Big leaps in archery tech have been happening over the past few years, and Mathews often finds itself leading the charge.
With an increased emphasis on shot training and off-season shot trainers, it only makes sense that the archery world has finally decided to integrate a training module into the actual bow.
Mathews Shot Sense ($350) is designed to give archers insightful feedback for better shooting. It works with Mathews bows (2023 models and newer) and fits directly into the grip. The module keeps track of every shot, giving you a look at exactly how you shoot and allowing you to analyze ways to improve your skills.
Not only that — there’s also a community/social component. What would the point be if you couldn’t compete with your hunting partners, right?
Let’s take a quick first look.
The Shot Sense Module
With what looks like fairly seamless riser integration, the Shot Sense fits directly into your grip. In that location, it records everything needed to analyze your shot. Though the stats on weight aren’t listed, we can only assume the module is streamlined enough not to have much of an impact on what you’re used to.
Mathews Shot Sense App
The app is where the Shot Sense shines. Following your pin as if it were a tracer round, you can see each movement, sway, correction, and overcorrection on the float graph. With a digital bubble level and calculations of incline and decline, you can track every scenario and every shot.
Once your shot is taken, the app analyzes and scores your shot out of 100. If you’re in it for the raw data, that’s about all you need. If you like to rub your friends’ noses in your archery skills, you can create a community of friends, share stats, and set up competitions.
Initial Thoughts
It’s still too early to say for sure because I haven’t tested the Shot Sense yet, but I like the idea of it. Being able to see my shots plotted with data points gets me a little giddy. I dig the idea of being able to sit down and analyze everything that went right or wrong when I’m fine-tuning my bow or practicing at the range. I shoot a lot, and comparing my day-to-day shots would be interesting. And who knows? Maybe it would even convince me to go out and shoot more often.
I can’t say I’d be keen on using it on a hunt, but maybe that’s just me. It’s also worth noting that with all this new tech coming into play, it’s important to check your state’s rules and regulations on archery gear, particularly when it comes to hunting.
It will be cool to see where this type of technology goes and how people utilize it to improve their archery game.
