Martin Diablo Review

The following Martin Diablo review was prepared by Tony Dumac

Specs

Martin Diablo	Draw	Bow Weight	Bow Length	Take-down	Rating
Check Current Price on Amazon.com	35-55 lbs.	2.75 lbs.	62"	Yes	9/10

Pro’s

• My favorite Martin recurve as of yet.
• Excellent riser with basically zero vibrations.
• Reinforced limb tips.
• Vibration vortex technology.
• Great for everyone, regardless of experience.
• Package includes stringer and other extras

Con’s

• Included arrow rest works fine, but will need replacing fairly quickly.
• Not all beginner’s will like the price.

Package Conents

The Martin Diablo was released in 2013. You’ll find the following items in every package purchased online:

• The riser
• Two limbs
• Quality FastFlight bow string
• Bow stringer
• Bow case
• Armguard & finger tab
• Arrow rest
• Limb bolts
• Owner’s manual & Martin’s warranty

The inclusion of a bow stringer is great; usually you’d need to buy one separately.

Assembly

1. Place the limbs inside the limb pockets
2. Tighten the limb-securing bolts
3. Use the included stringer to string the bow

That’s pretty much it. Takes less than 5 minutes even if you’re new to the procedure.

Quality of The Grip

• Very large and padded.
• Thermal V-grip material included, keeps the hand warmer during those winter hunts.
• Feels almost like holding a tennis racket.

Overall: as comfortable as any Martin recurve bow.

Quality of The Riser

• The riser is bridged, providing for significantly more vibration absorption than what you’ll experience with regular risers.
• Vibration vortex dampeners are installed right where the limbs connect to the riser. These help get rid of any residual energy in the limbs, reducing vibration even more.
• The sight installation hole is lower when compared to other Martin recurves. This makes shooting using a sight more accurate, as there is less of a discrepancy between where the arrow rests and where the sight pins are located.
• No aftershock and just looks plain awesome (that’s a matter of taste though).
• Feels very durable in the hand despite being light.

Overall: the best riser Martin has built for any of their recurve bows.

Quality of The Limbs

• Just like the Jaguar or Saber, the Martin Diablo limbs are laminated wood an fiberglass.
• After a few months of shooting I haven’t experienced issues with the limbs twisting or de-laminating.
• These limbs have reinforced tips, so you can feel comfortable using FastFlight strings without risking damaging the limbs.
• They have a nice texture and feel to them – very smooth and elegant.

Overall: the limbs seem awesome so far, but I’ll need to shoot this bow for another year or two before I can make up my mind.

Quality of The String

• The package already comes with a FastFlight string. These are an average of 5-10% faster than regular strings, while also being quieter and more resistant to over-stretching.
• This type of string should last a good 20000 arrows before you’ll need to replace it. Just keep the string waxed and you’ll squeeze it for all its worth.

Overall: among the finest strings you can have on a recurve bow.

Shooting Accuracy of The Diablo

• Really smooth draw makes it easier to shoot with consistency.
• Virtually zero vibration (once properly tuned) significantly increases accuracy.
• Balanced riser design makes you forget that grip torque even exists.
• If you use a bow sight, the lowered installation position will make you shoot even more accurately than on any other Martin bow.
• Hitting 40+ yard targets is more than possible with the Diablo.

Overall: the most accurate Martin recurve I’ve tested so far.

What Arrows To Get For The Martin Diablo?

Please consult our guide on choosing arrows for a recurve bow. The type of arrows you should get will depend on your draw length and your bow settings, hence I can’t give you an absolute answer. With the help of our arrow guide though, you’ll be able to easily choose arrows for any type of bow you get.

Can You Install Accessories On The Diablo?

Absolutely yes. You can install:

• Bow stabilizer
• Bow sight
• Arrow quiver
• Arrow rest / plunger

All the holes are there, so you just need to buy the accessories you want and attach them.

Is The Martin Diablo Good For Beginners?

The Martin Diablo is great for both beginners and advanced shooters. A few things beginners will like:

• Very easy to aim and shoot; will make it a pleasure to practice and improve your technique.
• Is not heavy at all.
• Changing draw weight as you improve is easy due to the take-down design.
• Affordable price and fantastic value for the money.
• Very smooth and easy to draw.

How Good Is The Diablo For Hunting?

• Being one of the quietest recurves I’ve ever shot, you’ll have an advantage over your prey in the field.
• The limb lamination does not deteriorate in misty conditions or bad weather.
• Sniping your target from as far as 40 yards won’t be an issue at all with some practice.
• Light weight and relatively short length – easy to travel with.

Your Diablo will need to have enough draw weight, depending on what type of game you’re hunting:

1. 40 lbs. or more for deer and smaller game.
2. 45 lbs. or more for elk hunting.
3. 55 lbs. and more for the largest game in the world.

Try to take your shot from no more than 40, and preferably 30 or less yards away. This is mostly to make sure you properly hit your target, but also to ensure your arrow will carry enough kinetic energy to pass through the animal’s body. The more distance an arrow covers, the lower its kinetic energy will be.

Where To Buy The Martin Diablo?

If you’re shopping online, check today’s price on Amazon.com. If you know another reliable store with a better deal, please contact me so I can include that information over here. Thanks for reading this review!