Summary
The Diamond Edge SB-1 is a solid mid-level bow. With fantastic draw weight and draw length adjustments, It is ideal for growing archers. That being said, it has enough performance to also be an effective option for shooters of all sizes. The binary cams offer performance along with a comfortable draw that all shooters will appreciate and they take the headache out of tuning. The SB-1 also comes with a non-transferable lifetime warranty, so it is a bow that should perform for years and years to come.
Table of Contents
Intro
Every archer out there has different needs. Some are looking for performance. Others look for comfort. Other still are looking for a bow ornamented with all sorts of gizmos and gadgets.
Over the last decade, Diamond has earned a reputation for producing bows that offer good performance, accuracy, and some of the greatest adjustability on the market.
The Diamond Edge SB-1 is one of their latest steps to providing shooters of all sizes the ideal bow and make it whatever you want it to be. As the company says when promoting it, “this is your bow.”
Ratings, Pros and Cons
What we liked:
- Adjustability
- High performance cams
- Accuracy
What we didn’t:
- Fairly loud
- Vibration upon the shot
Features / Specifications
| IBO Speed Rating (fps): | 318 |
| Bow Weight (lbs) | 3.6 |
| Brace Height (inches): | 7 |
| Axle-To-Axle (inches): | 31 |
| Draw Length Range: | 15-30″ |
| Let-Off: | 80% |
| Draw Weight Range: | 7-70 lbs |
| Riser Construction Material: | Aluminium |
| Limb Construction Material: | Composite |
| Price Range: | Mid |
| Handedness Availability: | Both Left and Right Hand |
| Warranty: | Non transferable lifetime |
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.
Videos
In-Depth Review
Riser
The riser of the Diamond Edge SB-1 is solid, but doesn’t have any stand out features.
It is machined from a solid piece of aluminum, which gives you a great size to strength ratio. The cutouts of the riser are wide and create a good deal of dead space in this riser. By creating dead space Diamond was able to reduce this bow’s weight to a very light 3.6 pounds. Light bows are ideal for backcountry hunters, as well as shooters who lack a great deal of strength.
While there are a few bows lighter than the SB-1, there aren’t many.
Grip
One place where many mid-level bows skimp is on the grip. This isn’t the case on the SB-1. It has a slim grip that fits comfortably into the hand and allows for a repeatable shot. Creating a grip that encourages repeatability is important, because your accuracy will suffer if you are not grabbing the bow the same every shot.
Cam System
The Binary Cam system installed on the SB-1 is one of the top selling points of this bow. These cams are some of Bowtech’s (Diamond’s parent company) finest, and have a few nice features. First off, these Binary Cams are said to be slaved to one another.
By slaving the cams to one another, this twin cam bow will take less maintenance and tuning than most. If you are a new shooter, or one who doesn’t like to tinker with your setup, you’ll certainly find this appealing.
Secondly, the Binary Cams are a design that makes this bow easy to draw, making it great for someone who shoots plenty of arrows.
Draw Length and Draw Weight Adjustment
Here is where the Diamond Edge SB-1 really shines. Like several other Diamond bows, the SB-1 is high adjustable in both departments. The draw length of this bow can be adjusted from 15” to 30” within a matter of seconds using only a simple allen wrench/hex key. This feature is great for lots of reasons, but young and growing archers will find in most appealing.
In terms of draw weight, this bow will fit 99% of shooters. It can be adjusted from 7 pounds clear up to 70 pounds of draw weight. This sort of feature is great for growing archers, but even seasoned archers will appreciate it and may want to decrease the poundage in the off season when shooting for pleasure.
One special feature Diamond included on this bow is the EZ Adjust Pocket system in the limb pocket. In the past Diamond’s adjustable bows didn’t have a gauge to identify how far each limb bolt had been turned in or out. The EZ Adjust system solves that problem, and will help ensure you keep your limbs adjusted evenly on top and bottom.
Limbs
The solid carbon composite limbs on the Diamond Edge SB-1 are rock solid and should last for years to come. Anyone looking to keep a bow around for a few years will like that sort of reliability.
Styling
In the styling department the SB-1 is a good looking bow as well. This bow comes in four color choices, including Black Ops, Blue Blaze, Purple Blaze, and Mossy Oak Break Up Country. These different color options give you the option to find a bow that you really feel fits your personality.
The Blue Blaze and Purple Blaze colors are also not available on many bows, so if you want a bow that stands out, they might be a nice choice. In terms of branding this Diamond bow has some branding on the limbs and they also included two plates on the grip. Over branding isn’t an issue with this bow, and all-in-all it is good looking bow.
Shooting
In part due to the Binary Cams mounted on this bow, it is a solid shooter. The cams provide for a smooth draw, but lack a rock hard back wall. That being the case, even if you feel it is “spongy” I doesn’t take away from the overall performance.
One nice design feature of this bow is the 7” brace height. A longer brace height is generally viewed as more forgiving, thus increasing the overall accuracy of the bow. Also, with 318 fps arrow speeds, the bow still has adequate performance, which makes it a good fit for someone looking to hunt with.
Although this bow is accurate, you might think it is a bit noisy and does produce some vibration on the shot. Although it doesn’t really impact the accuracy, it might be a concern for hunters, especially those who take longer shots on big game animals.
Louder bows, especially those with average arrow speeds, tend to cause animals to jump the string and cause bad hits. If you keep your shots at reasonable distances,and take ethical shots at unaware animals, it shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
“How does it compare?”
SB-1 vs Cruzer
If the adjustability of the Diamond Edge SB-1 is appealing to you, another bow worth a look is the Bear Cruzer G2.
Like the SB-1 the Cruzer G2 offers tremendous draw weight range from 5 pounds to 70 pounds. It also adjusts from 12” to 30” in draw length. Both of these are great advantages for all shooters, but ideal for those who are growing.
The Cruzer G2 also has similar arrow speed, zipping arrows at 315 fps. This arrow speed is nearly identical as the SB-1, and is good for the same hunting situations.
One spec backcountry hunters will appreciate is the featherlight 3 pound weight of the G2, making it one of the lightest bows in the industry.
SB-1 vs Brute Force
If you are looking for a bow with a bit more performance than the SB-1, the PSE Brute Force is a good option.
This bow slings arrows downrange at 332 fps, a speed that really makes a difference out in the field. It also is one of the most comfortable shooters out there, with a silky smooth draw and a super solid back wall. PSE also designed this bow to be dead in the hand and almost silent upon the shot.
This bow doesn’t feature the same range as the SB-1, but can be purchased in 50,60,or 70 pound models, each with the standard 10 pound range. It offers almost anything you can imagine from a flagship bow from performance, to shootability, to accuracy.
SB-1 vs Rage
If you’ve browsed all the previous bows, but feel they may be just out of reach financially, you might appreciate the SAS Rage. This economy bow is still a good option, and has a few nice features. First off, the Rage has acceptable arrow speed at 270 fps. That being said, since it is a little noisy on the shot, it is a good bow for hunters who keep their shots at 20 yards or less.
In the adjustability department, the Rage can be adjusted from 55 to 70 pounds of draw weight, and from 26 to 30 inches in draw length. If you are looking to make your splash into the great sport of archery, it might be a bow worth consideration.
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Hi just to add the SB1 for the money is well worth it. I have gotten a little older so to come down in poundage this bow is great. Good fit in the hand easy setup light in weight. From over 45 yers of experience you dont need 70lbs with all the gizzmos to harvest a whitetail. GREAT PURCHASE