Congratulations on your purchase of a Mathews bow. At Mathews,we are committed to doing things ONE way... the best way to thetop. ONE cam, the Solocam, which we invented. Mathews innova-tion has caused EVERYONE to want to say, “I shoot a Mathews.”And this has helped to propel Mathews to Number ONE in the fieldand in the world of professional archery. Welcome to the top...

Setting up your new Mathews bow. . .As you probably know, once your Mathews bow is properly tuned, it will stay intune thanks to the single-cam design. However, initial setup of draw length, weight,nock point, etc. is critical to maximize the performance of your new bow.

Draw LengthIf your new Mathews SoloCam bow is equipped with a “StraightLine” MaxCam,which is draw length specific, there is no adjustment on the cam. Other Mathewscams are adjustable for draw length and come set at the longest draw length settingunless your retailer has indicated otherwise. Mathews offers several cam sizes tohelp ensure optimum draw length and performance for your measurements and shooting style. The draw length on your bow is adjustable on the cam a maximum ofone inch down from the peak draw length. This is accomplished by moving thestring loop to any of three adjustment posts on either side of the cam. The number1 post would be the longest draw length for that particular cam. For example: toshorten the draw by 1/2", the string would be moved to the number 2 post on bothsides of the cam. The Mini MaxCam can be adjusted down from its peak drawlength, approximately 1/2". This is accomplished by moving the string loop to the secondary post on the cam.

Draw We i g h tMathews SoloCam bows have a 10 pound weight reduction range from your bow’s peak weight (example: if your bow has a peak weight of 70 pounds, you can adjust itas low as 60 pounds). Draw weight adjustments are made using either a 3/1 6" or 7/3 2"Allen wrench. Turn the limb bolt clockwise to increase the draw weight and counter-clockwise to decrease the weight. Each rotation is equivalent to 3 or 4 pounds ofdraw weight. It is very important to adjust the limb bolts equally but do not exceed 5full turns out from maximum draw weight. Your Mathews SoloCam bow will gener-ally perform best at its designated peak weight.

Nock Point InstallationThere are many variables involved in determining where to install your nock point.These include: type of arrow rest, arrow spine, whether you use fingers or a releaseaid, and your hand placement on the bow. As a general rule, the nock point shouldbe set perpendicular (90°) to your arrow rest or somewhere within 1/2" above the 90°point. This guideline is a starting point – you may need to move your nocking pointas you fine-tune your Mathews SoloCam bow.

3

O w n e r ’s Manual

18

• At left, Original Heritage longbow;

c e n t e r, Hawk modified longbow; right, Eagle

r e c u r v e• Beautiful hardwoodlaminate riser; premium

bamboo limbs• Comes with leather softcase

• Each bow serial numbered

Designed by Matt McPherson;inspired by memories ofwatching his father.

See the Heritageat your Mathews

r e t a i l e r !

Justin Charles Thermal Underw e a rMade of 100% New Zealand Merino SuperSoft Wo o l

• Extremely soft; won’t itch or irritate your skin

• Wicks moisture 28% faster than synthetics

• Absorbs 30% of its weight before feeling damp(vs. 5% with synthetics)

• Wool neutralizes bacteria growth so it won’t smell

• Natural fiber crimps create air pockets for betteri n s u l a t i o n

• Naturally stretchy for a comfortable fit

• Fully machine washable

See it at your Mathews re t a i l e r !

The Mathews Heritage Bows...Elegant works of art and craftsmanshipthat offer exceptional performance!

174

The following is a breakdown of Mathews’ available cams. For more details,visit your Mathews re t a i l e r.

About the MaxCam™ on your bowMathews invented the perimeter-weighted cam, technology that creates a flywheeleffect which lengthens and strengthens the cam’s power stroke, dramaticallyincreasing arrow speed while also reducing recoil. We call our perimeter- w e i g h t e dcams “MaxCams”. There are multiple different MaxCams:

N o t e : MaxCams are not compatible with any Mathews n o n-MaxCam model. The use of a MaxCam™ on such models will void the warranty of that bow.

Q: Can I take the string suppressor arms off and still shoot my bow?A: No, this would not be a safe thing to do. To incorporate the suppressorarms the limbs must be drilled, and the arms put on and then the screwsinstalled. If removed, it could make the limbs weak and could possiblycause damage to the bow and/or personal injury.

Q: Can the Harmonic Damper weights be interchanged?A: Yes, they can be arranged for a custom fit and feel.

Q: What type of bow press should I use with my Mathews bow?A: A dual-roller type works best. Stay away from center pull presses. Itmay damage your riser.

Q: Can I order parts directly from Mathews?A: Any part, under warranty or otherwise, should be ordered directlythrough any of our authorized Mathews retailers. They can get parts torepair your bow and, if necessary, can send the bow to the factory forrepairs. The Mathews retailer must initiate all repairs.

Q: Why doesn’t Mathews have a split-limb bow?A: Some manufacturers introduced split-limb designs to reduce bowweight. Our bows are already among the lightest on the market. In fact,when you compare the width and weight of our SlimLine limbs to many ofthe split-limbs (the combination of both limb halves), our limbs are nar-rower and lighter! Also, through testing, we’ve determined that split-limbs are inferior, because they often have an unbalanced load. If youplace a straight-edge across the limb halves, you’ll often find they aren’teven with each other. They might have a neat cosmetic look, but we haveyet to find any shooting benefits.

