Contents
On the other hand, the Prism is a great option to get your offspring outside and away from the TV, videogames or smartphones, that consume most of their time already. I would prefer having them outside all the time and if a model like this is the thing that will get them there, so be it. Whether this is the one that will do it is another question, though, and I hope that the following review will answer it for you. See you at the end!
| iGlow 30-55 | SAS Scorpii | Leader 30-55 | SAS Rex |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |
| RH | RH | RH | RH |
| 30 - 55 lbs | 30 - 55 lbs | 30 - 55 lbs | 25 - 55 lbs |
| 19" - 29" | 19" - 29" | 19" - 29" | 20" - 29" |
| 296 fps | 260 fps | 296 fps | 240 fps |
| Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
Bow Package Contents
The Diamond Prism is based on the popular and very successful Edge series by Diamond Archery. In case you want even more adjustability, check out the Diamond Infinite Edge Pro, for example.
The Prism is available for right handed and left handend archers – if you don’t know what that means, feel free to check out my beginner’s guide here => Beginner’s Guide To Archery.
Check out versions for lefties here: Black / Purple or Breakup Country
The Prism comes set to a 26″ draw length, in a Ready To Hunt (RTH) package, which means you can literally start shooting it right away. To be honest, it needs to be adjusted to the individual archer first, to get the maximum joy out of it.
The package includes a 3 pin Axion bowsight, which is great for starting out. It is a pleasure to see a package that does not include a crappy bowsight, by the way. You need to sight the Axion in, though. If you don’t know how to do that, I have a guide about how to do it here => How To Sight In A Bowsight.
There is also a Hostage XL (brush-style like a Whisker Biscuit) arrow rest included, which works like a charm. Often other packages have crappy rests included that need to be switched out immediately, but this one works just fine. A brush style rest is good for beginners, as it holds the arrow in place quite safely. You may have to adjust it for centershot, though.
You also will get a D-loop, a tube peep sight and a black nock. You will need to a get a release aid, though. The release aid gets clipped to the D-loop for pulling the string back. It has a mechanical trigger that prevents your fingers from torquing the string and affecting the flight of the arrow badly.
You may have to check the position of the peep sight on the string, because a peep needs to be adjusted to fit the individual archer. If you don’t know how to do that, I suggest you visit a local pro shop. These guys will set the whole thing up for you for a small fee.
The Diamond Prism is avilable in several cool looking finishes:
Black / Break Up Country / Purple.
Blue / Green / Orange
What you need to buy on your own are arrows. These arrows need to fit the poundage and maximum draw length of this model and the personal draw length of the archer. Finding the right arrows is crucial for getting good results; this is more important than getting the most expensive model. If you want to read more about choosing the right arrows, I have an article about that here => Choosing The Right Arrows For An Archer.
In general I would recommend carbon arrows. Fiberglass arrows are cheaper, but they tend to break and splinter and aluminum arrows tend to bend, because they are meant to be used for target shooting, not for 3d courses or hunting.
What you never ever should do – and please tell your kids too – is shoot the Prism without an adequate arrow in place. This is called dry-firing and can destroy it and – in the worst case – injure the archer. Check out my dry firing article here => Dry Firing And What Can Happen.
And here’s why: The stored energy of a full drawn compound is relieved into the arrow after the release. If there is no arrow – or the arrow is too light for the bow’s poundage, which has the same effect – the energy goes right back into it. This can destroy limbs, cables, string and sometimes even the riser.
If you have no idea about compound bows at all so far, here are some safety recommendations:
- Always have an adequate backstop in place behind the target. 55 pounds can send the arrow downrange quite a distance and with enough power to kill. Haybales are often used as backstops, as they are very cheap.
- Never leave your gear in places with extreme temperatures (this could cause your string and cables to stretch, which affects timing). A hot car trunk or a hot attic can damage the limbs. Dampness (garage, cellar) can do the same. For storing I suggest you get a case. Such a case is good for transporting the compound to the range or field as well. Check out this one to get an idea about cases => Bowcase
- Always wax your string. Wax it before shooting the first time and from then on once a month. This will prolong its life quite significantly. Also check the string and cables for worn areas and switch ’em out before they snap.
- Never ever aim at persons or pets. With a 55 pound bow you can do some serious damage. Keep this in mind and tell your kids too!
Noise Level / Hand Shock Of The Diamond Prism Compound Bow
The Diamond Prism is very quiet, which is important for hunting, because sound travels faster than the arrow, which might warn the game that you are going for. You can add a stabilizer to bring down the noise even further. A stabilizer will balance the whole shooting process, which can result in a higher accuracy as well – provided you `ve got some skills.
There was no handshock recognizable at all.
Bow Specifics / Limbs / Riser / Grip / String
The Diamond Prism is a well made, high quality model. It seems to be really sturdy and durable; both important properties when you are hunting in the field for hours and hours, shooting from wonky tree stands or small ground blinds. It looks like it can take a lot of beating.
