It is no secret I like short bows, however I have developed a real respect for the finer qualities a longer bow has after shooting the Griffon GL.
This is the first longbow I shot with carbon that is not on the outside that does not have too much shock and vibration with just average to good performance. It has lots of performance at my draw length of 27″ and it virtually screams at 30″ when my friend shoots it. I do like black limbs, however after receiving this beauty with the fine dark Indonesian Rosewood veneers I wish they were on my other bows. They do take away the speed a bit according to Sid at Border, but only by a couple FPS. Considering this bow has lots of speed to burn it can easily give up a bit in order to show off the fine wood veneers it sports.
During the time I have had the Griffon GL many archers at the lanes have shot it and it is always a popular choice for the other fellows there to test shoot. They are always surprised at the performance of the Griffon GL when they shoot it.
The feedback I have been getting is always very good. Like me they seem to find it easy to discover the bows great shooting qualities. I seem to be hearing the same thoughts I have when shooters test the Griffon GL. All are positive. The shooters that prefer a Hill style bow really take to the Griffon GL with it’s pleasant shooting, silent accuracy. Everyone notices the exquisite workmanship, and most do not believe me it is a double carbon limb bow until I show them the carbon laminations. I had to look very closely in good light to see the carbon under the veneers on the limb edges.
This is where I will have to point out a couple things that I feel can be improved on.
The first is the string that came with the bow. It is a 16 strand Fast Flyte Flemish twist that did not do the bow justice, and had uneven twists in it. I have replaced it with a 10-strand DF97 string.
Sid has informed me that he has addressed the string issue and has DF97 on order for future bows.
The next thing is the bow was not ready to shoot when I opened the box. There was no string nock and the shelf and side plate did not have any material on them. Most of us have our preferred material that we like, but as I told Sid we want to be able to shoot it as soon as we open the box.
Sid has also informed me that each new bow will now come with shelf/rest material and a string nock.
The final item is the limb tip reinforcing. It is a finely shaped and good-looking opaque overlay that allows you to see the carbon weave under it. I would prefer to see a tip overlay that you cannot see thru, and this is available for the asking. Also the tip overlay is stopped with an abrupt, but thin line rather than fading into the limb. This is only noticeable up close, and must be like this when the veneers are ordered. On black limbs they are faded into the surface.
I hope that I did not nit-pick the Griffon too much as I wrote this review. I am very impressed with it, and really do think it is a superior bow to many other longbows.
When it comes to workmanship, design and shooting quality the Border Griffon GL is a truly wonderful bow. Since I received the Griffon to test it has been with me on every trip to the lanes. The Griffon GL certainly meets and exceeds the high expectations I have for a bow. I cannot wait to shoot some 3D and target competitions with it this summer.
The Griffon GL came with a custom Border case/sock that is made with heavy nylon type material and fleece lining that will provide very good protection for many years.
To sum up my feelings I believe the Griffon GL is an exceptional longbow. It has it all, with it’s fine craftsmanship, beautiful looks and excellent performance. It is a very easy bow to like, and after taking the first few shots from it I knew that this was going to be a bow I will be shooting a lot this season. Border Archery has an excellent reputation for quality bows and after my experience with the Griffon GL I understand why so many archers have such high regard for their bows.
Merchant Website: http://www.borderbows.com
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