LAST UPDATED: January 9th, 2017
When the Mathews Halon was introduced in 2016 it was met with mostly rave reviews. Smooth drawing, quiet and fast, the Halon and Halon X were a big hit with both hunters and target archers. However at 30 inches axle to axle length the Halon was a little too compact for some archers. So for 2017 Mathews has introduced a 32 inch version, aptly named the Mathews Halon 32.
Why A Longer Bow?
The answer is simple – longer bows tend to be more stable and accurate at longer distances, and also create a different string angle when at full draw. While I don’t have a very long draw length (28.5 inches) the Halon 32 certainly seems a touch more balanced and easier to hold on target while also being very comfortable to draw and hold. String angle is reduced which helps prevent nock pinch on your arrows, and also allows the bow to achieve longer draw lengths for those bigger fellas. The Halon 32 in 7 inch brace height goes all the way up to 32.5″ draw length.
Todd Graf was able to put his Halon 32 to the test on this great Illinois whitetail just last weekend.
Crosscentric Cam System
At the heart of the Halon 32 is the same Crosscentric Cam system we saw on the Halon. Nearly 1/2 of these oversized cams are a concentric (circular) which make for a super smooth draw. As you pull back the string, each cam pays out string at the exact same time and distance from the bow’s axle, which is how this draw cycle is achieved. The Crosscentric Cam system is a dual cam bow which also features Mathews’ patented AVS system which allows to Halon to generate, store and ultimately release its energy.
The heart of the Halon 32 is the Crosscentric Cam system which is silky smooth and produces a ton of power.
Dual Bridge Riser Design
The dual “bridges” in the Halon 32’s riser help make the bow more rigid which inherently makes it more accurate. Like all Mathews bows the Halon 32 also features a pair of Harmonic devices for reducing noise and vibration. A Harmonic Damper is mounted in the top of the riser and a Harmonic Stabilizer Lite is mounted in the bottom. These can of course we swapped out or interchanged to perfect your bow’s balance and sound, while also accepting traditional Mathews grommets in a variety of colors to customize your rig.
Due to the added length of the Halon 32’s riser it does weigh in slightly heavier than last year’s Halon at 4.73 pounds. And while I’m sure some Internet trolls out there will complain about it being too heavy, a good friend of mine put it best when he said “That’s one of the reasons these bows feel so good when you shoot them.” So if you like a bow that’s absolutely dead in the head and super quiet when shot, you’ll have to man up and deal with a couple extra ounces.
The Halon 32’s riser is slightly longer than it’s predecessor and features the same dual bridge cutouts for extreme strength.
Speed & Brace Height
The Halon 32 is available in 3 models which all vary in speed and brace height. Like the original Halon the 5 inch model is the fastest of the bunch while the 7 inch model is the most forgiving. My guess is most folks will opt for the 6 inch version which is a great compromise of speed and forgiveness.
- Halon 32 – 5″ brace height, up to 350 fps
- Halon 32 – 6″ brace height, up to 343 fps
- Halon 32 – 7″ brace height, up to 335 fps
The Halon 32 is available in a 5, 6 and 7 inch brace height with speeds up to 350 fps and draw lengths up to 32.5 inches.
New Camo Options
Perhaps one of the most talked about features of the new Halon 32 won’t be the technology, but rather the camo finish offerings. New for 2017 Mathews is offering Under Armour’s Barren camo along with Gore’s Optifade pattern in both Elevated II and Open Country. For those UA and Sitka Gear fans who like all of their camo to match, this is going to be just the ticket!
The Halon 32 is available in a variety of high colors and camos including black, Stone Tactical, Lost Camo XD and now both UA Barren and Optifade camo as well.
Overall Thoughts On The Halon 32
As you can imagine the Halon 32 isn’t all that much different than the original Halon. The same basic riser design and cam system mean these two bows shoot nearly identical to one another. However shot side by side the Halon 32 does feel a bit more stable and just seems to naturally fit. Although they’re both great options, I’ve picked up the Halon 32 on 95% of my hunts this fall. There’s something about this bow that just feels a little bit more bad ass than the original – even though I wasn’t sure that was going to be possible. And let’s face it, the new camo options look pretty killer as well.
MSRP on the new Mathews Halon 32 is $1,099 and they will be available at your local Mathews retailer very shortly.
