Compound Bow Reviews: The 2003 New Ben Pearson FREEDOM.

Pearson FREEDOM Review - Part I:

INSPECTION:

Basic Information and Visual Quality Evaluation

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We begin with an initial inspection of the bow and verification of the bow's specifications. Our test bow is a RH model with 60-70 limbs, stickered for 29" draw length at 75% let-off. The finish has no notable scratches or flaws, the "antler velvet" on the arrow shelf is neatly applied with crisp edges, and all fasteners are appropriately torqued down. String and harness are neatly served and waxed, and there are no visible scratches or flaws on the anodized black finish of the eccentrics. The bow appears to have been assembled with considerable care and is accompanied by Ben Pearson's Quality Inspection Report indicating the bow was triple-inspected at the factory. Spec and module chart is also included. However, Ben Pearson does not include an owner's manual with their bows. For those of us who enjoy fretting over every detail and reading the fine print, a technical/owner's manual might make a nice addition to the bow line.

Pearson FREEDOM Review - Part II:

BOW SPECS:

All measurements were made using AMO standard methods where applicable.

	Advertised Specs	Our Measurements	Notes: While we did find the weight of the bow to be slightly underrated (by our scale) and our measured draw length was 1/8" under the limb's stickered 29", we were impressed to find that A2A and Brace Height were precisely as advertised. We were not concerned about the small discrepancy in let-off. As with many cams, measured let-off often decreases slightly with longer draw lengths. Need the Technical ABC's??? Learn More About Compound Bows
Axle-to-Axle Length:	35.25"	35.25"
Brace Height:	6.75"	6.75"
Bow Mass:	64 oz. (4 Lbs.)	66 oz. (4Lbs 2 oz.)
Draw Length Range:	24-30"	- - -
Draw Weight Range:	40-50#, 50-60#, 60-70#	- - -
Set Draw Length:	29" (SGZ 75% Module)	28.88"
Set Draw Weight:	70#	70.8#
Cam:	Z3 Catapult	- - -
Let-Off:	65% or 75%	73.2%
Limbs:	12.5" Quadra-Flex Split	- - -
Finish:	Lynch Superflauge™	- - -
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Pearson FREEDOM Review - Part III:

IBO SPEED:

All chronograph readings were taken with a Competition Digital Pro-Chrono Chronograph.

Arrow mass checked by a properly calibrated Lyman Digital Grain Scale.

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FREEDOM ADVERTISED IBO SPEED: 310-315 FPS.

Padding: Some archery manufacturers occasionally "pad" their advertised IBO speeds a bit - since most weekend archers don't have the benefit of a chronograph to keep them honest. So our FREEDOM's first big test is through the chronograph. Will it have the muscle it claims? We'll see!

Notes: It should be noted that IBO testing standards require specific conditions to obtain a uniform standard and reliable speed data. For testing, the bow must be set for exactly 70# peak weight, exactly 30" draw length, and must shoot an arrow that weighs precisely 350 grains. Additionally, most manufacturers speed-test their bows with a bare-shaft arrow, a drop-away style rest, a bare string (less a lightweight string-nock or loop), and setup the bow for the lowest possible let-off available on it's particular cam. It is generally NOT reasonable to assume your bow will actually shoot the same as it's advertised speed unless you meet these exact conditions with your bow. Decreasing the draw weight, decreasing the draw length, increasing the arrow weight or let-off percentage, or adding accessories to the string will all negatively effect the finished arrow velocity of your bow.

Our Test: To best approximate the IBO standards, we removed our 29" 75% let-off module, and installed a 30" 65% let-off module in the bow - then made very minor adjustments to the string twists to give us precisely 30" draw length. Then we carefully adjusted our FREEDOM to exactly 70# draw weight. Next we installed an HHA Optitune Drop-Away rest and a string loop - and prepared a Gold Tip 5575 Graphite/Carbon test-arrow, adjusting it's weight to exactly 350 grains. Now we're ready!!!

