2014 Mathews Bows

So for those who are just now visiting our site, or those of you who may have not caught it in the past, my real job is as an archery tech here in North Texas. Working at one of the largest archery shops in the nation has its benefits, and one of them is being able to shoot each manufacturer's new bow line up every year as soon as they come in.

So yesterday, two Mathews boxes rolled off the truck containing their brand new 2014 Creed XS, and Chill R. Before I tell you how they shoot, I'll risk possibly scaring a few people off and remind you that I am a Hoyt guy. I've never been the biggest fan of Mathews, but I'll be honest and say that last year's 2013 Creed and Chill were some of the nicest bows I’ve shot. I just want to make sure that you all know where this review is coming from.

So, the Creed XS. It does not look any different from the 2013 Creed, aside from it being a shorter bow at 28 inches ATA. The draw cycle is very smooth, but being a short bow, your string angle is at a more severe angle. It shoots good, with not much noticeable hand vibration. It's a Creed, and it shoots like a Creed. The only difference is the size of the bow itself.

You're going to see more of a change in the new Chill R compared to last year's Chill. Your ATA is longer than before, at 33 inches. Granted, it's rated 9 feet-per-second faster than last year's model, but somewhere along the line the Chill seems to have lost some of it's smoothness. I don't know if it's the size of the bow, or exactly what it is, but at full draw, the grip just doesn't feel right in your hand. It could just be me, but it feels like the top half of the bow is pushing back into you much more than the bottom. And I couldn't help but feel much more hand vibration than last year's model.

In short, Mathews took the Creed and made it shorter, and took the Chill and made it longer. That's it. Now everyone is built differently, and everyone is going to think a little differently about what bow they shoot and how it feels when they shoot it. Again, I'm a Hoyt guy, and this is simply my personal opinion.

-Sam Thrash, Fall Obsession Pro Staff