Compound Bow | Draw Weight | Draw Length | Brace Height | IBO Speed | Let-off | AtA Length / Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mission Craze II See Today's Price on Cabelas | 13-70 lbs. | 19" - 30" | 7 1/4" | 306 FPS | 80% | 28" / 3.4 lbs |
| Pros: - An excellent choice for young hunters - A very lightweight bow - A mid-range retail price - Has a very wide range of adjustability | Cons: - Not the best choice for a target bow - Too slow for many hunters |
| Compare prices across top hunting gear sellers | |
The Mission Craze II at a Glance
Welcome to our Mission Craze II compound bow review. At first glance, this bow appears to be specifically designed for young archers and hunters due to its excessively short length, exceptionally light weight, and extreme range of adjustability. However, some adult hunters may also find it useful for hunting from a tree stand or ground blind or for hunting game species such Doll Sheep or Mountain Goats where the archer’s bow must be carried on a backpack in order to leave their hands free for climbing. Also, it should be noted that while the Craze II is available as a bare bow, Mission also offers three different accessories packages for this bow as well as your choice of ten different colors and camouflage patterns.
The Mission Craze II Package Contents & Assembly
The Mission Craze II bare bow includes the fully assembled bow (limbs, riser, cams, cables, string, and string suppressor) but, it is also available with three different accessories packages consisting of the Basic package which includes a Copper John Saxon 3-pin fiber optic sight, a Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit arrow rest, and a Bohning Lynx bow quiver; the Bow Hunter package which includes a Copper John 4-pin Mark 1 sight, your choice of a Whisker Biscuit or QAD Ultra-Rest Hunter arrow rest, an Axion 3 inch stabilizer, and an Alpine Bear Claw bow quiver; or the Pro Hunter package which includes a Axion Vue 5-pin sight, a QAD Ultra-Rest LD arrow rest, an Axion 3 inch stabilizer, and a Mission M5 bow quiver.
The Mission Craze II Eccentric System (cams)
The Mission Craze II features Mission’s Focused Inertia Technology (F.I.T.) double cam system with a draw length that is adjustable from 19 inches to 30 inches. Also, the moderate cam design which appears to be little more than a pair of off-center round wheels makes it both smooth and easy to draw and, with 80 percent let-off, it’s easy to hold at full draw for extended periods. In addition, with an IBO speed of 306 FPS, it is a reasonably fast bow that will provide a relatively flat arrow trajectory which helps to compensate for minor misjudgments in target distance. Also, it includes a set of Zebra String cables and a Zebra String Hybrid fast flight bow string for increased accuracy and durability.
Shooting Speed
The Mission Craze II compound bow has an IBO speed rating of only 306 FPS which is a bit slow for a modern, compound, hunting bow and thus, it falls way short of the arrow speeds achieved from bows with more radical cam designs. But, even so, it will still deliver enough kinetic energy to penetrate the body cavity of even large game species within 50 yards. However, the archer will need to either spend the time necessary to become adept at judging distance or use some type of range finder to accurately judge the distance to the target. Last, it should be noted that all IBO ratings are determined based on the following criteria:
- 350 grain arrows
- 70 lb. draw weight
- Any draw length the manufacturer chooses
Therefore, the lower the draw weight, the shorter the draw length, and/or the heavier the arrow, the slower the bow will shoot. Learn more about what speeds to actually expect.
Kinetic Energy (KE) of the Mission Craze II Compound Bow
As with any compound bow, the kinetic energy of the Mission Craze will vary significantly with differences in arrow weight and arrow speed. However, here are some close estimates of what to expect from a couple of different parameters:
- 70 lbs. / 30″ / 350 grain arrows: 72.8 ft-lbs KE
- 70 lbs. / 30″ / 425 grain arrows: 88.4 ft-lbs KE
Note: the numbers listed above are for a point-blank range measured immediately in front of the riser. Thus, in order to determine the Craze II’s kinetic energy at longer ranges, you should subtract approximately 1.8 ft-lbs. for every 10 yards of distance from your target from the values listed above.
The Bow’s Draw Cycle
Due to the very moderate, double cam, design, I found the Mission Craze II to have a very smooth draw cycle that made it very easy to draw and, with 80 percent let-off, it is easy to hold for extended periods. But, with an axle-to-axle length of only 28 inches, I personally found it to be too short for my taste and, with a weight of only 3.4 pounds, it was a bit difficult for me hold steady. However, with a brace height of 7.25 inches, it is forgiving to shoot. Thus, I believe that it would be an excellent choice for young archers and hunters since its extreme range of adjustability will enable the bow to accommodate young archers as they grow.
Noise Levels and Vibration
Due to the very moderate F.I.T. cam design and the Mathews design pivoting limb pockets, the Mission Craze II is a reasonably quite bow to shoot. But, for reasons that I do not understand, the string has only one string suppressor installed. Therefore, I would personally prefer to add a second string suppressor. Also, because the riser lacks Mathews signature, integral, vibration dampeners, I would personally add a good stabilizer and possibly even a pair of Sims Limb Saver vibration dampeners to further dampen the bows vibration.
Using the Mission Craze II Drive for Hunting
The Mission Craze II is an excellent choice for hunters who are looking for a short bow for hunting from a tree stand or ground blind or for hunting high altitude game species due to its very short axle-to-axle length and extremely light weight which makes it very easy to maneuver in tight quarters and/or to carry attached to a backpack. Also, the double F.I.T. cams give it the speed it needs for hunting and the 80 percent let-off makes it easy to hold at full draw for extended periods while waiting for the game to approach to within bow range. But, I would personally prefer to purchase the bow with one of the three available accessory packages so that it would be fully outfitted and ready to hunt with.
With just over 70 ft./lbs. to nearly 90 ft./lbs. of kinetic energy to work with, the Mission Craze II has plenty of kinetic energy as indicated by the Easton chart listed below:
| 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 figure out what KE to expect depending on the settings of your Mission Craze bow.
Limbs, Riser, & Grip
The Mission Craze II features a very lightweight, machined aluminum, riser that is available in your choice of ten different colors and camouflage patterns. Also, the riser features a very ergonomic grip made from a composite material that is designed to eliminate torque for improved accuracy and, it also features Mathews designed pivoting limb pockets that serve to provide excellent shot-to-shot consistency. Plus, rather than incorporating the radical new parallel limb design featured on several other Mission bows, the Craze II features a more traditional riser and limb design.
Value for the Money
When you combine Mathews reputation for designing some the best compound bows in the industry with a relatively inexpensive MSRP for the bare bow, the Mission Craze II is a good value for the money. But, when purchased with one of the three available accessory packages, the value of this bow is significantly increased since the accessories alone would cost significantly more than when purchased as a package.
The Mission Craze II Compound Bow Review – Summary
Thanks for reading our Mission Craze II compound bow review. In summary, although I personally found this bow to be a bit too short and too light for my taste, I can honestly say that I feel that it is a well designed and well made bow and thus, I would feel comfortable recommending it to someone who is specifically looking for a introductory bow for a young archer or for an adult who has a specific need for an ultra-short and very light weight bow. See Cabela's current price and customer reviews on the Mission Craze II if you’re interested.
