Classic Bow Report: Darton Maverick
01-08-2002, 01:45 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: CT, USA
Posts: 3,058
Classic Bow Report: Darton Maverick
Hello again Gentle Readers! As promised, here for your perusal and enjoyment is another of my “Classic” Bow Reports, where I shall discuss models long or not so long past. Since most of these bows are 3-10 years old now, I’m more able to comment knowledgeably about quirks, mechanical problems/failures, being able to hold a tune over time, and the like.
Without Further Ado…
1998 Darton Maverick Recurve limb w/ CPS Express Cam System
28 7/8” to 30 3/8” adjustable draw length. 70 pound limbs (peaks at 67 LB’s). 37 ¾” Axle-to-Axle Length. 6 1/8” Brace Height (measured). TimberTop Brown camo dipped riser & stenciled (painted) limbs. 80% effective let-off. Mass weight is appx. 3 ½ Lbs. S-4 String w/ monofilament serving & S-4 harness/cable(s). Set up w/ various rests/sights/stabilizers over the years. Limb Savers, Heavy rubber spider silencers, Shurz-A Peep 2x2 (3/16”), 1 brass nocking-point, and 1 rubber eliminator button.
INTRODUCTION:
Maverick owners are a peculiar lot (in a good way). It’s almost as if they worship this somewhat strange looking bow/power system design. Very rarely do you find an “ex” Maverick owner. The same goes for people who own other Darton models. This is a company that breeds fiercely loyal shooters when customers purchase a bow from them. And even more rare is the Ex-Darton shooter who has many if any bad things to say about them. Why? Well, simply put Darton has been building super-high quality, high performance equipment for years at great prices. However, most of their advertising is done by word of mouth. That says a lot if you ask me. Any company in this day and age who doesn’t bombard you w/ marketing BS is usually suspect, or doomed like dozens of others before, to failure and fade from memory. Not this company though. They quietly sit in the background year after year and pump out extremely fast, extremely shootable bow and cam designs for every budget. Darton’s heyday was the early to mid-1990’s. This is when bows like the Lightning, Viper, Excel, and others were at the top of their speed class; and everyone in the industry knew it (but often would not admit it). Back when major 3D shoots held “fastest bow” contests, the Darton Lightning trounced the competition time and time again. At the time, It seemed all Darton bows possessed what I call the “4 L’s”. Light (weight), Long (axle to axle), Lightning speed (no pun intended) and they were Loud. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a truly quiet Darton in 10 years or more, but the CPS cam on the subject of this report, sure took them in the right direction. And besides, you can’t have everything, right? AHA! Don’t be too quick to judge! With the Mav, you basically can eat your cake, and have it too!
The CPS (Controlled Power System) over the years:
The CPS is a design that was originally put on the market in late 1995. It was meant to fix the inherent quirks and problems of standard One-cam technology of the day. It offered flat AND level nock travel (and still the only single cam design to do so). It offered shorter string and cables for less string creep hassles. It possessed a dual track “idler” to not only reduce overall torque in the system and create a straighter string path, but ingeniously controlled nock travel while having no part in storing the energy in the limbs. It offered draw length adjustment that did not affect cam timing, and therefore allowed for better performance at a given draw length (instead of the multiple string posts of the early Mathews and Jennings designs). And probably most importantly, it offered the same or in most cases, better performance w/ a substantially smoother, and easier to pull force draw curve. The original CPS bows were so easy to draw it was scary. While the original CPS did not approach the speeds of the best 2 cam designs of the day (Manufacturers were still scrambling to provide something that overall would be superior to HCA’s Phantom Extreme cam), the CPS certainly held it’s own with, or exceeded, the performance of the single cam technology of the day pound for pound,and brace height to brace height. I remember seeing that first Maverick at the Bowhunting Trade Show(the AMO shows predecessor) in Indianapolis, and having the same kind of drop jaw “what the #$%& ???” look on my face that everyone had when they saw the Hoyt AlphaTec for the first time at the same show. The CPS and Maverick riser were different and futuristic looking. And I would have plenty of time to look at them both in person, and in
catalogs: that was the January of 1996 when Blizzard conditions paralyzed the Midwest and East Coast. I spent a few days after the show’s end stuck in a hotel room pouring through archery catalogs and brochures waiting for Washington National airport to stay open long enough so my flight could get in the air…and ordering room service like mad…I LOVE getting room service, don’t you? Nachos, Steaks, Cheeseburgers, Eggs Benedict. WHOOOWEEEE, did I eat up a storm that week, and this one diner had the best freakin pancakes I’ve EVER eaten in my entire life. And the Sausage Gravy and Biscuits were…….!
