Summary
Overall the SAS Rage is a great bow for the bargain hunter. It has enough performance for new archers and for folks looking to broaden their shooting activities into bowhunting. For the cost it is rugged, performs adequately, and features design characteristics that make it a good fit for new archers.
Table of Contents
Intro
I’ve heard it said the most difficult aspect of any endeavor is to take the first step. Before beginning something new, many people can feel uncomfortable of the unknown. The same is true for archery. When I bought my first bow I remember the feeling of uneasiness when forking over my hard-earned cash. You may find yourself in the same predicament. Fortunately there are loads of practical bows you can get you hands on with limited financial risk. The SAS Rage is one of those bows.
Ratings, Pros and Cons
What we liked:
- Affordability
- Adjustability
- Forgiving Axle to Axle
What we didn’t:
- Arrow Speed
- Only Right Handed
Features / Specifications
| Draw weight range (lbs): | 55 – 70 |
| Draw length (min-max): | 26 – 30 |
| Weight (lbs): | 4.4 |
| ATA Length (inches): | 35 |
| Brace Height (inches): | 7 |
| IBO Speed Rating (fps): | 270 |
| Riser: | Machined Aluminium |
| Limbs: | Fiberglass |
| Let Off: | 70% |
| Price Range: | Low |
| Handedness: | Right Only |
| Warranty: | 3 year |
Videos
In-Depth Review
Riser
The SAS Rage riser is machined out of a solid piece of aluminum. Aluminum risers are pretty much par for the course these days. Aluminum gives the bow a high strength to weight ratio (aluminumdesign.net).For archers this is ideal because it allows the bow to withstand the heavy pressures put on it, while not making it a tremendous burden to carry.
As far as accessories go, this riser allows you to attach nearly all standard accessories. For one, it has an adaptor for a stabilizer. Stabilizers are a great way to make you more accurate and quiet your bow. This bow has also been drilled and tapped to accept the wide variety of sights and quivers available. Having this capability is nice because it allows you to accessorize your bow to your tastes.
One aspect of this riser that might catch your eye is the waffle cut-outs within the riser. Cut-outs decrease the overall weight of the bow without compromising strength. You may also find they jazz up the appearance of the bow as well.
Although the riser on the Rage has been cutout, it still contributes to this fairly heavy bow. At 4.4 pounds it isn’t the lightest bow on the market. However, archer’s do have differing opinions on the weight of a bow. Some always opt for light because it is easier to carry and maneuver. Others argue a heavier bow is quieter making it better for hunting. That being said, this bow has earned a reputation for being noisy in addition to its weight.
Finally, one aspect of the bow inexperienced shooters might like is the 35” axle to axle measurement. Longer axle to axle bows tend to be more forgiving of string torque. If you are inexperienced the Rage might be a good option.
Grip
The grip on the Rage is molded plastic and not very large. The molded plastic handle does wrap clear around the riser. This may be an added bonus when shooting in cold weather. Having a wraparound handle will better insulate your hand on a cold day.
Cam System
Designers who created the Rage seemed to have wanted to create a bow you could easily adjust. One way they achieved this goal was through their cam system. This bow uses a dual eccentric cam system that are machined to the identical dimensions. The idea is that as the string is released the cams turn at the exact same rate. When things work correctly, this results in less nock travel and more accurate shooting (bowhunting.net). On the other hand, dual cams do tend to need more attention than solo cam bows. This is because after use, and string stretch, the cams can fall out of sync. When dual cams don’t fire at the same time it can cause accuracy problems. Even with that downfall, the dual cam approach is common in our modern era.
To make their bow more adjustable the folks at SAS created a module system in the cams. These modules allow you to adjust the bow from 26”-30” without the use of a bowpress. Having this feature makes it easier to set the bow up on your own rather than seeking the help of an archery pro stop member. Working on your bow independently will help you learn more about your equipment and save money.
Limbs
One way SAS saved money on this bow was with their limb system. Their split limb system is made from fiberglass rather than more expensive composite construction materials. Fiberglass is not a bad choice for a limb material as it is durable. Many companies like SAS use layered fiberglass to construct their limbs (bowhunting.com).
