Bowtech Carbon One (2022): what to know

Bowtech's Carbon One put a carbon-fiber riser in a hunting compound at a price point where it was uncommon, and paired it with one of the more aggressive cam systems in the 2022 hunting bracket. The combination made it a compelling option for hunters who wanted maximum speed and minimum weight in a single package without buying into a boutique custom bow.

What's notable

The Carbon One's riser is a full carbon-fiber construction — not a carbon-wrapped aluminum core, but a dedicated carbon layup. This produces a bow weight of approximately 3.6 pounds, matching the PSE Carbon Mach 34 and undercutting the aluminum field significantly. Carbon's vibration damping characteristics give the bow a distinctive feel at the shot: less metallic ring than aluminum, more of a solid thud that dampens quickly. Whether that translates to measurably less vibration reaching the shooter's hand depends on the entire limb and dampener system, but the carbon riser does absorb higher-frequency vibration better than equivalent aluminum sections.

Bowtech's Deadlock cam system drives the performance numbers. The Deadlock is a binary cam design — both cams are mechanically linked to each other rather than tied independently to the cables — which eliminates the cam lean and nock travel variation that plague poorly timed twin-cam setups. Bowtech claims Deadlock cams never need timing because the mechanical link keeps them synchronized. In practice, owners report this claim holds up well: the cams stay in phase longer between maintenance sessions than traditional independently-tensioned twin-cam setups.

IBO speed on the Carbon One comes in at 350 fps, consistent with other performance-oriented hunting compounds in the model year. The brace height of 6 inches is manageable for most shooters. The draw cycle on the Deadlock binary cam is notably aggressive — a sharp rise to peak weight and a defined valley. Shooters who prefer the gradual build of a single-cam or the progressive let-off of a parallel-limb design will find the Carbon One more demanding of consistent draw technique. The back wall is solid and well-defined, which helps compensate for the aggressive peak weight approach.

Who it's for

The Carbon One suits experienced bowhunters who understand aggressive cam timing and want maximum field performance in the lightest possible package. It's not a forgiving platform for inconsistent form — the draw cycle demands clean, repeatable technique to produce consistent groups. Hunters who've spent time on a Bowtech Solution or Revolution and want to step up to a carbon chassis without changing their established Bowtech draw cycle muscle memory are the natural fit.

Three-D shooters in hunting division will appreciate the weight, speed, and reliable cam synchronization that binary cam timing provides. The flat trajectory that 350 fps enables at hunting distances is meaningful when calling distances at unmarked 3D targets — 2 fps of speed advantage at 50 yards is worth roughly 0.3 inches less arrow drop, which can matter at a target where the kill zone is 4 inches wide.

Archers considering the Carbon One as a first serious compound bow should be aware that the aggressive cam draw cycle is less forgiving of form inconsistencies than Prime, Mathews, or Hoyt platforms in the same price bracket. The Carbon One rewards archers who've already developed clean technique.

The first-look video

Lancaster Archery Supply's Carbon One review walks through the carbon riser construction, the Deadlock cam timing, and includes a chronograph test and shooting assessment.

Where it sits in the lineup

The Carbon One launched in the $999-$1,099 range, positioning it below the premium Mathews and Hoyt flagships but at the upper tier of Bowtech's hunting compound lineup. It competes with the PSE Carbon Mach 34 on weight and speed while offering Bowtech's proprietary Deadlock cam timing as a differentiation from PSE's Evolve dual-cam approach — the Deadlock's maintenance story is a genuine advantage for hunters who want to minimize bow-shop visits between seasons.

Bowtech has expanded their carbon riser lineup since 2022, so the Carbon One sits as the entry point of a now-larger platform family. Used examples represent strong value for buyers who want carbon construction at a meaningful discount from current pricing. The Deadlock binary cam's low-maintenance claim holds up well in the used market — owners who've shot their Carbon One through several seasons consistently report that timing verification rarely reveals an out-of-spec condition, which reduces the cost and inconvenience of ownership compared to conventional twin-cam platforms that need periodic timing checks.

Source

• Manufacturer details: search for Carbon One on the Bowtech website.
• LAS review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIt6BnmYv9k

Tagged: Compound Bows · Bowtech · 2022