Gulp…uhmm…
*Note to self: Time to call OverEaters Anonymous.
Well…where were we? Oh yes…
Today the CPS Express is basically doing the same thing, w/ one VERY major improvement. Thanks to more brainstorming by Darton, they have come up w/ a CPS that’s not much more difficult to draw than the original, yet equals or exceeds the other cam systems available today in speed, apples to apples. You will NOT find a faster, easier to draw cam or cams than a CPS Express. It reaches peak quickly but smoothly, holds it for a fairly long way, and then rolls over like a soft cam or wheel into the valley. Very unlike max-cam type designs (even the SL type cams). It offers more draw length adjustments, letting you get the your exact draw length down to an eighth of an inch! (My 1998 model only allows adjustment in 3/8” increments) All while keeping efficiency at the highest possible value it can be. IMO, it’s the finest cam system on the market, period. It offers all the major benefits of Single Cam and Two Cam technology while having little of the disadvantages of either. There’s just not a cam or set of cams on the market that can match the “tuneability”, “adjustability”, feel characteristics, and efficiency of the CPS Express, all in one package. It IS possible in theory to have the nock travel affected by an out of tune condition on the CPS. However, in practice no-one is ever likely to have the amount of string/cable creep necessary to have it happen (were talking an inch or more of creep. On modern “normal” length strings and cables, that just doesn’t really happen, and I’ve had less than 1/8” creep total on my Maverick since I bought it in April of 1998). Even if such a highly unlikely out of tune condition did happen (poor string building, or similar malady), the CPS purportedly will still yield better nock travel than a maxcam type design.
THE WHOLE ENCHILA… Errr…. PACKAGE:
The modern Mavericks are built on a Forged/Machined 7075 aluminum riser. This makes it a bit lighter, and according to Darton, stronger than it’s predecessor built out of straight-machined 6061. I personally feel it has a bit more handshock than 6061 as well. Machining, pocket to riser fit, limb to pocket, and limb sanding are basically flawless. I don’t care for the “cheap” look of the stenciled/painted limbs, but that’s just me (2000 and later models have film-dip on riser and limbs). The film dip on my Mav (and earlier Darton bows I’ve owned) is not the best, nor worst, I’ve encountered. It’s a bit brittle, and a little prone to scratches and cracks, but after 5 years, mine is in better shape than my 2000 Bowtech Extreme Solo is (the first year Bowtechs had horrible dip coats). Machining of the CPS is great too, though the synthetic axle spacers on the CPS look a bit, well, cheap (but so far have proven durable). The original S4 string and cabling has held up wonderfully, and as I stated before, has had very little creep (and believe it or not, the original MONO center serving is still intact).
The Maverick uses aggressive limb angles, a rather different looking recurve limb design, and the CPS to generate some serious power. On my 1998 model, the limb pockets are “open” on the bottom (3 sided pockets ala Mathews), which helps contribute to noise a bit (and does not protect the limb as well). 2000 and later model Mavericks have gone to a new magnesium closed pocket that reportedly reduces noise (I have yet to shoot a 2000 or later Maverick) along w/ mass weight. The 98 model also uses a solid metal limb pivot (sometimes called rockers). Many newer bows use either synthetic pivots (which wear out quicker and are more prone to squeaks and pops), or none at all (on models that have pockets that move w/ the limbs ala Hoyt, and Mathews), and that contributes to a quieter bow since there is no metal-to-metal contact. However pivots of some type are necessary on bows whose pockets are stationary to keep the limb from shifting. On my old Darton Hurricane I took the limbs off, and applied some moleskin to line the bottom of the pocket to help with the noise. It only helped a little bit, but if you’ve ever had the unfortunate circumstance to be next to a Darton Hurricane shooter, then you know every little bit helps (by far the loudest bow I’ve ever encountered, And I’ve got a 25-06 that is more silent!) I suspect I could pad the pockets with the Mav, but I bought the bow originally w/ the intention of shooting it mainly for 3D, so I was not too worried about noise. Don’t get me wrong, the Mav is not an extremely loud bow. It falls somewhere in between most single cam designs of today, and most 2-cam designs of today: medium, if you will (with a “plock” kind of sound similar in pitch to an Oneida though not approaching the high noise level of most Oneidas).
