Summary
For the archer on a budget, the SAS Siege is a value hard to beat. It is one of the best compound bows that is an excellent intersection between quality and accessibility perfect for a beginner or even an experienced hunter looking to get into archery. Accuracy and durability, as well as its stylish look, make the SAS an ideal target or hunting bow for beginners or a budget bow.
Table of Contents
Intro
The word “siege” conjures up images of medieval warriors surrounding high-walled castles, covered by archers raining arrows down on the battlefield. In fact, the first instance of archers being used strategically was in the Battle of Agincourt where Henry V of England defeated French forces using massive units of longbow archers during the Hundred Years War. Since then the skill of archery has made a difference throughout history. With the SAS Siege, Southland Archery Supply offers a high-quality product at an incredible value, a great bow for a beginner or even the experienced archer on a budget looking to master this storied art form.
Ratings, Pros and Cons
What we liked:
- Low but adequate draw weight
- Durable materials
- Budget compound bow
- Light weight
- Easy to use
- Range of draw weights is geared towards for adults
- Bow features are great for beginners
What we didn’t:
- Right handed only
- Minimal instructions included
- Minimal accessories – no peep sight
- Requires bow press
Features / Specifications
| Draw weight range (lbs): | 40 – 55 |
| Draw length (min-max): | 29″ |
| Weight (lbs): | 4 |
| ATA Length (inches): | 41.5 |
| Brace Height (inches): | 7.5 |
| IBO Speed Rating (fps): | 206 |
| Riser: | Aluminium |
| Limbs: | ABS Plastic |
| Let Off: | 70% |
| Price Range: | Low |
| Handedness: | Right Only |
| Warranty: | 3 year (damaged or defected only) |
Videos
In-Depth Review
Riser
The riser on the SAS Siege is made of aluminum which contributes to the bow’s light weight of four pounds. This adds to the bow’s value as a hunting weapon and is especially impressive for a bow of this price range. It’s normally difficult to find a low-cost bow that is also optimal for hunting, but the Siege is just that thanks in part to the riser. The riser also features small cut-outs which help lower the weight and give the a bow a sleek waffled look.Additionally, the riser is classically curved, and this best compound bow could probably be mistaken for a recurve from a distance. This gives it a refined, historical look perfect for someone looking to learn more about the sport or even an experienced archer who wants a distinguished image on the range.
Grip
The grip on the SAS Siege is Southland Archery Supply’s standard grip made from the same aluminum as the riser. The grip is comfortable and feels natural to hold, so any beginner will feel right at ease picking up the bow for the first time. Southland Archery Supply clearly kept all the accessories as basic as possible on this bow, which makes it easier for a beginner and keeps it in a more economical price range. The SAS Siege loses a point here just because the grip is so plain, but the bow is manufactured so aftermarket accessories can easily be added if the archer desires.
Accessories
Like we said, SAS kept the accessories on the Siege pretty simple. It does come with a sight and a light, but they frankly aren’t optimal. They’re flimsy and difficult to keep accurately adjusted. The arrow rest is also made of a rough plastic that wears on your arrow fletchings as they pass through it. We suggest fitting this compound hunting bow with a third-party whisker biscuit arrow rest.
These basic accessories lower the cost of the bow, though, and SAS made sure to add plenty of pre-drilled holes to the bow so you can add better accessories later on. In other words, the SAS Siege has just the accessories needed to become familiar with their use and figure out what you’re comfortable with, and then you can easily upgrade to higher-quality ones when you know what you want.
Cam System
The SAS Siege features a simple, smooth twin cam system. The twin cam setup works well for a beginner since its timing is synced and won’t require much adjusting. What’s especially impressive about this cam system is the cam’s small size. This results in a couple of benefits.
First, the cams are more durable and less likely to come out of sync. Second, they’re also very discreet and add to this bow’s classical, recurve look. Besides the fact that simple tends to benefit the beginner and the budget, the minimalist design for budget bows has also become trendy in recent years, and in this respect, SAS seems to be ahead of the curve. Plus, the basic design of the cams minimizes noise made by the system, which is better for hunting, another reason bows in general are moving toward that aesthetic. Perhaps the one downside of this cam design is that it is clearly not optimized for weight, but the cams add little weight to the bow already, and SAS was still able to keep the bow under four pounds.
