Elite Archery continues to carve out their place as one of the leading bows in the archery industry, which you might expect with a name like, “Elite.”
For 2020, the company has taken things to the next level in bow design with new features for tuning and performance like nothing they’ve created before.
Check it out in our 2020 Elite Kure bow review…
First Impressions
Even before we walked into the Elite booth during the ATA show, we knew the company’s latest offering was something special. There had been a lot of buzz regarding Elite’s new design and the tunability built into the 2020 KURE.
After talking with the guys at Elite a few minutes and hearing the pitch on the new S.E.T. technology, I was impressed.
Elite has indeed changed the game on how quick and easy tuning a bow can be. We’ll talk more on this in a minute, but let’s just say the tuning abilities of this bow is going to save a lot of time and money when it comes to having your bow serviced or tuned.
The KURE is a good looking bow with a sleek and simple dual caged riser design. It draws smooth and easy and is well balanced at full draw.
The test bow I received came in the all-new Realtree Xcape camo pattern. It’s a nice looking finish pattern, well suited for hunting the east or west.
Specs on the Elite KURE
Axle-to-Axle – 31″ 13/16″
Speed – 335 fps
Brace Height – 6 9/16″
Draw Lengths – 23″ – 30″
Draw Weights – 40#, 50#, 60#, 65# and 70#
Bow Weight – 4.6 lbs.
Let-Off – 70%-80%
Rise Finish Options – Realtree Edge, Realtree Xcape, KUIU Verde, Ninja Black, OD Brown, OD Green, and various tournament color options.
Price – $999.99
S.E.T. Technology
The biggest feature that sets Elite Archery apart in 2020 is no doubt their S.E.T. technology.
What is S.E.T.?
Simplified Exact Tuning (S.E.T.) is a micro adjustable tuning system exclusive to Elite Archery. The design allows the archer to micro adjust the angle of the limb pocket pivot, providing what the company calls the easiest, and most effective tuning method on the market. Best yet, it’s all done without the need of a bow press.
The effect of adjusting S.E.T. Technology is similar to “Yoke Tuning” or “Shimming” but has been engineered to be far more effective and easier.
“What makes the S.E.T. technology so great is that it gives the shooter or the bow tech the ability to hyper-tune the bow without any extra parts needed and no bow press,” says Nathan Brooks of Elite Archery.
“Plus, its as simple as turning a screw, so shop owners can spend way less time going back and forth to the bow press. This is huge since most shops are under staffed during the busy season and bow tuning is often neglected because they simply don’t have enough time to spend with each customer.”
Changing your gear and accessories from year to year can have a dramatic impact on how your bow performs. The S.E.T. system allows you to keep your bow dialed in to the changes you make as you add or remove gear to your bow.
“It might be a new arrow rest, different arrow, or broadhead,” says Josh Sidebottom of Elite Archery. “A lot of archers fail to realize the effect this can have on how your arrow flies. With S.E.T. technology, we are providing the customer the ability to adjust the bow to sync up with whatever accessories they would like to shoot, quickly and easily.”
“Even changing from a wrist strap release to a thumb button can change the tune on your bow, but the 2020 KURE can give those bowhunters the ability upgrade their equipment without the fear of a time consuming re-tune or shim.”
And what about the benefits of the S.E.T. system for the bowhunter?
“With the ease of adjustment and simple understanding of how S.E.T. technology works, now an average bowhunter can easily tune fixed blade broadheads to group and shoot more accurately with their field points,” says Brooks.
“This potentially makes their hunts more successful by extending their range and making every shot more precise.”
ASYM Tri-Track Cam System
Elite has grown a reputation for offering some of the smoothest drawing bows on the market. Their design only gets better for 2020 with the introduction of the all-new Elite ASYM Tri-Track Cams with Versa Mod rotating modules.
You’ll find Elite’s famous high let-off and smooth draw cycle, but now with the ability to adjust draw length, cable stops, and limb stops, all without a bow press.
StabiLock Limb Pockets and Limbs
The KURE is a very stable and well balanced bow, largely due to the wider limb stance and StabiLock Limb Pocket.
It’s a completely redesigned limb pocket for 2020 that includes the S.E.T. Technology mentioned above. The wide-stance-pocket locks down tight to the riser. It’s a rock solid design built for precision, accuracy and stability like nothing Elite’s developed yet.
When it comes to vibration and noise dampening, Elite’s VibeX Blocks were designed specifically to rotate and fit Elite’s 3/4” or 1” limb gap. The VibeX Blocks reduces dynamic vibration and gives you a quiet and smooth feeling shot.
Redesigned Riser
The riser on the KURE has been redesigned for greater balance. You’ll feel it when you put your hands to it, particularly at full draw.
It’s a dual caged riser design with a structure built to transfer maximum energy to the arrow.
It’s a tough looking riser, simple in design and built to take a beating. The riser comes in a variety of color options as well.
S2S CABLE GUIDE
The S2S Cable Guide is pretty slick with its carbon fiber design built to eliminate torque and riser flex. .
You’ll also find side to side adjustment for total fletching clearance, resulting in even greater accuracy.
The Grip
If you like a slim grip design, you’ll like what you find with the KURE. It’s a narrow riser-grip feel without big and bulky side plates.
The grip does have slim plates that can easily be removed depending on your preference.
I personally like to remove side plates and tape up the grip on my bows, but I honestly like the way this grip feels as is. It’s slim enough that I found very little difference with or without plates installed. It really is a comfortable grip that sits nicely in the hand.
Testing & Performance
The KURE test bow I shot was set at 28″ draw length and weighed in at 71.1 lbs. draw weight with limb bolts bottomed out.
I weighed the bow to check mass weight, and it came in at 4.9 pounds bare bow.
I shot three different arrows with various grain weights to give a real-world look at what various hunting setups might achieve.
Here’s a look at what I found…
390 grain Easton Axis – 296 fps
486 grain Easton Axis FMJ – 277 fps
508 grain Easton Axis FMJ – 260 fps
The Elite KURE is a sweet shooting bow. Hand shock is slim to none. In fact, I’d place it in the top 3 dead-in-the-hand bows of 2020.
It’s provides shooter-friendly performance and tunability like nothing we’ve seen yet.
The KURE sells for $999.99 at Lancaster Archery Supply. You can check it out for yourself at your local Elite dealer or check it out online at www.elitearchery.com.