THE ACID TEST
The Maverick is an extremely accurate bow. I realize that all bows are pretty much as accurate as the shooter if they are put together halfway decent, but the Mav will really stack ‘em in there tight w/ less effort than most of the bows in it’s class. Considering the low brace height I would call it pretty forgiving as well, though IMO the 80% letoff option makes it much less so vs. the 65%. The string gets pretty “noodle-y” at full draw w/ the 80% and it’s very easy to torque w/out knowing it. On a lower brace bow like the Mav, this kind of small mistake will KILL your accuracy. The only real, but significant IMO problem I have w/ the Mav is mass weight (or lack thereof). The Mav just bounces around a bit on target too much in my hands. However, I must admit that by nature I am a bit jittery and unsteady compared to most archers I know. Many folks will probably find the Mav a steady eddie. When I’m on w/ the Mav, I can really pull some amazing shots, but when I’m not up to the task, I can really pull some amazing goofs with it. All Speed bow designs w/low braces require rock solid holds, and great follow through to shoot consistently well, characteristics neither of which I excel at, but I’ll re-iterate: The Mav is much better than the majority of designs in it’s class. I’ve had similar bows that were a whole lot more trouble to hit w/ consistently with than the Mav. The Mav has more thump, and noise than say a Mathews Ultra 2, or my 2001 Hoyt HyperTec did. If you have shot some of the Bowtech Extreme Solo or G-3 models then you will have a fair comparison for noise and recoil to the Maverick. And compared to the noise and recoil of the old Lightnings, and Hurricanes, the Mav sounds like a soda straw loaded w/ spitballs! Limbsavers, a good stabilizer, and other Sims products will largely tame most of the noise and recoil. Interesting Observation: There’s very little apparent difference in noise level when varying arrow weight in the Mav. 5 grains per Lb does not really seem louder than 6 to 6.5 per Lb.
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAke…ahem.….. SPEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!
Yep, the Mav is a fast bow, just like every other Darton I’ve shot, sold, and/or owned. When I bought the Mav, I AMO speed tested it, and set at 28 7/8” draw with string unloaded, and later, loaded up.
My Mav is dead on AMO w/ draw lengths. 30” is 30 AMO. 28 7/8” is 28 7/8” AMO. At the 30” AMO draw bare string the bow shot a 345 grain ACC Hyperspeed at 311 FPS through a reliable chronograph. That’s at 67 LBs. It would hit advertised speeds of 314 w/exactly 5 grains per LB. Dropped down to my 28 7/8” draw it shot right in the 300-301 FPS range. No big deal? Considering how smoothly and easy the CPS draws, that kind of speed is utterly fantastic! The only similar bow in my collection at that time was my Martin Rage XRG w/ Z cams. They both drew w/ a similar amount of effort, and had braces hovering around 6”. Now get this: The Rage was set at 74 pounds, had a ½” longer draw length, and the best I could get at 5 grains per LB, was 287 bare string. My Hoyt Tenacity Carbonite w/ M-cams at 72 Lbs would do 295 at 5 grains 29” AMO barestring, but was not nearly as smooth or easy to draw. And this is with a 80% module set at it’s lowest setting. Imagine if I had the module size that was near it’s limit at 29” W/ 65% letoff. I surely would pick up 5 or 6 more FPS.
Ok, so big deal, it’s fast at IBO weights. The great thing about the Mav is that like 2 cam bows, and unlike most “standard” onecam designs, it likes those heavier arrows too. Set up w/ the full string accessories I stated in the opening paragraph, it will shoot a 435 grain arrow at 272 FPS. At 67 LBs, w/ a silky smooth, easy draw and a loaded heavy string on a slower s4 string material w/ heavy Mono serving. Now, put a modern 8125 string/cable on it (which is much lighter than S-4) a braided serving, and go w/ String leeches, a lighter peep, and a loop, and it would be around 278 or so FPS. At 67 pounds! With that smooth, pretty easy draw! And add in the slightly faster 65% letoff, on the more efficient module for my draw length! I don’t think 285 FPS would be too far out of the question. Perhaps Len in MD can give us updated specs on later model Mavericks, if he happens to read this.
I have one word to say about this kind of efficiency/performance…
Amazing.