Q: I want to introduce my children to arc h e ry, but I don’t want to be burd e n e dwith buying a new bow every time they grow a few inches. What can I do?A: The Mathews Genesis is the answer. It’s a bow that fits virtually every-one. Its zero let-off design means there are no specific draw lengths.Anybody with a draw between 15" and 30" can shoot the bow. So, as kidsgrow, they won’t outgrow this bow! And, at 20 pounds, the Genesis will shoot an arrow with the speed of a 35-pound recurve!

StraightLine OUTB CamThe Mathews OUTBACK features the StraightLine High Performance Cam (OUTB stands for Outback High Performance). It’s been customized to fit on theO u t b a c k in either 80% or 65% let-off.

StraightLine OVAT CamAnother version of the revolutionay HP Cam, (THE LEAST COMPLEX, MOSTA D VANCED cam) this one is designed specifically for the Mathews O v a t i o n. Like every High Performance Cam, it's StraightLine, smooth and remarkably fast!Available in 80% or 65% let-off.

Mustang Perf o rmance CamA perimeter-weighted StraightLine cam designed specifically for the short-drawM u s t a n g . Like every Mathews cam, it's perimeter-weighted for more speed (whichis especially important on bows with lower draw weights) and less recoil.It comes in 70% let-off.

StraightLine LXHP (High Perf o rmance) CamThe LEAST COMPLEX, MOST ADVANCED cam ever engineered, the revolutionary StraightLine Cam is superior to any cam (single cams, 11/2 cams, twocams) we've ever tested! This smooth-shooting, straight-line, high let-off cam issmokin' fast! And, it is available on the Mathews LX in either 80% or 65% let-off.

StraightLine COBRA CamWith dual perimeter weights, the StraightLineC o b r a Cam is incredibly fast and forgiving.Engineered for the Switchback, it offers the best-ever combination of speed and smooth shooting.Available in either 80% or 65% let-off.

16 5

Frequently Asked Questions(with answers from the technical staff at Mathews)

Q: Will the HD roller guard fit any other Mathews bows?A: Yes it will. The new HD roller guard can be ordered for the Outback,Ovation and LX model bows. These are the only other models that itwill work on. The roller guard can be ordered as an extra, but it will notbe installed at the factory.

Q: Can I get a Barracuda string for my older Mathews Bow?A: Yes. We make the Barracuda string for all of our different models.

Q: Is the let-off on the new Cobra Cam adjustable?A: The let-off on the Cobra Cam is specific to that cam. To change thelet-off you would need to order a Cobra Cam with the let-off that you wantto change to (65% or 80%).

Q: Where do I start my nocking point when setting up my new Mathews bow?A: As a starting point, place your nock point level to 1/8" high of center.

Q: What weight arrow should I use for IBO and AMO speed tests on my bow?A: We test IBO speeds with bows at 70-pound draw weight and at 30" drawlength with an arrow that weighs 350 grains. The AMO test is done with abow at 60-pound draw weight and 30" draw length with an arrow thatweighs 540 grains. Nothing added to the bowstring.

Q: How do I get center shot on my Mathews bow? Do I use a center-shot tool?A: We recommend measuring off the side of the riser at the rest attachmenthole to the center of the arrow shaft approximately 3/16". Adjust the rest asneeded for proper arrow flight. A center-shot tool is not needed.

Q: What is the minimum arrow weight I can safely shoot with my Mathewsbow and still not void the lifetime warranty?A: Five grains per pound of draw weight would be the minimum.

Q: Do the string suppressors weaken the limbs?A: On the contrary, the string suppressors actually strengthen the limbs.

Concentric SoloCam™In an effort to squeeze every last ounce of consistency out of the Mathews Icon, wedeveloped the Concentric Solocam, a round, perimeter-weighted cam that mirrors theround wheel on the opposite limb. This symmetry in shape and measurement resultsin never-before-achieved systematic consistency and, ultimately, accuracy. Let-off is70% (with hysterisis).

The Original MaxCam™

The revolutionary perimeter-weighted cam that started it all, the Original MaxCam is available on the Classic, Conquest 3 and F X 2. It generates incredible arrowspeed while also remarkably reducing recoil, thanks to perimeter-weighting. TheOriginal MaxCam™ is available with 65% and 80% let-off.

Mini MaxCam™

Now shorter-draw-length shooters can get all the advantages of perimeter weighting. Available on Mathews FX2 and Conquest 3 models, this cam accom-modates draw lengths as short as 22" with peak draw weights down to 35 pounds.The Mini MaxCam™ is available only with 65% let-off and has approximately a 1/2" adjustment range. Putting a Mini MaxCam on a bow reducesthe draw weight approximatly 5 pounds.N o t e : The Mini MaxCam requires a different idler wheel and string/cable lengths.

S u p e r-Soft Cam™

The Super-Soft Cam™, designed especially for finger shooters, provides an extremely smooth draw and a release that rolls from the fingertips. This specialM a x C a m™ is available on the Conquest 3 a n d F X 2 and only with 60% let-off.

