Bear Refine EKO Compound Bow

At a $999.99 launch MSRP held across both 2022 and 2023, the Bear Refine EKO delivered a full flagship feature set - the EKO cam's four press-free let-off positions, the enhanced Vibration Reduction System, new KillerWave limb dampeners, the AlignLok riser level, and two included grips - on a long, forgiving 33-inch aluminum frame that undercut the eleven-to-thirteen-hundred-dollar flagships of its day. The 342 fps IBO rating translates to a real 298 to 303 fps with 400-to-434 grain hunting arrows, plenty for whitetail, mule deer, and hog out to honest hunting ranges. What sets the bow apart is not speed but stability: the long axle-to-axle and tall brace plant the pin, the GRIZgrip seats the hand the same way every draw, and the selectable let-off lets one bow fit a spot shooter who wants a crisp 75 percent or an older hunter who wants to hold at 90. In my hands the standout was how dead-still it settles after the shot - quiet, around 90 dB, with almost no hand shock for a bow this fast. Discontinued after 2023 and mechanically identical across both years, it is a strong used-market buy today for an archer who values a forgiving hold and a quiet shot over chart-topping fps. An excellent bow for the long-draw archer and the open-country hunter who aims for the longer shot, particularly strong for the patient hunter who holds at full draw waiting for a deer to clear. Buyers who want the same feature set in a compact, maneuverable package should look at the Bear Redemption EKO, while those who want an integrated accessory system and will pay a premium for it should consider the Hoyt Ventum Pro 33... read full review