Not long ago, it seemed the entire archery industry was focused on creating the fastest bows, and archery enthusiast were rushing to buy them. Although many bow manufacturers surpassed — by a long shot — what had been achieved previously, speed bows were one-dimensional: fast. Their ultra-short brace heights, tough draw cycles and short valleys left them lacking in the overall shooting experience department. Today, manufacturers have worked steadily to produce fast, yet more “shootable” bows. In this review, we will look at two of today’s top-shooting speed bows, the Bowtech Realm SR6 and the Obsession FX6.

Bowtech Realm SR6

Building off Bowtech’s popular Realm series, the new Realm SR6 is a real barn burner.  For several years, Bowtech has been a major player in the speed bow market, and this model proves they are dedicated to speed into the future. This 32-inch axle-to-axle bow with a 6-inch brace height has a speed rating of 352 fps. The speed derives from the aggressive, weighted cam. The weights aid in forcing the cam forward faster to generate more speed.

In the past, most aggressive cams on speed bows would load-up hard just before they broke over the hump into the valley. That created a harsh draw cycle. With the Realm SR6, Bowtech engineers worked hard to load the cam at the beginning the draw cycle — where the shooter has the most strength — instead of at the end of the cycle.

In recent years, Bowtech has developed several key technologies that set them apart. One of those features is the ability to set the bow in one of two shooting settings: performance (speed) and comfort (smooth draw). The adjustment is made simply by flipping a module on the cam. Setting the bow in the comfort mode does reduce speed quite a bit, but some may prefer its smooth feel.

Draw length adjustments on this bow range from 25.5 to 30 inches and are made by rotating a module on the cam. Draw length numbers are marked right on the cam so you don’t need to use a chart to figure out which letters correspond to each draw length. It may sound silly to some, but for those who work on their own equipment, this is a welcomed feature.

Other great features carried over to the SR6 are the CP Dual Lock Pocket, which are set screws that lock both the limbs to the pockets and the pockets to the riser to ensure once they are set appropriately, they will not move, increasing accuracy. The FLX-Guard flexes the cables toward the center of the bow as it’s drawn to reduce torque, which also enhances accuracy. The Clutch Performance Grip is another optional feature ($25) that allows additional customization, anti-torque and greater comfort.

Bowtech Realm SR6 Specs

• BRACE HEIGHT: 6 inches
• AXLE-TO-AXLE: 32 inches
• WEIGHT: 4.3 pounds
• LETOFF: N/A
• PUBLISHED SPEED: 352 fps
• DRAW WEIGHT: 50, 60 and 70 pounds
• DRAW LENGTH: 25.5 to 30 inches
• FINISHES: Realtree Edge, Gore Elevated II, Gore Subalpine, Kryptek Altitude, Mossy Oak Breakup
• Country, Flat Dark Earth, OD Green, Smoke Grey, Mossy Oak Brown Country Roots and Black
• MSRP: $1,199
• CONTACT: www.bowtecharchery.com

Bowtech Realm SR6 Field Testing

At first glance, the Realm SR6 looked similar to the Realm X that I hunted with in 2018. I am generally a 29-inch draw, and this bow seemed like it was true to length, fitting me perfectly in the 29-inch setting. After setting the bow to 70 pounds and with a peep tied in and D-loop installed, I wasted no time getting some shots on paper. Initially, I had a small right tear, but knew right away how to remedy the situation. Probably my favorite thing about Bowtech bows is the split yoke cables system. I slapped the bow in the EZ-Green press and with a couple twists in the yoke, I had a perfect bullet hole through paper with the arrow straight down the middle of the factory centershot setting.

I quickly found out Bowtech wasn’t lying about speed, the SR6 really flings an arrow. For me, even with the bow loading up early in the cycle, the SR6 still has a fairly stiff draw cycle. Additionally, there is a slight amount of hand shock on release. That being said, especially with a high-performance bow, one must expect a little more recoil, and believe me when I say it was felt, yet minimal. All that aside, once over the hump, the bow settles into the valley with a solid back wall.

After tuning the bow, I started sighting it in, stretching out the distance every few shots. The bows 32-inch axle-to-axle length and 4.3 pounds made it easy to hold on target, even at extended ranges. With arrows flying at high speeds, it should be no surprise the pin gap on the Black Gold sight were minimal, even out past 60 yards.

Overall, Bowtech stayed true to its roots with a top-end speed bow built around its proven binary cam system. Tuning was easy, and considering its high performance, the Realm SR6 is a relatively smooth-shooting extremely fast bow.