Black Max 2 Cam ChartThis is the cam that powers the Mathews Black Max 2, the fastest bow on the planet!It delivers maximum speed with minimum kick and is available in either 80% or 60%let-off. Or, for maximum speed, in a Turbo Cam version which has 50% let-off.

StraightLine MaxCam3™

The StraightLine MaxCam3 was designed specifically for the Mathews Legacy. In conjunction with String Suppressors, Harmonic Damping and Parallel Limbdesign, this perimeter-weighted MaxCam helps to virtually eliminate overall recoil vibration. Let-off is 70% (with hysterisis).

156

Maintaining your Mathews® S o l o C a m® b o w. . .Never dry fire your bowNever shoot any bow without an arrow on the string. Without the arrow to absorb the energy,dryfiring can damage your bow and can cause personal injury. Damage to your bow due todryfiring will not be covered under the warranty.

Periodically check strings and cablesAlways inspect your bow for frayed strings and cables. Replace damaged strings and cablesi m m e d i a t e l y. Mathews strings can be waxed and maintained as any other fast-flight string.Please make sure you are using the proper string for your bow.

Bushings are self-lubricatingYour Mathews SoloCam bow requires no lubrication – all bushings are self-lubricating orhave sealed ball bearings.

Do not alter your bowAny alterations to your Mathews SoloCam bow will void the warranty. Alteration could causedamage to the bow or personal injury.

Use only a double-pull bow pre s sNever use a single-pull bow press. We recommend a double-pull press to avoid damage toyour riser or bow. Damage caused by a single-pull press will not be covered under warranty.

Repairs and shipmentVisit your Mathews retailer for servicing and repairs. All bows and warranty parts returnedto the factory will require a Return Authorization (RA) number that your retailer can secure.Your retailer will handle all warranty issues for you. The RA number must be clearly printedon the outside of the box near the address label. If a package does not have an RA number,our shipping department will refuse it.

LIMITED LIFETIME WA R R A N T YTHIS BOW IS WARRANTED AGAINST DEFECTS IN MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER FORTHE LIFE OF THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THIS INCLUDES ALL BOW PA RTS EXCEPT THE STRING, BUSS CABLE, CABLESLIDE, RUBBER STRING SUPPRESSOR "FINGER" AND COSMETIC APPEARANCE (CHIPS, DINGS, SCRATCHES) CAUSEDBY NORMAL USE AND WEAR. BOWS SENT BACK TO MATHEWS WITHOUT A PRE-ISSUED RETURN AUTHORIZAT I O NNUMBER WILL BE REFUSED. ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, WRITTEN OR IMPLIED, ARE VOID WITH ANYA LT E R ATIONS TO THE BOW.

Wa rranty inform a t i o nEvery Mathews SoloCam bow has a LIMITED LIFETIME WA R R A N T Y. Warranty repairs are our top priority. Each bow has a unique serial number, and warranty cards are required to obtain warranty service. Should you ever need repairs, the Mathews retailerfrom whom you purchased your bow is very knowledgeable about the bows and may be able to complete the work right in their shop.If the bow does need to be sent to us, we assure you that we do strive to do the warranty repairs and service work and re-ship your bow within three working days from the time it arrives in our shop.

Honesty is the best policy...

M a t h ews bows are covered by one or more of the fo l l owing patents, with other patents pending:#5,368,006, #5,676,123, #5,752,496, #5,791,322, #5,809,982, #5,890,480, #5,996,567

A rrow selection...D e t e rmining Proper Arrow LengthThe first step in selecting your arrows is to determine your arrow length. This isdetermined by several factors, including arm length and full-draw anchor position. If you are using an overdraw, you can mark the arrow just in front of the rest. Thedistance from your mark to the string groove in the arrow nock will be your correctarrow length. Your Mathews retailer can be an invaluable help in this process.

14 7

Using the Easton Shaft Selection Chart After you’ve determined your arrow length, find its corresponding measure in thelength column. Move down this column until you reach the correct draw weight ofyour bow. The correct spine for your arrow is found where your draw length andweight intersect. Use the “hard cam” category on the chart for a Mathews SoloCam bow.

The Solocam Forgives My Flaws

I n my lifel ong quest for the perfect bow, I ’ve alw ays de s i red one that could s om eh ow overl ook occ a s i onal lapses in my shoo ting form or rel e a s e , and sti ll

del iver high ly acc u ra te shots. That might sound like an unre a l i s tic hope , but va rious models of the Ma t h ews So l ocam bow have salva ged many of my flawed shots on the ra n ge and in the wood s . Su ch for giveness in a bow boosts my s h oo ting con f i den ce every time I draw a Ma t h ews .

