Elite Option 6 Bow Review
First impressions can say a lot about a person, place or thing. And when I'm in the market for a new bow, I want to be impressed from the second that I first pick up a bow. Sure, there are many brands and bows that may not impress me at first, and grow on me over time. But a bow that catches your attention after a single shot is worth talking about.
The new 2017 Elite Option 6. I won't beat around the bush, I think it's great. I loved the way the bow handled from the second I first put my hands on it! The Elite Option 6 sits bare bow at 4.3 lbs. mass weight, it has a 32" axle-to-axle, and at a 29" draw length with a 70 lb. draw weight shooting a 350 gr. arrow, it clocks in at 332 fps.
Now let me come clean, I only shot the bow and played with it on the range. I did not play with the tuning. But I had a good friend with me who is a bow tech, and he has messed around with the Option 6. He was able to give me his 2 cents as well.
In this day and age, a bare bow that is 4.3 lbs. mass weight is considered a little more on the heavy side. The Elite Option 6 is very well balanced while just sitting in the hand, and if I was simply holding it and knew nothing about it, I would not have guessed it to weigh that much.
The grip on a bow is another thing I am very picky about. I prefer a squared off grip on my bow. It helps me to prevent torquing the bow, and creates a stronger muscle memory for me so there is no second guessing my exact and accurate hand position when I shoot. This is why certain wooden grips are not attractive to me, and why I pulled the wooden grips off my Hoyt and only shoot with side plates. All that being said, I picked up the Option 6, and never even thought about what the grip felt like until I was finished. I never noticed anything different, it was exactly what I like a grip to feel like!
The draw was a little stiffer than previous models such as the Energy series, or the Synergy, but I would certainly not say that it was uncomfortable. It dropped down into that deep, high-let-off valley that Elite is known for, and came to a stop on a rock solid back wall. The bow is very comfortable at full draw.
Now if you have ever shot an Elite, you know that if you draw back and hold it, it will just sit there. You also know that if you start to let down, it will not go right away. The let off is so high that you almost have to push it down. This is not the case with the Option 6, and I like that. I think the high-let-off and the "push to let down" engineering is pretty cool, but I've come to realize it is not what I want for a hunting bow. If I'm easing up on my bow at full draw, and not pulling against my back wall, therefore not pulling through the shot, I want to know it. And with previous high-let-off Elite bows, such was not the case. So I was pleased when I found that the Option 6 has a high-let-off, but if you ease up at full draw, it will pull on you. It is not jumpy by any means, but you don't have to push it to let down.
The shot itself was very smooth. Not jumpy at all, well balanced, and minimal vibration/shock (and what was there is easily fixed with a stabilizer).
Now before I wrap up I'd like to talk briefly about the speed. I was curious what kind of numbers we'd see from this bow since it is a split limb bow, opposed to a solid limb bow like everything Elite has done in the past. The Option 6 is said to be 332 fps at 29" with a 70 lb. draw, shooting a 350 gr. arrow. Not a whole lot of difference between that and previous Elite models. My friend who has messed around with the Option 6 a little more than I have does wonder if it is indeed faster.
He shot the Option 6 at 70 lbs. and 29" in draw with a 425 gr. arrow and clocked it at 311 fps. In comparison, I currently shoot a Hoyt Nitrum Turbo, originally rated at 350 fps at 70 lbs. and with a 29" draw shooting a 350 gr. arrow. I have a 28.5" draw, shoot 71 lbs. and a 425 gr. arrow and I get 305 fps. You can do the math and figure out where the difference is. Granted a lot of factors could play a part. The Elite is still a bare bow, the chronograph may not be perfect, etc. You can take or leave that little bit of info, I just thought it would be interesting for you speed guys out there.
Overall I highly recommend the Elite Option 6! I believe it to be a great bow that would keep any bow hunter happy for many years! I encourage you to go shoot one should you get the chance. And if you already have, or once you do, tell me what you think. I'm curious to see what other archers think as well.
Happy hunting to all, and shoot straight!
-Sam Thrash, Fall Obsession Pro Staff