Editors' review
The Strother Hope is designed to give female archers another option with high-end technology. The 34-inch axel-to-axel measurement is a little longer than many offerings in the female bow section, but the lightweight 3.75-pounds is a welcomed specification. The smooth drawing Badger cams produce decent speed, and there is no hand shock after the arrow has been released. Although the draw cycle is a little stiff for some, the Strother Hope is a tack driver and should be on the list for any female archer in the market for a new multipurpose bow.
Finish
The Strother Hope has a really great looking finish pattern and is available in a few different choices. Many shooters now are opting for the all black bows, and the Hope has the Black Death pattern to match this style. Aside from this, there are three camo patterns available as well. Realtree AP is a fairly common pattern, but the Predator 3D Deception is an option for shooters wanting something a little different. The Hope is also offered in pink camo as well.The Hope logo is done in pink, and also features a pink ribbon logo. Accents are available in pink including the grip for those interested in having a pretty factor for their bow. Each of the patterns are done well and completely cover the bow without flaw. The accents do add a nice flair, and they do not appear over the top at all.
Riser
The Hope riser cutouts are slightly rounded, but look similar to the other Strother offerings. Engineers did a nice job of keeping the 34-inch axel-to-axel bow below the 4-pound mark. Weighing in at 3.75-pounds, shooters will love the versatility this relatively lightweight bow has to offer. The Super Glide Cable Slide is a neat looking technology that is very functional as well. Upon first glance, the cable slide is nothing like any other offerings in the industry. Instead of the casing moving with the cables to reach full draw, the strings are free to move without any kind or torque or restriction. With no moving parts of any kind, and no contact with the cables, this cable slide truly is taking a simplistic approach to this aspect of the bow.The riser also features a rear mounting string stop system that is slightly adjustable to meet shooters needs. In front of this string stop system, there is a front mounting stabilizer hole, which does an awesome job transferring the noise and vibration away from the shooters hand quickly.
Grip
The Hope grip is integrated in to the riser of the bow. The side-plated grip comes in a few color schemes, but feels the same throughout all the choices. The grip is not the most comfortable grip, but it does make it somewhat easy to repeat hand position shot after shot, which will help increase accuracy. The grip is also sure to be cold in hunting conditions being the same material the riser is made of. Overall, the grip would not be tough to get used to, and should not be a deal breaker for making the purchase, but it could stand to be a little more comfortable.
Limbs
The Hope features split limbs like the other Strother offerings. The Precision Limb technology has a coat that strengthens the bond of the limb materials to give them extremely impressive tolerances that will make the limbs very durable. The split limbs are also functional in spreading out the stress caused by reaching full draw. The Hope does not feature limb dampeners from the factory, but the bow is virtually shock free without them installed anyways. Draw weight is available between 40-60 pounds, but it would be nice for the limbs to extend a little lower as well. For the Hope being targeted at female shooters, it would be welcomed addition to offer limbs that have a minimum weight of at least 30-pounds.
Eccentric System
Strother equips all their 2012 bows with the Badger cams, and the Hope offering is no exception. Strother claims the Badger cam has the best power stroke of any cam on the market, and they keep with the simplistic design here as well. The Hope is easy to tune, and requires little maintenance in order to keep it in tune. With the Hope set at 25.5- inches, and at 60-pounds, the speed rating is very impressive coming in at 297 feet per second (which would put the IBO rating at 342 feet per second). The cams also feature 80% let-off, and is adjustable between 24-25.5-inches with the appropriate modules. Again, with the Hope being designed for women only, it would be nice for the draw length range to be a bit larger as well to accommodate more female archers.
Draw Cycle/Shootability
The Strother Hope shoots like a dream. The draw cycle is a little on the stiff side, but the transitions are smooth from start to finish. The back wall is very solid, and the valley is generous as well. It almost feels like the string needs to be pushed forward for the arrow to be let down. This is a really great feature of the bow most shooters really love about the Badger cams. After the shot, the Hope just sits in the shooters hand. There is little vibration and no movement after the shot. Again, shooters are left with a feeling of awe. The bow holds well on the target due to some really great specifications. Although the bow weighs in under 4-pounds, the longer axel-to-axel measurement of 34-inches allows shooters to hold still on the target. The stability of this bow is wonderful, and helps add to the joy of shooting it.
Usage Scenarios
The great news about the Hope is that it can serve as a wonderful multipurpose bow. Shooters can use the Hope for hunting and target shooting and be very successful with either. The specifications are great for a multipurpose bow and the Badger cams are a joy to shoot in all situations as well. For female shooters not sure what type of archery they are interested in, the Hope will allow them to dabble in any form without sacrifice.
Summary
The Hope is a great offering for female shooters interested in all types of archery. There really are no limits to what the Hope can do in terms of performance in the field or target shooting. With lots of simple, yet effective technologies, the Hope should be a bow females archers take a look at. It would be nice for the draw weight and draw length ranges to be bigger in order to accommodate more shooters, and the grip could stand to be more comfortable, but overall the Hope is a well put together bow from Strother Archery. Like any archery decision, the final choice comes down to personal preference, but the Hope deserves a test shot from any lady interested in a new bow.
