Limbs UUkha VX1000 XCurve review

Hi folks,

For what it's worth here is my perspective on UUKHA VX1000 Xcurve limbs after around 5 weeks playing.

This is my perception and I am sure other people using these limbs will have a totally different experience. I have tried to remain objective.

Kit:

My bow is a Hoyt Prodigy Formula 27" with medium UUKHA VX1000 Xcurv 42# limbs and Formula adapters. I use an AGF technic-15 sight, Beiter button, Beiter centraliser stablisers and a shibuya quick release V 'bar' block.

I have had top and bottom rod limb bushes specially-made (see my post in the general forum). Adding top and bottom rods is not necessary - it's just a personal feel thing.

My string is 8125 and 20 strand equiv. I presently have the poundage wound right down with 42-43# on my fingers - will add a few pounds over the summer. My arrows are 31.5" ACE 470s with heavy points and inserts.

Review:

Firstly the limbs are finished superbly in matt charcoal - I like that the markings are 3D, standing slightly proud of the limb surface. The limb bags seem pretty cheap and flimsy to me. The Formula adapters were easy to fit.

Take care however, you must ensure the adapter joining screws are fully tightened and add thread-loc. Despite firm tightening, my screws loosened and parted without warning at full draw - mildly injuring my wrist and shoulder.

The limbs are tricky to string because they have an extreme curve - I made a stringer slightly longer than normal stringer by joining 2 together. The top limb section is a Hoyt stringer and the bottom end is a simple small leather cup type I had lying around that just happens to fit the limb end perfectly. It's still a hairy experience stringing the bow - but again you get used to it.

Personally I found that the limbs are VERY sensitive to bracing height, tiller and arrow spine matching aspects of tuning. It took a long while to find the sweet spot - For me it's 3/8" positive tiller and just less than 8.5" BH. Nock is a full 1/4 inch - it will be a lot different for others.

It's worth the effort though because once you find the sweet-spot these are VERY rewarding and fun limbs to shoot. I found that anything outside of the sweet-spot results in groups disappearing completely.

I agree with the advertising blurb that the initial pre-draw makes you wonder if the limbs are more powerful than marked - the string feels very difficult to start to pull until you get used to this. As soon as the draw proper starts however, you realise that they draw very smoothly all the way back with little stacking.They are not massively different to 'normal' limbs, but it is noticeable.

On release, I find that the limb are what I would call very 'lively' - a bit like the old Yamaha Super Ceramics, which I loved and miss. The monolithic construction is also like the old Yamaha SCs (not the older red/silver laminated ceramic carbons). This was one reason for my selecting them, since I always thought the Yammy-SCs were the best limbs ever made.

The UUKHAs are very fast and recover quickly with any vibration and oscillation quickly disappearing - this stability gives the limbs a very 'snappy' feel. They are not the quietest limbs when shooting ACEs - but by no means too loud - a kind of sharp, but subdued 'crack'. Shoot alloys however and the bow is ultra quiet - almost like a stealth bow.

In my opinion the limbs are not forgiving at all. By which I mean they won't cover your mistakes and a bad shot will miss the aiming point by a decent margin. This in my opinion is not a bad thing. I like the honesty of these limbs and I want to easily detect errors. These limbs help here, with excellent and transparent feedback when you get it wrong. This will help me to refine my technique.

As for Power - my F4 40# struggled to reach 100yds with my sight at 9 inch extension and set so low it was very close to fouling the arrow. This was with limb power at around 75% fully wound in - giving around 43-44# on my fingers.

Whereas the UUKHA 42# limbs at minimum poundage setting - so around 41-42# on my fingers - reach 100 yds with my sight at 14.5 inch extension and a good 1.5" or more clearance above my arrow. This is a major difference. In retrospect I should have gone for 40# UUKHAs or maybe even 38#s - ah well we are where we are.

I am still getting used to these limbs and still trying to get my timing right on my shots. They do pull through the final part of the draw so smoothly it can catch me out still. But my good shots are showing much tighter groups than with my F4s and Quattros. Typically I get 4-5 good shots each end, with a group about a hand-span across at 100yds (I have hands like shovels). Bad shots being outer-blue/black at 100yds. The group is moving around target in the red/gold/inner-blue territory - but that is my variability in timing carrying through to all the shots each end - bad form and poor clicker technique.

To summarise, tuning the bow-arrow system was frustrating; but, now that that is completed and I am just shooting the bow, I am really starting to appreciate these superb limbs - more and more each session. They take no prisoners - but personally I like their brutal honesty. I think they will suit me fine - and can't wait to really settle in with them.

So I am now looking forward to seeing if it's possible to come back into a sport in your mid-60s to rediscover the performance from your 30s and 40s(some hope).

Bowman this year - next year let's see.

Anyways - just my 2p - and just my opinion - no doubt others will have found differently about these limbs.

Cheers

Al
 

Rik

Supporter
Supporter
regarding stringing: I have a pair of Border Hex7s and I found their advice useful.
It's simply to use both feet on the stringer. You put one nearer the saddle end of the stringer and one central. This places the angle of the stringer better to deal with the curve.

It still took a little practice, mind you. The stringer they supplied may also help (flat webbing type, rather than cord).
 
regarding stringing: I have a pair of Border Hex7s and I found their advice useful.
It's simply to use both feet on the stringer. You put one nearer the saddle end of the stringer and one central. This places the angle of the stringer better to deal with the curve.

It still took a little practice, mind you. The stringer they supplied may also help (flat webbing type, rather than cord).
Thanks Rik - this is very helpful - I made my stringer a little longer so that I could part my feet a little more to help the angles - but I never thought of taking this mod to the extent you describe - so I may untie my homemade job and extend a little more to try the technique you describe - cheers.

For what its worth, whilst I think the Yammy SCs were peerless in their day - before I discovered those, my favourites were Border limbs - especially the from the late 1980s and the early 1990s. And this time around it was a very close thing between the UUkhas and a set of Hex's - both superb limbs.

cheers
 

RonH79

New member
Hi Al,

Many thanks for taking to time to write such a thorough review on these limbs.
These limbs have been on my short list for my next upgrade, and reading your review they sound every bit as good as they look :)

Regards
Ron
 

steve Morley

New member
Good review

My friend bought a set and tried them for a 4-5 days, impressive limbs, a little aggressive and can be unforgiving but think if your Form is above average it wont be an issue. It took my friend a couple of months to settle into these limbs, he's just starting to shoot nice scores with them. Timo Leskinen from Finland has shot some awesome Indoor BB scores with 1000's and is current WA3D Euro champ, IFAA Indoor World champ and record holder with 297 score.


I got myself some MK1440's the same time, way slower (and cheaper) than the 1000's, MK's are silky smooth all through the draw where the 1000's feel very stiff and smooth out half way through the draw and a more aggressive shot reaction, the uneventful shot reaction of the MK's installs more confidence in my shooting. Given time I'm sure I could make the 1000's work but I'm happy with what I got.
 

Geophys

Member
I shoot a set of Uukha X-curves on a Smartriser, a match made in heaven to me. I find they are particularly good at the end of a long shoot where the ease through the clicker is very noticeable. The whole bow system has a complete lack of drama, with no vibration after the shot, just draw, click, release and the bow falls forward, as I said no drama. Going from Ex-Powers, within a week I was getting PBs on all of my rounds. They are incredibly quick, with much better sight marks than the same poundage EPs. Absolutely love them.

 

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