What traits do I seek in a for giving bow? It must com bine several factors ,i n cluding balance , s t a bi l i ty and a no-torque de s i gn . Si n ce their earliest devel opm en t ,Ma t h ews So l ocam bows have incorpora ted these ingred i ents with innova ti ons like Ha rm onic Dampers , the Ro ll er Gu a rd , S tring Su ppre s s ors , p a ra ll el-limb de s i gn , a

peri m eter- wei gh ted cam, and stra i gh t - l i n e / du a l - feed single cams.Acc u ra te , con s i s tent shoo ting also requ i res balance and a torqu e - f ree gri p. Most bows requ i re stabi l i z-

ers and other ad d - ons to en su re high perform a n ce . But the grips and ri s ers on Ma t h ews So l ocam bowsa re so com fort a bl e , well - b a l a n ced and well - de s i gn ed that most people shoot these bows acc u ra tely out ofthe box wi t h o ut needing auxiliary gear to make up for shortcom i n gs in their form or rel e a s e .

In ad d i ti on , u n l i ke most dual-cam or du a l - wh eel bows , the Ma t h ews So l ocam has on ly one source offorce . No matter wh a t , the bow remains ste ady while you aim, d raw and shoo t . Pair that with its para ll el -limb de s i gn and gen erous brace hei gh t s , and the Ma t h ews So l ocam overcomes its own er ’s shoo ting flaws .No other bow could look out for me with su ch loya l ty and con s i s ten c y.

— Don Dvo roz n a k

Don Dvoroznak

There’s no question...the numbers don’t lie.

Wins: 35 vs. 9Top 3’s: 112 vs. 20 Top 5’s: 185 vs. 35 Top 10’s: 369 vs. 71

Talk abo ut dom i n a ti on! For the seventh year in a row, in 2004, Ma t h ews won more p rofe s s i onal ASA and IBO events than all other bow brands com b i n ed . An d , a ga i n ,it wasn’t even close! Forget abo ut arch ery. Is there a brand in any sport that dom i n a tes the com peti ti on like Ma t h ews? Who makes the most acc u ra te , h i gh - perform a n ce bows in the world? The nu m bers don’t lie. It’s Ma t h ews !

All ASA & IBO Men’s Pro, Women’s Pro, Senior Pro andLimited Pro events in 2004

All other brands

combinedvs.

8 13

Tuning your Mathews® S o l o C a m® b o w. . .Ti l l e rSetting the tiller on your Mathews SoloCam bow is easy. In fact, there’s no measur-ing necessary. Starting from a point where both limbs are tightened completely,simply back them off an equal number of turns.

Estimating Center ShotUsing the correct arrow size, position your arrow on the string at the nock point.While holding the bow in front of you, visually align the bow string with the centerline of the grip. The string should run true down the center of your arrow shaft.This is a good reference point to begin paper tuning. N o t e : A good starting point is13/16" over from the riser to center of arrow shaft.

The Importance of Paper Tuning and Tear Pattern sWith an improperly tuned bow, broadheads may shoot as much as 18" off center at20 yards (when compared to field tips). By tuning a bow to shoot a good hole inp a p e r, you will ensure the best possible broadhead flight.

Before beginning, it’s important to know that perfect “bullet holes” are not alwayspossible with all shooters. Light tears are quite acceptable and will not deter accu-r a c y. Fine tuning requires patience and consistent shooting form. Perfect resultsare only achieved with perfect form. Also, remember to always do your final sightings with broadheads before hunting.

To begin paper tuning, stand approximately eight feet from the paper (with a suitable backstop several feet behind the paper to allow complete arrow passage).Check your tear pattern against the following boxes for further instruction. If it’s a combination, such as up and to the left, both instructions will apply.

This is an example of a properly tuned bow. Note that the point where the arrow tip went through is centered in the middle of three very comparable vane tears.

After the shot, push the paper back flatand you will see a star shaped entryhole where the tip went through.

Nock end went low thru here

Tip wentthru here

SOLUTION:Nock End Ripped Low1. Raise the nocking point 2. Use a heavier arrow tip 3. Use a more limber spined arrow

Note: (same for left hand)

SOLUTION:Nock End Ripped High1. Lower the nocking point 2. Use a lighter arrow tip 3. Use a more stiffer spined arrow

Note: (same for left hand)

Nock end high

Tip wentthru here

NOTE: If lowering nocking point does noteliminate problem try a different kind ofarrow rest.

Nock End Ripped RightArrow Spine Too StiffAlternatives:

1. Increase draw weight 2. Move arrow rest to the left 3. Use heavier points4. Use a lighter spined arrow

Nock end high

Tip went thru here

5. Use longer arrows if possible

(Opposite for left hand) Note: Feathers or vanes may be hittingarrow rest. Try a different arrow rest.(left hand only!)

Nock End Ripped LeftArrow Spine Too LimberAlternatives:

1. Decrease draw weight 2. Move arrow rest to the right 3. Use lighter points4. Use a stiffer spined arrow

Nock end ripped left

Tip went thru here

5. Use shorter arrows if possible6. Vanes or feathers may be striking

arrow rest. Try a different arrow rest.

