Samick Sage Review

This Samick Sage review was written by expert John Kopiecki.

Specs

Samick Sage	Draw	Bow Weight	Bow Length	Take-down	Rating
Check Current Price on Amazon.com	30-55 lbs.	3.39 lbs.	62"	Yes	8.9/10

Pro’s

• Nothing beats the price.
• Low-maintenance and easy tuning.
• Excellent bow for any beginner.

Con’s

• No padding around the grip.
• A little bit of hand shock, though not enough to make this a real con. (Still thought I’d mention it.)

Package Contents

The Samick Sage package (link goes to Amazon.com) contents have changed a bit over the years. As of August 2013, you can expect to find the following items inside the box:

• The Samick Sage riser
• Two limbs with securing bolts
• Bow string
• String wax
• Owner’s manual
• Warranty card

A stringer and arrows do not come with the package, so make sure to get those as well.

Assembling The Samick Sage

Assembly is as simple as with any take-down recurve bow:

1. Attach the limbs to the riser. Each limb attaches via one bolt (included with the package) – there is no need for an Allen key.
2. Use a stringer to attach the bow string.

While it’s possible to string a bow without using a stringer, this can easily result in a serious injury – avoid it at all costs.

Quality of The Grip

• The grip is average in size and will suit small and medium-sized hands very well.
• Ergonomic shape – you won’t feel any pain in your bow hand at full draw.
• There’s no thermal material around the grip, so it can feel somewhat cold depending on the weather. This isn’t as big of a deal though as the riser is made out of wood rather than aluminum.

Overall: comfortable grip, though I would have liked some padding material.

Quality of The Riser

• 100% made out of wood – laminated Hard Maple and Olive Dymonwood give the riser a really beautiful and elegant look.
• The finish is exquisite and very shiny, but doesn’t reflect too much light (a big plus).
• The riser has a cut-past-center shelf. As a result, the bow will be much easier to tune and will accept all types of bow arrows.
• It isn’t too long, so there’s a slight hand-shock to be felt when shooting. Definitely not enough to make it uncomfortable though.

Overall: the construction does wooden risers great justice, though I would have liked the riser to be a little longer (at the expense of shorter limbs).

Quality of The Limbs

• The limbs can be detached from the riser by unscrewing the bolts (you only need your fingers to do that).
• Laminated hard maple and black fiber glass. Good lamination and the limbs are durable overall – no twisting or layer separation.
• The limb tips are strengthened with Phenolic plastic for more durability when using FF bow strings.

Overall: solid limbs that will last for years if not abused.

Quality of The String

• The string is decent and quite fast – should last more or less 10000 arrows.
• Since the limb tips are reinforced, I recommend getting the FastFlight string and using it instead of the one provided with the Sage. FF strings will give you a boost in shooting speed as well as overal shooting consistency.
• Buy a bow stringer so you can attach and replace the string quickly and safely. A stringer should not cost you more than $10.

Overall: solid string for any beginner. More experienced shooters should upgrade to an FF Flemish string.

Shooting Accuracy of The Samick Sage

• 62″ total length gives the Sage an edge accuracy-wise over shorter recurve bows, which are often 58″-60″ long.
• Somewhat heavy (3.4 lbs.) for a recurve, so if you’re used to lighter bows you’ll need a few days to get used to the extra weight; during that phase, your accuracy will not be optimal.
• Comfortable grip equates to more comfortable aiming.
• While there is a bit of hand shock during the shot, there’s not enough vibration for any noticeable accuracy problems to occur.
• No issues hitting 30-40 yard targets (with 40 or more lbs. of draw).

Overall: accurate beyond anything a beginner might hope for.

What Arrows To Get For The Samick Sage

Please consult our arrow selection guide to figure out the length and type of arrows to get for the Samick Sage, based on your draw length and a few other details. Arrow selection is not a science and there will always be a lot of trial and error involved before you will find something that suits your individual style and needs perfectly. Our arrow guide will hopefully steer you in the right direction and help select your first arrows quickly.

Does The Samick Sage Accept Accessories?

The Samick Sage does indeed accept accessories, which isn’t always the case for bows in this price range. I’ve installed a bow stabilizer and a bow sight with no issues, however you can also add an arrow rest or quiver if you want to.

Is The Sage Good For Beginners?

The Samick Sage is perfect for inexperienced archers:

• It’s the cheapest quality recurve bow on the market.
• Take-down bows are a favorite among beginners worldwide, as it lets you change the draw weight by simply purchasing new limbs and without having to replace the whole bow.
• Great accuracy at any distance beginners might be interested in.
• Easy tuning means a novice won’t need to worry as much about the bow’s settings and can instead focus on practicing.

Is This Bow Good For Hunting?

Most recurve bows are suitable for hunting, as long as you have enough draw weight:

1. You’ll need 40 lbs. to hunt for deer and smaller game.
2. You’ll need 45 lbs. or more to hunt for elk.
3. For larger games, 55 lbs. or more will be required.

As for the bow itself and hunting:

• I recommend installing whisker silencers on the string. The bow is overall pretty quiet, but in a hunting scenario a bow can never bee too quiet.
• As mentioned earlier, the Sage weighs 3.4 lbs. Make sure you have enough endurance to carry it for an extended time while on your hunting trip. 3.4 lbs. might not sound like much, but it can start to fell quite heavy after 5 hours in the field.
• Measure your hunting blind (if you use one) to see if the 62″ Sage will be easy to move around inside. Some blinds are small enough that you can barely fit a 58″ bow.

Where To Buy The Samick Sage?

As always, check out Amazon.com’s current price on the bow first. Since the Samick Sage has been on the market for a while, you should also be able to get a used one if you look online – although we don’t recommend getting a used bow if you’re a beginner archer, without enough knowledge to assess the condition of a used weapon.

Thanks for reading this review. Have fun with your Sage!