Summary
The Diamond Deploy SB was designed for bowhunters looking to take their bow to the next level. At 3.2 pounds this bow is one of the lightest on the market and produces little handshock or noise when the string is dropped.
Secondly, while the Deploy has limited color options, it does come in camo and black, both of which hunters find appealing for a variety of reasons. Finally, the carbon grip will make this bow enjoyable to shoot in the heat of summer, or the winter’s cold. Gone are the days when your bow is colder than the venison in your freezer if you go with this carbon riser.
Table of Contents
Intro
What are you looking for in a bow? Do you want speed, comfort, a light bow, or perhaps a sleek futuristic shooting machine?
Whatever you desire, odds are one of the finest bow manufacturers is producing a bow just right for you. If you are a bowhunter and looking for a compact, lightweight, and nice shooting bow, the Diamond Deploy SB may be intriguing. It not only has an ultralight 3.2 pound weight, but with a 31.5” axle to axle measurement it can squeeze into all of the small areas bowhunters find ourselves in.
If you want a light, smooth, and high quality bow, the Deploy SB is worth a closer look.
Ratings, Pros and Cons
What we liked:
- Carbon riser
- Slaved twin cams
- Quiet shot
What we didn’t:
- Generic styling
- Short ATA may be difficult for new shooters
Features / Specifications
| IBO Speed Rating (fps): | 330 |
| Bow Weight (lbs) | 3.2 |
| Brace Height (inches): | 6.75 |
| Axle-To-Axle (inches): | 31.5 |
| Draw Length Range: | 26″-30.5″ |
| Let-Off: | 80% |
| Draw Weight Range: | 50,60,70 lbs |
| Riser Construction Material: | Carbon |
| Limb Construction Material: | Composite |
| Price Range: | Mid/High |
| Handedness Availability: | Both Left and Right Hand |
| Warranty: | Non transferable lifetime |
Videos
In-Depth Review
Riser
There are a few bows on the market where the riser stands out as a major feature, and the Diamond Deploy SB is one of those bows. Diamond designed and constructed a carbon riser on the Deploy that offers some great benefits to shooters.
First off, carbon is lighter than aluminum and doesn’t sacrifice strength. Using carbon gives this bow its 3.2 featherlight weight. If you hike on your hunts, or hunt in the backcountry, you may really benefit from a bow with a carbon riser. Another group that could see big benefits of a light bow are people who maybe don’t possess great upper body strength. Holding a 3.2 pound bow steady is actually quite a bit easier than holding a bow that is 4.2 pounds.
Another aspect of carbon certain folks will covet is the fact it doesn’t hold cold like aluminum. Sitting in a cold tree stand in the late winter months not only gets a body cold, but it gets a bow cold as well. Unlike an aluminum riser, a carbon riser will not get nearly as cold.
This will allow hunters to hold their bow more comfortably, fidget less, and spend more time focusing on the landscape than their cold hands.
Grip
The slim grip on the Diamond Deploy is integrated right into the riser itself. The design allows for the bow to be addressed the same for each shot, which is an important factor for increasing accuracy. The slim design also makes the bow comfortable for a wide variety of shooters.
Cam System
In addition to the carbon riser being a standout of this bow, the Binary Cams are also a great feature. The Binary Cams were produced by BowTech (Diamond’s parent company) and generally adorn their flagship bows.
These twin cams have a fairly fluid draw, but stay aggressive enough to generate the quick 330 fps arrow speed. Finding a balance between speed and power is never easy, but the Binary Cams try to find a nice balance giving you a taste of both worlds.
In addition to the performance of the bow, these cams also help with tuning and maintenance. Bowtech designed these cams to be slaved to the other. Twin cam bows tend to fall out of tune, a problem that greatly hurts accuracy. However, by slaving the cams to one another this bow will give shooters less problems with timing and tuning the bow.
Additionally the cams can be adjusted without the use of a bow press, which allows the weekend shooter the ability to tweak their bow how they see fit.
Draw Length and Draw Weight Adjustment
The Diamond Deploy SB can be purchased in either 50, 60, or 70 pound models. Like many bows, those numbers indicate maximum draw weight of the bow and each bow has a 10 pound weight range. If you know the general draw weight you prefer, you can easily tune the bow within the range by a few turns of the limb bolts. The feature will allow you to get just the right feel within a matter of minutes.To adjust the draw length you can change the position of the cam modules by undoing a few hex screws. Reposition the modules based on the requirements in the bow’s owner manual and you are good to go. In addition, this bow has a back wall stop that also needs to be adjusted to ensure the bow is shooting at maximum potential.
Add it all up, and these features allow people even unfamiliar with archery to easily change the draw length to match their body within just a few minutes.
Limbs
The fiberglass composite limbs on this bow are a rugged one piece design that allow the bow to withstand the pressures they are put under and last for years to come.
Styling
While the bow’s performance certainly stands out, the styling is fairly mundane. It comes in only two color options; Mossy Oak Break-up Country and Black Ops. These two color choices are a good fit for bowhunters, but they are pretty common throughout bows today. The riser cutout design is also about par for the course, and doesn’t really pop out in any way. If you are looking to stand out at the next 3-D shoot, this bow may not be a great choice.
Shooting
In the shooting department the Diamond Deploy SB is a true shooter from the word go. Most folks who get a hold of one seem to truly find it a bow that has found a nice balance between speed and comfort.
For being a light bow, the Deploy SB also doesn’t produce the hand shock and noise you would expect. These characteristics not only make the bow accurate, but ideal for hunting situations as well.
“How does it compare?”
Deploy vs Bear Escape
Another bow that may pop up on your radar is the Bear Escape. This is one of Bear’s finest bows and has some incredible performance.
The H15 cam system, 6 inch brace height, and 70 pound max draw weight can achieve IBO speeds of a jaw dropping 350 fps. In a hunting situation this sort of arrow speed can really help you close the gap before the animal has a chance to move.
Additionally, flat shooting bows like the Escape are also ideal for hunters since they shoot a flatter trajectory. A flat shooting bow affords some mistakes when ranging a target as the arrow won’t have much time to drop.
If you want one of the fastest bows being made, the Escape is certainly worth a look.
Deploy vs PSE Brute Force
If you are looking for a bow with similar characteristics, but aren’t sold on the carbon riser, you might take a look at the PSE Brute Force.
This bow boasts arrow speeds of 332 fps, and also appears to have found a nice blend of speed and comfort. PSE mounted the Brute Force with their BowMadness cams they equip to all of their flagship bows.
One special feature on the Brute Force is their flex cable system. This system increases the accuracy because the cable system flexes to cause zero lateral torque on the cams when the bow is drawn.
If you are a top-end shooter, it may take your game to the next level.
Deploy vs Bear Authority
Finally, if you are not looking for exceptional arrow speeds you might find the Bear Authority appealing.
This bow is mounted with EZ3 cams manufactured by Bear. EZ3 cams were designed with maximum comfort in mind and they hit the nail on the head. The Authority is one of those bows you can shoot over and over again without feeling like you just spent an hour at the gym.
The Authority also allows for a greater adjustment in draw length. Shooters who are new, growing, or shoot a shorter draw may find this characteristic appealing.
Compound Comparison Tables
All the bows we review (and some we haven’t yet) get added to our compound bow comparison table. They’re a great place to get a quick overview of what’s on the market, and find something that fits with your requirements. We’ve also a great in-depth guide that helps you understand what all features and specifications actually mean as part of our article on the best compounds.
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