First Look: Mathews Creed XS

As one of the leading bow manufacturers in the world, it's always big news when Mathews releases a new bow. It's an even bigger story when we're talking about the new flagship bow for the year. The Mathews Creed XS was recently launched and is the company's premiere offering for 2014. Mathews also launched the Monster Chill R, which features a longer axle-to-axle length and an additional 20 fps.

The Creed XS features a compact profile with the forgiveness and accuracy every serious bowhunter demands. The Creed XS also features SimPlex Single Cam technology, which delivers a smooth draw cycle and tack-driving accuracy. North American Whitetail editor Pat Hogan got his hands on the Creed XS before today's product launch and was able to give us a first look of Mathews' newest offering.

From the Field

If you loved the compactness of the Mathews DXT, the overall performance of the Z7 or the smoothness of the Creed, then Mathews' latest edition is not going to disappoint. With an axle-to-axle length of just 28 inches and a middle-of-the-road brace height of 7 1/2 inches, the Creed XS provides a combination of maneuverability, balance and forgiveness, without sacrificing accuracy or speed.

Mathews managed to ship a Creed XS to me the day before I left for a month-long hunting trip, and knowing that I wouldn't have much time to spend getting used to the bow, I wasn't sure if I would feel confident enough to carry it into the woods. I was mistaken.From the first time I picked up the Creed XS, I was totally at ease with the bow in my hand. After a few tweaks to ensure my center-shot was on point, I had the Creed XS grouping inside of an inch at 30 yards. Suffice it to say I will be carrying Mathews newest bow with me in the field for the rest of the season. Stay tuned for NAW TV's first kill with the all-new Mathews Creed XS.