Note: (Opposite for left hand)

The Mathews Solocam: Always in Sync

If ly more than 50,000 miles each year bowhu n ting ac ross North Am eri c a . Even with the c u s tom a ry airline abuse of my bagga ge , wh en I re ach camp, I know I’ll pull my bow from

its case and shoot acc u ra tely the first shot. Every ti m e !I credit that ru gged con s i s tency to the Ma t h ews So l oc a m . It’s a high ly ef f i c i ent bow that

el i m i n a tes worries abo ut cam synch ron i z a ti on . Let’s revi ew some basics. Wh en you draw a bows tri n g, your mu s cles tra n s fer en er gy into the bow ’s bent limbs. Wh en you release the s tri n g, most of that en er gy tra n s fers to the arrow and the stored en er gy is converted into k i n etic en er gy, wh i ch is “mass in moti on .” The more kinetic en er gy the arrow has, the harder it hits and deeper it pen etra te s . How well the bow tra n s fers its en er gy to the arrow is call ed “dynamic ef f i c i en c y.”

The wh eels on twin-cam bows have three basic de s i gn s . A true ro u n d - wh eel de s i gn stores the least en er gy. Ma nybows have soft cams, a modera ting shape on the wh eel ’s string side and an egg - s h a ped de s i gn on the cable side . Th i sde s i gn provi des the smooth draw of round wh eels and some of the speed of radical cams. The third de s i gn , h a rd ors peed cams, s tores the maximum en er gy and shoots the fastest arrows . These cams have a radical egg - s h a pe on thewh eel ’s cable side . S peed cams are the to u ghest to draw and shoot smoo t h ly.

At first gl a n ce , no matter their de s i gn , i den tical cams on both limbs seem to make sen s e . The limbs work in har-m ony as the bow is drawn and shot. Th erefore , s ome bowhu n ters ask why they should swi tch to a one-cam bow.Here’s why: With two-cam bows , it can be very difficult to synch ron i ze the two cams to ro ll over at the same ti m e .Wh en they don’t , perform a n ce su f fers .

No matter how skill ed the shoo ter, s y n ch ronizing two-cam bows can be difficult and ti m e - con su m i n g. If the cabl es tretches even a little, a two-cam bow goes out of ti m e . Tod ay ’s synthetic string and cable materials have made thisprobl em wors e . With the Ma t h ews So l oc a m , cam synch ron i z a ti on is el i m i n a ted , wh i ch means con s i s tent shot-to - s h o tacc u rac y.

My Ma t h ews So l ocam shoots a fast, precise arrow every time I release its bows tri n g. For me, t h a t’s what bowhu n ting and the Ma t h ews So l ocam are all abo ut !

– Bob Robb

Bob Robb

Solocam Bows are Dynamically Efficient

I f you re ad bow - perform a n ce arti cles in maga z i n e s , yo u’ve prob a bly seen ch a rts thats h ow a bow ’s “dynamic ef f i c i en c y ” for launching specific arrow wei gh t s . Ch a n ces are

you just gl a n ced at the ch a rt and spent more time re ading the arti cl e’s su bj ective s t a tem ents abo ut the bow ’s look and feel . But did you know a good ch a rt reveals a lot a bo ut a bow ’s feel , ease of d raw, k i ck and vi bra ti on ?

All those qu a l i ties rel a te to dynamic ef f i c i en c y. Wh en you opera te a mechanical devi ce , the amount of work put into it produ ces a specific amount of o utp ut . For i n s t a n ce , wh en you draw a bow, l et’s say the ef fort requ i res 100 foo t - pounds of ef fort .Wh en you release the stri n g, the bow tra n s fers mu ch of that work , or stored en er gy,i n to the arrow as it’s launch ed . Let’s now say the arrow leaves the bow with 70 foo t -

pounds of en er gy. If we take the work the arrow is capable of doi n g, 70 foo t - po u n d s , and divi de it by theamount of work requ i red to draw the bow, 100 foo t - po u n d s , we get a va lue of . 7 0 , or 70 percen t . Th a t’s howef f i c i en t ly that bow tra n s fers its stored en er gy into the arrow, h en ce the term , “dynamic ef f i c i en c y.”

Now let’s su ppose two bows store equal amounts of en er gy, but one has more dynamic ef f i c i en c y. Th a tmeans it wi ll shoot any given arrow faster and with more kinetic en er gy than the other bow. Not on ly that,but it does so with less noi s e , vi bra ti on and hand shock . Why? If Bow A has a dynamic ef f i c i ency of 70 per-cent and Bow B has a dynamic ef f i c i ency of 80 percen t , wh a t’s happening to that 30 percent of u n del ivereden er gy in Bow A and the 20 percent left behind in Bow B? The bows must absorb that en er gy, wh i ch meansBow B absorbs 33 percent less en er gy. That tra n s l a tes into less noi s e , s h ock , vi bra ti on and discom fort .And that’s why Bow B wi ll not on ly shoot faster, but wi ll also be more pleasu ra ble to shoo t .

In all of the tests I’ve re ad by Norbert Mu ll a n ey in Bowh u n ting Wo rl d m a ga z i n e , bows with the high e s tdynamic ef f i c i ency were manu f actu red by Ma t h ews .

Th erefore , wh en you want the most bang for your bu ck in a new bow, ch eck its dynamic ef f i c i en c y.

— Ga ry Si m o n d s

Gary Simonds

12 9

The Adva n t a ges of Si n gl e - Cam Te ch n ol ogy. . .

