Editors' review
The Supra family has been a long standing option for dedicated target shooters within the PSE lineup. Although there is a missing shoot through riser, the Supra does have a deflexed riser design, which helps create a longer brace height, and arguably a more forgivable bow. The XL truly lives up to its name with a 40-inch axle-to-axle measurement and a 75-inch brace height. For the dedicated spot shooter, with some interest in 3D, the Supra Focus XL is going to be a nice offering. This model also fits shooters with a draw length range of 24-30-inches! Unfortunately, PSE offers the XL in 50 or 60 pound max limbs only, which is a bit disappointing for those wanting some higher poundage. However, to be fair, most shooters are going to fit within this draw weight range anyways. The speed rating offers speeds up to 327 feet per second, which is great for its intended purpose as a target rig. The bow has some premium color options, which seems a bit silly in 2020 to be offered. For those always wanting a Supra style bow in a longer version, the Supra Foccus XL is going to be a complete game changer. For those not super interested in a 40-inch target bow, the Supra is offered in a variety of configurations, and chances are another model will better fit a particular shooter's needs. The $1199 suggested retail is pretty reasonable in regards to a target bow price tag. Obviously this model is far from a budget friendly offering, but shooters should expect to pay this much for a high end target bow from one of the leading manufacturers in the compound bow world.
Finish
PSE has the finishes for their rigs figured out. The patterns and colors are applied really well, and the end result truly looks outstanding. It is hard to believe shooters would have a hard time finding a finish option they do not love with all that PSE is offering on the target side of things for the 2020 model year. The worst part about the finish options for PSE is that they still have a silly upcharge from "premium colors." Seriously, it is 2020, and the bow already costs nearly $1200. It is hard to believe a particular color requires even more money. Aside from that, shooters will love what PSE is offering this year with options including: Navy Blue, White, Platinum Titanium, Black Cherry, American Flag, and Good Vibrations. Shooters interested in premium color options can opt for Orange, Satin Mercury, or Sky Blue. These choices should give shooters a variety of colors to choose from. However, it will be hard for shooters to see these in person prior to purchasing. The online pictures look great, or perhaps shooters can peek at one at a booth or trade show, but it would be pretty impossible for most dealers to stock these colors to see before purchasing.
Riser
The Supra Focus XL is a standard Supra style riser. The machined aluminum is a deflexed riser style, which means the grip is in front of where the pockets connect the riser to the limbs. This style of bow allows for a longer brace height, which in this case is 7.5-inches, when compared to the reflexed riser design seen on most models today. Although the brace height is longer, the speed is a bit slower with a deflexed design, which is one of the compromises to be made with this style of riser design. The overall bow is weighted a bit heavy in comparison to some other models with an advertised weight of 5.1-pounds. However, this model has a 40-inch overall axle-to-axle measurement, so it really is not that heavy considering how large its frame is. The bow does not sit balanced right out of the box. It does want to lean back a bit, but that will surely be corrected in the stabilizer process of adding weight and offsetting the stabilizers as needed. For some shooters, they prefer to start at a balanced zero, and add weights from there. It will be easy to get the bow to feel the way shooters want it to, just know if is not balanced right out of the box. With that being said, no shooter is buying the Supra Focus XL with the intention of shooting it without adding stabilizers. There is a standard stabilizer mounting hole on the front of the riser, and a lower mounting hole towards the back of the riser. It would be nice to have the upper and lower holes on the back, or even the front of the riser, but this is more than likely the most popular mounting locations anyways. The cable guard on the Supra Focus XL is not a flexible system like some others in the Supra lineup have been. Instead, there is a standard slide, that can be shifted in and out to accommodate for vane and arrow configurations. The sight mounting location offers a few extra holes to fine tune the height; shooters would like to mount their sight as well. This gives shooters some flexibility in deciding how much elevation their sight can get distance wise, all while opting for the best peep sight height as well. The slide has some side mounted rollers also to make the draw as smooth as possible, and allows the cables to pull more so in their natural path towards the centerline of the bow.
Grip
PSE has utilized a similar style grip for a while now. The grip angle feels really comfortable for most shooters, and just seems to fit in the shooter's hand. The back is a flat back, and has some slightly rounded edges, which really just seem to mold into the shooter's hand. The width seems to be just about perfect as well, and the thickness allows shooters to rest their fingers on the front edge of the grip in a relaxed and comfortable position. Unfortunately, the grip is integrated into the riser, and the only tweaking allowed would be if shooters wanted to add some grip tape to the design for a more personalized feel. It would be nice for PSE to figure out a way to offer some additional factory grip options, similar to what they do on the hunting bow lineups, only more geared towards sleeker target grip feels instead. However, the grip has a familiar feeling for those shooting PSE in the past, and it is a great grip option for the majority of serious target archers.
