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Garmin Xero A1i Pro: Make the Shot

Newest advancement in digital bow sights offers archers an intuitive setup and advanced accuracy features

 

Xero® A1i PRO Bow Sight

Garmin Xero® A1i PRO Bow Sight: Auto-ranging Digital Sight with Dual-color LED Pins and Micro-adjustable Rails

Garmin® International, Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), introduced the Xero™ A1i Pro, the latest advancement in its revolutionary autoranging digital bow sight Xero series. Amplifying the innovative Garmin Xero A1i, the newly designed Pro version provides archers with micro-adjustments and autocalibration for an extremely fast setup, as well as a dovetail attachment and detachable trigger for easy transport. New A1i Pro aiming features, like Dynamic Level, Flight Apex, and XD Mode help archers shoot more accurately than ever before.

“The Xero A1i changed archery forever with autoranging and precision aiming. Today, with the launch of Xero A1i Pro, we are proud to say our best shot just got better,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. “The new A1i Pro combines the hunting and archery passions of Garmin engineers with customer feedback and innovative technology to provide archers with new tools they can depend on when needed most.”

 

Xero A1i Pro Redesigned Mount

Xero® A1i PRO Bow Sight

Microadjustable rails let you make quick, precise changes for elevation, windage and laser reticle alignment.

Archers know fine-tuning adjustments on their sight for accuracy can be time-consuming. Thanks to the newly designed, micro adjustable rails on A1i Pro, archers can now make quick, precise (.35 MOA) changes to elevation, windage, pitch, and yaw—allowing for both faster first pin setup and laser alignment when sighting in. The A1i Pro now offers adjustments for sight roll (2nd axis) correction and a removable dovetail with two position options for better sizing to a user’s peep sight when mounting to the bow.

Traveling hunters or archers shooting multiple bows will find the new “quick detach” system on the A1i Pro dovetail rail mount particularly useful. To remove the Xero A1i Pro, simply remove a single screw from the bow riser and unplug the new quick-release trigger cable from the sight housing.

 

Xero A1i Pro Auto Calibration

Xero® A1i PRO Bow Sight

With the new Xero A1i Pro autocalibration feature, archers can calibrate the sight out to the max range of their setup with only a few arrows. After mechanically setting a 20-yard pin, archers can enter or estimate their bow’s chronograph speed, and the sight will autogenerate a pin stack. The archer then validates the stack by shooting a few arrows at a distance of 40 yards or more, and the setup is complete. This validation step ensures a true ballistic match of the arrow, and it’s fast and easy to revalidate if the setup changes later.

 

New A1i Pro Aiming Features

Xero® A1i PRO Bow Sight

See leveling information right next to the pin with variable sensitivity based on shot distance, so you don’t have to shift focus to see if your shot is level.

Using real-time accelerometer data, the A1i Pro’s new dynamic level feature provides indicators within the sight window to display if the bow is not sufficiently level to execute an accurate shot at the ranged distance. Designed for hunting environments, this feature allows archers to remain focused wholly on target, instead of having to take their eyes off their pin to check their level.

If hunting in heavier cover with potential obstructions such as branches, the Flight Apex features provides a flashing dot indicating the arrow’s highest point during flight to help the archer know if their arrow will fly above or below a potential obstruction.

During practice, A1i Pro makes punching targets out to extended distances easier than ever before through the new Xtra Distance (XD) Mode. Once XD Mode is enabled, the archer simply loosens the set screw on the vertical rail and dials the sight into a lower position with the micro adjust knobs, and follows the instruction steps provided on the sight display. This allows the archer to shoot out to longer distances, provided they still have arrow vane clearance under the sight. Most archers will get an extra 10-15 yards on the sight’s max shooting range in this mode. When done, the archer simply puts the sight back into the base position via the on-screen prompts.

 

A1i and A1i PRO standard features include:

  • Customizable arrow profiles: Saved pin setting for multiple arrow configurations, so users can change from a practice setup to their hunting setup in seconds
  • Laser Locate Feature: Waypoint projection feature pairs with a compatible Garmin GPS device (sold separately) to show the target’s exact location when the shot or range was taken
  • Dual-color LED Pins: Allows users to easily identify preset distances by using alternating pin colors for fixed pins
  • Silent trigger: Mount the silent aiming button in the most convenient spot for your grip. With minimal movement, at rest or full draw, you can range up to 100 yards on game or up to 300 yards on reflective targets
  • Ambient Light Sensor: Controls the pin brightness per the user’s preferences so pins appear consistently sized no matter the lighting conditions

    Xero® A1i PRO Bow Sight

    Be on the lookout for a future episode of the Yamaha Whitetail Diaries featuring Wade in Kentucky using the Garmin Xero A1i Pro Bow Sight!

