Contents
Bow Package Contents
This one is available for right handed archers only at the moment (means you are holding it with your left hand and you pull the string back with your right). It comes fully assembled – you only have to put the sight and the arrow rest on yourself – set to its maximum settings: 55 lbs draw weight and 29″ draw length. If your own draw length exceeds 29″ you need to get a different model. If you want to learn more about measuring your draw length, check out this guide how to do it here => How To Determine Your Draw Length.
Alternatives
| SAS Scorpii 30-55 | Vortex Hunter | Leader 30-55 | AW Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |
| RH | RH | RH | RH |
| 30 - 55 lbs | 45 - 60 lbs | 30 - 55 lbs | 20 - 70 lbs |
| 19" - 29" | 26" - 30" | 19" - 29" | 17" - 29" |
| 260 fps | 280 fps | 296 fps | 320 fps |
| Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
The iGlow 30-55 is probably manufactured by Man Kung, a Taiwan based company that’s been in biz since 1988, manufacturing high quality parts and components for the well known American big brands, so from a manufacturing point of view I wouldn’t worry too much that this model is made overseas. Just look at its big brother, another one from iGlow that has been a best seller on Amazon for some time now => iGlow Compound Bow.
You will get a rather simple single pin sight together with this one but with very affordable models like this, you just can’t expect to get the latest bowsight from Trophy Ridge or one of the other established brands – which is not a problem at all, in my opinion. You need to cut the cost somewhere, right? Just start shooting with this one and upgrade to a better one when you’re ready. You can also check out our bowsight reviews here => Bowsight Reviews.
If you want to learn more about how to sight in a compound, I have a guide about it here => How To Sight In A Compound Bow.
You will switch out the no name arrow rest that comes with the iGlow 30-55, though, as it is a cheap one – and it performs cheaply too. So if you want to shoot accurately right from the beginning, I would suggest you get a good brush style rest like a Whisker Biscuit or a good drop away rest. There are plenty available and we will start reviewing them soon! As the arrow rest affects the flight of the arrow a lot, and thus your accuracy, it is crucial that you get a good one right from the start. A Whisker Biscuit would be a good choice, as it holds the arrow in place, so you could shoot even from awkward angles, which might happen from time to time when you’re out in the field bowhunting.
Apart from the sight and the rest, there are 2 Allen keys included that you need for adjusting the poundage and the draw length.
The iGlow 30-55 is available in 4 finishes: Black, Green, God’s Country Late Season Camouflage, Tree Camouflage.
Now let’s talk a bit about what’s not included:
There’s no quiver, but there are a lot of pre-drilled standardized holes in the riser to add one. A bow mounted quiver would be a good choice, especially for bowhunters, as carrying around a hip quiver or a back quiver can be a pain in the ass while bowhunting in the woods. Target shooters might be happy with one of those, though.
Another advantage is that the additional weight may increase your accuracy as well, because it stabilizes the overall shooting process, kinda like a stabilizer, but not as heavy
There is also no peep sight included, but the string is splittable, so you can add one that fits you and your way of shooting. A peep sight may increase your accuracy as well, because with one installed, you are able to shoot the compound like a gun, aiming through peep and bowsight.
What you might want to take a look at as well is a D-loop and a release aid. The D-loop needs to be tied in where the nocking point would go (depending on brace height and the draw length setting of the bow).
The release aid, which needs to be clipped to the D-loop for pulling the string back, will take your fingers out of the equation, which is a big thing for being more accurate. Your fingers might torque the string while releasing it, affecting the flight of the arrow massively and missing the target in the worst case. The release aid has a mechanical trigger, that acts a bit like pulling the trigger of a gun. No torquing the string anymore.
But to be honest, there are of course a lot of guys finger shooting these kinds of models, and they are happy as well, so it’s often more of a personal decision you have to make.
What you definitely need to add is a good stabilizer, otherwise the iGlow is just too loud for bowhunting. Which size you’ll need depends on your style of shooting and what feels most comfortable to you while shooting. In general, a good stabilizer balances the whole shooting process, resulting in a higher overall accuracy and a better form. If you want to learn more about shooting with proper form, please feel free to read my article about it here => Proper Form For Compound Shooting.
There are of course no arrows included as well. Finding the right arrows is more important than anything when it comes to archery. It’s as important for recurve shooters as it is for compound shooters. If the arrow won’t fit you and your model, you won’t hit a thing. It’s as easy as that.
Check if your model demands a minimum weight for arrows. Shooting with arrows that are too light might have the same effect as dry firing it, resulting in damaged gear. Check out my article about dry firing here => Dry Firing.
In general, I would advise you get some good carbon arrows. Aluminum are good as well, but they tend to bend. Fiberglass arrows are cheap but crap. If you want to learn more about choosing good arrows, please read my guide here => Choosing The Right Arrows.
There are basic instructions included. I doubt that these are enough for a beginner, so either check out some Youtube videos that show you what you want to learn, or go to a pro shop. Those guys will set the whole compound up for you for free or for a small fee and it does not hurt to see these things being done by someone who knows what he’s doing before trying them on your own the next time.
There are no charts for draw weights or draw lengths included.
