Strother Wrath SHO Review

Editors' review

The folks at Strother redesigned the Wrath with a shorter riser and new cams and came up with the Wrath SHO (Super High Output) which was one of their headliner bows for the 2013 season. This 30 3/16," 7 3/8" brace height rig has a 335 fps IBO and plenty of impact. It can be purchased with 50#, 60#, 70#, or 80# limbs, and the draw weight can be adjusted from 27" to 30." As this is an "older" bow, it can be found online today for a substantially lower price with all the bells and whistles. It could be well worth your time to give it a shot.

Finish

The Strother Wrath SHO has a very nice and durable finish, and comes in a wide variety of colors. There are 10 to choose from.

Risers/Limb

This rig is compact, maneuverable, and built on a very sturdy, redesigned Reflex CNC machined aluminum riser. It comes in at a very solid four pounds. The ZT Loc-n-Cradle limb pockets are a little wider with near-zero tolerances that give this bow more stability. This limb pocket design secures the limbs very well and ensures there is no movement during the draw, and ensures that both sides of the split limb combo compress evenly making sure there is no limb twist. The limbs are a fiberglass composite and come in peak draw weights of 50#, 60#, 70#, and 80#. The draw weight can be adjusted by approximately 10# from peak simply by loosening the set screw in the riser (one at each end) and turning the limb bolt (max of three turns from fully tightened position) and tightening the set screw back.

Other Components

This rig is pretty basic out of the box. The shooter really only gets a well-built bow with the Super Glide string stop. As this bow has now been on the market for two years, most will be able to find them on the internet fully loaded and at a reasonable price.

Eccentric System

This rig is powered by Strothers Badger Cam II System. This system allows the draw length to be adjusted from 27" - 30" in half inch increments. The Badger Cam II gives the bow a very smooth draw while providing plenty of impact at the target. With an 80 percent let-off and a nice deep valley, and an easy transition through break-over, it is fairly easy to hold on target. The back wall on this bow has been described as "probably the most solid back wall in archery." It was also noted that you do not want this bow to creep any at all, because it WILL get away from you.The draw length is adjustable by a module system. The shooter will need to know their correct draw length in order to install the correct module. The modules can be installed without a bow press.A unique feature of this cam system is it has two draw stops on each cam; one makes contact with the limb at full draw while the second makes contact with the cable.

Draw Cycle/Shootability

This bow has a very nice draw cycle. It is smooth, easy to draw and hold on target without feeling strained. The Wrath SHO boasts of 335 fps, and some shooters testing the bow have stated that it met or exceeded that mark. Although not all shooters realized those numbers, most have been very surprised at the speed they have gotten. As with most bows with that kind of speed, there is some vibration and a little noise when shot. The draw cycle starts smooth and builds throughout the draw until it reaches the transition to breakover, where the shooter will notice 80 percent let-off through the ease of holding on target.

Silencing Package

The Wrath SHO is a nice bow for any archery hunter. Some folks love it while some aren't so crazy about it. It truly is a matter of shooter preference. The bow does have a very slight amount of noise and vibration when shot, though it is not enough to pass on this bow without giving it a chance. The bow is designed with some inherent qualities that reduce noise and vibration. It also comes with a riser mounted string stop, and the Super Glide cable guide reduces any noise even more. Add a good stabilizer and some string leaches and you're in business.

Grip

The bow has a two-piece laminated wood grip that sits nicely in the hand. Although it is a little square at the edges, it is not uncomfortable or annoying for the shooter.

Compared to Similar Bows

Bow	Strother Wrath SHO	Bowtech Assassin
Version	2014	2013
Picture
Brace Height	7.375 "	7 "
AtA Length	30.188 "	30.625 "
Draw Length	27 " - 30 "	26 " - 30 "
Draw Weight	40 lbs - 80 lbs	40 lbs - 70 lbs
IBO Speed	335 fps	333 fps
Weight	4.0 lbs	3.8 lbs
Let-Off	80%	65% - 80%
Where to buy Best prices online	$350 Compare prices	$299.99 to $500 Compare prices
	compare more bows

The Strothers Wrath SHO is comparable to the Bowtech Assassin. Both bows are very close in all aspects, but the Bowtech has one inch more draw. Each is a good shooter and very accurate, and will meet the needs of most archers. Each was part of the flagship lineup for their respective company when they hit the market, and both received accolades from archers all over. The primary difference in the two was the $200 price difference, with the Strothers costing more. Today, both can be found online at very reasonable prices. It is truly a shooters preference on purchasing the Strothers Wrath SHO.

Usage Scenarios

This bow is very versatile and will fit most archery situations. It is a shorter version of the original Strother Wrath, but with a slightly different riser and new cams. This new design definitely had the hunter in mind as this 30 3/16" bow is excellent for tree stand or ground blind hunting. This bow will do well for target shooting or 3-D shooting too. With some added components to help with silencing the bow and managing the vibration, it can be an excellent shooter.

Value

This rig was part of the 2013 Strothers lineup and had a base price of $799. Today, the bow can be found on the internet for as low as $275. Although this bow is a couple of years old, it is a good bow for the money. The only thing keeping someone from buying this setup is the desire for a newer bow.

Summary

The Wrath SHO was one of the flagship bows for Strothers for the 2013 season. It was a redesign of the Wrath, with a slightly shorter riser/ATA and new cams. The bow came to the archery community with a 30 3/16" ATA, 7 3/8" brace height, a variety of draw weight ranges, and 335 fps IBO rating. Most shooters have found that this bow easily meets the IBO. Although you cannot find this bow in your local sporting goods store anymore, it is worth doing a little research online to find this bow, especially if you are looking for a good bow at a better price. This bow was advertised with the tagline "Extend your range." At 335 fps, you can do that.