Compound Bow | Draw Weight | Draw Length | Brace Height | IBO Speed | Let-off | AtA Length / Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Diamond Core See Today's Price on Cabelas | 40 to 70 lbs. | 25" - 30" | 7.25" How To Choose Arrows | 313 FPS | 80 percent | 31" / 3.2 lbs. |
| Pros: - Single cam design - Fast IBO speed - Very smooth to shoot - Light overall weight - Inexpensive MSRP | Cons: - Not designed to be a target bow - Grip is not as comfortable as it could be |
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The Diamond Core at a Glance
Welcome to our Diamond Core compound bow review. Due to its wide range of adjustability, this bow is well suited for archers of all ages and statures. Also, the single cam design makes it easy to tune and, because of its short length, lightweight, and fast arrow speed, it is an excellent choice for a hunting bow. Plus, Diamond has outfitted it with their Ready, Aim, Kill (R.A.K.) accessory package and thus, it is ready to shoot right out of the box.
Diamond Core Package Contents & Assembly
The Diamond Core compound bow features everything you need to hunt with right out of the box. For instance, it’s equipped with Diamond’s R.A.K. (Ready, Aim, Kill) accessory package which includes a 5-pin Apex sight, an Octane Hijack arrow rest, an Octane 5 inch ultra-light stabilizer, an Octane Deadlock Lite arrow quiver, a Comfort Wrist sling, a BCY string loop, an alloy peep sight, and Dura-flex string dampeners. Thus, when purchased with the R.A.K. accessory package, the Diamond Core has everything an archer needs for hunting their favorite game species.
The Diamond Core Eccentric System (cams)
The Diamond Core is a single cam bow that is designed to eliminate the timing problems often associated with double cam bows and features Diamond’s Core single cam with a rotating module that enables the archer to adjust the draw length from 25 inches to 30 inches without the need for a bow press. Thus, with nothing more than a hex wrench, this bow can be adjusted to fit archers with a wide range of draw lengths.
Shooting Speed
Although not a super fast bow by today’s standards, the Diamond Core is no slouch in the seed department with an IBO speed of 313 FPS. Thus, it has a relatively flat arrow trajectory that does and excellent job of compensating for minor misjudgments in target distance which is a vital feature when hunting situations where it is often difficult determine the range accurately in the few moments one often has to draw, aim, and shoot. But, it should be noted that the speed of your arrows may differ somewhat because IBO speeds are based on International Bowhunting Organization competition rules which require at least 5 grains of arrow weight per pound of draw weight but have no standard for draw length. Consequently, bow manufactures who list IBO speeds invariably use the lightest arrows that meet the necessary criteria combined with the longest draw length available on any given model in order to produce the highest possible arrow speeds. Learn more about what speeds to actually expect.
Kinetic Energy (KE) of the Diamond Core Compound Bow
The amount of kinetic energy an arrow has is an important factor to consider when purchasing a new bow because it provides a good gauge of how deeply the arrow will penetrate the target. However, it should be noted that the kinetic energy of any compound bow will vary significantly with different draw lengths and draw weights. Therefore, below are some close estimates of what level of kinetic energy to expect from the Diamond Core:
- 70 lbs. / 30″ draw / 350 grain arrows: 76.1 ft-lbs KE
- 70 lbs. / 30″ draw / 425 grain arrows: 92.4 ft-lbs KE
Please note: the values listed above are based upon arrow speeds measured immediately in front of the riser. Therefore, in order to determine the Diamond Core’s kinetic energy output at different ranges, you will need to subtract approximately 1.8 ft-lbs. from the values listed above for every 10 yards of distance from your target.
The Bow’s Draw Cycle
The Diamond Core is a pleasant bow to draw and shoot due to its single moderate cam which provides a very smooth draw cycle and the solid wall creates a good stop for consistently accurate shots. Also, the rotating module makes it very easy to adjust from 25 inches to 30 inches with nothing more than a hex wrench; thus eliminating the need for additional cams and a bow press to change them.
Noise Levels and Vibration
Like most of today’s compound bows with parallel limb designs, the Diamond Core is a very quite bow to shoot to begin with. Thus, when combined with the included string dampener, cable dampeners, and Octane stabilizer, it becomes very quiet indeed. In addition, the long riser combined with the parallel limb design further reduces recoil and vibration to create a bow that is a pleasure to shoot.
Using the Diamond Core for Hunting
With an axle-to-axle length of only 31 inches, a brace height of 7.25 inches, and an overall weight of only 3.2 pounds, the Diamond Core is a bow that I would definitely be happy hunting with. In fact, the short length and light weight make it easy to carry and easy to maneuver and the long brace height makes if very forgiving. Also, the single cam means that the bow will never creep out of tune and the deep grooves in the cam and idler wheel make string derailment due to riser torque very unlikely. Also, it has a smooth draw cycle that is easy to draw and quite to shoot and thus, keeping the pin on target during the release and follow through are not a problem. However, with an IBO speed of 313 FPS, it is a little on the slow side by today’s standards but, it still generates plenty of kinetic energy and thus, it would be suitable for hunting most any game species you might choose to pursue.
However, it is important to note that depending on the size of the animal you intend to hunt, your bow will need to generate sufficient kinetic for the arrow to reach the vitals. Therefore, the following Easton chart will provide you with some idea of how much kinetic energy is needed for hunting different game species:
| Kinetic Energy: | You Can Hunt: |
|---|---|
| < 25 ft-lbs | Small Game (groundhog, rabbit, wild turkey) |
| 25-41 ft-lbs | Medium Game (Antelope, Whitetail deer) |
| 42-65 ft-lbs | Large Game (black bear, wild boar, elk) |
| > 65 ft-lbs | Largest Game (Grizzly bear, Cape buffalo, Musk Ox, African elephant) |
Consult our “Kinetic Energy” section above to determine how much KE to expect from the Diamond Carbon Cure depending on your settings.
Limbs, Riser, & Grip
The Diamond Core features a moderately reflexed riser made from machined aluminum with a parallel limb design. However, unlike some of the more radical compound bow riser designs available today, it has a pleasing appearance that I find far more appealing. However, like so many of today’s compound bows, the grip is simply a rounded section molded into the riser and thus, although it does a good job of eliminating torque, it is not particularly comfortable in my opinion. Also, the solid limbs are constructed from a single piece of E-glass composite which, while not quite as light as a spit limb design, makes them very tough and thus, they should provide the archer with a lifetime of use.
Value for the Money
Considering its relatively inexpensive MSRP, the Diamond Core is a very good value for the archer who is looking for a reliable compound hunting bow; especially when purchased with the R.A.K. accessory package which provides everything you need to hunt with right out of the box. In fact, if you were to purchase the bow and all of the accompanying accessories needed to properly outfit the bow for hunting separately, you would undoubtedly spend far more than the cost of this bow when purchased with the accessory package.
Diamond Core Compound Bow Review – Summary
Thanks for reading our Diamond Core review. Considering the relatively low price of this bow along with the fact that it is very well designed and very well made and is available with an excellent accessory package, this is a bow that I would certainly consider purchasing and would be very happy hunting with. Even though it is not one of the fastest bows on the market today, it is plenty fast enough for hunting any game species a hunter might choose to pursue and the smooth draw cycle and lack of noise and vibration make it very easy to shoot accurately. Thus, overall, I would have to say that I am very pleased with this bow. See Cabela's current price and customer reviews on the Diamond Core if you’re interested.