First Shots: Time to stick the FREEDOM's neck out. So. Varying distances from 1 to 3 arrow lengths from our chronograph, we made our first shots with the FREEDOM to verify it's output. Results below.

	CHRONOGRAPH TEST
	Trial 1:	304 FPS (71.8 ft-lbs of KE)
	Trial 2:	305 FPS (72.3 ft-lbs of KE)
	Trial 3:	305 FPS (72.3 ft-lbs of KE)
	Trial 4:	304 FPS (71.8 ft-lbs of KE)
	Trial 5:	306 FPS (72.8 ft-lbs of KE)
	Tested Average:	304.8 FPS
	Advertised:	310-315 FPS
	Accuracy:	± 2%

Analysis: Variances in chronographs can be ±2% - easily within the margin of discrepancy between our test data and the bow's advertised IBO Speed. As such, we'll consider the advertised IBO Speed of 310 FPS to be a legitimate claim for the FREEDOM. However, 315 FPS is probably a touch optimistic. It should be noted that the majority of bows we test by this method fall well short (-10-15 FPS) of their IBO Speed claims. I had my money bet on an actual 295-300 FPS. I stand corrected! Bravo FREEDOM.
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Pearson FREEDOM Review - Part IV:

BARE BOW:

Some Subjective Observations

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First Impressions: While perhaps it's unfair to attempt to judge a naked bow, with no string silencers - no stabilizer - no limb dampeners - etc, what immediately grabs my attention is the lack of noise and vibration from the "bare" FREEDOM. Still adjusted for the eye-bulging 70#/30"/65% setting, I took another dozen shots - concentrating on detecting hand-shock and noise, resonant vibrations in the grip, and movement (kick) from the bow upon release. Astonishingly, there was very little. The mark of a well made bow with tight tolerances. I've shot countless finished bows this season which have been fully outfitted with an arsenal of anti-vibration gear top to bottom, yet STILL have more shock and noise than our "bare" FREEDOM. The bow did not jump from my hand - did not kick out. It did not move. It just sat there dead in my hand - never even unbalancing itself from it's upright position. Fantastic! I could detect some vibration felt in the handle, though minor. And the only noise I could detect was from the string oscillation - as it hummed a soft one-second tune at the end of each shot.

Looking Forward: It seems likely, given the characteristics of the "bare" bow, that once the FREEDOM is setup and accessorized - unwanted vibrations and noise are going to practically negligible. I'll admit I'm excited to outfit the FREEDOM and set it up for range testing and tuning - later on in our review. With our IBO Speed test complete, I re-installed the original module in the bow and restored all of the settings back to the factory presets.

Pearson FREEDOM Review - Part V:

THE CAM & THE FEEL OF THE DRAWSTROKE:

The Z3 Catapult cam features Pearson's PhD (Perfect Horizontal Delivery) technology (U.S. Patent #5934265). Designed to provide the straightest nock travel possible for increased shooting accuracy and easy tuning. The outside eccentric groove has been eliminated and replaced with a more accurate post feed system. String life is also improved in that there is no "chopping" of the string by the groove wall upon a shot, thus the PhD system provides a longer string life than conventional single cams.

The Z3 Catapult: The FREEDOM sports Ben Pearson's Z3 Catapult Single-Cam. The Z3 is not terribly endowed with bells and whistles, but it's a very reliable cam that offers an aggressive powerstroke and plenty of let-off and draw-length options. The Z3 can accept standard S-Series modules which allow for 1" draw length changes without the need for a bowpress. Each module (available for around $10 each) is ground to make a specific draw length and let-off percentage on the bow. For example, installation of the SEH module gives the FREEDOM a 27" draw and 75% let-off. The middle letter "E" denotes the draw length - the last letter "H" indicates high let-off. The next module in the series, the SFH, would make 28" draw at 75%...and so on. If we want a Pope & Young legal 65% setting at that same 28" draw length, you can simply install the low let-off module for the for that length, the SFL module. Easy enough! Additionally, the Z3 cam can also use Pearson's M-Modules at some draw lengths - capable of giving the bow 83-85% let-off if you so desire. Draw length can also be changed in 1/2" increments by moving the string and harness to the alternate anchor posts on the Z3. However, this change must be done by qualified personnel with the aid of a bowpress only.