COOKIES & CREAM. Uh..I mean….CONCLUSION:
So why Am I not shooting a CPS bow? Simply because Darton has yet to build one that suits my needs. When they can put out a 38-39” bow w/ a 7 ½” or so brace height on a moderately reflex riser, I’ll be the first one in line. Right now the Cyclone 3-D is the only bow that comes close, but I just never did like the feel and balance of Deflex risers. The new Rampage had m every hopeful at first, but after further review,the brace is still a bit too low for my tastes/needs in a hunting model. I’ve shot the Mag-33, which has the brace height, but I’m starting to shy away from shorter, lighter bows in general, and going back to what really shoots best for me (on average). I would also like a bit more mass weight: around the 4 ½ pound range if I had my druthers. I realize I’m picking nits in some cases here; but there are no more Darton dealers in my area (w/in 3-4 hours drive each way, that is). I would be buying sight-unseen if my local dealer got one through a distributor(if he could even get a model I wanted), and would have no option to return or decline on a bow I didn’t like. I’m not worried about speed, or quality, (as those are always a given w/ Darton), but simply the “feel” aspect. You don’t know how many times I’ve wanted to email or call Len in MD, and just say “ Hey Len, It’s Jeff, here’s my credit card number, send me an XYZ…”
I’m anxious to see the new Golden Eagle designs this year w/ the CPS. Maybe I’ll find my perfect specs to go with what is, IMO, the perfect cam system. I’d much rather have a Darton from a quality standpoint, but it is nice to have options J I suspect if Darton can get the CPS bows to shoot as quietly and recoil free as the more popular Max-cam types, and keep the force draw curves and speed, they will have just about everyone standing in line to license them eventually! And don’t think that’s not possible. Those guys at Darton are some serious engineering archery geeks (and I mean that in a good way): If anyone in the industry has the wherewithal to come up with something better, Darton would certainly be at top of the list!
So, if you are looking for a speed-bow, and you want the easiest drawing, fastest system out there, buy a Mav. Sure the Bowtech BK2 is faster; It is also ten-fold harder to draw. If you also want to be able to tinker and tune to perfect your draw length and efficiency, buy a Mav. Want to drop your draw weight 5-7 Lbs and keep the speed you have now (or surpass it depending on your setup)? Buy a Mav. Looking for the most affordable speed-demon out there? Buy a Mav. Have a short draw length and want some serious speed? Buy a Mav. If you are buying your first low brace speed-burner, I’d recommend the Maverick over any I can think of, It most certainly will go down in the halls of Compound Bow History as a true Classic.
JeffB
Without Further Ado…
1998 Darton Maverick Recurve limb w/ CPS Express Cam System
28 7/8” to 30 3/8” adjustable draw length. 70 pound limbs (peaks at 67 LB’s). 37 ¾” Axle-to-Axle Length. 6 1/8” Brace Height (measured). TimberTop Brown camo dipped riser & stenciled (painted) limbs. 80% effective let-off. Mass weight is appx. 3 ½ Lbs. S-4 String w/ monofilament serving & S-4 harness/cable(s). Set up w/ various rests/sights/stabilizers over the years. Limb Savers, Heavy rubber spider silencers, Shurz-A Peep 2x2 (3/16”), 1 brass nocking-point, and 1 rubber eliminator button.
INTRODUCTION:
Maverick owners are a peculiar lot (in a good way). It’s almost as if they worship this somewhat strange looking bow/power system design. Very rarely do you find an “ex” Maverick owner. The same goes for people who own other Darton models. This is a company that breeds fiercely loyal shooters when customers purchase a bow from them. And even more rare is the Ex-Darton shooter who has many if any bad things to say about them. Why? Well, simply put Darton has been building super-high quality, high performance equipment for years at great prices. However, most of their advertising is done by word of mouth. That says a lot if you ask me. Any company in this day and age who doesn’t bombard you w/ marketing BS is usually suspect, or doomed like dozens of others before, to failure and fade from memory. Not this company though. They quietly sit in the background year after year and pump out extremely fast, extremely shootable bow and cam designs for every budget. Darton’s heyday was the early to mid-1990’s. This is when bows like the Lightning, Viper, Excel, and others were at the top of their speed class; and everyone in the industry knew it (but often would not admit it). Back when major 3D shoots held “fastest bow” contests, the Darton Lightning trounced the competition time and time again. At the time, It seemed all Darton bows possessed what I call the “4 L’s”. Light (weight), Long (axle to axle), Lightning speed (no pun intended) and they were Loud. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a truly quiet Darton in 10 years or more, but the CPS cam on the subject of this report, sure took them in the right direction. And besides, you can’t have everything, right? AHA! Don’t be too quick to judge! With the Mav, you basically can eat your cake, and have it too!
