Archery technology is sometimes like the car world where every year, the latest and greatest comes along. Last year’s models and designs become old news as soon as you’ve saved up the money to buy one of your own. And like the cars, most bows, especially their looks, become outdated as soon as the next model year comes up. But every now and then, we get a model that transcends the revolving door of new models and new looks. Classics. Cars like the Datsun 240z, the GTR, the original Shelby Mustang. These models seem to timeless and look as awesome now as when they first came out. Bows like the Win and Win Inno series where to this day, you still see top level shooters use them. Underrated as it may be, I think the Fivics Platina has that kind of design. The Platina has been around for a good few years but when you look at it, you wouldn’t know. It still looks good to me.
I have to admit, I was thrilled at the chance of actually shooting and reviewing this bow. For a time, this was my dream bow. This riser belongs to fellow Cebu Archer Nino Maandig.
The Platina is a 25 inch ILF riser from Korean brand Fivics or High Five Victory. Made of CNC machined aluminum, the Platina has this super hard anodized finish that is virtually scratch proof. In fact, I have never seen one with dings and scratches outside of the pivot point of the limb pockets. It has this ribbed texture that looks super nice and elegant. It has all the standard mounts and ILF features like stabilizer, sight and clicker mounts. As well as limb alignment and tiller adjustments. With all black hardware. PLUS 100 points!. The Platina has some very unique features as well. It has dampening systems built into the limb pockets as well as under the grip itself. Something the Platina has that I wish all modern bows would have are lines and markings on the limb alignment block, tiller bolt, clicker plate and even in the arrow rest area. There are lines everywhere you can make adjustments.
When you look at the Platina, you can still tell that it is the progenitor of awesome bows like the Titan and now the Argon X. But unlike the Titan, Platina seems ageless. Nothing about it seems dated. If you placed it on a rack together with new bows like the Epic Fusion Ex and Wiawis Radical, you wouldn’t know it was about 6 years older. The main stabilizer mount on the bow reminds of Side 7 from the Gundam franchise for some reason. The bow’s profile from both the side and from the window is slim and sleek. Not at all like the bulkier Titan and to some degree Titan Ex.
Awesome as the Platina is, it is not a perfect bow. It has one problem in my opinion which is worth noting specially when thinking of getting one. The limb pockets, or more specifically how the dove tail fits in is tight. Super tight. It could be because of the bow’s age. But it took me a couple of tries using Fivics’ recommended method of detaching limbs to get my Uukhas off. I had to use WD40 to take out the Win and Win limbs I tried on. I wish I had a pair of Fivics limbs to see if the fit is different using matching brands. I am also curious if the Platina’s geometry and aggressive nature would affect wear and tear on limbs. Other than that, I love this bow.
The Platina has a comfortable high grip Fivics has become known for. Although not as awesome as the grip on the Titan Ex, you can feel that they have the same roots. The geometry of the riser is what we would call in Bisaya, “barug” or up right. This makes for a very aggressive shooting bow. And you will feel it in the shot. Specially if you employ “direction” in your shot process, this bow will jump towards the target. Even when paired with low end, low poundage wood/glass limbs, the bow felt stiff and jumpy. Without stabilizers, the bow’s top will swing back to say hi to your head. It is however perfectly balanced side to side. Paired with my Uukha limbs, the feel of the shot takes some getting used to. Scary at first. It feels like the bow is squeezing every bit of speed out of the limbs. The built in dampers are interesting. You feel that there is a difference and that they are helping shorten vibration time but not necessarily preventing them altogether. I suppose this is the difference with newer high-end bows compared to bows like the Platina. The cut outs and the types of material play a bigger part now in dampening vibrations as opposed to building in physical dampers. That doesn’t mean though that the Platina is not fun to shoot. In fact, there is a raw and visceral satisfaction to feeling the aggression of this bow. Its narrow profile also means that if you mess up your aggressive shot, you will feel the string on your arm. 😊 Because the unique combination of the aggressive feedback and the artificial dampening of the bow, its shots sound more like “pops” rather than the more common “twang” you get from modern bows.
These days, knowing the Platina’s age, who is this bow for? Anyone who wants to buy a top tier bow second hand that ages well and doesn’t look outdated. Archers who love to shoot aggressively. Archers who want to make distance without having to use heavy draw weights would benefit a lot from this bow. With the advent of newer bows and newer archery technology, is the Fivics Platina still worth using. As my son Ryche would, “yes a million.” It is fast, stiff, and gives a good amount of feedback top level shooters would appreciate. If you can get one cheap, go for it. You will not regret it.
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