One Cam is Better Than Tw o (or One and a Half)

S o m etimes one manu f a ctu ring brea k t h rou gh revol u ti o n i zes an en ti re indu s try. So it has be en wi t hthe Ma t h ews line of h u n ting and target bows . One cam. Si m pl e . Si l en t . Si z z l i n g . Sm oot h . St a bl e .The “S” a l so stands for Sol o c a m , a Ma t h ews tra d em a rk . It could stand for “Su per Bow.”

No more does a target arch er or avid bowh u n ter need to sacri f i ce one attri bu te to have anot h er in hisb ow. You’ve proba bly read or hea rd how a fast bow is of ten a loud bow. Or how a short , l i gh twei ght bowis proba bly not an acc u ra te bow. Or how a quiet bow has to be a heavy bow, o r, well , you get the idea .

Ma t h ews proved long ago that those days are go n e . Now, with a new Ma t h ews bow, you can haveyour cake and eat it, too. On ly the Solocam makes it po s s i bl e . It is the fou n d a tion for arch ery en gi n e er-ing that bord ers on perf e cti o n .

If you’re skeptical that a Ma t h ews Solocam can del iver all of the best bow innova tions all in onepa ck a ge , you should do three things befo re you set down this bow:

F i rs t, read the te s timonials on the foll owing pa ges from some of the leading arch ers in the bowh u n t-ing bu s i n e s s . Secon d, ch e ck out Ma t h ews’ a rch ery tou rn a m ent tra ck re co rd on the ba ck cover. T h i rd,ask to shoot this bow. Th en shoot the co m peti ti o n . Th en shoot this bow aga i n .

The next time you find you rsel f a n ch o red at fu ll draw, you’ ll be aiming a Ma t h ews Sol o c a m . An dwh et h er a bu ll ’s eye or a bu ck is your aim, you’ ll be shooting the be s t .

It takes much more than luck to be the dominantbuck…what does it take to get to the top? If you’reMathews, it’s a history of innovation and an unwaveringdedication to making the world’s best bows.

Mathews Means Reliability

I ’m a blu e - co ll a r, do - i t - yo u rs el f bowhu n ter who wi ll never be acc u s ed of being a high - tech target arch er. Even though I’m capable of s et ting up, s ervicing and

p a m pering my bow, I ’d just as soon not worry abo ut it. And su re , I want a bow that provi des depen d a bl e , l ow - m a i n ten a n ce , top - end perform a n ce , but I never bel i eved su ch a bow ex i s ted until I shot a Ma t h ews So l oc a m .

Before I shot my first Ma t h ews , I tri ed the top - end bows from every major bow manu f actu rer in the arch ery indu s try. Some were good perform ers , s ome were depen d a bl e , and some requ i red little upkeep. Non e , h owever, was bl e s s ed with all three tra i t s .

Th en I tri ed the Ma t h ews . Bel i eve me, I put my Ma t h ews So l ocam bows to thetest every ye a r, and every model I’ve used beats the com peti ti on . For the past six ye a rs , h owever, I ’vebeen shoo ting the Ma t h ews MQ-1. I ’ve dra gged that bow from the top of the Rockies to the flats of t h ede s ert So ut hwest and back aga i n . And wh en I wasn’t to ting it mys el f on a “hu m p - a n d - get - i t” s e a rch forga m e , my mules were carrying it for me, and they have no rega rd for their cargo. It’s been skinned up,b a n ged aro u n d , a bu s ed and negl ected , but it’s never given me a re a s on to do u bt its rel i a bi l i ty.

That same Ma t h ews not on ly del ivers top perform a n ce on every shot, it sti ll carries the same handl e ,l i m b s , s tring and cables as the day it first came home with me. All I’ve ever done – hon e s t ly – is wax itss tring and cables reg u l a rly. In retu rn , my “battle ax” provi des faithful, acc u ra te , rel i a ble perform a n cewh et h er I’m hu n ting farmland wh i tetails or high - a l ti tu de el k . No hard - core bowhu n ter could ask form ore , n or receive as mu ch , f rom one bow.

– Eddie Claypool

Eddie Claypool

Solocam Improves My Accuracy

I h ave a con fe s s i on : The first time I shot a Ma t h ews So l oc a m , I was on the pro s t a f f of a n o t h er major bow manu f actu rer. I had meti c u l o u s ly tu n ed and

s i gh ted in that com p a ny ’s bow and had shot it for mon t h s .Hu n ting season was upon me wh en the So l ocam showed up. Af ter installing

an arrow rest and eyeb a lling the cen ter-shot and nock set , I screwed a broad h e ad on to an arrow and shot it thro u gh tuning paper. The first arrow kicked a bit t a i l - h i gh . I lowered the nock set , and the second arrow cl e a n ly tore the paper.Two shots tu n ed my So l oc a m !

The Ma t h ews was so acc u ra te and con s i s ten t , it took me on ly a few arrows tos i ght in with pins set for 20 to 60 ya rd s . Af ter a short bre a k , I shot groups wi t h

both bows . At every distance , I shot con s i dera bly ti gh ter groups with the Ma t h ews . Rem em ber, this is abow I had shot for on ly a few minute s . I had been shoo ting the other bow all su m m er.