The CPS (Controlled Power System) over the years:
The CPS is a design that was originally put on the market in late 1995. It was meant to fix the inherent quirks and problems of standard One-cam technology of the day. It offered flat AND level nock travel (and still the only single cam design to do so). It offered shorter string and cables for less string creep hassles. It possessed a dual track “idler” to not only reduce overall torque in the system and create a straighter string path, but ingeniously controlled nock travel while having no part in storing the energy in the limbs. It offered draw length adjustment that did not affect cam timing, and therefore allowed for better performance at a given draw length (instead of the multiple string posts of the early Mathews and Jennings designs). And probably most importantly, it offered the same or in most cases, better performance w/ a substantially smoother, and easier to pull force draw curve. The original CPS bows were so easy to draw it was scary. While the original CPS did not approach the speeds of the best 2 cam designs of the day (Manufacturers were still scrambling to provide something that overall would be superior to HCA’s Phantom Extreme cam), the CPS certainly held it’s own with, or exceeded, the performance of the single cam technology of the day pound for pound,and brace height to brace height. I remember seeing that first Maverick at the Bowhunting Trade Show(the AMO shows predecessor) in Indianapolis, and having the same kind of drop jaw “what the #$%& ???” look on my face that everyone had when they saw the Hoyt AlphaTec for the first time at the same show. The CPS and Maverick riser were different and futuristic looking. And I would have plenty of time to look at them both in person, and in
catalogs: that was the January of 1996 when Blizzard conditions paralyzed the Midwest and East Coast. I spent a few days after the show’s end stuck in a hotel room pouring through archery catalogs and brochures waiting for Washington National airport to stay open long enough so my flight could get in the air…and ordering room service like mad…I LOVE getting room service, don’t you? Nachos, Steaks, Cheeseburgers, Eggs Benedict. WHOOOWEEEE, did I eat up a storm that week, and this one diner had the best freakin pancakes I’ve EVER eaten in my entire life. And the Sausage Gravy and Biscuits were…….!
Gulp…uhmm…
*Note to self: Time to call OverEaters Anonymous.
Well…where were we? Oh yes…
Today the CPS Express is basically doing the same thing, w/ one VERY major improvement. Thanks to more brainstorming by Darton, they have come up w/ a CPS that’s not much more difficult to draw than the original, yet equals or exceeds the other cam systems available today in speed, apples to apples. You will NOT find a faster, easier to draw cam or cams than a CPS Express. It reaches peak quickly but smoothly, holds it for a fairly long way, and then rolls over like a soft cam or wheel into the valley. Very unlike max-cam type designs (even the SL type cams). It offers more draw length adjustments, letting you get the your exact draw length down to an eighth of an inch! (My 1998 model only allows adjustment in 3/8” increments) All while keeping efficiency at the highest possible value it can be. IMO, it’s the finest cam system on the market, period. It offers all the major benefits of Single Cam and Two Cam technology while having little of the disadvantages of either. There’s just not a cam or set of cams on the market that can match the “tuneability”, “adjustability”, feel characteristics, and efficiency of the CPS Express, all in one package. It IS possible in theory to have the nock travel affected by an out of tune condition on the CPS. However, in practice no-one is ever likely to have the amount of string/cable creep necessary to have it happen (were talking an inch or more of creep. On modern “normal” length strings and cables, that just doesn’t really happen, and I’ve had less than 1/8” creep total on my Maverick since I bought it in April of 1998). Even if such a highly unlikely out of tune condition did happen (poor string building, or similar malady), the CPS purportedly will still yield better nock travel than a maxcam type design.
THE WHOLE ENCHILA… Errr…. PACKAGE:
The modern Mavericks are built on a Forged/Machined 7075 aluminum riser. This makes it a bit lighter, and according to Darton, stronger than it’s predecessor built out of straight-machined 6061. I personally feel it has a bit more handshock than 6061 as well. Machining, pocket to riser fit, limb to pocket, and limb sanding are basically flawless. I don’t care for the “cheap” look of the stenciled/painted limbs, but that’s just me (2000 and later models have film-dip on riser and limbs). The film dip on my Mav (and earlier Darton bows I’ve owned) is not the best, nor worst, I’ve encountered. It’s a bit brittle, and a little prone to scratches and cracks, but after 5 years, mine is in better shape than my 2000 Bowtech Extreme Solo is (the first year Bowtechs had horrible dip coats). Machining of the CPS is great too, though the synthetic axle spacers on the CPS look a bit, well, cheap (but so far have proven durable). The original S4 string and cabling has held up wonderfully, and as I stated before, has had very little creep (and believe it or not, the original MONO center serving is still intact).
