SAS Rage Review

Intro

The SAS Rage compound bow is an entry-level package that comes with a ton of accessories at under $200, making it a good choice for the beginner archer on a budget. The bow comes already assembled, however, you’ll need to install the five pin bow sight and arrow rest. This package also includes a string stop, which works to minimize vibration. The compound bow also comes with an arrow shelf, wrist sling, tube peep, sight, DZ SAS destroyer carbon arrows, arrow release, six broad heads, D-loop, quick detach quiver, five pin bow sight, hard carrying case, aluminum stabilizer, and string wax. Basically, this set comes with all the gear and accessories you’ll need if you’re new to archery. While certain accessories may need to be upgraded over time, for the price, this compound bow package is a steal. Let’s take a closer look at its features and included accessories.

Full Review

Materials and Design

​The SAS Rage compound bow‘s bowfinish and fit look great and the mounting holes for the accessories have been machined nicely with clean thread cuts. The bow comes with parallel positioned split aluminum limbs that are made from inexpensive, yet durable fiberglass. Overall, the limbs make a very good first impression and are definitely comparable to higher priced bows. The back pivoting limb pockets hold the limbs in place, providing increased accuracy. The machine aluminum risers provide a good base for aiming and resting arrows. The grip also feels very comfortable. The riser comes with some well-made cut-outs that give the bow a more modern look that’s very appealing. The axle to axle length comes in at 35″ making this a small bow that’s perfect for hunting.  The dual cam system is also made from aluminum and is very easy to adjust.

Flexibility

This bow features a max draw weight of 70lbs, which is the average draw weight you’ll find on higher priced models as well. If you’re a beginner, the weight should be adjusted to the minimum draw weight initially. Using a lower draw weight is better when it comes to learning the proper shooting form so it won’t end up damaging your shoulder. Even seasoned archers tend to adjust the draw weight to around 60lbs, which is more than enough for hunting medium sized game. The Rage’s minimum weight is 55lbs, which doesn’t offer much flexibility compared to higher quality entry-level bows who can go as low as 20lbs.

Performance

At 270 FPS IBO, this bow is certainly not very fast compared to higher range products. However, it’s surprisingly accurate and can be lethal when shot at +60lbs draw weight. The back wall feels solid and its 70%  let-off provides the archer with enough space for shooting and aiming, although the draw cycle doesn’t feel as smooth as the Diamond Archery Infinite Edge Pro. Before you shoot it, we recommend checking all the screws. Some archers reported finding a couple of loose screws that needed to be tightened. Loose screws will add to the bow’s overall vibration when you shoot, making it louder.  You won’t feel much of a hand shock with this bow, in fact, it feels pretty good while shooting and can totally compete with more expensive models.

Hunting Features

Weighing in at 4.4.lbs, this bow is not light. After you have attached all the included extras, the weight will go up another six pounds. Some archers felt that the bow was more stable shooting at this weight, but it can also easily cause fatigue when you’re out hunting for longer periods of time, which is a big downside for some. In addition, the Rage isn’t exactly on the quiet side, even if you use noise dampening accessories. To reduce noise caused by vibration you’ll need to get an adequate string silencer if you want your shots to be totally silent. Used together with the included string stop, the noise will be reduced significantly and the Rage will be quiet enough to go hunting with.

Accessories

Most of the time, inexpensive compound bow packages consist of entry-level accessories that you’ll probably want to upgrade at some point. The arrow shelf in this SAS Rage compound bow package feels cheaply made, so you’ll want to switch it out as soon as possible. The steel pin sight doesn’t offer much shooting accuracy. You’ll need to use a high-quality aluminum sight with three to five pins for more successful shooting with this bow. At about 40 yards, you’ll get groupings within a few inches of each other pretty easily, with the included sight, but an upgrade can improve your accuracy significantly. The sight should be set up by a professional because it needs to fit each archer in order to get the best shooting results. Aside from a good arrow rest, a good sight is the most important component on a bow and one that can heavily affect your shot accuracy.

The string the bow comes with is decent, just make sure you use the included string wax before use. There were many reports from consumers who had issues with the string when it wasn’t waxed.

The D-loop aids the archer during release. If you try finger shooting this bow, there’s a chance the string will come off the cam or twist and totally blow your shot.

The included wrist sling is a little heavy when all of the extras are attached to it. The sling works to ensure you’re shooting with a relaxed hand, working to improve accuracy and literally stops the bow from falling down after a shot.

Pros and Cons

Pros​

• checkGood quality materials for a bow in this price range
• checkAccurate bow
• checkGreat starter kit for less than $200
• checkAll-inclusive package ready to shoot
• checkCan be used for hunting when string stop is used

Cons

• Only available in a right-handed version
• exclamationA little on the heavy side (4.4lbs)
• exclamationNot very fast
• exclamationSome of the accessories are cheaply made

SAS Rage Review: Conclusion and Rating

Overall the SAS Rage is a great starter bow for its price (currently under $200). While shooting the bow feels a little harsh, it shoots surprisingly accurate. If you’re new to bow hunting we recommend taking the bow down to your local pro shot to have the accessories installed and the sight adjusted. The staff can also accurately adjust the draw weight for you. Consumers who purchased this model gave it a high rating for pricing, free accessories, draw weight and overall quality.