 

Obsession FX6

A relative newcomer, Obsession means business with the release of the FX6. This high-performance machine gets its power from the newly designed TRAX Cam, which provides higher speeds and more letoff (90 percent) than last year’s models. Another great new feature is the ability to switch draw modules without the aid of a bow press. Adjustments can be made in half-inch increments from 25 to 30.5 inches.

The FX6 has split limbs that lock into the new FX Limb Pocket, which consists of a three-piece, lightweight, rigid design for precise alignment of the limbs. These pockets are well suited for the minimalist in that they do the job with no extra bulk. Installed between the split limbs on both top and bottom are Axiom Limb Dampeners that help reduce vibration and noise.

The riser of the new Obsession bows are an interesting configuration of large cutouts. These cutouts bring rigidity to the riser while also reducing weight. The Torqueless Custom Grips on the Obsessions have a nice flat spot and just the right angle to slide your hand up into the same spot each time for consistent hand placement.

Other notable features on the FX6 are the Torqueless Angled Cable Rod. Unlike many bow companies, who are making cable guards that flex toward the center of the bow when drawn, this setup is a solid guard that angles toward the center of the bow, serving the same purpose as flex guards while eliminating another moving piece. Also, Obsession bows come standard with America’s Best Bowstrings, one of the top string makers out there.

Lastly, I should mention that with Obsession bows, you have the ability to fully customize your bow. When you buy a bow, you can choose between 31 riser colors, 18 limb colors, nine string colors and three cam colors. This obviously does nothing for performance, but being able to make a bow your “own” is a cool feature.

Obsession FX6 Specs

• BRACE HEIGHT: 6 inches
• AXLE-TO-AXLE: 32.75 inches
• WEIGHT: 4.5 pounds
• LETOFF: 90 percent
• PUBLISHED SPEED: 360 fps
• DRAW WEIGHT: 40, 50, 60, 65, 70 and 80 pounds
• DRAW LENGTH: 25 to 30 inches
• FINISHES: Realtree Timber, Predator Deception, Last Leaf Smoke, Last Leaf Ghost, Kryptek Typhon, Kryptek, Highlander, Mossy Oak Bottomland, Mossy Oak Mountain Country, Realtree AP Snow, Realtree Edge, Veil Tac Black, Veil Cervidae, Veil Whitetail, Desert Tan, Moss Green, Black and multiple target colors.
• MSRP: $999
• CONTACT: www.obsessionbows.com

Obsession FX6 Field Testing

One item I noticed right away on the FX6 is that the finish was impressive. Overall, the Mossy Oak Mountain Country worked well on the bow, giving it a topnotch look and feel.

With the bow set up and accessories installed, the FX6 tuned extremely fast. I had to bump the Ripcord Lok in just slightly to tune out the slight tear I was getting on paper. I’m confident that with a little shimming, I would have had the bow shooting bullet holes at the factory centershot setting. As it turned out, I was only a 1⁄16th inside of center, and I was happy with that.

Similar to other speed bows, the FX6 took a little more pull to get it over the hump, but once it broke into the valley, it held there nicely. The bow has a solid back wall, and its 90 percent letoff is simply amazing. It felt like I could hold this bow back forever, which could come in handy for the bowhunter who gets stuck at full draw waiting for the right shot. Being so easy to hold at draw, sighting in was easy and pin gaps were tight. At longer ranges, I appreciated the slightly longer and heavier bow; the combo helped stabilize my shots.

For the speed rating on this bow and how fast it actually shoots, I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of recoil on the shot. Though I did not measure sound, it did seem to have a little more noise than other bows, but I’m really nitpicking to say so.

Final Thoughts

Why we purchase a specific bow is a personal decision. Some of us are after a bow that’s ultra-light, quiet, shootable, fast, etc. We all have our reasons to back our decisions. If you are after a speed bow, there are certain features I mentioned above that you need to be prepared for. It’s likely that a speed bow will be a little louder, have a little more recoil, and be more difficult to draw. Additionally, it may be a little more finicky if your shooting form isn’t outstanding. Still, these two bows are amazing pieces of equipment that shoot well. It’s all about an archer’s personal preference, and to this archer, finding the right bow is half the fun.

Sidebar: How We Test

• Each bow is set at a 29-inch draw length and 70 pounds of draw weight. The string is equipped with a RAD 3/16-inch peep sight and D-loop.
• The accessories installed include a Ripcord Lok rest, Black Gold Rush 5-pin sight and a Stokerized stabilizer. Bows are paper tuned and shot, by hand, through a ProChrono Digital Chronograph.
• Bows are sighted-in from 20 to 60 yards with a 29.5-inch Black Eagle X Impact Arrow, fletched with Vanetec 3-inch vanes and fitted with a 125-grain point for a total weight of 475 grains. All bow work requiring pressing is performed with a Last Chance Archery, EZ Green Press.