The riser feels pretty solid and has this waffled look (cutouts) like a lot of the other modern models available at the moment. It also has a comfortable grip that should fit a lot of hands.
The solid limbs seem to be durable and sturdy as well.
Its axle to axle length is 31″, which is quite compact. Remember the tree stands and ground blinds I mentioned before? While being out bowhunting, size does matter – a lot, actually. The more compact, the better.
A compact model is also good for kids, tweens and female adults, that don’t have big frames.
Its net weight is 3.2 lbs. Just keep in mind that this will go up if you add accessories like a stabilizer and other stuff.
The cable guard is not flimsy at all and the string stop does its job well.
Draw Cycle / Shootability
The Diamond Prism is a very powerful, accurate little beast. It is easy to use and very smooth to draw, thanks to its dual cam system.
Its draw weight ranges from 5 – 55 pounds, which is quite remarkable. Kids could use it for years without any problems, as you can adjust the poundage and the draw length as needed. The draw weight can be adjusted by tightening or loosening the bolts that connect the limbs to the riser (limb bolts). The limb bolts have markings on them, which makes adjusting a lot easier.
One full turn equals about 5 pounds. The amount of full turns needs to be the same on both limb bolts. There is also a limb bolt reference hole on the riser. So while the bow is being shot, the limb bolts should never be backed out beyond this limb bolt reference hole.
The draw length ranges from 18″ to 30″, which covers a lot of shooters. It can be adjusted by rotating the modules clockwise or counter-clockwise in 1/2 inch increments and you don’t need a bow press for doing so.
The modules have reference marks on them, the cams have indexing marks. To change the draw length, all you have to do is to rotate the module so that the indexing mark on the cam is aligned with the desired draw length and you are done.
You also can apply some blue loctite 242 to the threads before replacing them at your chosen setting.
Draw Length And Poundage Adjustment Video
Draw Length Adjustment Video
If your personal draw length exceeds the maximum setting of the Diamond Prism (30 inches), you will need a different model, because you won’t be able to shoot with proper form. If you want to know how to measure your draw length, feel free to read my guide about doing it here => How To Determine Your Draw Length.
If you want to read more about shooting with proper form, please read this => Proper Form For Compound Bow Shooting.
The let off on this one is 80%, its brace height is set to 7″. The valley feels wide enough and the back wall is quite solid.
Shooting Speed Of The Diamond Prism Compound Bow
The manufacturer states a speed of 295 fps for this great little shooter, which has been measured after the requirements of the International Bowhunting Organization (IBO).
Suitable For Hunting / Kinetic Energy (KE)
With a speed of around 295 fps and the poundage set to 55 lbs, the Diamond Prism is able to go for small game, medium game and large game, so deer shouldn’t be a problem, as the achievable kinetic energy is high enough. Just take a look at Easton’s Field Chart to get an idea about what kinetic energy is recommended for what type of game.
Keep in mind, though, that the kinetic energy drops rapidly when lowering the poundage. It also drops when using lighter arrows, when dealing with bad weather conditions or large distances. At the end of the day, it is your responsibility to do what’s proper.
And always check your state’s legal requirements for bowhunting, before doing it. The required poundages differ from state to state quite a lot.
If you want to learn more about kinetic energy for hunting, I have an article about that topic here => Kinetic Energy For Hunting.
Suitable For Bowfishing
The riser on the Diamond Prism has a lot of pre-drilled holes for attaching all kinds of accessories, so attaching a bowfishing reel should be possible. Check out the AMS Reel together with the Tidal Wave Arrow Rest.
The poundage is high enough to penetrate the water appropriately and hit the fish well.
Pricing
At a price of around 290 bucks the Diamond Prism does not look very affordable at first sight, but when you think about it, it is affordable indeed. All the accessories that come with this model are high quality add-ons that don’t need to be switched out immediately – compared to some of the other ‘affordable packages’ available.
If you want greater adjustability, please check out the Diamond Diamond Infinite Edge Pro, the Bear Archery Cruzer and the Apollo Tactical.
Pros & Cons
Pros
– great starter bow
– high quality accessories
– very adjustable
Cons
– max poundage is 55 lbs
Summary
The Diamond Prism Compound Bow is a hell of a starter model. It can be shot by kids, tweens, teens and adults – even by small built females. Its great adjustability lets it grow along with kids for years, which means you don’t have to buy a new compound every two years, because they simply cannot outgrow this one. This huge flexibility will save you a lot of money over the years.
Apart from kids and beginning archers, this one can also be shot by seasoned bowhunters, that don’t need a 70 pound compound. It is just as accurate and reliable as a lot of the higher priced models out there.
To make it short: Anybody can shoot the Prism. Period.
Thanks for reading and shoot straight!
Videos
I got these details about good quality and use some compound bow, thanks a lot