The Powerstroke: Our shop has worked with the Z3 cam all season, as it's standard on some of Ben Pearson's other popular bows like the 440 Quad and Anaconda. So I was a little surprised to discover that the Z3 felt considerably more aggressive when mounted on the FREEDOM. During the powerstroke, the weight builds to peak very quickly in the stroke - pulls very smooth and flat in the middle - and the let-off occurs right at the end of the stroke with very little perceptible valley - but with a good solid back-wall. At full-draw you can really feel that this dog is ready to eat. Shooters who are use to a nice big sloppy valley may find this powerstroke a bit unnerving at first - and may need to adjust their shooting form to accommodate the added aggression of the FREEDOM's powerstroke.

A Little Nit-Picking: While the Z3 is certainly a respectable cam, I can't help but feel a little disappointed that the FREEDOM isn't sporting a cam that's more unique and distinct. It's like looking under the hood of a hot-rod car to find a nice standard Chevy 350 V8. A good motor - reliable - plenty of juice - built to last...... but still nothing really special. I would certainly love to see Ben Pearson engineers incorporate more premium features into the FREEDOM's cam choice.
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Pearson FREEDOM Review - Part VI:

CAMO FINISH:

Superflauge is owned and licensed by:

M.L. Lynch Company
500 W. Jefferson, Thomasville, GA 31792
(912) 226-5019
FAX: (912) 228-0529

Lynch Superflauge: Like virtually all brands of bows, Ben Pearson bows have a camouflage film dipped finish. The finish on the FREEDOM has good definition and is applied properly - covering all surfaces as it should. But where the Ben Pearson bow line stands out is with the choice of the actual camouflage pattern applied. In an industry dominated by the same three tired patterns (Mossy Oak, Advantage, and Realtree), it's nice to see something a little different. And unlike most patterns, Lynch Superflauge doesn't look like a pile of dead leaves and sticks. Though the appearance of individual features seems cleverly random in the pattern, the predominant snapshot is that of different tree barks. I personally find this particular pattern pleasing because it incorporates a number of light gray and beige hues quite common to the light-barked Poplar and Birch trees here in our home state. With just the right touches of greens, the Superflauge pattern also blends nicely into early-season foliage here in the Southeast - where bow season is well underway while the leaves are still in full summer green.

Not So Super? In my opinion, Superflauge is a fine pattern that should at least be equally effective as the "big 3" patterns for hunting turkeys and big game. However, since Superflauge is not as common, it isn't available as a pattern choice on many popular accessories. So for those of you who rummage through an entire bin of quivers - trying to match camo patterns stick for stick and leaf for leaf to your bow - Superflauge may not be for you. For those less obsessed, we find that Realtree Xtra-Gray or Mossy Oak Shadow Branch accessories will provide a reasonable match for your Superflauge bow. Additionally, Ben Pearson does offer a number of accessories which are coated in matching Superflauge - though the selection is fairly limited.
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Pearson FREEDOM Review - Part VII:

CABLE GUARD ISSUES:

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Not So Hot: From an aesthetic standpoint, the FREEDOM's cable guard is my least favorite feature of this new design. The cable guard itself is fine - a good quality 3/8" straight carbon composite rod that is hard-mounted to the bow via 2 Allen set screws on the inside of the riser. However, as you can see in the photo, the mounting holes for the rod have been drilled completely through the riser such that the cut-end of the cable guard is visible from the front of the bow. Since the cable guard is installed after the camo dipping process, this leaves a small 3/8" round gap in the camo pattern on the front of the riser. Of course, I'm not suggesting that your game animals will spot the end of your cable guard - spook and run. But I do believe this characteristic detracts from the good looks of the FREEDOM design. I would much rather see the outer mounting hole drilled short of coming completely through the riser, just as Ben Pearson does with their other bows. Perhaps there is a specific reason why this change was necessary on the FREEDOM riser, but hopefully a more aesthetically appealing solution is already in the works. While they're at it, a nice friction-reducing teflon cable slide would also be appreciated - in lieu of the standard plastic slide included with our FREEDOM.
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Pearson FREEDOM Review - Part VIII:

