Bear Escalate Compound Bow

The Bear Escalate is the mainline bow that got the flagship's cam. For a $779.99 launch MSRP - bow only, with a Ready-to-Hunt package also offered - the buyer gets Bear's EKO system with selectable 75-to-90-percent let-off, an honest 300-plus fps with hunting-weight arrows against a 339-fps IBO rating, and a 2022 vibration package that leaves the bow clearly calmer in the hand than older Bears, mid-pack for noise in the low-to-mid 90s dB. Add two grips in the box, an optional limb stop for a firmer wall, five finishes, both hands, and a 45-to-70-pound, 26-to-30-inch fit window, and you have a bow that punches into flagship territory on the two things that matter most in the field: how it holds and how it shoots. What keeps coming back to me is the let-off dial - being able to set a firm, fast 75 percent for a target session and a nearly weightless 90 percent for a treestand sit, on the same bow, is a luxury this price point almost never includes. It is an excellent choice for the whitetail and mule deer hunter who wants flagship-grade adjustability and speed without paying flagship money, particularly strong on long treestand sits where holding at full draw is the whole game. Buyers who want the lowest-cost complete kit should look at the Bear Resurgence, and those who need one bow to fit a growing child and an adult should look at the Diamond Edge 320... read full review