stressed composite limbs that are past-parallel in nature, both at rest and at full draw to minimize post-shot vibration and eliminate jump at the release of the string. Limb pockets are minimal but sturdy in design, as well as aesthetically pleasing. Weight for the limbs come in standard 50-70lb measurements in 10lb increments.

Grip

For shooters that have had previous experience with Obsessions thin sideplates, this bow continues to feature the same extremely-shootable grip system. Most of the shape comes from the riser form itself, however the sideplates keep the shooter's top finger placement in line and offer customizability with aftermarket plates to match or compliment riser patterns. Big or small hands, it is natural for most shooters to find a consistent and minimal hold on this compound.

Eccentric System

The PerfX DS system is redesigned for 2015 to push the limits of a hybrid binary cam system. Each draw length in half inch increments from 27.5" to 31" is associated with a differently shaped set of cams to maximize performance while retaining either a specified 65% or 80% letoff. While this system is of a high output design, it does bring in difficulty to second owners looking to change the draw length of a used model, however the cams are available direct from Obsession and most dealers can get the cams shipped in and replaced for little to no charge. The decrease in universalness, however, is minimal for the 346fps IBO the Fusion 7 reaches at spec measurements.

Draw Cycle/Shootability

The Fusion 7 is claimed to be one of the nicest drawing speed bows of its nature, and it's easy to see why- not many, or any other bows with this level of arrow output have a 7" brace height and other specs to make it forgiving in the hands of the archer. Paired with Obsession's stiff-in-front and smooth all the way back draw cycle and their dual solid limb stops for a hard back wall, it is easy to draw and makes it seem as though it is set at 5-10lbs less than the current draw weight setting.

Silencing Package

The implementation of limbsaver super quads in the limbs, silencers on the string stop and cable guard rods, and a soft rubber stopper attribute to the removal of any excess vibrations that come out of the already quiet past-parallel/highly pre-stressed limb system. Like many other bows from this company, it feels dead in the hand after the release of the string, even when turned to max poundage. The addition of a short, vibration reducing stabilizer is definitely not necessary, because there isn't much room for improvement in post-shot buzz or recoil, but would seal the deal to create an almost completely vibration-less compound to be ever-more stealthy in the treestand or at the range.

Comparison

Bow	Obsession Fusion 7	Bowtech Prodigy
Version	2015	2017
Picture
Brace Height	7 "	7 "
AtA Length	32.25 "	32 "
Draw Length	27.5 " - 31 "	25 " - 30.5 "
Draw Weight	40 lbs - 80 lbs	40 lbs - 80 lbs
IBO Speed	346 fps	343 fps
Weight	4.1 lbs	4.2 lbs
Let-Off	80%	80%
Where to buy Best prices online	Not available now. Please check later.	$395 to $650 Compare prices
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In comparison with another similar specced '15 flagship, the Bowtech Prodigy, both models share a roughly $1000 price tag, 7" brace height, 50-70lb draw with 10lb increments, and letoff at 80%. However, the slight differences arise with the Prodigy, with a 1/4" shorter ATA, 3fps slower IBO, and .1lb heavier mass weight. Similarly, it is offered in only four finish patterns with minimal custom options, however does have the Powershift technology to adjust the draw cycle to different performance levels. Both compounds are quiet, however the edge goes to the Fusion for being "dead" at the shot and overall a quieter compound shooting the same arrow. Each setup has its pluses and minuses, and they both deserve a shot at the range by any prospective archer.

Usage Scenarios

The Fusion 7 is an impressive hunting machine- with a small enough stature to be maneuverable in small quarters 15ft off the ground and enough forgiveness to let the shooter have utmost confidence in shooting in colder weather and at longer ranges. Could an archer set this compound up to be a quality target or 3D rig? Definitely. The cam system allows for consistency and at lower poundage the letoff is extremely effective at minimizing fatigue after shooting multiple arrows downrange. For both younger and older archers alike, this is one of the fastest forgiving bows that is easy (and enjoyable) to shoot, whatever the intended target may be.

Summary

Obsession Bows hit the jackpot for 2015, continuing their market-changing platform for producing highly customizable, vibration-free bows with impressive draw cycles and respectable IBO speeds to boot. This is ultimately notable with the Fusion 7's fast 346fps IBO and 7" brace height combo. Although the draw length specific cam system does not leave room for adjustability before complete cam replacement, it creates the ultra-efficient draw cycle previous Obsession bow owners know and enjoy. For $999, it definitely sits high up on the price range of compounds on the market today, however for a flagship-level compound such as the Fusion 7, it may be in, or under an archer's price range for a bow of this stature. To say the least, it deserves a shot along with all of the other top manufacturer's compounds in the archery trade.