DRAKE ARCHERY ELITE Tapir - 54 inch - 20-50 lbs - hybrid bow
 THE DRAKE ARCHERY ELITE  Tapir is a successful combination of different, harmonious materials. Dymondwood in the riser, black fiberglass laminate in the limbs  and strips of bamboo that "frame" the centerpiece and itself  through the entire bow result in a compact, slim and incredibly light bow.
 The used Dymondwood is an innovative material, made of several layers of wood, which are combined with epoxy resin to form a highly stable material. The different layers of wood enable a completely new color design of the middle piece and ensure an absolutely unique look in gray and black, which is subtly reminiscent of the fur colors of a tapir. With their streamlined physique, tapirs are perfectly built for the undergrowth in the tropical rainforest, where they can evade enemies so quickly, but also defend themselves against big cats such as cougars and the like thanks to their strong canine teeth. All in all, a fitting, albeit somewhat bizarre, namesake for a bow.
 But this material also offers some technical advantages: It is light, absorbs vibrations and allows faster, more even shooting.
 The grip area, which appears very slim at first glance, is "different" the first time you pick it up, because its ergonomic shape  relatively flat palm rest  are dimensioned in such a way that they lie optimally in the hand and certainly suggest a larger bow. This gives the bow a pleasant binding and the shooter good control over the bow.
 Of course, it's not just the look that impresses, the finesse of the hybrid bow also quickly convinces. No wonder, since this type of bow combines the best of two worlds: it is recognizable as a longbow at first glance  However, 54 inches is clearly too short to be a "real" longbow. However, it makes up for the lack of size with the typical feature of a recurve bow, the clearly visible reflex-deflex shape in the limbs, and thus cleverly combines the properties of a longbow with those of a longbow  recurve bow. The result is a compact bow with a soft draw, high arrow speeds and an almost complete reduction in vibrations in the handle. As is usual with a traditional longbow, the string does not touch the limbs of the hybrid bow, only the tips.