I just tested a brand new Martin Firecat Pro-X and was I pleasantly surprised. First, I should mention that I never considered Martin bows before, but a recent article had turned me on to the Firecat and had me wanting to get my hands on one.
The first thing I noticed was how light it was – 3.6 lbs. light. This compared to my Hoyt Vextrix which weighs close to 5 lbs. stripped down. For me, the lighter it is – the easier it is to stalk with, which I like to do a lot of during the winter months of bow season. The other significant thing I noticed was, much like the article I read had noted, the Firecat has a real smooth draw. It has an integrated Sims Ultra Limbsaver system that reduces shock and really quiets the bow upon release. The arrow rest has also been beefed up with a sound dampening shelf made of soft rubber which they call Omega V. I don’t care what they call it. It’s an ingenious way to rid the problem of clanking arrows. The one thing I didn’t care for was the grip, but I was told that there are three different grip options that come with this model.
Once I had the bow at full draw, the let-off was amazing. I felt like I could hold at full draw much longer without any strain. This great when you need that little extra long hold to get the perfect shot. This is great bow and I know you’ll be pleasantly surprised not only by it’s mechanics, but also by it’s price. The suggested retail price of this bad cat is right around $600. Not bad for it’s class. I highly recommend you check this bow out in person to see for yourself why this is the most talked about bow in the market today. If the wife let’s me, or if I should happen to win a little extra cash the next poker night with my buddies, I may have to take a trip to the local pro-shop to pick one up.
