Duncan Busby has been testing the latest compound from British bow-makers Mybo
Specifications
Axle to Axle: 35 or 39 inches
Brace Height: 7.5 inches (Edge 39)
Brace Height: 7 inches (Edge 35)
Mass Weight: 4.9lbs
IBO Speed: 320fps
Draw length: 24-32 inches
Let off: Adjustable 65-80 per cent
Draw weight options: 30-40lbs, 40-50lbs, 50-60lbs
Price: £1,195
Available on special order from: Merlin Archery Centre
There are three stabiliser bushings available on the Edge, so you can create your ideal stabiliser setup
Last year Mybo introduced their flagship compound bow, the Origin; this innovative and long-awaited offering from the team behind Merlin Archery proved to be not only immensely popular among the archery community but the pro-staff as well. After achieving gold and silver finishes at the National Series Final and securing several of the top national ranking spots and a host of podium finishes around the world, the Origin went on to become a part of history when all three members of the GB men’s compound team represented their country at the European Archery Championships on home soil with a British-made bow for the very first time.
After this success the team at Merlin decided to introduce a second bow to the ever-growing Mybo range. They decided that the new bow wasn’t just going to be a variation of the Origin but a totally different model designed from scratch. In order to capitalise on the vast experience of the pro-staff Mybo consulted its members on the new bow design, and after months of practical and knowledgeable input something special began to take shape and the Mybo Edge was created.
Duncan has been shooting the Edge for a few weeks and is particularly impressed with its hold and how easy it is it tune
Riser Design
The design of a bow’s riser is an extremely important feature as it can determine its stability and speed. So in order to gain all the advantages associated with both reflex and deflex designs, without the disadvantages of either, a neutral geometry riser was chosen for the Edge. This particular design is becoming ever more popular with archers and it’s now featured on several flagship models around the world; it’s been proven to be extremely stable, as it resists bow hand torque while producing good arrow speeds, so it seemed an obvious choice when designing the Edge.
A stable riser is no good if it’s made from an unstable material, so Mybo chose to construct their new bow from super strong 7075 grade aluminium, much stronger than the materials commonly used by other bow manufacturers. This increase in riser stiffness allows the Edge to better resist the twisting forces created throughout the draw cycle, making it more consistent and easier to tune.
The riser has been designed to be a stable platform
The Grip
The design of the grip has also been well thought out – after all, this is the one place you’ll have physical contact with the bow itself so it’s crucial that the grip is comfortable and it allows you to find a natural and consistent hand position. This attention to detail is apparent the first time you hold the Edge; its slim profile fits perfectly into your hand while the angled grip design allows you to shoot with a natural and strong wrist position. The throat of the grip has been ergonomically designed to fit perfectly in your hand while the underside of the arrow shelf has been moulded to accommodate your fingers and knuckles, which makes it one of the most comfortable and natural grips on the market.
Stabilisation
A perfect riser still needs good stabilisation options and these days there are many different ways to balance a bow, so Mybo decided that it was important to give archers as many different stabiliser placements as possible. That’s why the Edge features three stainless steel stabiliser bushings to allow you to choose your own balancing setup; one in the front of the riser for your long rod, and, for your rear bars, one just below the grip and one at the bottom of the riser. With this number of options you’ll be sure to find a perfect balance.
The split limb design saves weight, while the more traditional angle gives it a more forgiving axle to axle length
Cable Guard
Finally, the riser is completed with Mybo’s adjustable carbon cable guard. This is fitted with a Teflon slider and is held in place by a strong clamping system to ensure the Edge is both adjustable and consistent; it accommodates any arrow and vane size and will maintain its performance in all weathers.
Limbs
Just like the Origin, the Edge’s limbs are constructed from industry standard Gordon’s composite fibreglass; the strong and high quality finish of these limbs ensures the components are extremely long lasting. But instead of the preloaded parallel limbs found on the Origin and many other models today, Mybo chose a more traditional limb angle for the Edge, though this wasn’t just to be different – there are several advantages to this style of limb.
A traditional less flexed limb gives the bow a pleasing geometry; the Edge has a longer, more stable axle length of 39 inches and a forgiving 7.5-inch brace height. This limb profile also changes the feel of the shot, as it allows the energy of the bow to be directed towards the target upon release, this makes the Edge feel lively and it provides the archer with a lot of feedback; a desirable trait in a target bow. And unlike other bows of this limb design, vibration and hand shock are minimal, making the Edge an extremely comfortable bow to shoot, while the SLV dampers, fitted as standard, also further reduce any vibration.
Mybo chose to give the Edge split limbs with a wide stance, and not only does this help with cam stability, it also lowers the overall mass weight of the bow. These limbs are held securely in place with the same zero tolerance limb pockets found on the Origin; these light but strong pockets feature the innovative angled rockers and half moon weight adjustment bolts that are now synonymous with Mybo.
