This is a Bear Super Kodiak Review which will look at this reliable recurve bow.
I have spent most of my life shooting various bows. The Bear Super Kodiak model might just be one of my favorites for its simplicity and its ease of use.
The Bear Super Kodiak builds on the traditions of famous bow maker Fred Bear. This delivers a beautiful one piece recurve bow that is ideal for bow hunting or target shooting. His name lives on through the bows he helped design.
Shooters will greatly appreciate the custom look and feel of this bow at a very affordable price. Hunters will especially appreciate the limb quality and arrow speed achieved from this beautiful bow.
Over the course of this bow review, you will come to see why the Bear Super Kodiak is an ideal recurve bow for just about anyone.
Bear Archery Super Kodiak Pros and Cons
Pros:
- One Piece Design: The one piece design of this bow means there is little to no maintenance. Once you have set your bow up, it is always ready for hunting or shooting.
- Curved Shelf: The design of the arrow shelf makes for a cleaner release of the arrow which minimizes arrow bend and improves accuracy.
- Multiple limb power options: The bow can be ordered in several limb weights allowing you to get the weight you need.
Cons:
- As a traditional bow, there are not any mounting points. This means you cannot attach a quiver, sights, or an arrow rest. This model limits itself to traditional shooting which is likely why a few people did not give it the full five stars on popular websites.
- Because the bow is a one piece setup, you cannot make it more compact for travel. With a bow length of 60 inches, you have to be careful when transporting the bow.
Who Should Buy The Bear Super Kodiak Recurve Bow?
The Bear Archery Super Kodiak model is ideal as a hunting bow. If you want to take game with a traditional bow setup, then this is an ideal bow for you.
The Super Kodiak can be purchased at weights that are ideal for hunting small to large game in North America.
Features and Benefits of the Super Kodiak Bow
Simple design
The Bear Super Kodiak is an elegant bow with a simple design. Fred Bear, who was a hunter and avid shooter himself, wanted to design bows that were easy to use.
Thanks to the one piece design, this bow is always ready to shoot whether you are headed to the range or to the woods to hunt. Other recurve bows need tuning and adjusting each time you get ready to shoot. This simply is not the case with the Bear Kodiak making it ideal for any bow hunter.
This model also minimizes something getting snagged in the woods. I cannot tell you how many times I have had to make in-field adjustments because a stick caught one of my pieces of equipment while traveling to my stand. This can ruin a hunt if you cannot get it back to where it needs to be. You don’t have to worry about this at all with the Bear Super Kodiak.
Superior Build Quality
This model has been made with a dymondwood riser combined with hard rock maple giving it a very durable design. The black fiberglass also aids in the strength of the bow and extends from the riser to the limb tips in both directions. This gives both the riser and the limb tips a layer of protection against scratching.
The dymondwood riser is also an ideal length for traditional archery shooting. If the riser is too short, it can be difficult to use the arrow to aim using either gap shooting or the instinctive method.
Thanks to this combination, this archery product can become an heirloom passed on from generation to generation. Plus the dymondwood and maps combination is simply beautiful to look at.
As long as you do not dry fire the bow and store it properly, it can last for many years making this a quality investment for your family.
One area the designer did an excellent job with was the grip. It is very easy to get a comfortable grip on this bow. Thanks to the ergonomic design, the archer does not feel the string shock in your palm that you typically will with cheaper bows. This will translate into more time at the range or in the woods.
It also means that there are no rough edges to catch your palm. Many cheaper bows do not round off their edges and it can be a less than enjoyable experience.
Lightweight Design
The bow weighs only 5.5 lbs making it the perfect weight for long hunting sessions. This bow weight will also help with the accuracy giving you enough weight to remain steady while shooting.
Cut On Center Arrow Rest
One of the most important factors when it comes to a recurve bow is how the arrow rests against this bow. Because you have to shoot off the shelf with this bow, how much of the arrow that impacts the bow will determine both accuracy and reliability.