This bow’s limbs are also a split limb design. Split limbs can into favor in the early 2000’s and have come to mostly replace solid limbs (huntersfriend.com). Split limbs are generally seen as more durable and slightly lighter. On the downside they are more likely to twist than a solid limb. The split fiberglass limbs are nothing to brag about, but shouldn’t dissuade you from this bow either.
Styling
In the style department the SAS Rage is not flashy and probably won’t win any beauty contests. It does have a few nice attributes though. For one, it comes in a variety of color choices. You can get the bow in black with black accessories, camo with camo accessories, camo with black accessories, or autumn camo. The camo is a nice choice for treestand hunters, while ground blind hunters may opt for the black.
One thing that SAS has consistently done is create bows that are durable. They build downright rugged bows. You can’t expect to get a top quality bow for the price, but you can expect to get a bow that lasts for years.
In terms of branding, there isn’t much going on with this bow. It has only a small emblem embedded near the grip.
Shooting
Finally, in the shooting department this bow performs within its price range. While fairly accurate, it has developed a reputation as being a bit noisy. As mentioned earlier, heavier bows tend to be quieter, but this bow appears to be an exception. Luckily you can buy string silencers and limb dampeners to quiet the bow at most archery outlets. If the bow remains loud, that problem is mostly for bowhunters and not target archers. Hunters need a quiet bow because loud bows can alert the prey that an arrow is on the way. This can cause them to jump the string, and literally duck out of the way on an incoming arrow. Think of a real life Matrix move.
Some folks who have shot this bow would tell you it is also a hard draw. Others would say it draws just fine. It probably depends a lot on your draw cycle and personal body. If folks are arguing about the subject, it likely doesn’t boast top-end smoothness.
When analyzing the back-wall on this bow, it also appears to come down to who you ask. The back wall is not incredibly solid, though it seems to land on the side of solid. A solid back wall is nice because it can really help you settle into your anchor and not worry about string creep.
Finally in terms of accuracy, the Rage appears to be adequate enough for the average shooter. You won’t find any serious tournament shooters bringing this bow to the line, but your average backyard shooter and hunter will likely find it acceptable. If you are a standard deer and turkey hunter, the power of this bow is just fine. However, if you plan to hunt big game, like brown bear, elk, and moose, this bow will not meet your performance demands.
“How does it compare?”
Rage vs Infinite Edge Pro
The Infinite Edge Pro is very similar to the Edge. Being the 2nd generation though, it does have a few bonus features. One, it can extend to a draw length of 31 inches. This allows even more archers to enjoy this great little bow. It also has an 80% let-off compared to the Edge’s 75%. It would be an ideal bow for someone who can spend a little more money and like the full range of adaptability this bow offers. Read more.
Rage vs Carbon Knight
More serious shooters may want to consider the Bowtech Carbon Knight. This bow features a carbon riser and carbon composite limbs. The carbon riser makes this bow light; really light. At 3.2 pounds it is more than a pound lighter than the Rage. It also boasts substantially more performance. Arrows jettison out of the Knight at over 330 feet per second. This gives it the performance that serious archers and bowhunters need. This bow would be a great option for an experience archer looking to upgrade to a bow that can do it all. Read our full review.
Rage vs PSE Brute Force
The PSE Brute Force is another bow that serious archers looking to upgrade should consider. It outperforms the Rage in all categories. This includes hitting arrow speeds in the 320 fps range. This brute of a bow is also lighter and has a shorter axle to axle measurement. Those attributes may make it better suited for the experienced archer. All the quality of this PSE bow make it substantially more expensive than the Rage bow however. Our full review.
Rage vs Infinite Edge
Although the Rage has a decent degree of adjustability, it can’t hold a candle to the Diamond Infinite Edge. This highly adjustable bow can range from 5 pounds of draw weight, all the way to 70 pounds. Not only that, but the draw length adjusts from 13”-30”. This makes the Infinite Edge a great bow for archers of all ages, but especially those who are growing. The Infinite Edge would be an ideal bow for someone who wants to buy a bow that can literally last a lifetime. It does require a bit more cost than the SAS Rage however. 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 length, 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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