The Bear Apprentice is a very versatile bow that just about anyone can learn to use. It’s universal and has adjustability that’s great for youths all the way up to small-framed men and women. It will grow with the young shooters due to the range of adjustability, and its lightweight, which is an important aspect for the young kids. The draw length is very easily adjusted and there is no bow press required, and the best part is that it’s of excellent value for the money!
It has a sleek, modern design, an improved grip design, a new string suppression system, and an adjustable draw length. The bow can be ordered in two colors, Realtree APG and pink camouflage. These colors will allow you to choose one for either a son or a daughter.
Riser/Limbs
This bow is an excellent choice for a child with its 27.5-inch AtA. It’s great for shorter kids and is fine for any taller children, too. Another benefit for the young kids is that this bow is only 2.9 pounds. There are some stronger kids that might feel steadier with some additional weight in a bow, which can be added with some stabilizers. The new riser on this Apprentice looks excellent. It has a tubular look with edges that are much more round. The riser has a similar look to the other Bear Company’s bows. There’s a stabilizer bushing secured to the riser. Another great feature is the integrated string stop that comes standard on the Bear Apprentice. This is definitely an attractive improvement that cuts out vibration and noise.
The Bear Flared Quad Limbs are split so they do an amazing job. They help produce a brace height of six inches. This combination makes for plenty of energy for a youth bow at any draw length. The Zero Tolerance Limb Pockets attach the limbs to the riser and help reduce the shock. The tiny amount of hand shock that this bow has can be improved with a stabilizer.
Grip
The improved grip design eliminated the hand torque and improved accuracy. There are only a couple of narrow side plats on the grip of the riser with Bear written on them. The width and the angle of the grip are excellent. It feels comfortable and is well-proportioned in the hand. This is a thin bow that’s ideal for small hands. With it being bare metal, it could get cold if it was taken outside on a cool day.
String Suppressors
The Bear Apprentice III comes with a new string suppression system that has a standard string stop that will cut out noise and vibration. This helps a lot when the bow is set to the higher draw weights, and it doesn’t hurt to set it at a lower weight either.
Eccentric System
The cam system on this bow is excellent and highly adjustable in the draw length. This bow’s new dual G3 growth cams are the third generation on the Apprentice bows and are now adjustable in half-inch increments. They’ll go from fifteen to twenty-seven-inch draw lengths. This large range can find a way to fit nearly any youth that could shoot a bow, as well as teenagers.
It’s simple to adjust and there’s no need for the bow press or any additional modules to change the draw length. This user-friendly feature is excellent for partners who have children who are maturing. There is a seventy percent let-off that helps younger archers get the feel of shooting a bigger bow. There’s a twenty pound to sixty-pound adjustment in draw weight.
Draw Cycle
The draw cycle of the Apprentice II has a good feeling with most of the weight at the front. There’s only a slight amount of recoil, but when it’s fully drawn, this bowl feels as if it’s fastened to the back and it’s very comfortable. This feeling is good for beginning shooters. The back wall is not spongy or rock solid but has the right feel to it. A stabilizer could reduce the little bit of recoil this bow has. It could also improve the balance if it’s too heavy for a smaller child. A carbon rod has a slide cable guard that works well for this type of bow.
In Conclusion
Any youth that has the desire and will to shoot a bow will love the Bear Apprentice. Along with the ease to shoot and the good feel it has, it also has the ability to show a youth what an adult bow will be like one day. The large adjustment range and the light weight make it great for any shooter. So overall, it’s an excellent choice for a youth.