Product Reviews for Fred Bear Takedown Recurve Bow

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Bear Takedown Recurve

3.9

(based on 16 reviews)

73%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Easy to handle (13)
Accurate (12)
Good power output (11)
Durable (9)
Easy to draw (7)

Cons

Poor quality (6)

Best Uses

Hunting (13)
All weather (8)
Practice (6)
Competition (3)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Casual/ recreational (7), Competitive archer (4), Expert archer (3)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (15)

Most Liked Positive Review

Another Good Product From Bear

Just got the bow today (B Bulbinga with #3, 40# limbs, 64") and only shot it about 100x, so I might ammend this review later. It was SO easy to ...Read complete review

Just got the bow today (B Bulbinga with #3, 40# limbs, 64") and only shot it about 100x, so I might ammend this review later. It was SO easy to snap together and set up! The quality is superb, everything fit perfectly. I tuned it for 400 gr. arrows and a bow quiver. The accuracy was spot on and SMOOTH. This is a perfect travel model. I was intending to shoot my Black Widow in tomorrow's club shoot, but now going to shoot this one. All the 2013 Bear bows I've shot recently, the 59Kodiak, Grizzly, Montana, Super Kodiak GG, and this one have all been top of the line quality. I have not seen or heard about any of the negatives mentioned elsewhere in these reviews. But as with all makes and models, nobody is perfect.

Most Liked Negative Review

Limbs delaminate

Please Note - the following comments are not intended to reflect on 3Rivers. I have always been completely satisfied with their customer service. Including this incident.

Well, I got the 3Rivers catalog in January and looked at the Bear Take down bow, as I always do.... I have been trying to get a used one for some time without success. Anyway I finally gave in and ordered one.

I just got it a few days ago. It sure was perty. I took it out back to see how it would do. And it didn't disappoint.

That is, till the bottom limb delaminated after less than 50 shots and nearly took out my left eye

I bled like a stuck pig and had a mega headache.

The next day I contacted Bear Archery to see what they would do for me. My suggestion was that they pay for a custom set of limbs from Rose Oak Archery. What I got was a disinterested apology and an offer for another set of limbs.

Normally another set of limbs would be ok. Except that this is the second bear bow in a row to do this to me. And after examining the failure it appears to me that the failure was due to poor glass preparation (sanding) or poor glue application. Same as the first bow.

I have it on good authority that the bow I received was one of the first bows that went out this year. Why so long to ship a bow? I think they are having personnel troubles in the factory...

So I said no thanks to their offer. I have returned the defective limbs to 3Rivers for a refund. And I have ordered a set of custom limbs from Rose Oak.

I am a Fred Bear Fan. And I wish his company the best. But I thought I should pass on this story in case others are considering the bow, or have had troubles.

Considering the fact that a bow stores enough energy to kill somebody, or at the very least severely injure them, I was disappointed in Bear's disinterest in the premature failure, or the injury it cause me.

I don't mean to sound like sour grapes. I hope I'm the only one this has happened to, and it won't happen again. But it marks the last time I will ever turn the 3Rivers Catalog to the Bear Archery Page.

REVIEWS

Reviewed by 16 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-10

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1/18/2013

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Another Good Product From Bear

By Tom

from Abilene, Texas

About Me Recreational Archer

Pros

Accurate
Durable
Easy To Adjust
Easy To Draw
Easy To Handle
Powerful

Cons

Best Uses

Competition
Hunting
Practice

Comments about Bear Takedown Recurve:

Comment on this review

12/24/2012

5.0

Amazing bow

By Fred Bear Fan

from Massachusetts

About Me Competitive Archer

Pros

Accurate
Durable
Easy To Adjust
Easy To Draw
Easy To Handle
Powerful

Cons

Best Uses

All Weather
Competition
Hunting
Practice

Comments about Bear Takedown Recurve:

This is a great bow 3 rivers was a great help only thing was i recieved a bow string that was slightly too long

Comment on this review

12/17/2012

5.0

Excellent Bow

By Bobby d

from Rhode Island

About Me Competitive Archer

Pros

Accurate
Durable
Easy To Adjust
Easy To Draw
Easy To Handle
Powerful

Cons

Best Uses

All Weather
Competition
Good Weather
Hunting
Practice
Reenactment

Comments about Bear Takedown Recurve:

This Bow has great curves shoots like a dream I purchased a bear takedown A riser #1 limbs 57# @ 28" great bow all around very nice finish glue lines I couldn't be happier to own a piece of the legend fred bear the staff at 3River were a great help in making my decision on this bow thanks so much 3Rivers

Comment on this review

11/4/2012

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great Bow!

By Gray Fox

from Virginia

About Me Expert Archer

Pros

Accurate
Durable
Powerful

Cons

Best Uses

Hunting
Travel

Comments about Bear Takedown Recurve:

Still the easiest takedown to take down and reassemble. This bow is solid and offers plenty of cast. I've owned/own several of top name customs and the Bear Kodiak Takedown is on par with any of them.