The new Edge cams are smaller and more off set than on sister bow the Origin, but share the adjustable let-off feature
Cams
The innovations don’t stop there: Mybo have also redeveloped their cams. Following the same modified twin cam system of the Origin, the Edge’s cams have been designed to be more egg-shaped and are set off-centre on the axles. This not only increases their efficiency and speed but it makes the bow more stable by reducing the effects of torque at full draw. As the size of the cam also plays a huge part in the overall feel and stability of the bow, the new Edge cams have been designed to be slightly smaller, this too makes the bow much harder to torque at full draw but it also ensures a super smooth draw cycle. You may also notice that the bottom cam is slightly smaller than the top; this clever innovation ensures that the nock travel is perfectly straight throughout the shot cycle and its testament to the attention to detail put into the design of the Edge.
It’s important that a cam offers a good level of adjustability and the Edge cam doesn’t disappoint; Mybo have designed a modular draw length adjustment system that maximises the efficiency of the cams over every draw length. The half inch modules are quick and simple to change and don’t require the use of a bow press. They incorporate the same adjustable let-off and wall system found on the Origin, which allows you to not only customise the feel of your bow with either a hard, medium or soft wall option but also to adjust the let-off from 80 per cent all the way down to 65 per cent, so you can choose to customise the bow to your own specifications and requirements.
Limb Offsets
For those of you who like to fine-tune your bow there is one more unique feature on the Edge that takes tuning to the next level. You may notice that there are two small blocks located at each end of the riser where the limb pocket attaches, although small, these blocks do a rather clever job as they allow you to slightly offset the angle of the limbs. The standard setting is at zero degrees, meaning that the limbs are set perfectly straight to the riser, as you would find on the majority of bows, but Mybo realised that some archers put a natural amount of torque into their bow when they shoot which can make it difficult to get a perfect tune. This would typically be seen as a consistent left/ right tear when shooting through paper, so in order to correct this they designed a feature that allowed the limbs to be angled slightly; this reduces the torque and enables every archer to shoot a perfect bullet hole when tuning.
The cam modules make it quick and easy to adjust the bow’s draw length
When the limbs are offset it simply alters the centre of the bow by fractionally moving the string to the left or right of the grip. This change in alignment alters the forces in the bow at full draw, thus counteracting the effects of any torque. You only need to angle the limbs by a tiny amount to make a significant difference and for the majority of archers this isn’t necessary, but it’s a handy feature for those of you who struggle to get a perfect tune because of torque. Offsetting the limbs is a custom feature on the Edge and as such will require a custom fit at the shop by Mybo’s experts. The blocks are available in quarter degree offsets.
Extras
As with the Origin, the Edge comes with Flex strings as standard, but these can be upgraded to a custom set of Reign strings made by Simon Scott. Considered to be some of the best in the world, Reign strings are available in almost any colour option and string material and allow you to customise your new bow to your exact requirements.
For those of you who prefer a slightly shorter bow there are further customisable options available to you. The Edge is also available in a 35-inch axle length. Fitted with tried and tested Origin limbs, the Edge 35 is perfect for archers who like the feel of a slightly shorter bow, the parallel limbs give the bow an aggressive look at full draw and work with the perfectly designed Edge cams to give you every ounce of speed and efficiency available from this snappy little bow.
A brand-new feature in the limb offset blocks let you take tuning to the next level
For the fashion conscious the Edge comes in eight striking colour options; ice blue, royal blue, vivid violet, cherry red, orange blaze, lizard green, sonic silver and midnight black, so you’ll never have problems coordinating your setup.
And if you are looking for a little extra help when setting up your Edge, particularly if you have chosen to add custom options, book yourself a set up and tuning session at the shop; I’ll fit your bow to you, show you how to tune it and make sure you know how to get the best from your Edge.
The Edge in action
I’ve been shooting the Edge for a little while now and have been blown away by how well this bow shoots. It’s easy to tune and it holds like nothing else; its smooth draw cycle makes the 60lbs draw weight feel like nothing at all. I particularly like the adjustable wall and let off features on the cams as they allow me to get the exact feel I want at full draw, and my arrow speed is also considerably faster than it has been on other bows of a similar geometry.
As I torque my bow at full draw, the limb offset blocks have made tuning an absolute breeze; as a result the Edge really does inspire confidence. It’s comfortable and predictable to shoot and its steady aim allows me to focus on making the best shots possible while letting the bow do the rest.
I’ve shot a lot of bows over my career, some I’ve loved, some not so much, but the Edge has all the best features of my favourite ones, just with a dose of Mybo engineering and innovation to make it really stand out. So next time you are looking for a new bow why not give yourself the Edge and see what the latest offering from Mybo can do for you?
This article originally appeared in the issue 117 of Bow International magazine. For more great content like this, subscribe today at our secure online store www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk