It’s always exciting to get your hands on something new, so when the office called with an offer to test some new limbs I agreed – without even knowing the brand. For ease I chose the medium 38lb limbs rather than the heavier 42lb set, figuring this weight is probably more representative of the limbs used by many club archers.
The limbs duly arrived, so I opened the box to find a pair of what looked like nondescript limbs finished in silver. Closer inspection suggested that these were not run of the mill limbs; there was something familiar in the make up of the wood cores and carbon laminates, although the wood used was not instantly recognisable.
Unfortunately the shop was busy, so I resigned myself to having to wait to test the limbs. But, keen to get a first impression, one of our regular customers came through the door to practice on the range – it just so happened that he shoots medium 38lb Hoyt 990TXs, which would give me some instand feedback. So we fitted the limbs to his Hoyt riser, made the necessary checks and adjustments and then proceeded to the range.
I missed the first two arrows because I did not hear them being shot. The limbs came with limb savers fitted, which in my mind was not a good sign, so after a few shots my customer switched back to his TX limbs so we could compare them, and I carefully removed the limb savers, re-fitted the limbs and was very surprised to hear that they were just as quiet without.
You don’t judge limbs entirely by how quiet they are, but first impressions and the reaction of the limbs can tell you a lot about their quality. The other interesting characteristic was the smooth nature of the
draw, even past 32 inches.
The construction of the limb is carbon and wood, but these are no ordinary mass-produced limbs where, in the majority of cases, the wood is used as packgin material to keep the glass and carbon laminates apart. Here, the wood is shaped and double tapers to give these limbs their unique shooting characteristics, which were so obvious from the first shots.
For the technically-minded the wood is robinia, which has been stored between five and six years outside and another one to two years inside. One layer is tapered towards the last third of the limbs, where they then become parallel.
The limbs are built up of layers of glass, unidirectional carbon, bi-directional carbon and three layers of wood (one of which is tapered) and glass, giving them a tortional stiffness on a par with the latest Hoyt and Win & Win offerings.
I get the impression that these limbs are something special, and I cannot hide the fact that I like them. But what I have been holding back is that they are handmade, and to a very high standard of fit and finish. In fact, all UB-Logic limbs are made to order and are available in customer-specified lengths, colour and draw weights.
UB-Logic is based in Germany, and the bowyer is Udo Boettcher, who competed for Germany at the 1990 European Indoor championships. During the competition his riser broke, so, never wanting it to happen again, he started designing his own riser and limbs. Two years later he used his prototype products at the German Outdoor Nationals and took home the title, which he successfully defended one year later.
In the 2002/3 season, competing with his own riser and limbs, he again became German National Indoor Champion, and also shot at the Indoor European and World Championships.
I am told that no UB-Logic products have ever broken or delaminated. They have a very good reputation i
n Germany, and now
thanks to IAP, archers in the UK will be the first country outside Germany to be able
to get their hands on these limbs.
The draw force curve reinforced the smoothness I felt
shooting these limbs,
and they are among
a select few limbs from
any manufacturer that I have
weighed up as being exactly as
they should be, in this case 38lb at 28in. Based on the draw force curve I have calculated the bow’s efficiency to be a conservative 72 per cent. Below 70 per cent and energy is wasted by vibration and noise.
A few shots through a chronograph show that these limbs can hold their own with the mainstream competition, but while for some speed is everything, what is astonishing about these limbs is their consistency. Even with my release, out of 10 shots through the chronograph the variance was only 0.1fps.
I achieve an average arrow speed of 197fps, fitting the limbs to a FibreBow riser, and using Easton X10 500 shafts (Bohning X-vanes, Beiter pin nock and 120-grain points), and a Brownell Astra 16 strand string with Angel Majesty serving. Your own equipment and ability will determine your arrow speed.
The bracing height recommendation for these limbs on a standard ILF riser are: 66″= 20-21.5 cm, 68″= 21-22.5 cm, and 70″= 22-23.5 cm. I shot them with a brace heigh of 21.8cm, and UB-Logic recommends going as low as possible for maximum stability. If you have it set too high the limbs can become ‘wobbly.’ My tests back this up as I tried the complete range and beyond, and found the closer you get to the minimum measurement the better. I am used to a quiet bow, but these limbs surpass what I am used to.
The bad news is that until a few pairs find their way on to the shooting line many will have to buy blind without the opportunity to shoot them first. On the flip side however, the fact they are notmass-producedmeanstheywillberare and unique for those that like something different.
Lead times for a pair of limbs will be around six weeks, and you will be able to specify the colour and even the length – so for example if you want a 69.5” bow with a 25” riser you can. Prices are yet to be finalised, but they are expected to cost somewhere in the region of £480 – £550.
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Ik heb in 2004 bij udo butcher een stel latten naar mijn opstelling laten maken.
.deze latten waren zo ongelooflijk goed dat ik tot 2007 bijna alle wedstrijden in de prijzen ben geland dus dat was wel heel erg goed !!!!
ik heb nooit meer betere kunnen vinden.!!!!!
Really really love the limb’s finish!
Very goed products from UB !!!!!
De Latten die Udo Böttcher op mijn aanwijzingen heeft gemaakt zijn van een ongekent hooge kwaliteit dat kan ik beweizen !!!!!