Just received my Royal Expi 62 Take-down from Nate two days ago, and am just now able to write up a mini review. Her specs are: 55# at 29 inches, dark-stained Curly Maple veneers over a Bamboo/carbon core (Nate's idea), Cocobolo riser, and the same dark Curly Maple for the riser overlay, as I wanted a seamless blend. Black phenolic tips complete my package. Brace height is 7" with homemade black wool string silencers installed.
Here's the pros:
1. Cosmetics. A huge part of the allure of buying a custom bow was/is the selection of woods/materials, colors, and tips. My personal selections aside she's undeniably beautiful. This has everything to do with Nate's abilities, not my selections. If Nate ever decides to get in the furniture business it wouldn't be a surprize. The stain job on the Curly Maple is a smokey-brown and blends flawlessly into the Cocobolo. The seams in the bamboo core layers are airtight without gaps to catch any field gunk. The tips use Nate's typical layered approach, and these also blend seamlessly with the limbs.
The hand-rubbed finish is evenly applied without apparent variance in the thickness. The look is reminisicent of finish found on fine shotguns. Again, to each his own, but this was another selling point that appealed to the upland hunter in me. 10 points.
2. Construction. Nate's takedown system of the angled male-female handle insert constructed of carbon fiber is a light weight space-age option to that of either the bolt systems or metal sleeves. While some may say that the use of carbon violates the "traditional" aspect we were seeking in the first place, this was actually a huge selling feature for me. Carbon deformation is almost nil and won't dent or tarnish like metal. While not an engineer, the strength of this material system is legendary. Additionally it's warm to the touch unlike metal.
Nate has installed a very tight-fitting sleeve/insert that has absolutely no play in the two parts. Once together, the two limbs feel as if they truly are a one-piece bow. In requires about 45-50 pounds of force to pull apart, so the limbs are mated tightly. 10 points.
Performance. After running about 150 arrows through her, the tuning process was pretty impressive. She's very quiet even without the string-silencers. The draw to 29 inches is smoother than imagined without any hint of stacking or finger pinch. At elast for me, she is delivering the arrow wear I'm looking without the constant concentration required from my recurve. It's as if she IS more instinctive! This no doubt had alot to do with the design (heavy reflex-deflex) and the increase in length from 58" to that of 62", but isn't this why we buy new bows? Because of the perceived increase in ability to hit the target? I don't have access to a chronograph to be scientific, but at 55# @ 29 inches she's only 2-3lbs heavier in draw than my 50# @ 28 inch recurve. However, the arrows are arriving quicker to the target and flatter in trajectory as well. This is already giving me alot of confidence, despite my meager abilities. 10 points.
Cost/amenities. At $800 with shipping the Royal Expedition is extremely reasonable given the amount of customization and quality delivered. Nate shipped her in a wooden box sealed with 16 screws per side! Fort Knox should feel so secure! A 6-foot camo fleece sock and D-50 flemish string completed the package. In all, there are no short cuts anywhere to be found. 10 points.
Okay, now for the cons:
1. Cost. Despite my foaming-at-the-mouth love expressed above, I'm feeling like I could improve upon my selection of materials. Walnut limbs stained Beretta gunstock brown, red phenolic, stag tips...?) Meaning I'll probably be buying another soon! The presents a huge marital problem, as I'm already in the doghouse! (Better to ask for forgiveness than permission right?)
Seriously, there are no cons. I wouldn't hesitate to strongly recommend placing an order with Nate if you are considering a purchase of his handiwork, but are unfamiliar with Bama bows.
Mudd foot
Thanks again
PK
If you're looking at the Expedition you're probably looking for all the benefits a short reflex/deflex bow has to offer such as ease of transportation and easy use in blinds, brush and stands but you're probably also trying to avoid some of the problems associated with shorter bows - a few of those problems being hard stacking at longer draws which usually comes with a dose of finger pinch and a lack of stability!
The Expedition has been designed to get as much engery as possible into the arrow without shock, noise or a lack of stabilty!
The first thing noticed when picking up the Expedition is its slim design and comfortable balance. The locator grip has been designed to give your hand a consistant and stable grip.
Next is the draw - it starts off with a high early draw weight and smoothly reaches full draw without any stiff spots or inconsistancies along the way, that being said the 62" model only gains 2.5# per inch after 28" up to 30" on a 65# @ 28" Expedition! That tells all right there! and no finger pinch.
Next is the shot! Well when I first shot it my thought was WOW did the arrow leave? The stability was a surprise! I felt as if I had the stabilty of a 66" straight bow with a bedded riser! shock was "0"!! and with a 12 strand D97 string and beaver balls all I heard from the bow was a pleasant "thump" letting me know it was gone! I think the most surprising part of the shot was the noise when it hit the bag at 187fps using a 9gpp arrow drawn to 28"!! That's moving with a hunting weight arrow and that's using a tab for realese! Although I'm sure we could get a lot more with a skinny string and a 30" draw using a mechanical release and no silencers but under hunting conditions I'm getting 187fps with a hunting weight arrow and it's getting there without a spook! The bow tested is my personal hunting and target bow now and it's a takedown so i can sling it in my quiver and head out! I can't say enough good things about the takedown system either! No noise No wiggle all positive and no negative!
Specs for bow tested:
| LIMBS | RISER | ACCENT STRIP | TIPS AND OVERLAY STRIP | VENEERS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bamboo | cocobolo | bamboo | bocote | cocobolo |
| hard rock maple | bocote | cocobolo | cocobolo | bocote |
| walnut | padauk | padauk | padauk | bubinga |
| red elm | curly maple | bocote | bloodwood | bloodwood |
| bloodwood | curly maple | zebrawood | zebrawood | |
| bubinga | bubinga | bubinga | ||
| zebrawood | walnut | marblewood | ||
| marblewood | marblewood | buffalo horn($20.00) | ||
| shedua - NEW! | bloodwood | phenolic | ||
| zebrawood | elk stag($20.00)-NEW! |
| LIMBS | RISER | ACCENT STRIP | TIPS AND OVERLAY STRIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| hard rock maple | curly maple | bocote | bocote |
| walnut | bocote | cocobolo | cocobolo |
| red elm | cocobolo | padauk | padauk |
| bamboo | padauk | marblewood | marblewood |
| marblewood | maple | bubinga | |
| bubinga | walnut | zebrawood | |
| zebrawood | bubinga | phenolic | |
| shedua - NEW! | buffalo horns(extra $20.00) | ||
| elk stag(extra $20.00)- NEW! |
Buffalo horns on the tips - extra $20.00.Buffalo horns and phenolic make a bow FastFlight compatible.
You can also choose the color of the leather: black or brown.