Rytera Seeker 365 Review

Editors' review

When it comes to innovation, the Rytera Seeker 365 stands above all other bows in the world. This bow is the Elite bow from Rytera's 2011 lineup for numerous reasons. Outside of the adjustability of this bow; it is a solid shooter that is super smooth, quiet and fast. Everybody has heard "never judge a book by the cover." Well, this is the perfect example of that, because some people will look at this bow and think it may be ugly, or have problems but this is not the case. This is a very easy bow to set up and tune, if you ever get the chance to shoot it, you will probably be shocked at how good it feels in your hands.

Eccentric System

The eccentric system for the Rytera Seeker 365 is a dual cam system that has an adjustable grip which is what gives it the very different look. The adjustable grip is also what makes this a versatile bow for someone with a 29" draw length you can use all the different lengths of brace height however, with a shorter draw length you are pretty much stuck with having a short brace height maybe even under 6" if you shoot a 27" draw. The cam system is the Hybrix 3.0 that has a rotating module for draw length adjustments, which is real nice because you will not need a bow press to change the draw if you want to tinker around with changing the location of the grip. The break down for brace height to draw length is as follows; 5.75" brace height will have the ability to draw 27"-30", 6.75" brace height=28"-31", and 7.75" brace height=29"-32" draw. So this could be a very forgiving bow for the longer draw shooters, but even at the shorter draw length the bow is so well balanced that it should still feel really good in the hand at full draw and be fairly forgiving. The axle to axle is 33" which makes for a forgiving bow as well, with an average ATA length this bow might be seen in the tree during hunting season or on the line at a tournament shoot. The advertised IBO speed is 330-340 and most shooters will be able to get close to these speeds so it will be a silent and fast killer. The strings on the Seeker 365 are the Hammerhead strings that come standard on all Rytera bows as well as Martin. These strings are pre stretched and made from BCY material; with these strings there will be no peep rotation either making the installation of a peep very easy.

Limbs and Limb Pockets

The limbs are the popular Power Tough limbs from Martin archery; these are a very strong limb as well as accurate. These limbs use a layering technology that disperses stress over more of the limb while being able to store an incredible amount of energy. The limbs are connected with the Roto Cup pivoting limb pocket which are built with very tight tolerances to aid in accuracy and consistency while providing 15lb of adjustment. The cams are connected to the limb by heat treated axles that can withstand many dry fires without bending or breaking (although Compoundbowchoice.com recommends never attempting a dry fire).

Riser

This might be one of the craziest looking risers ever produced but when you start thinking about what is actually produced out of these crazy looks, it's really not that crazy after all. Basically this is just a bridged riser with a grip that is attached to two tapped and threaded posts that allow for movement and if need be stabilizers. The riser its self is machined from bar stock aluminum which makes for a very rigid frame. The riser is very wide at the limb and it has vibration dampeners that are built directly into the riser itself; both of which work together to decrease vibration. With the grips ability to move to make vertical changes the sights too need to be able to change; for this there is a slotted hole for the sight mount that allows the sights to swing up or down to make up for the grips movement. Another option is to mount the sights directly to the riser to eliminate the need for moving the sights. On top of these new options there is a level that is attached directly to the riser although it is far out of the sight picture at full draw this is a very innovative feature.

Vibration Dampening

There are many features on the Seeker 365 that are vibration reduction based. There are vibration dampeners all over this bow; in the riser there are dampeners made from a rubbery compound that look somewhat similar to the Harmonic Stabilizers that Mathews uses on their equipment. On the arrow shelf there is a rubber/plastic mixture that reduces noise of a falling arrow and along with working at reducing vibration this compound never feels cold. There are also two string suppressors; SOS Sting Oscillation Suppressers, these are adjustable and work very well at taking out almost all vibration from the shot. They are also what quiets most of the noise, this is one of the only bows that you will see with dual string suppressors.

Grip

The grip on the Seeker 365 is extremely thin, due to the fact that it is detached from the riser therefore not needing to be as thick. There are thin strips of rubber that are set into the grip that help to make it feel a little bit more stable in your hand. When the grip is set parallel to the riser, the way it comes stock, it is a little bit uncomfortable because of the sweep of the grip. This is not a big deal however because it can be adjusted to whatever liking a shooter is looking for, the sweep is still there but when it is a little more vertical it isn't as noticeable.

Draw Cycle/Shootablity

This bow draws extremely smooth with a good back wall and a really nice valley. The hump before you get back to the valley is a little steep but not terrible, this could be the bow that you compare bows to for a draw cycle. The valley is about 1/2" long and when or if you creep forward it doesn't feel like it's going to rip the string out of your hand. At full draw the bow feels excellent and is very well balanced. There are spots for plenty of stabilizers but it feels like it really doesn't need a whole lot to balance it out, if anything at all. If you take the time, like you should, to check all the moving parts and make sure everything is tight, there shouldn't be much noise.

Unique rig - hard to compare to any other bow

Bow	Rytera Seeker 365	Martin Onza 3
Version	2011	2013 XT
Picture
Brace Height	5.75 "	7 "
AtA Length	33 "	33.25 "
Draw Length	27 " - 30 "	25.5 " - 31 "
Draw Weight	35 lbs - 70 lbs	35 lbs - 70 lbs
IBO Speed	340 fps	330 fps
Weight	4.6 lbs	4.0 lbs
Let-Off	80%	80%
Where to buy Best prices online	Not available now. Please check later.	Not available now. Please check later.
	compare more bows

This bow is so different from anything on the market today that it wouldn't really be fair to compare it to one of today's bows. If you were to compare it to anything as far as feel goes, it would probably be the Onza 3 from Rytera's parent company Martin. The reasons that these two seem similar are; both are bridged risers, the grips feel quite similar, and the cams have a similar draw cycle. The Onza 3 may take a slight edge in the comparison due to price and the more generous brace height, other than that these two bows are at a dead lock. The sweep on the two grips feel very similar but with the Seeker 365 it is possible to make it feel a little bit more vertical. Back to the price though; the Seeker 365 may have some difficulties taking off when someone compares these to bows due to the $300 price difference. However, both are excellent bows but the Seeker 365 does appear to have a slightly more refined finish, very minor machining marks or runs in the paint, unlike the Onza 3 where there seem to be quite a few present.

Best Usage

It's hard to say what the Seeker 365 will best be suited for because it is capable of so much. It's forgiving, fast and quiet; making it something that has multiple uses. With an IBO speed of 330-340 it is a real barn burner that is capable of shrinking pin gap to make up for lost yardage when shooting 3D. With a 33" axle to axle it isn't too big to fit into a treestand or ground blind and being as quiet as it is, it won't spook a deer when you fire at one. This really may be a bow that can do most things well, not perfect but well.

Summary

The Rytera Seeker 365 is a high quality bow from a company that is taking the reins on producing cutting edge equipment that is sure to turn some heads. Working together with Martin on producing new styles and new technologies is an excellent idea seeing they were the company that produced the first single cam bow and the first bridged riser. The Seeker 365 might be a bow that changes the thinking of many companies. This bow is part of the elite among the companies lineup, and with its $900 price tag it will stand up among the other big companies. With a 33" axle to axle, adjustable brace height from 5.75" to 7.75" and an IBO speed of 330-340fps this bow is a one stop shop for people looking for a do it all bow.