Bear Pristine Compound Bow

At a $649.99 launch MSRP, the Pristine delivers something Bear's catalog had been missing - a purpose-built short-draw hunting bow for women and smaller-framed adults that arrives complete and ready to hunt rather than asking the shooter to fit a bow designed for someone else. The numbers that matter are honest: 2.8 pounds bare, a thin grip sized for a smaller hand, 251 fps with a real 350-grain arrow at its 50-pound max, an 85.2 dB shot, and an EKO2 SD cam that adjusts on the kitchen table without a press. Having shot bows across this category, what stands out is how naturally the Pristine points and settles for its intended archer - the fit is the feature, and Bear committed to it instead of compromising. The 50-pound and 28.5-inch ceilings are real boundaries, but they are the boundaries of focus, not of quality. An excellent bow for the woman or short-draw adult who wants a light, quiet, complete hunting rig that fits the first time, and a standout grows-with-you choice for a teenager moving up from a youth bow. Buyers who want more speed and a more aggressive spec should also look at the Bear DeerMom, and those upgrading from the previous generation will recognize exactly how far the Bear Prowess has come... read full review