This is my first bow I've owned, not my first bow ever shot. I've shot a Parker, a Mathews just to see what the hype was about, a few Bowtechs, a Black Ice, a Marquis and drawn a few others (PSE, Bear, Martin). Current set up: Diamond Air Raid SC with NAP Freedom fall away, Trophy Ridge Shock Stop stabilizer, the limb silencers from the Diamond/Bowtech hush kit, stock sight + Hindsight Extreme because I sight with a different eye depending on distance. Weird, I know. That said, the peep sight is gone. Draw length is right at 28 inches give or take a 1/2" and I dropped the weight to probably around 64-66 lbs. I haven't checked it because, honestly, I don't care. If the manual is right and 1 turn takes off 4 pounds it's at 66 lbs. I just went until it was comfortable and easy to draw so it was easier to get used to.

So far:

I like the draw. It's smooth as hell all the way back. Draws a lot like a black ice since it has the exact same cam. It sits nice at the back. It will creep a little but nothing crazy unless you set it up wrong. I know this because I did at first just to see how it would feel because I'm a curious bastard. It's east to hold at full draw. I can't ask for too much more.

I love the noise. It has the factory silencers on it plus the limb silencers and a Trophy Ridge stabilizer. It's just a click. I think mainly what I hear from it is the string and arrow moving through the air.

What is this "recoil" you guys speak of? I know what it is and I've felt it on some of the bows I've shot. It's non-existent right now. Hand shock is very minimal, too. The only reason I knew it shot was because I heard and saw the arrow hit the target. It didn't jump. It didn't ring. It didn't slap. It just sat in my hand and did it's job.

I don't have it sighted in more than the 10 yard range that I have in my place at the present time so I haven't shot past that as of yet. The arrows have plenty of pop to them when they hit the target though (as they probably should at 10 yards). I have a McKenzie Shot blocker. My crossbow doesn't really even threaten poking through the back when I shoot it into it. The bolts probably are 2 inches from the outside edge. This is driving them into the target and 2 inches out the other side, making me glad I moved it away from the wall to test it out.

It's a little tall at 34" ATA but it's definitely not unmanageable. The longer riser helps me, I think, since it seems more stable and easier to keep the bow level.

With all the crap I put on it it might be a little on the heavier side but when I first got it with the stock accessories on it I didn't find weight to be an issue. If I can't hold up 4-5 pounds or so what's the point in buying a 70 lb bow?

They (Diamond) say you can adjust the let off and draw length without a press. I could adjust the draw stop without an issue but the let off took some improvisation. One of the screws from the factory was tucked in behind the limb at rest which made it impossible to get to. I stole the idea from APA Archery of inserting a pin, in my case an allen wrench, into a spot on the cam to relax the string but also move the cam to where I could get to them. I set the limb pockets on the floor and drew up slightly like a crossbow and slid the wrench into the cam and let down slightly so I could access the screws to adjust it. I don't know if this is common practice or not because, like I said, it's my first bow. It worked and there isn't even a slight mark on the cam. I would say you can change that string without a press with that nonsense but not the other one.

I'm not a huge fan of the grip. It feels kinda cheap and if I had sweaty or wet hands it feels like it might slip a little. It feels like plastic so That's kinda lame. It's not a huge issue in my book but just as: even a bad result is still a result, a minor issue is still an issue.

Those are the only drawbacks I've found. I think for the total setup I spent $850 without arrows. If those factor in make it $950. Frickin' arrows and their price tags anyways. I was thinking about the Bear Attack for a while because it was offered at Bass Pro and I had $150 in gift cards there and I'm a sucker for new crap and always want something nice. I work hard to play hard so when I do reward myself for my work I try to make it worthwhile. Then this came along and I spent total what I would have on that bow minus arrows and hindsight and every other BS thing I would have bought. That still looks like a sweet bow and all but I'm very happy with my purchase.

At first the draw weight made me feel like a girl when I drew it back because I've apparently become a complete wuss in the last 6 months but that's not the bow's fault. Just something I'm now in the process of correcting. The more I draw it and shoot it and the more I work out the better it feels and I feel.

Overall I'm very pleased with it. The first shot I took my exact words were, "This thing is f(*&ing sweet." I'm not giving up the crossbow because it's good to have a backup but this seems to have more power than the crossbow so what's not to love? I'm always one to look for improvements so in my eyes, nothing is perfect. On a scale of 1-10 I'd give it an 8-8.5.

Now to go bag a deer with it. Is it September 25th yet?

Be careful with Bowtech products. They are not reliable and the company does not stand behind their products. I had a horrible experience with this company and hate that others have the potential of going through the same thing. I am not only basing my terrible experience, a friend of mine works at Gander Mountain. He saw more Diamond bows returned than all the other brands combined. Hell, a kid was drawing back his brand new Marquis in the store archery range when the string popped off the cam (one instance). I always recommend against this company because I was that hunter in the field with a bloody arm holding a $950.00 bow. This was following a recall and the fix being two large silver pins put through the limbs (not attractive) as the solution. The final straw was the company blaming me for breaking the bow.... so be prepared.