The Maverick uses aggressive limb angles, a rather different looking recurve limb design, and the CPS to generate some serious power. On my 1998 model, the limb pockets are “open” on the bottom (3 sided pockets ala Mathews), which helps contribute to noise a bit (and does not protect the limb as well). 2000 and later model Mavericks have gone to a new magnesium closed pocket that reportedly reduces noise (I have yet to shoot a 2000 or later Maverick) along w/ mass weight. The 98 model also uses a solid metal limb pivot (sometimes called rockers). Many newer bows use either synthetic pivots (which wear out quicker and are more prone to squeaks and pops), or none at all (on models that have pockets that move w/ the limbs ala Hoyt, and Mathews), and that contributes to a quieter bow since there is no metal-to-metal contact. However pivots of some type are necessary on bows whose pockets are stationary to keep the limb from shifting. On my old Darton Hurricane I took the limbs off, and applied some moleskin to line the bottom of the pocket to help with the noise. It only helped a little bit, but if you’ve ever had the unfortunate circumstance to be next to a Darton Hurricane shooter, then you know every little bit helps (by far the loudest bow I’ve ever encountered, And I’ve got a 25-06 that is more silent!) I suspect I could pad the pockets with the Mav, but I bought the bow originally w/ the intention of shooting it mainly for 3D, so I was not too worried about noise. Don’t get me wrong, the Mav is not an extremely loud bow. It falls somewhere in between most single cam designs of today, and most 2-cam designs of today: medium, if you will (with a “plock” kind of sound similar in pitch to an Oneida though not approaching the high noise level of most Oneidas).
THE ACID TEST
The Maverick is an extremely accurate bow. I realize that all bows are pretty much as accurate as the shooter if they are put together halfway decent, but the Mav will really stack ‘em in there tight w/ less effort than most of the bows in it’s class. Considering the low brace height I would call it pretty forgiving as well, though IMO the 80% letoff option makes it much less so vs. the 65%. The string gets pretty “noodle-y” at full draw w/ the 80% and it’s very easy to torque w/out knowing it. On a lower brace bow like the Mav, this kind of small mistake will KILL your accuracy. The only real, but significant IMO problem I have w/ the Mav is mass weight (or lack thereof). The Mav just bounces around a bit on target too much in my hands. However, I must admit that by nature I am a bit jittery and unsteady compared to most archers I know. Many folks will probably find the Mav a steady eddie. When I’m on w/ the Mav, I can really pull some amazing shots, but when I’m not up to the task, I can really pull some amazing goofs with it. All Speed bow designs w/low braces require rock solid holds, and great follow through to shoot consistently well, characteristics neither of which I excel at, but I’ll re-iterate: The Mav is much better than the majority of designs in it’s class. I’ve had similar bows that were a whole lot more trouble to hit w/ consistently with than the Mav. The Mav has more thump, and noise than say a Mathews Ultra 2, or my 2001 Hoyt HyperTec did. If you have shot some of the Bowtech Extreme Solo or G-3 models then you will have a fair comparison for noise and recoil to the Maverick. And compared to the noise and recoil of the old Lightnings, and Hurricanes, the Mav sounds like a soda straw loaded w/ spitballs! Limbsavers, a good stabilizer, and other Sims products will largely tame most of the noise and recoil. Interesting Observation: There’s very little apparent difference in noise level when varying arrow weight in the Mav. 5 grains per Lb does not really seem louder than 6 to 6.5 per Lb.
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAke…ahem.….. SPEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!
Yep, the Mav is a fast bow, just like every other Darton I’ve shot, sold, and/or owned. When I bought the Mav, I AMO speed tested it, and set at 28 7/8” draw with string unloaded, and later, loaded up.
My Mav is dead on AMO w/ draw lengths. 30” is 30 AMO. 28 7/8” is 28 7/8” AMO. At the 30” AMO draw bare string the bow shot a 345 grain ACC Hyperspeed at 311 FPS through a reliable chronograph. That’s at 67 LBs. It would hit advertised speeds of 314 w/exactly 5 grains per LB. Dropped down to my 28 7/8” draw it shot right in the 300-301 FPS range. No big deal? Considering how smoothly and easy the CPS draws, that kind of speed is utterly fantastic! The only similar bow in my collection at that time was my Martin Rage XRG w/ Z cams. They both drew w/ a similar amount of effort, and had braces hovering around 6”. Now get this: The Rage was set at 74 pounds, had a ½” longer draw length, and the best I could get at 5 grains per LB, was 287 bare string. My Hoyt Tenacity Carbonite w/ M-cams at 72 Lbs would do 295 at 5 grains 29” AMO barestring, but was not nearly as smooth or easy to draw. And this is with a 80% module set at it’s lowest setting. Imagine if I had the module size that was near it’s limit at 29” W/ 65% letoff. I surely would pick up 5 or 6 more FPS.