The iGlow 30-55 can definitely be used by teens and adults. Because of its compact size, females should be able to handle it good as well. Tweens on the stronger side might be able to use it too and it will grow along with them for some years, if you buy it when they are still young enough.
If you want really flexible models for your tweens that can be adjusted from 5 to 70 pounds and will grow along with them for years, check out the Diamond Infinite Edge Pro or the Bear Archery Cruzer. But expect higher prices for these models too.
Noise Level / Hand Shock Of The iGlow 30-55 Compound Bow
Without adding a stabilizer the iGlow 30-55 is just too loud. It has a string stop, which does its job well, but adding a good stabilizer will make it way more balanced and will reduce noise and vibrations significantly. You also could add additional limb silencers, but for me, the stabilizer would be the most important add-on to get rid of the noise.
Also check for loose screws and – if you find some – tighten them with loctite, otherwise they will add to the vibrations while shooting.
There was no handshock noticeable at all.
Bow Specifics / Limbs / Riser / Grip / String
The iGlow 30-55 is a very well manufactured model. It feels solid and durable, just like the models of the big brands. It has a very well machined aluminum riser with cutouts for a modern look and weight reduction. Its compression molded fiberglass limbs seem to be durable as well. Those are split limbs, by the way, sitting in back pivoting limb pockets.
My impression was that the iGlow 30-55 is able to take some beating – especially while hunting in the field, tree stands and ground blinds, which means you get quite some bang for your buck.
The cams are made from aluminum as well.
Its axle to axle length is just 28″, which makes it a very compact model. Bowhunters will love it for that, as it makes maneuvering in the woods just easy. Think of wonky tree stands or small ground blinds too! Its small size makes it also a good option for female archers.
Its net weight of 3.3 lb is okay. With all necessary accessories added it may be well over 4 pounds, but that’s still manageable.
Draw Cycle / Shootability
The iGlow 30-55 is really smooth to draw because of the flawlessly working dual cam system and shoots – provided you got good add-ons, a proper form and some skills – very accurately. It is dead on and and handles longer distances quite well – you can nail targets up to 60 yards.
The poundage ranges from 30 to 55 lbs and can be adjusted with an Allen wrench by loosening or tightening the limb bolts that connect the limbs to the riser. Just be careful when backing them out and don’t overdo it, or the iGlow 30-55 might fall apart pretty violently. It’s under a lot of tension all the time.
One full turn adjusts the poundage approximately 5 lbs up or down. To measure the draw weight exactly, you would need a bow scale, though. Keep the amount of full turns the same on each bolt. If you are in doubt, tighten to the maximum and start over from there.
The draw length ranges from 19″ to 29″ and can be adjusted by removing the screws in the cams, rotating the modules and tightening them again. Both cams need the same settings! A bow press is definitely not needed for adjusting. The big draw length range does make this one a good option for tweens too.
Its let-off of 70% is quite normal. The valley feels wide enough and the back wall is quite solid. The brace height is 7.5″.
Shooting Speed Of The iGlow 30-55 Compound Bow
According to iGlow the shooting speed of the 30-55 is 296+ fps. As there are no details given how this speed was measured, I would take it with a grain of salt. Heavier arrows make a model like this significantly slower, bowhunters tend to use heavier arrows, go figure.
A good standard for measuring speed are the requirements of the International Bowhunting Organization (IBO), but those were definitely not used here.
If you can reach 296 fps with decent arrows with a 55 pound shooter that’s really good, though.
Suitable For Hunting / Kinetic Energy (KE)
55 pounds should be enough to go for deer. I wouldn’t dare to try Elk etc., but small, medium and large game should be possible.
Just take a look at Easton’s Field Chart to get an impression of how much kinetic energy you need for what type of game.
If you want to learn more about kinetic energy for bowhunting, I have an article about it here => Kinetic Energy For Bowhunting.
Suitable For Bowfishing
You should be able to attach a bowfishing reel to the iGlow 30-55 because of all the standardized pre-drilled holes in the riser. The poundage is way enough to penetrate the water and hit the fish with the right amount of power.
If you are the MacGyver type you could drill your own holes, of course, but that means ‘Goodbye Warranty’ for sure.
Pricing
For around 120 bucks you will get a very well made, durable and reliable model, that will serve you well for years to come. Just invest in good accessories and this thing will be deadly accurate, performing exactly as models that cost three times as much and more.
If you want to spend more, you could take a look at the Diamond Infinite Edge Pro, the Bear Archery Cruzer or the Diamond Core.
Pros & Cons
Pros
– very affordable and reliable
– can keep up with more expensive models
Cons
– sight and rest are crap
– you need to invest in better accessories to make it shine
Summary
The iGlow 30-55 Compound Bow is a very good option if you don’t want to break the bank completely to get into archery. It is also a good option as a backup for seasoned bowhunters or if you need one for a buddy that wants to join you in the field for a weekend.
It is a very well made, durable and reliable model that can take a lot of beating and won’t let you down. Females and bowhunters will appreciate its compact size, tweens and teens will love its power and performance.
To really make it shine you will need to invest in additional good accessories, though, and there is no way around that. But if you do this, you can transform it into a really mean little monster!
Thanks for reading and shoot straight!
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