FACING THE
COMPETITION:

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The FREEDOM's Weight Division: The FREEDOM isn't quite a "Short-Axle" bow - not really a "Target" bow - and not really a radical "Speed" bow either. So what is it? I guess this could be the subject of some debate, but the FREEDOM most likely takes it's place among the fairly exclusive class of "Vertical Force" bows - bows with particularly long risers and short highly angled limbs, sometimes also denoted by the buzz phrase "Parallel Limb Technology". The concept is pretty simple. Long upright limbs tend to lurch forward upon release - their inertia dragging the rest of bow along with them. This movement, or trying to stop this movement while holding the bow's grip is what we perceive as hand-shock. But "Vertical Force" bows have limbs that move in a general up and down direction when released. So the inertia of one limb is able to essentially cancel out the inertia of the other. This design all but eliminates hand-shock and kick. Good idea, eh? Unfortunately, making a long intricate riser - one that has good structural stability BUT doesn't weigh a ton - isn't so easy to do. A lot of effort goes into the production of a "Vertical Force" bow design - so they're aren't too many of them on the market......yet!

Across the Ring in the Red Corner: The FREEDOM is obviously designed to be a direct competitor to several other "Vertical Force" heavyweights in the industry - most notably the Bowtech Patriot and the Mathews Legacy, both of which share the FREEDOM's specs and design configuration with uncanny similarity. BUT......To the critics that might suggest the FREEDOM is merely a copy of other "Vertical Force" designs, I submit that this type of design may not be the unique creation of a particular bow company - but rather the emerging result from the natural evolution of compound bow manufacturing. Of course, only time will tell - but the "Vertical Force" design may be here to stay.

Touch Gloves & Come Out:   I will make no attempt to declare one model superior to the other, but it may be useful to see the FREEDOM lined-up side-by-side to two other principal bows in it's class - so you can compare their specs, prices, and performance ratings. All listed specs are that of the manufacturer except the Forgiveness Rating. Click the link below to learn more about our rating system.
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	Pearson Freedom	Bowtech Patriot	Mathews Legacy

IBO Speed:	310-315 FPS	312-320 FPS	308 FPS
Axle-2-Axle:	35.25"	33.75"	34"
Brace Height:	6.75"	7.25"	7.5"
Bow Mass:	4.0 Lbs	4.25 Lbs.	4.35 Lbs.
Draw Lengths:	24-30"	25-30"	24-30"
Draw Weights:	50-60-70	40-50-60-70	50-60-70
Let-Off:	65%-75%-85%	65-80% Variable	70%
Vib-Dampening:	Vib~X System	Sand Trap Pockets	HD Riser Inserts
Grip Design:	Hardwood	Hardwood	Hardwood
Camouflage:	Lynch Superflauge	Advantage Timber	Realtree Xtra-Gray
Cam Design:	Single - Z3 Catapult	Single - BT/Infinity	Single - Staightline
Forgiveness Score:	73	76	79
Sugg. Retail:	$699	$699	$699
Discount Retail:	$579 (Min. Advertised)	$599 (after $50 Rebate)	$599-$649
Availability:	All Retailers	Pro-Shop Only	Pro-Shop Only
Warranty:	Limited Lifetime	Limited Lifetime	Limited Lifetime

Pearson FREEDOM Review - Part IX:

OUTFITTING OUR TEST BOW:

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Setting the Bow Up: Our review wouldn't be complete without setting-up the bow and shooting it at distance. Eliciting some help from our on-duty shop staff, I got things underway. We outfitted our test FREEDOM with the following components: Extreme Sniper XFM400 Sight, NAP Quiktune 800 Rest, Sure-Shot Hydraulic Stabilizer, Sims Split Limb Savers, Sims String Leeches, String Loop, and a Jim Fletcher Tru-Peep. We then prepared some 29" Gold Tip 5575 Hunter carbon arrows with 3" helical feathers, Easton 3D Nocks, and 100g target tips. Our test arrows tipped the scale at 368 grains with a nice 13.6% FOC Balance. So with the bow now accessorized, shooting heavier arrows, and set back to it's original 28.8" draw length and 70.8# draw weight (75% let-off), our chronograph indicated our "setup" FREEDOM was still cranking out a brisk 278 fps.

