Bowtech Solution and Solution SS: Two ATA Options, One Platform
Bowtech's Solution family launched with two length variants — the 33.5-inch standard and the 30-inch SS — sharing the same Deadlock cam system and binary cam geometry. Same bow, different ATA, with specific consequences for specific hunting scenarios.
Compound bow manufacturers often run parallel product lines at different ATA lengths to reach different customer segments through marketing differentiation. Bowtech's approach with the Solution and Solution SS is more unified than most: they share the same cam system, same draw cycle character, and same tuning interface — the difference is almost entirely in the axle-to-axle measurement, and that difference is a practical hunting tool rather than a marketing category.
What's notable
Both models use Bowtech's Deadlock cam, a binary cam system with a two-bolt adjustment interface on the cam face. The bolts control nock travel — turning the top bolt moves the nocking point and string angle, which affects center-shot and the tendency of the cam to influence arrow flight left or right through the shot cycle. This is a tuning adjustment that would otherwise require a bow press and a timing change on most bows; Deadlock makes it an out-of-press operation once the bow is strung. Field tuning becomes a hex-key exercise rather than a press-and-timing-wheel exercise.
The standard Solution runs 33.5 inches ATA with a 6.5-inch brace height and an IBO rating of 342 fps. The Solution SS trims to 30 inches ATA with the same 6.5-inch brace height, at approximately 336 fps IBO — a 6 fps concession for roughly 3.5 inches of length reduction. Both bows draw from 40 to 70 pounds across three modules and are available in the same finish options. The cam geometry and valley character are identical across both models, which is worth noting: some manufacturers tune the shorter ATA variant slightly differently to compensate for the changed string angles, but the Solution SS faithfully reproduces the feel of the standard Solution.
Draw length range covers 25.5 to 30 inches on both models. The valley on the Deadlock cam is firm and well-defined — Bowtech tuned it for a back wall that holds without creeping, which helps archers maintain consistent draw length during long waits at full draw when an animal is in range but the shot timing isn't quite right. That holding characteristic is the kind of detail that matters on a hunting bow and rarely shows up in spec sheets. String materials on both models are Dyneema with Bowtech's standard string dampener configuration; neither bow requires aftermarket silencers for most hunting applications, though the limb pockets on both accept aftermarket limb dampeners for archers who want reduced hand shock on cold-morning shots.
Who it's for
The choice between the Solution and the Solution SS comes down to where you hunt. Ground blind hunters and saddle hunters who work in tight spaces benefit meaningfully from the SS's shorter ATA — in a blind where rotating the bow upright to nock an arrow is already awkward, 3.5 inches of extra axle-to-axle creates real mechanical problems. In a saddle setup where the archer is hanging from a platform and needs to maneuver around the tree trunk, the shorter bow is less likely to clip a branch or require a wider shooting lane. Tree-stand hunters in open hardwoods get nearly nothing from the shorter configuration and can take the slight speed advantage of the standard Solution.
Both models suit the same archer profile: experienced whitetail or general big-game hunters who want a smooth, tunable hunting compound that shoots accurately from a cold start — first shot of the morning, no warm-up, animal at 40 yards — rather than a bow that requires 20 shots to settle into its best performance.
The first-look video
Where it sits in the lineup
The Solution family is Bowtech's mid-ATA hunting line, positioned above the Revolt (entry/mid-tier) and alongside the Realm (their longer, smoother-draw target-crossover option). The third variant, the Solution SD, drops draw length range to 23–27 inches for short-draw applications. All three share the Deadlock cam architecture, so an archer who moves between models within the family carries the same tuning knowledge forward — the bolts work the same way, the hex-key adjustments feel the same, and the back wall character is familiar. Bowtech offers both models with a ready-to-hunt package that includes a Bowtech-branded quiver, whisker biscuit rest, and peep sight — a factory package that covers the basics for hunters who want to go straight from purchase to range. Bowtech also includes a limb warranty for both models that covers manufacturing defects for the life of the original owner, which is above the industry standard of 1-year or 5-year coverage.
Source
Product specifications via Bowtech Archery. Video review via Lancaster Archery Supply.
Tagged: Compound Bows · Bowtech · 2022