A bow fully designed for long draw archers
Axle-to-Axle | Brace Height |
|---|---|
34.75" | 7.75" |
Axle-to-Axle | Draw Weight |
34.75" | 60, 65, 70, 75 |
Axle-to-Axle | Draw Length |
34.75" | 29.5” to 34” |
Axle-to-Axle | Let-Off |
34.75" | 80 or 85% |
Axle-to-Axle | Cam |
34.75" | Crosscentric w/Switchweight Technology |
Axle-to-Axle | MSRP |
34.75" | $1,349 |
Axle-to-Axle | 34.75" |
|---|---|
Brace Height | 7.75" |
Draw Weight | 60, 65, 70, 75 |
Draw Length | 29.5” to 34” |
Let-Off | 80 or 85% |
Cam | Crosscentric w/Switchweight Technology |
MSRP | $1,349 |
Those were my thoughts when I opened the box of the new for 2021 Mathews ATLAS as back in September. I’ve now been shooting the ATLAS for over two months and my smile has gotten bigger and bigger every time I release an arrow.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have this bow for any bowhunts this fall, but that hasn’t stopped me from putting this amazing piece of technology to the test at the range. I have two bowhunts planned for the winter and I’m itching to get it out hunting!
As a long-armed guy, I absolutely love the specs and how they have catered to us — long draw bowhunters. I’ve always been a huge fan of longer axle-to-axle bows because, for me, they always seemed to hold much better. The ATLAS stretches the tape to 34.75” for an axle-to-axle length. Around 34 to 35” seems to be the sweet spot for and ATA for me personally. Also, the riser is long and stiffer due to the geometry and Extended Bridged design.
For reference, I’m 6’5” with a 32” draw length, so this bow fits me perfectly! The string angle is perfect for me and I can establish all my anchor points. I was so excited when I took this bow out of the box a few months ago. I was like a kid on Christmas morning!
An added bonus: that amazingly forgiving 7.75” brace height! Bows with a longer brace height are going to be more forgiving because the arrow is coming off the string sooner.
The first thing you probably noticed in the photo above is the angle of the cable guard. Typically, cable guards go straight back out away from the riser; however, for 2021, Mathews developed their CenterGuard Cable containment system that places the roller guard in the true center of the bow, resulting in optimal cam timing that aids in maximizing tunability while, at the same time, also creating additional vane clearance.
I have noticed cam timing to be spot on with this bow out of the box. It is also worth noting that tuning this bow was a breeze. All Mathews bows have been easy to tune, but this bow just came together so well that I feel it's worth mentioning the tuneability.
One thing I do want to point out is that I was initially curious about whether other rest designs work with the CenterGuard Cable containment system. By looking at the angled roller guard, you might think some rests wouldn’t fit underneath it, but I actually mounted up my Hamskea Hybrid Hunter Pro and it fit perfectly.
I’ve been loving the Crosscentric cams with Switchweight Technology. These cams allow you to leave the limbs maxed out for maximum efficiency (this is the spot where I always feel like I get the best tune is with the limb maxed out) and then you can just change a module to achieve different draw weights from 60 to 75 pounds in five-pound increments.
So, on the launch day of this bow when I could finally talk about it, a few friends headed over to the GOHUNT office to check out the bow in person. I took a few shots and their reaction was priceless. It’s so scarily quiet! Then they asked if it would be just as quiet without my stabilizer, so I took off the front and rear bars and again they were blown away. You can barely hear this bow go off! It’s quiet, dead in hand and built for hunting!
This bow absolutely checks all the boxes I look for in a bow. I haven’t been able to hunt with it yet, but I know from previous experience that this will be a breeze to hunt with, just like it has been at the range the past two months.
In case you’re wondering how fast this bow shoots: at a 32” draw with an arrow that is right in that 450 grain range with the draw weight at 68.7 pounds (limbs maxed out), it shoots 293 feet per second. I haven’t messed around with it to try to get more speed out of the bow yet because it shoots so good. Also, my archery chronograph got a little messed up this fall and I haven’t had a chance to replace it yet, so I’m not sure exactly how accurate my speed is. But I am assuming it’s close enough.
You’ve probably noticed that this year I’m shooting the Mathews Ultrarest Integrate MX rest. This design is just so simple and it really brings a piece of mind to me knowing that this is a solid rest system. The dovetail design that is machined in the bow is genius! I no longer have to worry about a fall causing the rest arm to rotate, which would instantly wreck a hunt. Simply put: this is a feature that I bet you will start to see everywhere down the road.
If you are looking for a new hunting bow in 2021, I’d strongly suggest you visit an authorized Mathews dealer and shoot the ATLAS. And if you’ve been on the fence about picking up a new bow over the past few years, in my opinion, this bow is worth upgrading to if you’re a longer draw length person like me.