Tuning Up: After setting the center-shot with our gauge and setting our nock to 1/8" over square (a good starting point for single cam bows), we took a few shots through our paper-tuner. All three shots blazed perfect bullet-holes through the paper. That was easy! Of course, paper-tuning isn't the holy grail of bow tuning - but it's a start. With the bow in relative tune, it was time to head out to the range. Of course, by now, everyone in the shop had stopped what they were doing to check out what was going on with our test.

Range Test:    After roughing-in a 25 yard pin, we took turns shooting and evaluating the FREEDOM. And although I invited all criticisms of any kind, I got very very few. While one would shoot, the remainder of our group would listen for errant noises and watch how the bow behaved when released. Over and over again, we all had the same comment about how dead the FREEDOM was in our hands. This bow simply does not kick. And in spite of the heavy poundage, our test FREEDOM was fun and easy to shoot - with most of us easily piling arrows into tight groups at 25 yards. This bow is just as accurate as it is smooth. In fact, after the last of us 8 shooters finished shooting our seven shots a piece - our test arrows had been smacked together at the target so much - that they were essentially ruined. A good problem to have. The 64 oz. FREEDOM is very stable in your hand and easy to steady on target, yet still feels like a lightweight short-axle bow at full draw. The bow is well balanced, though just slightly top-heavy (common to this configuration). And all but one of our shooting group agreed that the grip was comfortable and appropriately sized.

Want to Trade? The true test...... When I asked who would trade their own personal bows for a new FREEDOM, 3 of the 7 said they would "right now". One said he'd have to think about it and get back with me. Actually, they're all out of luck. Our test FREEDOM is coming home with me!

Nit-Picks: And while some in our group noted a touch of vibration remaining in the grip, most of us, including myself, didn't pick up on it. The FREEDOM is just a smooth-shooting bow any way you try it. Although you could still detect a little string noise, reminiscent of the soft low frequency "bong" made famous by the Mathews Q2XL, the FREEDOM is by all accounts a very quiet bow.

Staff member Kevin Fannin takes his turn with the FREEDOM - although it looks like Kevin either needs longer arms or a shorter draw length module. :)

Pearson FREEDOM Review - Part X:

SUMMARY:

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FREEDOM Wrap-Up: Regarding the pros and cons, the FREEDOM's many pros are so strong, that it's hard to find ways to offer a balance of cons in this evaluation. I've endeavored to judge the FREEDOM based on it's own merits, rather than by comparing it directly to other specific bows. But still I must say, the FREEDOM easily holds it's own against some of the heaviest hitters in the archery market. Short enough for comfortable treestand hunting, yet stable enough for competition 3D. This is simply a fantastic bow that shooters are destined to love.

Hope for FREEDOM's Future: We believe the FREEDOM will quickly become Ben Pearson's #1 selling bow (unless there's something else Ben Pearson has up their sleeves for 2003). And in the current crowd of 2002 model bows, the FREEDOM is easily a top-ten bow. How it ranks among the 2003 crowd remains to be seen - as we expect the new model year to reveal a few more more hungry sharks in the FREEDOM's proverbial waters. But we give the new FREEDOM an enthusiastic thumbs-up and recommend the bow strongly for intermediate to advanced shooters.

The FREEDOM is manufactured by:

Ben Pearson Archery, Inc.
734 Industrial Park
Brewton, Alabama 36427
Phone: 888-701-8474
www.benpearson.com

Your comments are welcomed.

Best Regards,
Staff Writer Michael Blanton