Limbs
PSE is synonymous with split limbs, and the Supar Focus XL maintains the status quo with the same style of limbs being offered. The limbs come from the factory in white or black depending on the color of the riser selected with the PSE branding and red logo, which pops out regardless of which color option shooters decide to go with. The limbs are also considered the wide track limbs, which has been popular for PSE. the wider stance creates a more stable platform for shooters, and hopefully increases the repeatability shot after shot as well. Shooters can opt for the 50 or 60-pound maximum limb configurations, which may upset shooters who like the higher poundages. However, most shooters will easily fit into the speed limits of 3D organizations with the given limb poundages. Since the Supra Focus XL will more than likely be a spots rig, a lighter weight may be the way shooters want to go anyways. Those wanting a higher holding weight, may be able to opt for a lower let off module for their cams too. The limb pockets are also the high-end, standard issue, Wedge Lock system. These pockets are amazing at giving shooters the ability to securely lock everything down on the bow after adjustments are made making sure no movement will happen to the limbs. Target bows often travel, and although shooters will shoot their bow before competition, there is something to be said about a bow coming out of the case with a ton of confidence it is going to perform exactly how it did when placed in the case. The limbs are also weighted slightly differently in order for the cables to work in conjunction with each other to keep cam lean at a very minimum. This is not unique to the Supra Focus XL, but all models with the Evolve style cam system from the PSE camp. This allows the cables to pull as they naturally do while functioning during the draw cycle to give the best shooting performance possible.
Eccentric System
The EM cam system is the cam of choice for the Supra Focus XL. This cam system has a massive draw length range from 24-30-inches on the XL version, with an XL LD model going even longer in draw length. Of course the cams are adjustable with the ever popular rotating module system PSE has used for a long time. simply rotating the module to display the appropriate letter in the cam window will give shooters the appropriate draw length. All adjustments can be made without the need for a bow press. The cams are fairly quick with an ATA/IBO speed rating range of 327-319 feet per second. This is a perfect speed rating for most target shooters, which will allow them to shoot consistently at the spots, and gives shooters a bit of speed to shoot outdoor distances at 3D targets without being too slow. The letoff comes standard with 75%, but can also be swapped out for an 85% or a 65% to best match the holding weight shooters would like to have at the back end of the draw cycle.
Draw Cycle/Shootability
The Evolve style cam system is undeniably one of PSE's most beloved cam systems, and for great reason. The EM cam draws extremely smooth, and gives shooters a solid back wall to pull against as they execute their shot. The option for varying letoffs is great for target shooters and gives them an opportunity to choose the valley length, but more importantly for target archers is the ability to choose the holding weight. The balance before stabilizers are added is a bit off from the top to the bottom, but this is corrected when shooters start to tinker with the stabilizers and overall weight they want to use. On target, this model holds rock steady, and there is no wonder why shooters would be interested in an XL style bow for target situations. The brace height is massive, the string angle is super comfortable because of the 40-inch axle-to-axle, and for a longer bow archer, it is almost impossible to find anything wrong with the Supra Focus XL given the understanding the bow is giant.
Usage Scenarios
The PSE Supra family is an awesome bow for shooters highly dedicated to target archery. The Supra Focus XL has several possibilities, but perhaps the most likely scenario for the XL is a dedicated spot bow. This model screams forgiveness with its truly XL platform and available forgiveness. Some shooters really love the longer models for 3D archery as well, and this rig is sure to be seen on the 3D circuit in the hands of some really dedicated archers. For those wanting a bow that can transition into the hunting world also, the Supra Focus XL may work, but there are other options available in the PSE lineup that would meet the needs of someone truly interested in a crossover model. For the dedicated indoor archer, the Supra Focus XL is a wonderful option in the 2020 PSE lineup.
Summary
PSE has done a lot of engineering over the years into the Supra name, and the Focus XL is the next progression in a line of really awesome target bows. The 40-inch frame accompanied with a 7.5-inch brace height allows for shooters to maximize their bow size for a desired amount of forgiveness and shootability. The Supra Focus XL is unapologetically huge, and for shooters wanting a stable platform for a spot shooting bow, the XL is a perfect solution. The speeds are great, the letoff can be adjusted with different modules, and the speed is a perfect amount for those dedicated target archers. It would be nice if the limbs were available in more than the two draw weight offerings, and it would be nice to have all color options the same price. However, in terms of a target rig, this bow is pretty awesome. The deflexed riser adds a great deal of forgiveness to the overall system, and the cams feel exceptional. The price tag of $1199 is a fair amount of money, but when compared to other target models on the market, it is competitively priced relatively speaking. For shooters wanting a longbow, with a deflexed riser, the Supra Focus XL should be at the top of the list of bows to try. Aside from design preferences, there is nothing about the Focus XL that would steer shooters into another model. For those wanting a shoot through riser, obviously a different PSE model will be preferred. However, those wanting a large framed bow, with a deflexed riser, the Supra Focus XL is a remarkable offering for 2020.