The So l oc a m’s smart en gi n eering makes it inheren t ly acc u ra te . For opti mum acc u rac y, a bow mu s tl a u n ch an arrow with minimum lef t / ri ght or up/down wobbl e . Hi gh - s peed vi deo con f i rms theMa t h ews So l oc a m’s stra i gh t - a s - a n - a rrow launching abi l i ti e s .

Even so, you don’t need high - tech , s eei n g - i s - bel i eving proof to apprec i a te the So l oc a m’s er gon om i c sand solid wall at full draw. Yo u’ ll qu i ck lyre a l i ze yo u’re shoo ting the most acc u ra tebow ever made .

Why? Because wh en you shoot acc u-ra tely, you have fun; and wh en you havef u n , you sti ck with it. Un fortu n a tely, s ome bow de s i gn sdon’t del iver a true arrow. Acc u racy thensu f fers . S h oo ting those bows becom e swork , and work isn’t fun for lon g. Th a t’swhy I’m now with Ma t h ews , and not thato t h er com p a ny.

– Lon E. La u ber

Lon E. Lauber

10 11

Mathews Solocam: The Silent Killer

Al t h o u gh many bowhu n ters think slow arrows all ow animals to “ jump the s tri n g,” I think the real culprit is the noise cre a ted wh en a bows tring rel e a s e s .

Q u i te simply, that “s l a p” s c a res the dayl i ghts out of a deer, wh i ch ref l ex ively coils and spri n gs from danger. Because deer and other big game have ligh tning-fast ref l exe s , t h ey uninten ti on a lly du ck even the fastest arrows .

So, the key to hindering that defense mechanism is reducing your bow noi s e .Af ter all , i f t h ey can’t hear it, t h ey can’t flee it. And because vi bra ti on is the gre a t -est source of bow noi s e , Ma t h ews never stops working to de s i gn those shock waves o ut of a ll So l ocam bows . Th eir ef forts give the So l ocam a significant noise adva n t a ge over its com peti ti on , e s pec i a lly its two-cam and cam-and-a-half com peti ti on .

One key re a s on a Ma t h ews bow is so qu i et is its para ll el-limb de s i gn . As physics dict a te , the more para ll elthe limbs, the lower the recoi l . The lower the recoi l , the lesser the noi s e !

Ma t h ews wasn’t sati s f i ed with that accom p l i s h m en t , h owever. It redu ced the noise of its alre ady - qu i etbows even furt h er with Ha rm onic Dampers . Al t h o u gh the bows tri n g’s release sends a shock wave zipp i n gt h ro u gh the ri s er, Ha rm onic Dampers help absorb these vi bra ti ons thro u gh their unique de s i gn and stra tegi cp l acem en t .

S ti ll not sati s f i ed , Ma t h ews next introdu ced String Su ppre s s ors to ad d ress another major source of vi bra-ti on . Sl ow - m o ti on vi deo shows the bows tring flexes inw a rd and back out repe a tedly until all vi bra ti on leave sthe stri n g. In tu rn , these vi bra ti ons ri pple thro u gh o ut the bow to cre a te noise and other vi bra ti on s . S tri n gSu ppre s s ors absorb, d i s s i p a te and redu ce these vi bra ti on s . As a bonu s , the su ppre s s ors don’t all ow the stri n gto flex far forw a rd before the arrow nock disen ga ge s . Th erefore , Ma t h ews bows provi de the “for given e s s” ofbows with mu ch lon ger brace hei gh t s .

Fri cti on is yet another noise source , so Ma t h ews devel oped its Ro ll er Gu a rd to furt h er short - c i rc u i tu nw a n ted noise and produ ce a smoo t h er- s h oo ting bow.

At Ma t h ews , the quest for qu i et perfecti on never re s t s . Th a t’s why with Ma t h ews’ su peri or en gi n eering andi n n ova tive fe a tu re s , your So l ocam bow wi ll be as silent as any pred a tor stalking its prey.

– Steve Ba rtyll a

Steve Bartylla

Mathews Solocam Proves that Speed Kills

While bowhu n ting a big bu ll elk in the Ca n adian Rockies last fall , I tra i p s ed ac ross miles of to u gh terrain for hours in tem pera tu res at least 20 degrees bel ow zero.

Ot h er than determ i n a ti on , my next-most vital com p a n i on was my Ma t h ews LX high -perform a n ce single-cam bow.

O n ce I slipped into bow ra n ge of the bu ll , I ra i s ed my LX with con f i den ce , k n owing it would launch a high - s peed “d a rt” for maximum pen etra ti on . I wasn’t disappoi n ted .Af ter my arrow stre a ked thro u gh the cold mountain air and into the unsu s pecting el k ,the bu ll bo l ted a mere 30 ya rd s , s topped and dropped . Bel i eve me, a f ter the long trek that bro u gh t me to him, I was gl ad to be carrying a bow that con s i s ten t ly produ ces su peri or arrow speed , flat flight and

deep pen etra ti on . Af ter all , I had come too far to see myef forts squ a n dered by my equ i pm en t . That just won’t h a ppen with a Ma t h ews !