Limbs
The limbs on the SAS Siege are where you really get your money’s worth with this bow. Southland Archery Supply claims to have combined “balance, weight and strength” to create a bow that has a long life yet is also light and powerful. The limbs are made of layered ABS compressed plastic, a material that is light yet long-lasting. The limb bolts are high quality and allow the draw weight to be easily adjusted from 40 to 55 pounds, so a beginner can decrease the power of the bow if it’s too much at first. Tightening the limb bolts one full turn increases the draw weight while loosening the bolts one full turn decreases it. The bolts can be turned a maximum of three times resulting in the 15-pound range. Unfortunately, SAS does not include a manual with the product detailing these adjustments, but one can be found online here.The strength of the limbs and limb bolts also makes the SAS Siege a very accurate bow. That’s not just important for someone first starting out in archery. Anyone can appreciate the usefulness of this bow for its price. The limbs seem like something very purposefully and carefully engineered, and the value of such durability, light weight and accuracy for such a low cost is without a doubt the highlight of this bow.
Styling
We’ve already gone into detail about the classical recurve design of the SAS Siege. The shape of the riser and angle of the limbs give the bow a traditional D shape, and the small cams mask the truth that this is a modern, powerful 206 fps compound bow. In fact, when it comes to combining power and style, it’s hard to beat this bow.
The SAS Siege also comes in three colors patterns. The camo version is a gorgeous autumn camouflage perfect for anyone buying this bow for hunting. Plus, the rich brown of the camo matches the recurve shape. The all black version looks clean and sleek, and any hobbyist would feel proud polishing it up to a shine. It also wouldn’t be a bad choice for the hunter. SAS also makes a version of the Siege with a black riser and silver limbs. This style probably isn’t well-suited for hunting, but if it speaks to your tastes, it would look smart on the range.
Shooting
The SAS Siege has a very wide let-off of 70%. This is good for the beginner because even at the top draw weight of 55 pounds, you’ll only be holding about 17 pounds of actual weight. For someone just starting out, this is important because you can work more on your aim while your arm builds up the strength to hold the bowstring back. This let-off occurs at a wall of about 29 inches making the bow on the whole very forgiving of mistakes. This is great for a novice archer, but it’s also nice for any hunter who doesn’t want to lose his buck because he twitched.
The cam system is smooth and consistent which not only lends to accuracy, but it’s also better for someone practicing their skills since they can get a better feel for the bow.
Overall the bow is comfortable and quiet, but it does lose half a point because it isn’t 100% optimized for sound reduction. The D shape gives the bow a nice look, but adds some vibration when shot that creates a small amount of noise. The solid cams can also cause a little vibration, but in the end this bow is still stealthy enough for hunting.
“How does it compare?”
SAS Siege vs Rage
The SAS Rage seems to be the next step up from the Siege. It has a higher draw weight of 70 pounds and faster speed rating of 270 fps. While the Siege is geared toward someone honing their skills, the Rage is built purely for the hunter. Since it’s more powerful than the Siege, it’s less forgiving, but that means for both the shooter and the game. It’s also a little more optimized for noise. With the Siege you can master the bow, and with the Rage you can start putting that mastery into practice.. Read our full review.
Siege vs Diamond Infinite Edge
The most impressive thing about the Diamond Infinite Edge and Diamond Infinite Edge Pro is the versatility. They can be adjusted from 5-70 pounds of draw weight, up to 310 fps release speed. Of course, this versatility and potential power requires know-how, and this bow is clearly designed for the seasoned archer who knows exactly what he or she wants from it. It’s not a beginner bow, nor is it the bow for someone on a budget. If you’re just learning or still practicing and not looking to spend a lot yet, the SAS Siege is the better bet. Full Diamond Infinite Edge Review.
Compound Bow Comparison Tables
Need more ideas? Then take a look at this in-depth guide to what we think are the best compound bows. Alternatively if you’re looking for a great place to quickly hone in on a bow by draw weight, IBO speed, draw lengths, mass, handedness or ATA length then all the bows we review (and some others) get added to our compound bow comparison page that lists all those features and more. Make sure to check that out too!
About the Manufacturer
From an 11,000 sq foot facility in California, Southland Archery Supply focus their efforts on hunting and target archery and make both compound bows, crossbows, and recurves. They field test their bows and are fully aware of what their target market demands and understand hunters and competitors. Southland have been doing this since 2007.
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You have done a good job on the Siege compound Bow review
in covering all areas good on you.
By the way what Stabiliser do you recommend for this Bow?
And do you sell spare wheels (cams) and cables for the Siege?
I am from Australia.
Kind Regards.
Charles