Bowtech Reckoning Review

Editors' review

The Bowtech Reckoning 35 is that one bow most guys end up keeping forever. It's not trying to win a beauty contest or break speed records - it just works, every single day, whether you're 15 feet up a tree waiting for a buck or on the 40-yard stake at a 3D shoot. 35 inches axle-to-axle, 7-inch brace, 335 fps IBO - real-world with a 400-450 grain hunting arrow you're still seeing high 280s to low 300s. That's fast enough to shoot flat past 60 yards and still hit hard on game.DeadLock is the star of the show: two screws per cam let you shift the cam left/right and fix paper tears in minutes, no press needed. TimeLock keeps the cams perfectly synchronized. FlipDisc lets you choose your personality - flip it one way and it draws like warm honey with a sky-high 85 % let-off, flip it the other and you pick up 10-11 fps with a snappier feel. Most owners leave it on comfort for hunting and switch to performance for tournaments.Once you throw on a 10-12 inch front bar and a short back bar, the bow just locks on target - the pin floats like it's on glass. The shot breaks clean, jump is forward and mild, hand shock is basically gone with the factory Orbit dampeners. It's loud stock, but add string leeches and monkey tails and it drops to "won't spook deer at 30 yards" levels.If you like to tinker, this is paradise. If you hate taking your bow to the shop, this is freedom.

Finish

Tough matte powder-coat in black, Mossy Oak Country, Break-Up Country, or a few raised-metallic colors. Scratches don't show easily and the camo patterns actually look good in the woods. Gen 2 added more options with no extra charge.

Riser

Long, heavily deflexed riser (about 25 inches of actual riser length) gives the bow a very centered grip position and tons of inherent forgiveness. Dual Lock limb pockets are rock-solid - zero movement even after a couple seasons of hard use. CenterPivot Extreme riser geometry keeps the weight low and forward, which is why it balances so well once stabilized. FLX-Guard cable guard flexes just enough to kill torque without robbing speed. You also get two sets of stabilizer bushings (front and rearso you can run whatever bar setup you want.

Grip

GripLock system is one of the smartest stock grips out there: two different thickness side plates included, and you can slide the whole grip up or down a quarter inch to perfectly match your hand. The rubber compound is medium-soft and stays tacky in cold weather. Because the grip sits dead-center in that long deflexed riser, torque is already minimal - a lot of shooters run it completely stock and love it.

Limbs

Wide, past-parallel limbs with solid limb axles (no split axles). They're stiff enough to push 70 lbs all day without stacking or twisting, yet forgiving enough that you can get away with slightly less-than-perfect form. Factory limb dampeners are very effective - most of the remaining noise comes from the string, not the limbs.

Eccentric System

DeadLock cams are still the gold standard for user-tuneable cams: left/right yoke tune, cam timing, everything done with Allen keys. FlipDisc Pro gives you 75 %-85 % let-off without buying new mods. Comfort disc = super smooth draw and huge valley; Performance disc = noticeable speed bump and slightly firmer wall. You literally get two bows for the price of one.

Draw Cycle/Shootability

Starts easy, small hump around the middle (you feel it the first 20 shots, then your muscle memory ignores it), then rolls smoothly into a big, forgiving valley and a hard wall. At 85 % it holds like you're cheating; at 75 % it's snappy but still very controllable. Shot reaction is a mild forward jump - the bow wants to stay on target instead of trying to flip out of your hand.

Usage Scenarios

Morning: saddle hunting whitetails. Afternoon: local 3D league. Weekend: known-distance field shoot. It's the bow that lets you do everything with one setup and never feel compromised.

Summary

The Reckoning 35 is the definition of a "keeper" bow. It's not the newest kid on the block, but it's still one of the most capable, most tuneable, and most fun compounds you can own. DeadLock and FlipDisc alone make it worth the money - everything else is a bonus. If you want a bow you can set up yourself, hunt hard with, and still smoke your buddies on the 3D range, this is it. Grab one, tune it once, and just go shoot. You'll be smiling every time you pull it out of the case.