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Usability And Adjustability
The TruGlo Carbon XS is adjustable for right and left handed shooters. It is not micro adjustable, though, which means you have to make all adjustments manually. Think moving the pins and adjusting for elevation and windage.
The pins can be adjusted up or down, the sight itself can be adjusted vertically or horizontally by loosening a bolt with an Allen wrench (pins and frame then slide on the frame). A customer complained that there is not enough adjustment between the third and fourth, so he had to compensate for this while shooting, but this may be a personal thing, because I did not find more complaints about it.
By the way, if you have to set the pins low in the sight, despite having the elevation moved all the way down, you probably have installed it upside down.
You really need to be carfeful not to over tighten the windage bar, because it is made out of plastic! This can lead to bending it. If this happened once, it will happen over and over again, which means you have to adjust it over and over again. A customer thought this happenend due to cold weather conditions (7 degrees), but usually this happens when you overtighten the windage bar.
Also be aware that your gear needs to be set up correctly for the TruGlo Carbon XS to work well. If, for example, your peep is positioned incorrectly, it can happen that you will shoot below the target, even if the elevation is all the way down. Your form while shooting can also affect where you hit (anchor point too high etc.). If you want to learn more about proper form, please feel free to read my article about it here => Proper Form For Compound Shooting.
If you want to learn how to sight in a compound, I have a guide about it here => How To Sight In A Compound.
Product Features
The model itself feels quite good and sturdy due to the Tru-Touch soft feel technical coating and the construction seems to be very good compared to other plastic models. It holds zero very well and is very bright in daylight. Some guys stated they don’t use the light at all, because the pins are so bright. With a weight of under 3.5 oz this one really is an ultra lightweight model that won’t add much weight to your gear.
The rheostat light can be activated by the push of a button. It cannot be dimmed or brightened, though, which means it shines alway at the same level – but it’s very bright. For some customers it was too bright, so they dimmed it down with tape. The light needs Energizer 364 batteries. Some say it needs 392s, but these are too large to fit! A customer felt that the push to activate the light was very tricky to engage. As I did not find more comments like this, it may be a personal thing again. Some other guys replaced the light with an adjustable Spot Hogg model, because they wanted a better light.
The 4 pins glow bright in daylight under good lighting conditions. The fibers are extra long and fully protected (Tro-Flo Fiber Design). For low light moments the included light helps out significantly. Some customers complained that it is so bright that you cannot see the target anymore, so they dimmed it down with tape or turned it off completely.
I found a complaint from a customer who stated that the pins are hard to adjust but again, this was the only one who seemed to have problems adjusting. Another stated that – once adjusted – they have not moved a bit, despite him beating the hell out of his compound. This sounds quite good to me.
Just be aware that the pin slide area seems to get chewed up if you untighten and tighten the pins a couple of times while adjusting the TruGlo Carbon XS in. That’s why you really need to be carfeful while doing so and never ever over tighten anything!
The aperture has an inner diameter of 1.8″, which works very well for a 3/16 or a G5 peep and many more. The glowing ring makes aiming with a peep a breeze, while the level with 2 vertical bars makes sure that you hold your compound perfectly for every shot you make, although it could have been a bit bigger.
The circular field of view is rather large, compared to other models out there.
Finishes Of The TruGlo Carbon XS 4 Pin .019 Bow Sight
The TruGlo Carbon XS is available in three finishes: APG, Realtree and Black. The Realtree is closer to a Realtree Xtra pattern, though. The graphics are not cut clean and crisp, but rather soft.
Mounting Features
The manufacturer advertises this one with having a ‘reversible bracket for greater vertical adjustability‘. The mounting bracket seems to be pretty standard, though. It looks like most of the other models’ mounting brackets and has two screws to secure it. It will fit most compound models out there. Sometimes you might have to get longer or shorter screws, though. This might happen from time to time, as there are so many different bow models available.
You definitely will need longer screws if you want to attach a quiver, as the screws that come with the TruGlo Carbon XS are not long enough. The quiver mounts to the outside of the bracket to the visually different screw holes. The other 4 screw holes are there for mounting the sight. Apart from that it is very easy to install. Just remember to not overtighten, as the screws can dig into the plastic that holds them in place!
A customer complained that there were no instructions or a star wrench for adjusting the windage and elevation included.
Suitable For Hunting
This one is definitely suitable for bowhunting due to its bright pins and the glow ring. You only have to decide for yourself if the LED is too bright for you, as this might distract the game – or yourself, if you are not able to see it anymore in low-light conditions from time to time. If that’s the case you can always get a different light model or dim it down with some tape etc.
Product Price And Summary
At around 40 bucks you will get a good entry-level model that seems to be reliable and sturdy enough to survive the beatings of a lot of hunting trips. Considering the more than affordable price, it is a good choice if you are on a budget or just starting out in archery. Although its quality is equal to much more expensive models, it isn’t a high end sight, so don’t expect too much from it. An alternative to this one is the Trophy Ridge Volt 5-Pin sight. If you have more to spend, check out the Trophy Ridge React 5-Pin.
Thanks for reading and shoot straight!
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