Ok, so big deal, it’s fast at IBO weights. The great thing about the Mav is that like 2 cam bows, and unlike most “standard” onecam designs, it likes those heavier arrows too. Set up w/ the full string accessories I stated in the opening paragraph, it will shoot a 435 grain arrow at 272 FPS. At 67 LBs, w/ a silky smooth, easy draw and a loaded heavy string on a slower s4 string material w/ heavy Mono serving. Now, put a modern 8125 string/cable on it (which is much lighter than S-4) a braided serving, and go w/ String leeches, a lighter peep, and a loop, and it would be around 278 or so FPS. At 67 pounds! With that smooth, pretty easy draw! And add in the slightly faster 65% letoff, on the more efficient module for my draw length! I don’t think 285 FPS would be too far out of the question. Perhaps Len in MD can give us updated specs on later model Mavericks, if he happens to read this.
I have one word to say about this kind of efficiency/performance…
Amazing.
COOKIES & CREAM. Uh..I mean….CONCLUSION:
So why Am I not shooting a CPS bow? Simply because Darton has yet to build one that suits my needs. When they can put out a 38-39” bow w/ a 7 ½” or so brace height on a moderately reflex riser, I’ll be the first one in line. Right now the Cyclone 3-D is the only bow that comes close, but I just never did like the feel and balance of Deflex risers. The new Rampage had m every hopeful at first, but after further review,the brace is still a bit too low for my tastes/needs in a hunting model. I’ve shot the Mag-33, which has the brace height, but I’m starting to shy away from shorter, lighter bows in general, and going back to what really shoots best for me (on average). I would also like a bit more mass weight: around the 4 ½ pound range if I had my druthers. I realize I’m picking nits in some cases here; but there are no more Darton dealers in my area (w/in 3-4 hours drive each way, that is). I would be buying sight-unseen if my local dealer got one through a distributor(if he could even get a model I wanted), and would have no option to return or decline on a bow I didn’t like. I’m not worried about speed, or quality, (as those are always a given w/ Darton), but simply the “feel” aspect. You don’t know how many times I’ve wanted to email or call Len in MD, and just say “ Hey Len, It’s Jeff, here’s my credit card number, send me an XYZ…”
I’m anxious to see the new Golden Eagle designs this year w/ the CPS. Maybe I’ll find my perfect specs to go with what is, IMO, the perfect cam system. I’d much rather have a Darton from a quality standpoint, but it is nice to have options J I suspect if Darton can get the CPS bows to shoot as quietly and recoil free as the more popular Max-cam types, and keep the force draw curves and speed, they will have just about everyone standing in line to license them eventually! And don’t think that’s not possible. Those guys at Darton are some serious engineering archery geeks (and I mean that in a good way): If anyone in the industry has the wherewithal to come up with something better, Darton would certainly be at top of the list!
So, if you are looking for a speed-bow, and you want the easiest drawing, fastest system out there, buy a Mav. Sure the Bowtech BK2 is faster; It is also ten-fold harder to draw. If you also want to be able to tinker and tune to perfect your draw length and efficiency, buy a Mav. Want to drop your draw weight 5-7 Lbs and keep the speed you have now (or surpass it depending on your setup)? Buy a Mav. Looking for the most affordable speed-demon out there? Buy a Mav. Have a short draw length and want some serious speed? Buy a Mav. If you are buying your first low brace speed-burner, I’d recommend the Maverick over any I can think of, It most certainly will go down in the halls of Compound Bow History as a true Classic.
JeffB
01-08-2002, 02:01 PM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Kenosha, Wi USA
Posts: 499
RE: Classic Bow Report: Darton Maverick
Nice report Jeff! I know of what you speak- I still have my 2000 Mav Recurve for my hunting bow.
Now maybe others will figure out why this is such a great bow. And why tech-head guru Norb Mullaney is on the cover of the Wisconsin Bowhunter's magazine with his Darton Maverick in Africa!
Now maybe others will figure out why this is such a great bow. And why tech-head guru Norb Mullaney is on the cover of the Wisconsin Bowhunter's magazine with his Darton Maverick in Africa!
