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Deadlock - Gimmick or Worth the Price?

12K views 50 replies 28 participants last post by  bossofduhwoods  
#1 ·
Does anyone have any experience with the Deadlock system on the Bowtechs? Specifically, I'm interested in the Revolt, but am trying to decide if the Deadlock system is enough of a game changer for 3D/hunting to justify the price of a new bow rather than buy a previous model Bowtech.
 
#2 ·
I'm on the fence. It is a more convenient tune, but the allen heads round out easily, and the whole system seems a little less forgiving tune-wise, maybe because each cam is slaved to the other vs. being slaved to the opposite limbs (yokes). I think I preferred yokes although getting the initial lean right was a PIA. FWIW I also think that the Mathews system could be nice, but you'd still end up micro tuning with the rest because the tophats aren't infinitely adjustable, which isn't the end of the world I guess.
 
#3 ·
There are few things I hate worse than cheap allen screws that strip easily on what is otherwise nice/expensive gear. Thanks for your input on that. I'd like to upgrade from my carbon knight one day, but even with minimal tuning it shoots incredibly well so it's hard to justify the cost of these new bows if the new features don't deliver like I'd hope.
 
#5 ·
I've had no problems at all with my Allen screws and have seen nothing on Facebook BowTech brotherhood.
Here in Jersey there's a lot of thick underbrush and sticker bushes. I'm really glad not to have those yolks anymore to catch on that kind of stuff.
I believe this system is not going anywheres and is here to stay only to get better.

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#8 ·
I haven't gotten the chance to shoot a deadlock bow but agree with lethalshot in regards to the yokes catching on everything. As nice as they tune, you have to keep an eye on the yokes while spot and stalking animals, they grab everything.As for the allen screws wearing out, I don't see that being anymore of a problem than any other allen screw on the bow. My guess is once you get it set for you, the only adjustments you will make again on it is if you change arrows or rest. As I said ,I don't have experience with the deadlock so not positive.
 
#11 ·
If,,thats If,,u have a press tuning a O.D.System might take 10-30minutes where the Deadlok doesn’t require a press and with NEW,,GOOD wrenches will tune up in about 5 shots. the o.d. is proven for the last ten yrs and its a set and forget usually. Deadloc I bet is just as solid though.. B.T. is betting the house on it
 
#12 ·
I would buy a bow for draw cycle, balance, grip and feel. If it has adjustable cams or limbs (Kure) that’s a bonus. Is it worth it, just depends on how much your willing to pay imo. I recently bought a lightly used Realm but would of preferred to got a Revolt but did not want to spend the extra $200-300 to get a lightly used Revolt, more of a budget thing for me. Next year I may consider a used Revolt.
I don’t have a press so the adjustable cams would be great to have.
 
#14 ·
Not a gimmick. Well worth the cost. My RevoltX cost about as much as a Mathews or any other top level bow would have cost, with Hoyt being 1/3 more. As a hunter with no press at home, I can tune for absolute perfect broad head flight on my own, in my back yard. Not so with any of the other bows. I got up this morning to tune after my shop did some string work yesterday. Started with bare shaft severe left tear and my broad heads were hitting several inches right. When I was done I could shoot sub 1" groups with a mix of bare shafts, fletched, and 1-1/4" fixed blade broad heads.

I'm not a bow junky. Too many other things to tinker with so I have very little interest in tinkering with bows. That said, if a bow can't accurately fire a broad head then it's useless to me. I've always been able to make enough adjustments with rests to get adequate head flight for hunting, but never before have I been able to fine tune the cams and rest together with such precision. I see the Deadlock system being a game changer, a new bar for other companies to compete with. It's just too easy and accurate to ignore. I imagine it'll be on most if not all of BT's bows going forward, and something similar on a whole lot of other brands. It's a simple concept that works and works well.
 
#17 ·
They tune in just a few shots, one allen wrench fits all 4 bolts, it is so microtunable, and no worries about cam lean and how much lean to start with and then to use or not use a laser, blah blah and then have a yoke stretch a hair and you are off, you will love the new system !!!!
 
#20 ·
I'm actually kind of surprised at the responses! Usually it seems like people advocate for the previous generation of bows for cost savings rather than the benefit of the newest technology, but this is definitely the exception. I'll have to save up some more but I think you all have sold me on the deadlock system.
 
#25 ·
The secret to the OD system and the DL system is the ability to 100%tune lateral nock travel. I ear so many people talk as if they absolutely know how to tune a bow but by their comments prove that just isn't the case. I have tunes 1000's of bows over the last 20+ years and didn't really understand the OD system until just a few years ago. However getting a inside look at exactly what that system was designed to do has made me a BT guy for sure. The DL system does the exact some thing but has the added benefit of being more exact, eliminating the extra parts that the OD has outside the limbs and being able to achieve perfect lateral nock travel much faster and easier. The Realm X was by far the best hunting bow I have ever had, and I have owned A LOT, but the Revolt X and Reckoning just blow my mind. The question from the OP was "is it worth it". As if that system is more expensive that others. The fact that the bow seels fro about the exact same amount as any other flagship on the market makes this question a little weird to me. But my question is, if the cost is basically the same, why wouldn't you want to have the ability to tune the bow as precisely as you can with the DL system. Granted I might be bias, but I am also right.......
 
#32 ·
The question from the OP was "is it worth it". As if that system is more expensive that others. The fact that the bow seels fro about the exact same amount as any other flagship on the market makes this question a little weird to me. But my question is, if the cost is basically the same, why wouldn't you want to have the ability to tune the bow as precisely as you can with the DL system. Granted I might be bias, but I am also right.......
Also, gotta understand the question to be right. 😂
 
#26 ·
Have a Revolt X coming either tomorrow (Friday) or Monday at the latest. Cannot wait already but all the positive comments here are making me very excited. Got it in green country roots. As an aside I'm planning on shooting it @60# with 5mm FMJ arrows 350 spine and I think about 450 grain. As a relative newbie I'm wondering is that the correct arrow choice?
 
#30 ·
I agree with ‘The Arrow Guru’ regarding the deadlock cam system. Because of the DL system, I have sold all my yoke tuning and cam shimmed bows. I spent a LOT less time getting fixed blade broad heads flying with field point out to 60 yards with the deadlock cam system.


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#31 ·
Guru, great insight and I appreciate your input. The "is it worth it" wasn't directed so much at the difference between bowtech and other brand flagship bows, rather I was debating between the cost of a newer bowtech with the DL system or the cost savings of a lower end or used bowtech without the DL system.