Bear Archery Super Kodiak Review – Recurve Bow

Bow Name

LengthBow WeightDraw WeightTakedown?
Bear Archery Super Kodiak

Bear Archery Super Kodiak Recurve Bow

See on Amazon.com

60 in.3 lbs.


How to: choose arrows, draw weight, and tune your recurve
45, 50, 60 lbs.No

Pros:
- This bow has been in production since 1967 – tried and tested design
- Super powerful for hunting
- Very comfortable to hold and draw
Cons:
- Can’t mount a sight
Also recommended: Best Bear Archery BowsCompare prices across top hunting gear sellers

Super Kodiak Recurve Bow Package Contents

Welcome to my Bear Archery Super Kodiak review. Package contents are standard.

A stringer is not included and you should definitely get one.

Assembling The Bear Archery Super Kodiak

There is no assembly involved at all as this is a one-piece, not a take-down recurve bow. No need to attach limbs or tighten any screws. Just need to string the bow and you’re ready to go.

How Powerful And Accurate Is The Super Kodiak?

Limb quality and the string included are simply awesome. I’m not exaggerating when I say that a 55# super kodiak shoots just as powerfully as many other recurves with 65# draw weight.  You’ll feel the power the first time you release the string, I guarantee it.

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Accuracy, as always, depends greatly on the archer’s skills. I’d say however that the Super Kodiak is very low-maintenance and very easy to tune. Once you figure out your brace height and set the right height for the nock point, everything is up to you. The arrow rest is excellent and really helps achieve perfect clearance.

Is The Bear Super Kodiak Good For Hunting?

super-kodiakThe Bear Archery Super Kodiak is great for target practice, but hunting trips is where it truly shines. Limb power and action is awesome, the bow is easy to carry and shoots quietly. It’s also fast enough that your target will have no time to duck or avoid the arrow even if you make a racket releasing the string. Get the 50# version and there’ll be no legal game in North America that you can’t take down.

So far I’ve managed to harvest 2 dear and 1 moose with the Super Kodiak. All three shots were taken from a distance of around 35 yards, using Easton XX75 Jazz arrows with 125 grain expandable broadheads (legal where I live). In all three cases I managed to achieve a full arrow pass-through, going right through the shoulder, piercing the lung, and coming out the other side. They ran 50-100 yards before finally collapsing. A really great hunting bow for intermediate and advanced archers.

Does This Recurve Bow Accept Accessories?

Unfortunately it doesn’t. Bear bows do not come pre-drilled with AMO inserts. These bows are meant to be “traditional” and with as few extras as possible. It’s possible of course to drill your own holes, but this would void your warranty. If you want a recurve bow that accepts a sight and other accessories, take a look at Martin Archery’s or PSE Archery’s bows.

Arrows For The Super Kodiak

My preference lies with the Easton XX75 Jazz arrows with 125 grain tips. If you’re unsure of the type and length of arrows to get, see our guide on choosing arrows for your recurve bow. The exact weight of the arrows will depend on the draw weight of your bow.

How Comfortable Is The Bow To Hold?

As I expected, the Super Kodiak is a very comfortable bow to both hold and aim. I originally had reservations about the rather unusual shape of the grip, but it turned out to be a perfect fit for me. My palm is medium-sized, but I’d guess that those with larger palms will find it even more comfortable to hold.

Materials And Quality (Limbs And Riser)

The riser is made from black Dymondwood. It’s exceptionally well-polished, ergonomic and comfortable to hold. Even if your palm is slightly sweaty you will still maintain a very steady grip at full draw. There are no awkward edges that dig into the palm, as is the case with some cheaper recurve bows. The limbs as well as limb-tips are strengthened with fiberglass. Even after years of heavy use, these limbs are highly unlikely to splinter. The craftsmanship is superb and no bubbles appear beneath the laminate.

As with most of Bear Archery’s recurve bows, the arrow rest is covered with Bear Hair. This arrow rest does not wear down with time and it’s stable enough to help the projectile clear the bow.

What About The String?

The Bear Archery Super Kodiak comes with the Dynaflight 97 Flemish string. Not all recurve bows can accept these strings, however the Kodiak has reinforced tips so it’s not an issue. The break-in period is very smooth and you’ll get used to it very quickly. After 30-40 arrows shot, it’ll be in top working condition. The Dynaflight 97 typically results in faster arrow speeds (as much as 3-4%) than most other strings.

Is The Bear Archery Super Kodiak Heavy?

At 3 pounds, I’d say its weight is pretty average. You’re definitely not going to have trouble aiming it for extended periods of time even with weaker shoulders. If you’ve been using ~2.2 lbs. bows so far, it may take a few weeks to get used to carrying the Super Kodiak around. I’ve used 4+ lbs. bows in the past so this wasn’t an issue for me.

The Bear Archery Warranty

Bear archery warrants its recurve bows to be free of defects for the lifetime of the original owner. The warranty does not cover the string of course. You’ll need to fill out and submit the warranty registration form within 30 days from buying your Super Kodiak. Instructions will be included with the package – nothing fancy and takes just a few minutes.

Bear Archery Super Kodiak Review – Summary

Thanks for taking the time to read my Bear Archery Super Kodiak review. This is a great recurve bow for hunters with enough experience to handle the 45+ lbs. draw weight. More powerful than you’d expect based on the draw weight alone. Great buy for truly traditional archers who love instinctive shooting.  See Today's Amazon.com price on the Bear Archery Super Kodiak. Happy shooting.

7 Comments

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  1. thanks for the review Mr Nazzal – I bit the bullet and ordered this one off Cabela’s website today, 65# draw. Really excited – got to test shoot it at their store, and I instantly fell in love. Was able to have a 6-8 inch grouping of 10 shots at 12 yards (not impressive i’m aware, but not bad for a guy who’s never shot a bow of any kind in his life) – this is my first attempt to post a comment since your email, to test the captcha as well. Can’t thank you enough for this site, and your dedication and hard work to bring guys like me into the sport.
    Much Respect,
    Alex

    1. Thanks for the great words Alex and glad to hear you liked the Super Kodiak, it’s my absolute favorite recurve as you probably already know 🙂

  2. thanks for the good review!!
    there´s only one thing about the warranty- maybe they had a lifetime warranty- but now (2017) it´s just for one year (for traditional bows)! i´m sure that the this bow is made in the same quality like in the last 30 years- so no fear – because it won´t break in the first 20 years- maybe never..

    1. I just picked up a 1968 super Kodiak and it still shoots amazingly so your comment about 20 years maybe never is spot on.

  3. Hello. Does the super Kodak come in a size suitable (or do you craft an alternative traditional bow suitable) for a 31 1/2″ draw length. I read a review saying that draw lengths over 28″ may cause excess noise due to the string slapping the limbs and possibly over stressing of the limbs? Can you advise. Thanks

  4. I’ve had my 60# Super Kodiak for about 22 years now. If something ever happens to it I will go out and buy another 60# Super Kodiak. It’s really all I ever wanted out of a bow. I hunt with it every year.

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