Matt McPherson started Mathews Archery in 1992. I remember the first time I saw one of his strange single-cam models at the 1994 Archery Trade Show. That was only 15 years ago. It seems like the company has been around forever, doesn’t it? During those 15 years, Matt has produced many single-cam designs. I have shot most of them and they have all been quality products. For Matt to say that he now has made the most efficient single-cam that he has ever tested, well, that is saying something.
As you have probably guessed, high efficiency is a good thing. Efficiency is the measure of how much of the energy you put into a bow actually makes it to the arrow. Friction and inertia rob efficiency but Matt’s newest design, the Reezen Cam, has an efficiency level of 87 percent. I remember when 75 percent was good, so this really is a welcomed improvement. A bow with high efficiency has little energy left over after the arrow leaves that has to be dissipated in the form of noise. So a highly efficient bow is typically a quiet bow.
Shooting the Reezen 7.0
To test that notion, I shot the Reezen 7.0 with 400-grain arrows (403 grains to be exact). The bow was set at 61 pounds at Mathews’ standard 29-inch draw. Actual draw length varies from company to company, so the 29 inches that Mathews sells might be different from the 29 inches that PSE sells. This makes it tougher to compare speed on an apples-to-apples basis without thorough testing of all bows.
The combination I tested is a very realistic hunting setup. The finished arrow weight of 6.6 grains per pound of the bow’s maximum draw force is fine for most bowhunting situations and ideal for whitetails. The arrow is heavy enough to soak up a lot of energy and keep the bow quiet but still light enough to produce a nice flat trajectory. In fact, those arrows went through the chronograph at 276 fps. That is smoking-fast for a hunting-weight arrow from a 61-pound bow at 29 inches. Mind you, this is not industry-leading speed; there are faster bows out there. But for a true 7-inch-brace-height, single-cam bow, that is impressive.
Getting back to noise, the Reezen is a quiet bow. Short of using a laboratory, it is tough to gauge exact noise levels or make true comparisons. It is quiet enough, certainly better than most. I shot it right out of the box, without limb silencers. It came with the String Suppressors Mathews puts at the end of the limbs. So, with a little extra effort, I am sure I could make this bow even quieter.
Hand shock, recoil and vibration were notably absent. With parallel limbs, the acceleration and deceleration forces acting on the limbs oppose each other and cancel. This is why most bows on the market today have parallel limbs. The Reezen 7.0 is a little top-heavy. I had a Spot-Hogg sight and the Mathews DownForce Arrow Rest on the bow (it is a very nice rest, by the way) and the Reezen 7.0 definitely likes to tip forward after the shot. Some people like that feel and some don’t. It is a personal thing.
Arrow flight was perfect, by the way—right from the first shot.The draw cycle is a bit rough by 1990s standards, but it is not radical by today’s standards. Someone told me it was harsh, but I didn’t find that to be the case at all. I wouldn’t worry about the draw cycle when deciding whether to buy the bow.
Other Features
The Reezen 7.0 came standard with the Mathews Harmonic Stabilizer that fits into the bottom Harmonic Damper hole on the riser. According to Mathews testing, the Harmonic Stabilizer removes 75 percent of the post-shot vibration from the bow. I would say the system does what it says.
The bow also features the same thin composite limbs that have become standard on recent Mathews models. The limbs reduce the bow’s weight and width.
You will also find other common Mathews accessories on this bow including the Roller Cable Guard for reduced vibration and greater simplicity, Turret limb pivots and SphereLock pockets for perfect limb alignment and a narrow In-Line Grip. Mathews also installed a String Grub on the string to improve performance.
Mathews named this bow the Reezen because they feel like the bow gives you plenty of reasons to upgrade. All the Mathews bows are good, so the only reason that compels me to buy this bow is the blazing speed it produces from the single-cam system—that and its quiet performance. That is reason enough to buy the Reezen 7.0.
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