Contents
Bow Package Contents
Dear parents, if you have no knowledge about these bows so far and want to get a basic understanding about them, I suggest you read my beginner’s guide here => Beginner’s Guide To Compound Bows.
This one is made in the USA by Brennan Industries. It comes ready to shoot out of the box and is available in a version for left-handed and right-handed archers. This model is a high quality one that leaves a lot of the cheap competitor models behind. This Quality has its price, though.
The big brother of this one, called the ‘Original’, is the official model of the National Archery In The Schools Program and is used by thousands of pupils across the country. The Mini is made with the same quality. The only difference is, that it is meant to be used by very young archers (3 – 8 years). That’s why it is a bit smaller in length and draw weight.
The original flipper arrow rest is not bolted onto the riser and keeps falling off from time to time. Therefore it would be a good idea to get a Whisker Biscuit as a replacement, because a ‘brush-style’ arrow rest like this makes it easier for the little ones to keep the arrow in place while pulling back the string. A lot of children struggle with keeping the arrows on the rest while trying to draw the string back at the same time. A Whisker Biscuit makes everything easier for them.
For adjusting the draw weight and draw length you get a 3/16 Hex wrench. Adjusting is very easy as you will see further below.
The one year non-transferable warranty against defects in materials and workmanship to the original owner is valid from the date of purchase. It is not transferable and you need to keep your receipt for claiming it. Items not covered are the string and cables and all moveable parts like the arrow rest and other accessories. If you misuse or modify the product – think drilling holes into it or dry firing it – the warranty gets voided. Dry firing means shooting without an arrow. Please read my article about it here => Dry Firing A Compound.
This model is available in many colors:
You could add a bowsight to this one but I suggest you keep it simple. A single pin sight should be enough for children at that young age. Maybe get a three pin sight, take two of them out and sight it in for 10 yards. Here’s a guide for sighting in a product like this one => How To Sight In A Compound.
But to be honest, I wouldn’t add a sight. It’s just another fancy thing that distracts them from concentrating on proper form and simply having fun. Never heard the term ‘proper form’ before? Then read my article about it here => Proper Form For Shooting.
What I would do is to install a real nocking point to the string (it comes with a temporary nocking point). A nocking point is a small metal ring that indicates where the arrow has to be nocked in. It is a very important reference point for the whole shooting cycle, as it is necessary to nock the arrow in at the same spot over and over again. This way the young archer has consistency, which will lead to accuracy over time and practice (before adding one you need to have an arrow rest in place, as this will determine its position on the string as well).
An alternative for the nocking point are ‘no-gloves’. These are finger rollers that you can install onto the string. They are moveable, though, so you might have to fix them with tape at the correct position on the string. Apart from that they are quite handy, because they act as finger savers at the same time, so your offspring does not have to wear an archery glove to protect his or her fingers.
If your kid wants to shoot with a release aid instead of with his or her fingers, you need to install a D-loop onto the string. You need it for pulling back the string with the release aid. A mechanical release aid prevents the fingers of your children from twisting the string at the release, which might badly affect the flight of the arrow (A release aid has a trigger like a gun). But again, maybe this is too fancy at that young age and shooting with their fingers is not that complicated and keeps things simple, which means more fun for them.
There are no arrows included. I would use the official Easton Genesis arrows (1820), because they were designed to work with this line of bows. They are made of aluminum – which is already a lot better than fiberglass – and will fit this one perfectly. Just be careful that the index feather points outward (away from the riser) when your kid nocks the arrow in, otherwise the fletchings might get ripped off.
What you need to get as well is a proper arm guard. This will protect the forearm of your children from string slaps that can happen from time to time. String slaps are a sign that there is something wrong while shooting. If they happen all the time, your son or daughter is not shooting with proper form, so better check his or her shooting process. Because string slaps can hurt a lot and leave ugly bruises on their forearms, it is safer to prevent those from happening in the first place. You don’t want your kiddos to be afraid of the product, do you? Because this means going back to the TV or video games faster than you might think.
Genesis Mini Compound Bow Kit
There is also a Kit available. This kit includes the following items:
- The compound bow.
- A belt tube quiver, which is basically a hip quiver. It is okay for starting out but kids at that young age usually won’t use it anyway. They like to keep things simple and focus on having fun.
- An adjustable arm guard. Like I explained above already, this one will protect your kiddos’ forearm from getting string slaps.
- 5 aluminum arrows. These are Easton Genesis 2 (1820) quality youth arrows.
- A 3/16“ hex wrench for adjusting and an owner’s manual.
