Bow Review: Mathews Vertix

Mathews is a powerhouse in the archery industry. The company has top-of-the-line design tools, manufacturing equipment, test equipment and, most importantly, a talented and dedicated staff led by founder Matt McPherson. In short, Mathews’ bows have what it takes to bring something great to the table — your table.

Mathews’ 2019 flagship bow, the Vertix, certainly does. It’s outfitted with an integrated, patent-pending arrow-rest mounting system, the new Engage grip and Mathews’ Crosscentric Cams upgraded with the new SwitchWeight Technology (modular draw-weight change). The Reverse Assist Roller Guard, 3D Damping, Dead-End String Stop and Monkey Tails are back, too.

Switching Things Up

Mathews’ Crosscentric Cams use the company’s Advanced Vectoring System (AVS) Technology, which employs two small discs on each cam that are mounted offset to the axle. Anchored to the ends of the harness cable, the discs rotate non-concentrically to shift the force vector — it stores more energy on the front end of the draw while increasing letoff on the back end.

Vertix cam modules offer draw lengths of 26-30 1/2 inches in half-inch increments, letoffs of 80 or 85 percent and peak-draw-weight changes in five-pound increments from 60-75 pounds using SwitchWeight Technology — just switch out the mod for your desired specs. Each module is designed to maximize efficiency and produce the smooth draw the Crosscentric Cam system is known for.

Bridged & Damped

Mathews machines its reflex riser out of a forged aluminum block and employs what it calls a dual-bridged design, referring to the two flared sections of the riser — one above the sight window, one below the stabilizer mounting insert. Bridging stiffens the riser torsionally (think twist) to create a super-rigid and stiff platform for consistency and accuracy.

Complex computer modeling and real-world testing gave birth to Mathews’ 3D Damping Technology, which reduces vibration in three axes from the point of the grip. Engineers found that maximizing the distance of the Enhanced Harmonic Stabilizer (EHS) from the grip in all three axes gave them the best results. As a result, Mathews says the Vertix has 20 percent less vibration than the Triax, which had very little.

The new injection-molded-polymer, one-piece Engage grip features an increased forward angle and provides consistent hand placement, reduced torque and comfort for any hand size.

Another riser-based first for the Vertix is Mathews’ patent-pending, dovetail arrow rest mounting feature. Designed with QAD, it’s an exclusive mounting system for QAD’s UltraRest Integrate MX.

Perfectly Aligned

Vertix limbs are short with a wide footprint (just under three inches), creating a torsionally rigid platform capable of handling the large, high-energy cams. Gordon Composites are used to build the split limbs, which reach a beyond-parallel position at full draw for reduced shock and vibration. Wide-stance, closed-end limb pockets utilize a patented limb-retention system for perfect alignment at the critical interface between the limbs and riser.

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Supporting Cast

Mathews rounds out the Vertix with its Reverse Assist Roller Guard, which supports cables on the side opposite typical designs for a smoother draw, reduced torque and increased overall efficiency, a Dead-End String Stop and string-mounted Monkey Tails.

At the Range

The Vertix is a little heavier than the average rig on the market today, but the bow more than makes up for it in performance, balance and a silent shot. I wasn’t able to detect any vibration at the shot and could only feel the slightest of jumps in the handle — notably “dead in the hand” for a bow generating so much energy.

You can feel the performance design of the draw curve with its quick climb to peak and extended peak-weight plateau. The draw is consistent from start to finish with a well-defined back wall for a good experience. The grip creates a comfortable interface and consistent hand position. The Vertix is a top performer in every respect — in short, it’s an excellent representation of Mathews’ quality and craftsmanship.