This bow has been designed with what is called a cut on center arrow rest which allows for minimal contact with the arrow. This combined with the side plate allows your arrows to rest comfortably on the bow shot after shot.
If you are looking for a set of arrows that fit this bow really well, the Easton xx75 jazz arrows with a 125 grain tip are nearly perfect for weight and speed.
Dynaflight 97 String
The Super Kodiak comes with a Dynaflight 97 bow string with a flemish twist. This string will allow you to shoot a heavier weighted arrow and stronger limbs. These bow strings have been proven to be durable and long lasting as long as you take good care of them.
The real place this benefit will be seen is the fact that you can achieve arrow speeds much greater than you can with older recurve bows. The faster the arrow is traveling, the more accurate you will be.
Layered Limb Tips
The Super Kodiak has layered limb tips as a part of the design. Not only does this allow you to use a string with a flemish twist and modern arrows, but it will also protect your bow. These limb tips will withstand lots of use and will not run the risk of getting damaged like other limb tips are prone to do.
Lifetime Warranty
By going to beararchery.com and completing the warranty registration form, you can receive a lifetime warranty for your bow. The company will take care of you in the unfortunate event that something goes wrong with your setup.
Bear Archery has great customer service and they are more than willing to work with their archers to see that they are happy. It is great to see a company stand behind their item as Bear Archery does.
What are others saying about the Bear Kodiak?
While I love this bow, I wanted to get news from others who have also tried out the Bear Super Kodiak. It is one thing to trust my opinion, but it is far better to get the reviews of others as well. Here is what I found:
Reddit user xxBloodlessxx bought a used Bear Archery Super Kodiak as a graduation present and has loved shooting it regularly.
Another Reddit user, Spaturno really speaks to the true nature of the bow by calling it smooth, silent, and precise. Here is one of the links to that thread.
Users from other popular websites say that the Super Kodiak is well worth the price and a dream to shoot. The action is considered to be both smooth and flawless and often the best part of this bow setup.
One user in particular stated that they had shot their bow for over 25 years and it was still going strong and making accurate shots making it one of their favorite products they had purchased.
Bear Kodiak Alternatives
While the Bear Super Kodiak is an excellent one piece recurve bow, there are alternatives on the market with similar characteristics. Let me mention just one of these bows and show how it stacks up against the Bear Super Kodiak
Bear Kodiak vs Martin Archery Hunter
The Martin Archery Hunter is a one piece recurve bow just like the Bear Super Kodiak. Where the Bear Super Kodiak is a 60 inch bow from the tip of the limbs, the Martin Archery Hunter is 62 inches from the tip of the limbs.
This will allow for a longer draw and is slightly better for taller shooters or those with longer arms. This will also mean that the Bear Super Kodiak will be slightly easier to carry in the field due to its smaller size.
Another feature that is different between these bows is weight. The Bear Super Kodiak weighs in at 5.5 lbs where the Martin Archery Hunter weighs only 2 lbs. 3 oz. While this will make the bow lighter to hold, it will increase the tendency to translate any body shake into the bow itself.
The draw weights of the two bows are comparable in power due to the ability to order them in draw weights from 35 lbs to 65 lbs. Whichever version you choose, you will be getting an excellent bow from either great series.
Both have a similar brace height making the nock point similar for both bows which means that they are ideal for most average archers.
Either of these recurve bows would make an excellent product for any archer.
Conclusion
The Bear Super Kodiak recurve bow is a beautiful one piece traditional bow. This recurve bow is ideal for anyone who wants their equipment to not only function well, but look well also. It’s power is seen both in its design and felt in its ability to put arrows on target.
It has been designed to last generations and to perform time after time thanks to the design features that went into the build. The limbs are simply sturdier than most other bows on the market.
The weight is well balanced making it a dream to shoot and an excellent deal for either hunters or target shooters. With the Dynaflight string, you will be able to select from many of the popular arrow choices today to fit your particular interests.
Overall, if you put one of these bows in your cart, you will not be disappointed. The Bear Super Kodiak Recurve Bow is an excellent investment whether you are going to shoot at a target or take it into the woods.