Model | Draw Weight | Velocity | Suggested Arrow Length |
---|---|---|---|
Spider 150 Check Best Price | 150 lbs. | 250 FPS How to sight a crossbow? | 20" |
Pros:
- Very inexpensive crossbow
- Includes 6-pack of 20” arrows with broadheads
- Includes rope cocking device
Cons:
- Did not include all assembly hardware
- Scope prone to fogging
- Not very powerful
What’s in the Box?
Howdy, and welcome to our review of the Spider 150 lb. compound crossbow. Each package delivered by Spider includes the following items:
- The Spider 150 lb compound crossbow
- 4×32 multi reticle scope
- Assembly hardware and tools
- 6 arrow quiver
- 6 20” arrows
- Rope cocking device
- Owner’s manual
- Warranty card
Assembling the Spider
Putting a crossbow together is usually a pretty simple task for me, since I’ve assembled dozens upon dozens of them over the years. The Spider 150 lb. compound crossbow was my most difficult assembly to date, because right out of the box I was missing the parts needed to mount the scope. This problem was compounded by the fact that this crossbow is mass-manufactured in China, and getting in touch with customer service was next to impossible. Ultimately, I ended up scavenging together all of the necessary parts from other crossbows just to get the Spider assembled. Not a good start.
I finally got the bow fully assembled, which involves attaching the riser to the stock and then attaching the foot stirrup. Next, I mounted the quiver and (finally) got the scope mounted. Then I was ready to sight in the crossbow.
How’s the Accuracy and Power?
Sighting in this crossbow was more difficult than usual, because the arrows kept dropping off as the scope reset itself. I finally figured out that particular problem (loose bolt because I wasn’t using the bolts designed for the scope), and got it solved. Once I sighted in the scope, I began testing the crossbow’s accuracy.
About all I can say about the accuracy of this crossbow is that it is mediocre. My groupings from 25 yards fell within a 1” circle, and my 50 yard groupings were within 2”. This is adequate for target shooting and hunting, and it’s probably the best you can expect for such a low-budget crossbow.
The power of this crossbow is also less than stellar. The crossbow delivers arrows at 250 fps, with around 55 ft. lbs. of kinetic energy. This is much less than most of my other crossbows, but it’s still fairly respectable. I’d just expect more out of a crossbow that has a 150 lb. draw weight.
Is the Spider 150 Good for Hunting?
With just 55 ft. lbs. of kinetic energy, the Spider 150 is decent enough for deer hunting and hunting smaller game. It’s fairly heavy, though, and quite loud. The good? The crossbow is narrow enough to go through the bush without getting snagged very much, so in that respect, it is decent for stalk hunting.
Cocking The X-Bow
This crossbow has a draw weight of 150 pounds, and the draw is smooth and consistent. Spider includes a rope cocking device with the crossbow. While most grown men might scoff at the use of a rope cocking device for such a light draw weight, I strongly recommend using it. 150 pounds might be an easy draw, but the rope cocking device ensures the draw is even and consistent, which is crucial to the accuracy of any x-bow.
The Crossbow Scope
The included scope is a 4×32 multi reticle scope. As previously noted, the mounting hardware was not completely included with the crossbow, so I had to scavenge from other crossbows to get the scope mounted. Once I mounted the scope and realized one of the bolts was coming loose, I was able to get everything properly tightened down and sight in the scope.
The scope is decent quality, but the coating on the optics isn’t very good. This means you’ll have to worry about fogging during cold and/or damp weather. The scope does hold zero for quite a while, though. Light gathering capabilities of this scope are just mediocre, so I’d recommend a different scope for low-light hunting.
Bolts
The Spider comes with 2 16” arrows and 6 20” aluminum arrows. This arrows are poor quality aluminum, and broke pretty quickly on my use. I replaced them all with Firebolt carbon arrows, weighting the arrows to the required 400 grain. If you buy this crossbow and want additional arrows, 20” arrows at 400-gr will work perfectly. One definite nice thing about this bow is that it even includes halfway decent broadheads.
Safety and Design
This crossbow has a sloppy trigger pull, with far too much trigger travel. The anti-dry fire mechanism and safety, though, worked perfectly for every shot. The crossbow is heavy duty, too, and can withstand a beating. The limbs are high tech fiberglass, and the flight rail and barrel is aluminum.
Warranty
Since this crossbow is made in China and sold by various manufacturers, the warranty is going to vary. The model I received claims to have a 1 year warranty, but I was unable to contact anyone with customer service to get the missing assembly hardware shipped to me. You get what you pay for, folks.
Crossbow Review – Summary
Thanks for reading our crossbow review. The Spider 150 lbs. compound crossbow is a very inexpensive crossbow, but that economical price comes at another cost—missing hardware, poor quality, and a heavier-than-average crossbow. Take a look at Amazon.com’s great price on the Spider 150 if you’re interested.
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