Ma t h ews makes the fastest bow on the planet , the Bl ackMax 2. And every bow in the Ma t h ews line is fast. In factthe new - for-2005 Swi tch b ack has a gen erous brace hei gh tof a pprox i m a tely 7 inches wh i ch is almost 1/2-inch morethan my LX and it’s f a s ter than the LX! Fast a n d s i l kys m ooth! One re a s on is overa ll ef f i c i en c y. You get more outof what you put into a Ma t h ews , in the form of en er gy,than with any other bow. And the peri m eter- wei gh tedc a m , a Ma t h ews inven ti on , uses cen tri f u gal force toi n c rease speed and redu ce vi bra ti on .

Th a t’s yet another living dem on s tra ti on of Ma t h ews’s l oga n , “Ca tch us if you can.” It’s not just a catchy ph ra s e .It’s a sel f - con f i dent dare ; a ch a ll en ge . And from my per-s pective , the Ma t h ews So l ocam never wavers in backing up its word s . What more can you ask of a stalw a rt com p a n i on ?

– Di ck Sco r z a f ava

Dick Scorzafava

Mathews Solocam Defines Simplicity

T he Ma t h ews So l ocam bow has nearly made my custom bow shop in the basem ent ob s o l ete . I built it more than 20 ye a rs ago, but my wi fe now wants the space .

Fra n k ly, she has me defen s el e s s . I no lon ger need the two bow presses on ce nece s -s a ry for tracking and tweaking bows tri n gs and cables on the bows I used to test and wri te abo ut . Because I now shoot a Ma t h ews , I set it up and pret ty mu ch for get it.

Wh en I shot a dual-cam bow, I was preocc u p i ed all season with keeping it in tu n e .Those bows dem a n ded constant ti n keri n g. Ta ke the buss cabl e s , for instance . Th ey acco u n ted for more “tuning ti m e” than all other ad ju s tm ents com bi n ed , i n cluding n ock - s et loc a ti on and cen ter-shot po s i ti on . And cabl e - tuning was a fru s tra ting ch ore .Truth be known , it was vi rtu a lly impo s s i ble to get both eccen tric wh eels to ro ll in per-

fect harm ony. Because I’m an incura ble perfecti on i s t , I don’t miss those days of tri a l - a n d - error tu n i n g.Fa s t - forw a rd to the true modern com pound bow, the Ma t h ews So l oc a m . Th ey set up in no ti m e , ri ght out

of the box . And on ce set up, t h ey stay that way. With on ly one cam ro lling over, i t’s simpler to maintain. Inf act , t h ere’s nothing to ad just the cam to because it doe s n’t need a partn er! Add the Ma t h ews’ p a ten ted new -for-2005 Zebra Ba rracuda bows tri n g, and you furt h er simplify the setu p. Th ere’s vi rtu a lly no twi s t , wh i chmeans no tu bing is needed to keep a peep in place .

F i n a lly, Ma t h ews’ l a test peri m eter- wei gh ted cam de s i gns produ ce stra i ght and level nock travel , tops in thebowhu n ting worl d . In tu rn , broad h e ad tuning is mu ch simpler! So, add it all up, and the Ma t h ews So l ocam defines low mainten a n ce . I hardly need a bow shop any more . But please don’t tell my wi fe .

– Jef f Mu rray

Jeff Murray

Vibration: Do You Know What You’re Missing?

At some time almost everyone has said, “I didn’t know how good I had it until I lost it.”

Well , I had that ex peri en ce shoo ting a Ma t h ews So l ocam exclu s ively for a year and then shoo ting a com peti tor ’s bow to give me back ground for an arti cle I waswri ti n g. Talk abo ut bad vi bes! I didn’t know how good I had it until shoo ting s om ething other than a Ma t h ews .

Try as I migh t , I could not en j oy shoo ting the com peti tor ’s bow. Tru e , it didn’t jar my bow arm like a sof tb a ll hitting the end of an alu m i num bat in Ma rch , but I was forced to drive to the local pro shop and adorn that bow with every vi bra ti on - a b s orbing devi ce the store stocked . That bow even tu a lly qu i eted and

quit jumping as if it were plu gged into an el ectrical socket , but the qu e s ti on aro s e : Was it worth myti m e , ef fort and ex pense? Nope . My 40-som ething joints and pati en ce didn’t need the abu s e .

O f co u rs e , my smoo t h , m i l d - m a n n ered So l ocam bows fire mean arrows! I’m not a tech n i c a lly mind-ed pers on , but I attri bute their high speed and incred i ble acc u racy to Ma t h ews’ su per- ef f i c i ent de s i gnand functi on a l i ty. It just makes sense that if a bow can harness all your mu s cle en er gy and tra n s fer itcl e a n ly and ef f i c i en t ly from the bow to the arrow with less hand shock , the arrow should have a bet terch a n ce of re aching its mark qu i ck ly and ef f i c i en t ly.

L i kewi s e , a bow that squ a n ders mu ch of that en er gy wh en making the tra n s fer from bow to arrows h o u l d n’t be ex pected to del iver both speed and acc u rac y. Som et h i n g’s gotta give , and for me it wasacc u rac y. Th a t’s why the Ma t h ews joins me wh en it’s time to put everything on the line in the deerwood s . That other bow? Let’s just say it’s not sending out many vi bra ti ons I can feel from that dark corn er in my cl o s et .

– Pa tri ck Du rk i n

Pat Durkin