01-08-2002, 03:06 PM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Adrian MI USA
Posts: 228
RE: Classic Bow Report: Darton Maverick
I have a darton Yukon XT and love it. I have done some seriousely odd things to the timing and it still shot well. Very forgiving bow. It has the XT cps cams that they discontinued this year I think. They also discontinued the Yukon, but replaced it with the fury. I called darton to ask them a question last weak and asked them if it was basically the same bow. The tech guy said yes and no. It's more like a hopped up Yukon. It has almost the same features as the more expensive bows. Instead of the XT cams they just went ahead and put the Express cams on it. I believe someone said Len bought one for his kid. Sounds good to me. It's faster than the yukon also.
Paul
Paul
01-08-2002, 03:21 PM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ohio
Posts: 134
RE: Classic Bow Report: Darton Maverick
I am an EX-owner of a 2000 Darton Maverick and as Jeff stated there is not 1 bad thing I can say about it.
It was a fantastic bow!!!!!! I honestly feel Darton is one of archery's best kept secrets.They are on to something with their C/P/S system,it's too bad other manufacturers haven't came up with an adjustable single cam as easy as the Darton.
I have alot of regrets about selling it,but at that time I had too.
Darton is also 2nd to none in customer service.They get a BIG THUMBS UP from me [:^]
It was a fantastic bow!!!!!! I honestly feel Darton is one of archery's best kept secrets.They are on to something with their C/P/S system,it's too bad other manufacturers haven't came up with an adjustable single cam as easy as the Darton.
I have alot of regrets about selling it,but at that time I had too.
Darton is also 2nd to none in customer service.They get a BIG THUMBS UP from me [:^]
01-08-2002, 03:23 PM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Miami FL USA
Posts: 208
RE: Classic Bow Report: Darton Maverick
JeffB,
Nice report on the Dartons!!!! I have two Dartons the Maverick and the Cyclone Longdraw, both as nice as you describe in your report.
You are in trouble in now though!!!! Check out Darton's 2002 line and it includes the Rampage which carries a 37 1/4" A to A and a 7" braceheight with an advertised IBO of 310, very close to what you are looking for in a Darton.
Nice report on the Dartons!!!! I have two Dartons the Maverick and the Cyclone Longdraw, both as nice as you describe in your report.
You are in trouble in now though!!!! Check out Darton's 2002 line and it includes the Rampage which carries a 37 1/4" A to A and a 7" braceheight with an advertised IBO of 310, very close to what you are looking for in a Darton.
01-08-2002, 07:03 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Little Egg harbor NJ
Posts: 1,279
RE: Classic Bow Report: Darton Maverick
JeffB Nice job on the report. You said that you tested the 98 version, well you should try the 2001 version as I got one last june and it is awesome. YOU would have to renig on some of what you stated about noise and shock because there is none. I have not shot anything that was more quite or less hand shock. You would love to get one in your hands and do another test as they done a great job on the newer mavericks. I love mine and took my first 2 bucks with archery. I am shooting a 400 gr arrow with a 32 inch draw at 292 fps at 65 lbs and a 80 let off. Not bad I must say. I love this bow and will be with me for as long as it will hold up. Which should be along time. Well jeff get your hands on a 2001 or 2002 and do another one as I would love to see what you see different between the two.
Brian
Brian
01-08-2002, 09:14 PM
#10
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Baltimore Maryland USA
Posts: 1,385
RE: Classic Bow Report: Darton Maverick
Jeff: You said "7 ½” or so brace height". If the "or so" in your statement will allow it, test drive the Rampage at 7". I have one on the showroom floor that I'll gas up for you if you want to stop by and take it around the block. I was going to post earlier but I fell asleep reading. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> Keep up the good work no matter which bow you choose.
Paul: I did get the Fury for my son. It is available with the C/P/S Express; but, since he is only 10 years old and has about a 22" draw length, I got it with the SD/B (Short Draw) cam. It is the ultra-smooth C/P/S cam that they put on the Executive Vegas; but, on the Fury, it is much faster.
Black Frog: I'm looking forward to meeting Mr. Norb Mullaney at the AMO Show and maybe chatting a little about our bows. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
I was going to post earlier but I fell asleep reading. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> Keep up the good work no matter which bow you choose.Paul: I did get the Fury for my son. It is available with the C/P/S Express; but, since he is only 10 years old and has about a 22" draw length, I got it with the SD/B (Short Draw) cam. It is the ultra-smooth C/P/S cam that they put on the Executive Vegas; but, on the Fury, it is much faster.
Black Frog: I'm looking forward to meeting Mr. Norb Mullaney at the AMO Show and maybe chatting a little about our bows. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>