Compound Bow Review: PSE Evolve 28 + Video
Lucas Cooney 08.06.18
I’ve had a chance to put the PSE Evolve 28 through its paces recently for our sister site ArcheryTalk.com as part of its 2018 Hunting Bow Project.
Specs on the PSE Evolve 28 include an axle-to-axle length of 28 inches, generous brace height of 7 inches, mass weight of 4.1 pounds and IBO rated speed of 335 feet per second. The bow has a retail price of $999.
Fit and finish on the Evolve 28 is excellent. The Mossy Oak Break Up Country camo looks nice on this bow, but I would prefer PSE’s charcoal finish personally. Though I’ve only had this bow a relatively short time, the string and cables feel rock solid and I’ve not suffered any peep rotation.
The grip on the Evolve is quite nice. I prefer a flat grip, and this bow has it, though if it was just a bit thinner it would be perfect – at least for me.
I don’t have a lot of experience with PSE bows, but I found the draw cycle to be on the stiff side with a noticeable hump as you enter the valley. But once you get to full draw, this bow feels unlike anything else I’ve ever shot.
My test bow came equipped with the high let off cam set to 90% let off. I really didn’t think it would feel all that different from an 80% let off bow, but I was greatly mistaken. It really feels like you are barely holding the string back at all. In fact, when I try to let this bow down it almost feels like it would rather stay at full draw. It’s a bit weird, but if I am ever in a situation where I need to stay at full draw for a long period of time waiting for an animal to get into position, this is the bow I want in my hand.
If you prefer less let off, you can adjust this mod down to 80%. But a low 65-75% let off module is also available.
I found the Evolve 28 holds on target quite well – especially when you consider how compact it is. I’ve not had this bow as long as the others I’ve tested this year, but it seems to shoot as well as I’d expect any hunting bow to – even out to 50 yards.
After the shot I am feeling a bit of vibration, but that should easily be cleared up with a good stabilizer.
Getting the Evolve 28 tuned and ready to shoot was dead simple. PSE sent me the bow with a D-loop and rest already installed. A few small movements on the Whisker Biscuit and the bow was behaving exactly how I wanted it to.
To test out the speed, I shot a 350-grain Gold Tip Platinum Pierce arrow through a chronograph with the Evolve 28 set at 70 pounds of draw weight and 30 inches of draw length. I saw an average speed of 327 feet per second. That is exactly where this bow should be, when you consider the extra weight on the string from the D-loop and peep. That’s impressive considering I was using the 90% let off. I can only assume if I back it down to 80% that I’d pick up another couple of feet per second.
If you hunt in small blinds or a tight tree stand and are looking for a compact hunting bow, the PSE Evolve 28 is worth checking out.
