Written by Ian VanDerLinden
Overview
Darton is a bow manufacturer based out of Hale Michigan that has had the same ownership since 1950. Unlike some of the more popular brands you’ll hear like Mathews, Hoyt, Prime, etc. Darton is not a super talked about brand, but it has led some of the innovations in archery tech that you’ll see some of the above brands try to replicate. I purchased their new Spectra-e compound from Bullzeye archery in Bloomfield New York, and let me tell you I was very impressed by the bow from both performance and technology. The one thing that will set the spectra-e apart from other bows in its class is the suspended yoke system utilizing a pulley, this essentially helps to even out the tension on either side of the cam thus resulting in virtually no cam lean. What this means is that this is a consistently accurate bow. On the Darton website you can purchase this bow for $1,039.97, I bought mine for $950 which still puts it in the same price category as the higher end Mathews and Hoyt bows such as the Triax, Halon, and Hyper Force. On the Darton Maverick series you see a nearly identical yoke system as a triax, but the Spectra-e is the only bow with a suspended yoke using two pulleys. I will further break down the bow and my thoughts on it in hopes to give you guys a first hand testimony to the quality of the bow.
Specifications
Speed: 330-335 FPS
Axle to Axle: 32 ¾”
Brace Height: 6″
Mass Weight: 4.2 LBS.
Draw Lengths: 25″-31″
Draw Weights: 40, 50, 60, 70
Let-Off: 85%
My Bow
Draw Weight: 70 lbs
Draw Length: 27.5”
Features
- Suspended Yoke System utilizing small pulleys outboard of the limbs
- Adjustable draw module
- Positive limb stops
- Numerous draw stop tab positions (13 to be exact)
Cons
The cons I have for the bow are minimal and do not detract from the overall quality of the bow. The bow itself is very heavy in hands which can make it a bit of a pain to lug around the woods, especially if anyone plans to go on a backcountry hunt where ounces are critical. If you do your homework and are able to purchase the right accessories you can avoid adding a substantial amount of weight. The only other con I have found with the bow is that the pulley casing needs to be tightened down because they will come loose. With more moving parts, the more parts and screws you need to police which is not the most tedious of tasks, but is some additional maintenance you will need to be mindful of.
Another con that does not solely apply to this bow is that it is a much less forgiving bow, especially for those with longer draw lengths. With a 6” brace height, the bow shoots decently fast but to get that speed the arrow has to stay attached to your string longer, thus allowing for more variables in your technique to affect your shot. I have grown up shooting bows with longer brace heights that proved to be much more forgiving so it took me some time to fine tune my technique and follow through. The bow is also on the large side in terms of axle to axle length which makes the bow a little hard to maneuver in cover.
One small con relative to what’s important when looking at a bow is the lack of camo and color options to truly customize your bow to you. Hoyt is perhaps one of the most customizable bow companies in terms of color combinations between limbs and risers, and the sheer number of camo patterns offered. Being a First Lite user I would love to see Darton work on trying to get contracts to produce bows with their fusion and cipher camo patterns instead of the kryptek. Just food for thought in the future.
Pros
The bow is pretty dead in the hand when it comes to shooting, there is some vibration but when properly balanced it is still very smooth to shoot. The ability to fine tune your draw length and draw stops allows you to create a very solid back wall on the bow making it easier to consistently anchor on every shot. The stock rubber grips that my bow came with are very comfortable and they interface extremely well with the riser. My bow has a max poundage of 70 pounds, which I had to work into being able to draw back but with an 85% let-off I can hold full draw for a pretty good chunk of time comfortably. As far as accuracy goes, this bow (once tuned and shot with tuned arrows) is a tack driver. Most bows at this price point can be tack drivers, but I feel in complete control and confident in my shot.
The company itself offers you the ability to order replacement parts directly from them so you don’t have to go through the hassle of only going through your pro shop. They sell draw modules, draw stops, and replacement strings on their website which sets them apart from Mathews, Prime, and Hoyt.
Concluding Thoughts
For other bows in the same price point the Spectra-e definitely holds its own against its competitors in terms of performance. It has received high marks from many reputable media outlets and I can see why! I am looking forward to hunting with it this fall and many more to come. This is a very comparable option for those looking to step into the higher price range bows. If your local shop has one of these on its racks definitely give it a test shoot along side bows from other popular manufacturers.
585 Outdoors 