The latest iteration of the SF/WNS Optimo, probably the most widely used beginner bow ever. You’ve probably seen or used one in your local club or range. Even more likely, you’ve probably used this in an indoor range in a mall. The WNS Progesser is the latest version on this widely used, almost ubiquitous bow.
The Progresser has quite a few things going for it that sure helped make it so widely used. First is the price. This is one of the, if not THE least expensive bow you can get from a big named brand. It’s priced at what I’d say is the middle of the pack when it comes to beginner bows. The Progresser although at a low price point, is leagues better than cheaper fiberglass bows. It gives a better impression of shooting archery compared to plastic or fiberglass bows.
The bow uses bolt on or beginner limb fittings on aluminum reinforced limb pockets. Assembly is as easy as it looks. Screw the limbs in. String the bow and you’re ready to go. The wood riser’s profile is exactly what you would expect in these types of bows albeit a little chunkier. The riser’s wood finish is clean and simple. Color separation with the wood grain is so sparse that the design doesn’t really pop. This bow will not stand out in a crowd or as the case may be, in a rack.
The bow has the standard 5/16 front stabilizer mount as well as a Burger hole and bushings for a sight or bow quiver. The shelf has a slight curve so shooting off it is an option.
The grip on the bow is exactly how you would expect it to feel. It’s comfortable and just the right thickness. The grip is not too low but I wouldn’t call it medium height. It’s a good grip to learn proper hand position a pressure point position with.
The WNS Progresser is a quick bow for on that has wood limbs. I suspect this is because of the limb tips’ slim profile. It is also pretty quiet. Hand shot is minimal. And the vibrations are just right for a bow in this class. The bow’s light weight makes it great for young archers and beginners. Stacking is expected of bows in this class but surprisingly, it was not as drastic as other beginner bows. It’s actually pretty smooth to draw until an inch or 2 before my anchor. Another plus to the bow is it actually doesn’t feel like it’s about to explode if I overdraw a little. As this is a beginner bow, there are hardly any tuning option.
The WNS Progresser is a great beginner bow but it’s not perfect. The fit and finish is not bad but definitely not what you’d expect from WNS/Win and Win. The holes on the riser where the metal bushing are located are not clean and have lots of wood shavings. The paint finish on the limbs are not great either. They somehow look like primer was not applied before the single coat of white paint was sprayed on. The paint is uneven on some parts as well. I worry if the inconsistent paint job might compromise that bow in some climates. Luckily, these things have nothing to do with the bow’s performance. The one negative which I found that is kinda related to performance is the short sight window. I could no longer see the sight when shooting at close distance. This however will have no impact on 90 percent of the bow’s intended market. Young archers and normal people with shorter faces. 😊
There is a reason why the WNS Progresser (SF/WNS Optimo) is used by most archery clubs, schools and ranges. It is a great beginner bow at a great price point from a well-known brand no less. It gives new archers a nice glimpse of what archery is and how it feels to shoot a real bow and arrow.
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Looked like the limb tips are reinforced, so archers can use fast flight strings.