Diamond Edge Max Compound Bow

The Edge Max is the retail-price way into Diamond's grown-up adjustable platform - the same caged aluminum riser and Synchronized Binary Cam that the Pro-Shop-Exclusive Pro MAX carries, on a 31-inch frame with a forgiving 7.125-inch brace, for a $519 launch price instead of the Pro MAX's $649. Its 16-to-31-inch draw and 20-to-70-pound range adjust at home without a press, so one bow fits a short-draw partner and a long-draw hunter and everyone in between, while the 80-percent let-off keeps all of them steady at full draw. The 314 fps IBO - around 301 fps on a real chronograph at the IBO setup, and 273 fps with a heavy hunting arrow - marks it as a capable rather than a blistering bow, which is the right balance for a platform built around fit and forgiveness. What I keep coming back to is how little the cheaper twin actually costs you: the shot is a touch louder and busier than a flagship's, and the back wall is more solid than firm, but the binary draw and the standout let-down are all there, and the caged riser makes it the most settled Edge yet. It is an excellent bow for the value hunter or mixed-draw household that wants the Diamond binary-cam platform at a retail price, particularly strong as one shared rig that fits the whole family. Buyers who need the range to reach a smaller, lighter beginner should also look at the Bear Legit Maxx, and shooters who want the lowest package price might prefer the PSE Stinger MAX... read full review