September 27, 2016Mark B

Diamond Edge SB-1 Review

If versatility is your priority and tuning not much your thing then that Diamond Edge SB-1 review is definitely for you. This universal bow has reached a new level in its category. Although not perfect in every single aspect, this compound bow does a great overall job and would suit beginners and youths very well. It can hardly get any better on the adjustment standpoint.

The Edge was designed with the young archers in mind who will be able to grow with their bow with a draw length ranging from 15" to 30" and a draw weight ranging from 7 to 70 pounds along with a height of 31" axle-to-axle and a total mass weight of 3.6 lbs. It goes without saying that this compact bow can fit about any archer's shape, size, and strength.

The Edge SB-1 features an 80% let-off which means that when drawing 70 pounds, the archer will really hold back 20% of that weight, being only 14 pounds.

This review will cover the presentation of the product and the adjustability features as well as how the bow shoots, what is the binary cam system, what is included in the package and how good the accessories are.

Bow Specs

Draw Length: 15"-30”
Draw Weight: 7-70 lbs
IBO Speed: 318 FPS
Mass Weight: 3.6 lbs
Axle to Axle: 31”
Brace Height: 7”
Let-off: 80%

Adjusting the Draw Length

This bow comes preset at 26 inches of draw length from the factory. It is quite important that your bow fits you properly. To make adjustments, you need a 3/32 inch hex wrench in order to remove the screws attaching the modules to the cams. Once done, simply rotate the modules so that the indexing marks point to the desired draw length. Retighten the screws and you are good to go. It is recommended to apply blue loctite 242 to the threads before replacing the screws so it does not loosen up when shooting the bow repeatedly.

EZ-Adjust System

The EZ-Adjust Pocket System makes it easy to adjust the poundage to your liking within minutes. Just screw with a 1/4 Allen wrench to crank up the poundage or unscrew to lower it. Each mark represents around 6.5% of the bow's peak weight. Finally, you will have to adjust the string stop to have it aligned with the string using a 5/32 Allen wrench. That's it! You are good to go with your new poundage.

Adjustments, check! Now, what about shooting some arrows?

Now that the compound bow is adjusted to liking, it is time to shoot some arrows.

Yes, youths can handle it but still can blast arrows up to 318* feet per second which represent the IBO Speed Rating at maximum settings with a brace height of 7".

More realistically, you may shoot arrows at around 265 FPS which is a bit on the slow side compared to powerful bows. Still, with 400-grain arrows, you will most likely get around 62 ft-lbs of Kinetic Energy. In other words, you can hunt any kind of deer on the planet with this bow.

You may not want to take on bigger games though, such as elk or cape buffalo since the KE value is slightly under the recommended upper value (refer to the image below for more detail on what you can hunt).

Plus, you got to remember that the value of 62 ft-lbs is the power of the arrow once it exits the bow. Keep in mind that you will lose KE value over the distance you are shooting from because an arrow loses power as it flies. As a rough estimate, you may lose around 6 to 10 ft-lbs of KE (this may vary depending on the conditions) once you reach your target if at a 30-yard distance. With that being said, your true KE value would now stand within the mid-fifty range. As you can see, going for an elk would be stretching it. If you absolutely want to go for an elk, this bow might not be your best pick.

Kinetic Energy for Bowhunting

The draw cycle on this bow is very smooth. The weight builds up slowly and consistently until it reaches the let-off.

As far as accuracy goes, nice groupings can be achieved. Though you may feel slight feedback and vibrations but nothing to worry about really.

So whether you want to shoot for fun or for bow hunting small to medium games, this bow can definitely bring you where you want to be.

*To know more about how the IBO Speed Rating of 318 FPS is calculated, read this post.

Binary Cam System

The binary cam system has been invented by Bowtech, who is the only one owning the rights to the patent. Diamond being a division of Bowtech is the reason why the Edge SB-1 is featuring that famous binary cam. Basically, the system overcomes the timing and synchronization issues by slaving one cam to the other, minimizing the need for tuning thus achieving perfect shots every time while being smooth and silent.

What's in the package?

The package includes the following equipment:

Three-pin TRUGLO® Apex Tundra sight: This sight is not the best and not so easy to tune, the pins are low quality plastic but are fairly bright. It is a good starter but as soon as you gain experience and become serious about shooting, you may want to change it. Though, be reassured that it will get the job done.

Octane™ Hostage XL Arrow Rest: Good reliable and accurate rest, it may not be suitable for every bow but works well on this kind of bow. Brushes have a tendency to wear out a bit fast but can be overcome if tuned right.

Comfort wrist sling: Very comfortable on the wrist and easy to adjust.

Octane DeadLock Lite quiver: Very light and solid. Hold arrows tight.

Carbon peep sight: The peep sight mostly depends on preferences but no issue whatsoever.

Octane 5" Ultra-Lite Stabilizer: Durable and lightweight. This stabilizer is efficient to help eliminate noise and vibrations. Its small size makes it ideal for hunting but a longer one might be best for target shooting.

BCY string loop: BCY is good quality.

Pretty good equipment overall. The real only downside of this package would be the pin sight.

Conclusion

Ideal to grow with your bow, easy to adjust and tune, smooth, powerful enough and ready-to-shoot out of the box. The Diamond Edge SB-1 just set a new standard in its category. With an MSRP of 449$, you really got the best bang for your buck out there. The web offers you to Compare Prices so you can make your mind about the bow.

If you are not sure about how to adjust your bow, Diamond created a dedicated website for the presentation and the necessary procedures to adjust the Edge SB-1 in a breeze all by yourself. Just go at www.adjustmybow.com and follow the instructions.

Thank you for reading and hope that you liked this Diamond Edge SB-1 Review! Do not hesitate to leave a comment below.

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