Comment on this review

9/4/2012

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great Bow

By Adam

from Missouri

About Me Competitive Archer

Pros

Accurate
Durable
Easy To Adjust
Easy To Draw
Easy To Handle
Powerful

Cons

Best Uses

All Weather
Hunting

Comments about Bear Takedown Recurve:

Very nice bow, there was some negative reviews but mine is awsome. Quiet, fast and easy to shoot.

Cant go wrong with this bow, plus 3 Rivers is awsome to deal with.

Comment on this review

8/12/2012

5.0

Very impressive

By Ray

from St. Louis

About Me Recreational Archer

Pros

Accurate
Easy To Adjust
Easy To Draw
Easy To Handle
Powerful

Cons

Best Uses

Hunting

Comments about Bear Takedown Recurve:

I am 65 years old and been shooting and building bows since I was 15, competitive and hunting. I have had many bows over the years. This bow is a real gem. The first thing I notice was the great finish and I put it under my fly tying glass for a close look, I found one very small imperfection. The workmanship is on par with custom bows I have spent much more for.My concern after reading some boards was noise in the limb connections, I am happy to say this Bow is extremely quite. I was also concerned that some said the grip was too small, not for me it points and shoots great.

The most impressive thing for me was the performance or cast of this bow. I was very impressed. I shot GT that way 515gr. My actual drawing weight is a about 43 pounds and the arrows were almost flat out to 20 yards. I didn't expect that.

Comment on this review

8/2/2012

5.0

Great bow so far

By Always Tradtional

from La Mesa, CA

About Me Recreational Archer

Pros

Accurate
Durable
Easy To Handle
Fast takedown
Powerful

Cons

Best Uses

All Weather
Hunting
Practice

Comments about Bear Takedown Recurve:

Always wanted a Bear takedown (currently own a Super Kodiak, Martin Hunter, and 3 longbows) but was concerned about QA problems after reading some of the earlier reviews. It wasn't until I checked out one the new 2012 takedowns (60" B riser Dymondwood) at a local archery shop (heavy but great quality) that I finally decided to get one from 3Rivers. Since I have a 27" draw I went with the shorter and lighter Bubinga A riser and #1 limbs (56") 57lbs. Only have a few hundred shots through it so far (using Carbon Express PileDrivers) but have had no problems other than a few creaks in the latchs that stopped after a few shots (seems the fittings needed to settle in). Workmanship is flawless and limb fit was just fine (be shure and remember to get the right string - 4 inches shorter than the bow). The grip lets the arrow sit closer to my hand than my other recurves, perfect for my straight wrist Asbell style instinctive recurve shooting. Overall a smooth, fast, beautiful, and compact hunting bow that exceeded my expectations. Can't wait to take it on a hunt.

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7/25/2012

(1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

Loose limb

By Tor

from San Jose, CR

About Me Beginner

Pros

Easy To Handle
Powerful

Cons

Poor Construction

Best Uses

All Weather
Hunting

Comments about Bear Takedown Recurve:

I am of the opinion that price reflects quality. If I'm not sure what to buy, so I choose the most expensive in order to be pretty sure that the product is of good quality, but unfortunately I can not say that about this expensive bow. I purchased through 3R Fred Bear TD Bubinga. Top limb was loose in the latch. Had to put in between fabric. The string sent along was so long I could not shoot the bow, even if I twisted it more than normal. After I had installed the right string, then comes a creaking sound from the top limb when I drawing up. AMO length is not written on the bow.

Comment on this review

7/14/2012

5.0

Timeless design is as good as ever

By jsparky93

from Iowa

About Me Recreational Archer

Pros

Accurate
Durable
Easy To Handle

Cons

Best Uses

All Weather
Hunting
Practice

Comments about Bear Takedown Recurve:

This bow is everything i was looking for when I set out to find a tooless takedown recurve Its quiet & accurate & has a fantastic finish.

Comment on this review

5/31/2012

5.0

Classic Smooth Sweet Shooter

By "Keenya"

from Southern, MI

Pros

Accurate
Easy To Draw
Easy To Handle
Powerful

Cons

Best Uses

Hunting

Comments about Bear Takedown Recurve:

I purchased the Bubinga model, B handle, #1 limbs. I have Grayling Bears and Gainsville Bears and custom bows. I have read all the reviews, pros and cons. Somehow Bear has gotten this reputation that they aren't quite as good as a "custom" bow. Maybe I am lucky, I have never had a problem with Bear or 3 Rivers. Can't say the same for "custom" manufacturers. I am sure not all bows that leave the Gainsville factory are perfect, but this TD is the sweetest shooter and has flawless construction, perfect glue lines and finish. I have had the opportunity to shoot many different bows and this is by far the best to push my arrows. At #50 / 60" it performs excellant and if you have always wanted a Fred Bear TD like I have, do not hesitate. This "factory" bow will hang with any bow out there.

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Bear Takedown Recurve