Editors' review
Getting younger shooters into the sport of archery or bow hunting may be one of the best ways to grow the sport so many people have come to enjoy. With that being said the PSE Fever is designed to do just that. The cams are adjustable from 11.5-29-inches, which means it is built to grow with shooters still growing. For parents of young ones still growing, the ability to adjust the draw length and draw weight without the use of a bow press is greatly appreciated. It would be nice to see the Fever with some options for draw weight let-off, although a 70% let off on a youth to young adult model bow is fairly standard in the archery world. The cams create a nice shooting experience, and the 304 feet per second peak speed rating is pretty good for a youth model. The draw weight peaks at 60-pounds and also includes a steady draw weight, or grow-with-you adjustments. With a bare bow price tag of $299, or a fully rigged price for $379, it is hard to find anything wrong with the Fever for getting youngsters going in the world of bow hunting.
Finish
It would be outstanding to outfit a bow like the Fever, designed for younger shooters with every finish option available. If getting a youngster started in the world of archery can be as simple as offering a cool looking bow, it would be nice to have as many choices available as possible. PSE does not include every finish option they have available on the Fever, but it does come with four options to choose from. The Fever can be all black, white, or lime green, or include Mossy Oak Country for those wanting a camo bow. The dipping process is applied similarly to the rest of the PSE bows, and leaves the Fever looking really good. Since this bow is designed to grow with shooters, and be a model they shoot from early on through their teenage years, the finish is built to last.
Riser
The Fever riser looks just like those from older PSE models like the Dream Season EVO. The newly designed PSE risers are a bit more aggressive in design, but the Fever has a rich bloodline connecting it to other PSE bows. The Fever nameplate on the sight picture window is a bit more graphic than the rest of the lineup with flames adding to the effect of the block Fever name, but it does look pretty cool. The cable containment system is a standard cable rod and slide, which is pretty much standard on all entry-level models. The string stop system is not adjustable like some PSE uses, but it does a nice job stopping the string and keeping the string from bumping into a shooter's arm or clothing. There is also a front mounting stabilizer hole for those wanting to add a little weight out front to make the hold more steady.
Grip
The grip is a built in part of the riser design, with the older style rubber side plates added to each side of the grip. Although the side plates do not add much to the overall design and feel of the grip, it does look a bit more finished than some of the models without any side plates at all. The grip has a flat area where the shooter's hand makes contact with the grip, and the thickness is comfortable for shooters at each end of the draw length range.
Limbs
The PSE split limbs continue store the cams energy for the Fever, just like the rest of the lineup. The draw weight peaks at 60-pounds and also includes a steady draw weight, or grow-with-you adjustments. According to the PSE website offerings are available in 29, 40, 50, and 60-pounds, and the limb bolts allow for 12 turns. The pockets securely fasten the limbs to the riser in several spots making sure nothing moves during the draw cycle. Just like the rest of the Fever's design, the graphics are right on par with the higher end models with the red PSE logo, and the bow name proudly displayed in white letters. The limbs even take on the highly pre-stressed X-Force limb look, which is characteristic of PSE for the last decade.
Eccentric System
The cam system is pretty special on the Fever given the huge range of adjustment offered. For starters, the draw length is available from 11.5-29-inches in half-inch increments without the need for a bow press. Simply rotating the module to the appropriate laser engraved marking according to the charts gives shooters the draw they want. It would be great for the let-off to be adjustable, but it is not. Shooters have 70% let-off, which to be honest is pretty comparable to other youth models. Higher let-offs could potentially cause younger shooters some issues transitioning into the back wall. So although it would be nice to pick a percentage, it may not be a terrible decision for that to not be available on the youth minded Fever bow. The peak speed rating on the Fever ends up being 304 feet per second when measured at the maximum 29-inch draw, which again is pretty acceptable for a youth bow.
Draw Cycle/Shootability
The Fever is a great shooting youth model, which is smooth drawing enough to teach newer archers how to shoot a bow, and performs well enough to be used in hunting situations for younger shooters. I order to achieve this balance engineers at PSE had some work to do. Thankfully, the Fever is designed in a way that allows the cams to do both. The smooth draw cycle is a favorable one, the back wall is solid with a manageable 70% let-off, and the valley is easy to get used to. Holding the bow on target is as easy as it gets as well, so shooters will gain confidence in how accurate they are able to shoot their new bow. If shooters have to let done, the valley is generous enough to allow a let off to occur without too much strain on younger shooters. The string never wants to jump forward at any point of the let down process. After the shot, the arrow is pretty zippy to the target, and the noise is very dull.
Usage Scenarios
The PSE Fever is designed to get younger shooters involved in the archery world, or introduced into bow hunting. However, the Fever could potentially appeal to female shooters looking for a new bow that can cater directly to them. The Fever's cam technology allows owners the ability to make a great deal of adjustment. For shooters done growing, they may want to step up a bit to a bow with less adjustment, but for those still growing, the Fever is a perfect choice.
Ready to Shoot Package
The Fever is available in a Ready to Shoot package, which gives a choice for a factory-accessorized bow right off the rack. The package includes a Gemini sight, a whisker biscuit rest, hunter quiver, peep wheel, and nock set. This package is available for only $379, making it a really great deal for new archers. PSE did another great thing offering a factory accessory option in that shooters can choose to not buy the package also. Sometimes companies offering a package deal, only offer the bow with a package deal. This eliminates some wanting to buy the bow, but have no need for the accessories included. It is a great move by PSE to allow shooters to choose if they want the Ready to Shoot package, or stick with purchasing their own from the many after market accessories for 2018.
Summary
The Fever is designed to get shooters started in the archery world, but also features enough performance to be used as a hunting bow for younger shooters. This bow has a ton of adjustment available, and is easy to change from one setting to another, without needing a bow press. Just a quick reference to the tuning chart and the cam system, and a few tools, and everything can be adjusted. The Fever's ability to be comfortable for the entire 17.5-inch draw length range is a testament to how serious PSE is at getting younger people involved in the world of hunting. For a bow to have this much built in adjustment, shooters could potentially shoot this bow only through their teenage years. For that much to be offered at only $299 is truly amazing. PSE also offers the Fever fully rigged with the factory accessories for only $379. Again, this value is outstanding, and should allow many youngsters the opportunity to get started in the world of archery. PSE has designed a really great bow to get the next generation interested in archery, without compromising anything in the process. For anyone needing a bow to grow with a shooter, the Fever may be a great choice.
