While at a 3D archery event with one of my boys this past spring, I was talking with some of the other dads as we waited for our boys to shoot. The conversation mostly centered around new bows and hunting season. But at one point, we got to talking about the shoulder issues that often come with age, particularly with guys that have been shooting a bow for most of their lives.
When I shared with the guys that I had been experiencing some potential shoulder issues earlier in the year, one of them asked if I had considered the new Mathews Image bow. And as a longtime Mathews shooter, I hated to admit that I knew very little on this new bow. The dad went on to share how the bow was built specifically for shooters wanting, or needing, a lighter draw weight bow that still offered plenty of performance for the deer woods. I went home that day on a mission to find out what all the buzz was about on this new Mathews Image compound bow.
First Impressions
After checking the bow out on the Mathews website, I quickly realized the Mathews crew had truly answered the demand for a feature-packed bow with superlight draw weight options. Once I got my hands on the Image for testing, it was easy to see the bow was built with all the popular features found in the company’s flagship bow.
What I originally assumed would be a beefed up youth bow, actually turned out to be a beast of a bow that has everything you could possibly want in a compound bow, now with light draw weight options. Like other bows in the Mathews stable, the Image draws incredibly smooth and is free from hand-shock and vibration at the shot.
Take a closer look at the bow in the video below…
Specs on the Image
Brace Height – 6″
Speed – Up to 335 FPS
Axe to Axle – 29″
Draw Weight – 40, 43, 47 and 50
Draw Length – 25.5″ – 30″
Let-Off – 80% or 85%
Weight – 4.27 LBS
Cam – Crosscentric with SwitchWeight Technology
Price – $1299
Top Features Come Standard
You might expect a bow of this nature to be a watered down version of the brand’s flagship option for the year. It’s what many company’s do. They make their cuts of leading features, cheapen things up, drop the price, and call it good. That’s not the case here. The Image doesn’t sacrifice a thing in the way of value, features, or performance.
The bow is loaded with all the good stuff, with features like the popular Bridge-Lock Technology, Crosscentric Cam System, S.A.S. system, and much more.
Bridge-Lock Technology
Mathew’s Bridge-Lock Technology has quickly grown in popularity in recent years and the concept now expands to include the Bridge-Lock Stabilizer option built into the riser. The new stabilizers integrate directly into the riser to give shooters a more rigid connection and better balance point. The design features Mathew’s patent pending Interlink Weight Technology and a quick disconnect knob allowing adjustability in 1/2″ increments. The Bridge-Lock Stabilizers offer a new level of harmonic tuning and customization in a single bar.
Moving up the bow, you’ll find the Image also has the Bridge-Lock technology in the sight option as well, allowing a dovetail sight to be mounted through the bow’s riser, eliminating the need for an external mounting bracket.
Crosscentric Cam with SwitchWeight Technology
The Image is powered by Mathew’s award-winning Crosscentric Cam system. You won’t find a smoother drawing system anywhere. But the cam also includes SwitchWeight technology, giving shooters the ability to adjust peak draw weight with the quick change of a mod.
It’s a slick design that not only allows shooters to change peak draw length, but also draw weight in 5 pound increments via the cams module instead of changing limbs. Available in 60, 65, 70 and 75 pound peak weights, each set of mods are built for an incredibly smooth draw and maximum efficiency. Mods are available in 80% or 85% let-off for further customization.
Stay Afield System (S.A.S.)
When you find yourself in a pinch with a backcountry bow emergency, it’s good to know your bow is equipped with the Stay Afield System, also known as S.A.S. It’s an incredibly simple tool, yet it’s pure genius when it comes to keeping you in the hunt.
The S.A.S. system weighs in at less than 1/2 an ounce and is the servicing cable that pairs with Mathews’ specifically modified cams to allow backcountry hunters to safely remove or repair their strings and cables in the field without the use of a bow press. It’s made with the minimalist in mind and makes for the perfect addition to your pack to ensure you’re always in the game with your equipment.
Performance on the Range
Shots on the range proved this bow is plenty capable to do work in the deer woods. For a real-world look at performance, I shot my hunting arrows through the chrono to see how it stacked up. Here’s what I found…
Image @ 50# / 28″ DL / 408 grain Easton Axis arrows = 246 FPS
Obviously, the bow is not built for speed. It was designed to give lightweight draw options for bowhunters that aren’t willing to sacrifice features and performance in the smoothest drawing bow on the market.
Be sure to check out the Image at your local Mathews dealer, or online at www.mathewsinc.com.
