Striker Grizzly Jim Signature Series

The Striker Grizzly Jim Signature Series is a custom Stinger model. Striker have two models, the Stinger and the Fastback, but don't ask what the difference is between the two. We have a Fastback arriving soon, so we'll have to wait and see.

The first proper bow I owned was a Timbercreek Copperhead, the model that Mr Grizzly Jim helped design, and that riser always sat in my palm nicely; so does this one. The grip is very low and I'm guessing it suits people who like to have their wrist pointing up so that the grip sits in the line of the thumb.

Stats

• Riser:

  • Length: 16"

  • 62" with limbs

  • Charcoal action wood

  • Maple + black phenolic striping

  • Macassar ebony & maple overlays

  • window cut past centre

• Limbs:

  • Bamboo cores

  • Zebrawood veneers

  • Clear Gordon glass laminate

  • Phenolic-reinforced tips

    
    

When it comes to the aesthetics, it's a beautiful bow. the lines from the riser blend into the limbs, and the charcoal on the side of the limbs blends into the riser.

You can choose longbow or recurve limbs and a lot of people would say that the longbow limbs look best with this bow. But give me those recurves any day, they've got a lovely agressive flick at the ends that look perfect.

Maybe that's the best way to sum up the look of the bow. It looks so at home in the woods, it embodies that point between the quiet stillness of the woods and the explosion of the arrow. It's a piece of art.

Quiver-wise I've gone for a Marksman quiver mounted directly to the limb bolts. It's not perfect but it's the best option I've come across when wanting a minimalist setup. I really didn't want to cover the limbs with any slip-ons and there's no way in hell i'm drilling into the riser as i've done with thicker risers.

For Storage, the bow comes with a nice thick bow sock with the Striker logo, but I eventually opted for filling an early 20th century shotgun case with some shadow foam and spending hours cutting out the right shapes. The result was something I'm too afraid to take out each weekend, and now the bow just gets chucked in the boot of the car. Or rather, gently placed amongst the other random items.