This kit is an option if you want to start shooting as soon as possible without having to buy all the needed extras on your own.
Just click the image below to check it out!
Noise Level / Hand Shock Of The Genesis Mini Compound Bow
This model sounds quite normal. It’s for kids, so there’s no point in silencing it down as it was never meant to be used for hunting. There is also no recognizable hand shock.
Bow Specifics / Limbs / Riser / Grip / String
This one is, as the whole line, made of great quality (That’s what ‘made in America’ usually stands for). It is solidly built, feels sturdy and is made from a lot of high quality components that will take a lot of beating from your kids without giving up. It’s flexible and adjustable, which makes it an even better choice for young archers.
The 6061-T6 aluminum riser is smoothly machined, drilled and tapped for all the available standard accessories available. It has a molded competition grip that should fit a lot of small hands and a durable cam and idler wheel made from aluminum too. The limbs are made from a modern composite material and feel durable as well.
Its axle to axle (ATA) length is 29.5″, which makes it a pretty compact model, specifically designed with kids in mind. The net weight of only 2 pounds supports the overall design, so that the youngsters can carry it around for hours while being outside without getting tired too soon.
The single cam system works smoothly and reliably, without the archer having to mess around with it all the time.
The cable guard works reliably as well and the high-strength bowstring will last for some time – provided you wax it regularly. I would suggest you get some wax and wax it before using the Genesis Mini for the first time. After that, you need to wax the string and cables regularly. This will prevent it from getting worn areas too fast. If you find frayed areas you need to replace string and cables immediately.
One disadvantage of the high-strength bowstring is, that you are not able to serve a peep sight (rear sight) in, as it is not splittable. On the other hand, I don’t think that children that young need a peep served in. Remember the fancy things I mentioned above already? Same kind of thing.
Draw Cycle / Shootability
Overall this model is – thanks to the single cam system – easy to draw and very accurate – provided your kid has some skills. 3″ groups are possible up to 10 and 15 yards. The large centershot area supports the young archers and makes shooting a bit easier for them as well.
The draw weight range is from 6 to 12 lbs. For adjusting you need the provided Allen wrench. By loosening the limb bolts you can decrease the draw weight, tightening increases it. One full turn equals approximately 1.4 lbs. The maximum number of full turns is 7. I would suggest you stay with 6, because if you back out the limb bolts too far, the whole thing can fall apart rather violently, because compounds are under a lot of tension all the time. Please make sure that the number of full turns is the same on each bolt. If you are unsure about that, tighten to the max and start over from there.
The draw length covers a range from 14″ to 25″. It is not adjustable.
These compounds are known for having a zero let off. This means there is no back wall, so a lot of different people can use them without having to adjust the draw length all the time, but you have to hold the full peak weight all the time as well, like with a recurve.
The brace height is 6 1/8″, which is pretty normal for a model like this.
Shooting Speed Of The Genesis Mini Compound Bow
As this is meant to be shot by kids, there is no data concerning speed given, which is not important at all anyway, in my opinion. They should have fun with it, that’s all.
Suitable For Hunting / Kinetic Energy (KE)
With such a low draw weight this model is not suitable for hunting any game. It won’t meet the legal requirements of any state in the USA concerning bowhunting and it simply is way too weak for hunting anything. It was designed for fun and target practice in the first place, though, so there’s nothing to wonder about.
Suitable For Bowfishing
Because you can attach a bowfishing reel to the Genesis Mini easily, you can try to bowfish with it. The 12 lbs max may be a bit weak for penetrating the water and hitting the fish well, though.
Pricing
At around 150 bucks the Mini is not cheap, but you get what you pay for and you won’t regret it in this case. It’s made in the USA, after all. You could take a look at the Barnett Tomcat, the Bear Archery Scout or the Crosman Upland. All are targeted at the same audience, but the Genesis Mini just shines qualitywise.
Pros & Cons
Pros
– made in the USA
– high quality
Cons
– none
Summary
The Genesis Mini Compound Bow is recommended for children at the age of 3 to 8 years. Some older kids like shooting it as well, but those are often of a smaller build. I would suggest that older kids should take a look at the Genesis Original, the Barnett Vortex or – if you have to spend a bit more – the Diamond Atomic.
This model is an especially good option for first timers, who are just starting their journey into the world of archery. With it they can master the basic shooting techniques and learn how to deal with a compound like this in a safe and responsible way, until they upgrade to a more powerful model later.
Thanks for reading and shoot straight!
Genesis Mini Videos
Do you have a whisker biscuit that you’d recommend adding to the mini? I do not like the arrow rest they put on the mini!
Thanks!