Goodbye to Parker Bows
Equipment
Well, it’s a damn shame... Another excellent bow manufacturer bites the dust. Not the first......won’t be the last.....but this one hits home for me. Bought a Parker UltraLite-31 back in January of 2002. Still shooting it today. When this one croaks, I’ll have to buy from another company.....
But I recall Xi.....Pearson and a few others that were the bee’s knees in the 80s. Almost all contributed SOMETHING unique to the industry.....designs incorporated into all modern bows then or even now, still.
I personally think Parker raised the platform for customer support and product guarantee.......the one area that guaranteed my loyalty. So, yeah, I’m sad to see them go.
I received an email today that they are selling left handed bows for $99 if anyone is looking.
Mmm.....Not sure of the back story on that, but I recall hearing that the guy who started Parker had worked for Mathews previously and had some sort of falling out. NO idea regarding the veracity or accuracy of that story, but would like to know for curiosity’s sake.
Bob Errett started Parker. He worked for Bear Archery at one time, don't think he had any connection to Mathews.
Bob passed away a few years ago and his wife ran the company since then.
Yeah, When Onieda kicked the bucket way back when I shed a tear....NOT!!!!
A guy had to be part bow mechanic spare parts warehouse to own one of those things!
In fact, when they came back under new ownership mostly catering to the bowfishing crowd...I was a little shocked....but it made sense as the heavy fish arrows didn't tear up that design and they were always nice to draw. They still have a cult following...maybe Parker will do the same.
Would you buy one now knowing no warranty or service. Thinking about getting a crossbow for my daughter to shoot.
I have been shooting hunting bows since 1975 (49 years). Can't remember how many bows I have owned during that time. What I can tell you is of all those bows I have owned, only 2 ever had warranty issues. Both were limb failures. One was a Mathews that split, the other was a Martin that de-laminated. That was over 20 years ago for one bow and longer for the other. With that kind of history, I tend to think that warranties are over rated. Good to have if you ever need them, but in my case, not worth worrying about when it comes to purchasing a bow. I would not hesitate purchasing a Parker bow without a warranty if I really wanted it. Based upon my history with bows, the likely hood of ever needing it would be pretty slim.