The Xero A1i Pro operates up to a year on two AAA lithium batteries and comes in both right and left-handed configurations. Ruggedized and water rated to IPX71, the Xero can withstand the rigors of bowhunting while weighing only 18 oz. The Xero A1i Pro has a suggested retail price starting at $1299.99 and is available now. For more information, visit garmin.com/xero.

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Is the Garmin XERO Legal in Your State?

Most Frequently Asked Questions About the Garmin Xero

Ever since the Garmin Xero bow sight came into the hunting world a lot of people had the same question, “Is this sight legal for me to hunt with?” To help figure out what states you can and cannot hunt in with the Garmin Xero, here are some frequently asked questions and answers regarding the legal use of the Xero A1 and A1i bow sight.

Hunter using the Garmin Xero

Does the Garmin Xero Bow Sight project visible light on the target during use?

No, the Xero Bow Sight projects only infrared (non-visible to the human eye) light onto the target as part of its laser range finding function.

Can the Garmin Xero Bow Sight ever be used to project visible light towards a target?

No.

point of view from garmin xero

You would see a non-magnified view with an LED pin when aiming with the Garmin Xero.

Does the Garmin Xero Bow Sight use illuminated pins?

Yes. The Xero Bow Sight uses light emitting diodes to present the pin for the shot onto a piece of angled glass. Light from this diode is then reflected back towards the eye of the archer.

Does the Garmin Xero Bow Sight provide a magnified view of the target?

No.

Is the Garmin Xero Bow Sight similar to a scope?

No. Scopes provide magnification. The Xero Bow Sight does not. The glass used in the sight is for the reflection of pins to the eye only. There is no magnification provided.

hunter with the garmin xero

No visible light is illuminated from the sight to the target.

Does the Xero Bow Sight enhance vision to the target in dim or night conditions?

No, the Xero Bow Sight cannot illuminate the target. Only the aiming pins are illuminated. The infrared light used by the Xero is only used to range the target. It does not illuminate the target.

Is the Garmin Xero Bow Sight a “Laser Sight” or “Red Dot Sight”?

Those terms are typically used for sights that emit a human eye visible beam of red light to the target. The Xero Bows Sight’s laser range finding functionality only emits invisible, infrared light. The pins, which are visible to the hunter, are only projected towards the hunter’s eye.

Is the Garmin Xero Bow Sight legal for a certain state?

The Xero A1 & A1i bow sights are legal to use in the majority of the United States. It is the responsibility of the hunter to know the specific bowhunting regulations for their state and hunting region. Garmin does not publish the bowhunting regulations for each state as they vary and can change from year to year. We hope this article has answered your questions in regards to the legality of the Garmin Xero Bow Sight. ALWAYS review your desired state’s bowhunting regulations to confirm if the Xero A1 or A1i are legal to use.

 

Happy Hunting!

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Introducing the Garmin Xero Laser Bow Sight

The all new Garmin Xero Bow Sight

Garmin is excited to announce the Xero A1 and A1i, two groundbreaking auto-ranging digital laser bow sights that automatically measure the distance to a target and provide a precise, virtual lighted pin for the shot. The first-of-their-kind Xero bow sights are being announced in conjunction with the 2018 Archery Trade Association (ATA) Trade Show in Indianapolis, and can be seen at the Garmin booth (#4035).

The Xero features a silent, single-button trigger mounted on the bow’s grip lets the archer range targets at rest or at full draw, virtually eliminating distance estimation and hunter movement – two of the biggest challenges in archery hunting. The laser range finder instantly provides the precise angle-compensated distance – up to 100 yards on game or 300 yards on reflective targets. The Xero then projects a precise, virtual LED pin that is only visible to the archer, and without the clutter of multiple physical pins. An ambient light sensor ensures the pin brightness is optimized for various shooting conditions.

“The Xero bow sight is truly a game-changer in the archery world. It helps take the guesswork out of ranging a target,” said Dan Bartel, vice president of worldwide sales. “When that buck of a lifetime walks by, knowing your precise yardage and having the exact pin to shoot is often the difference between making that shot or going home empty-handed.”

Archers can customize the Xero for single or multiple pin configurations, or they can manually select a pin of a pre-determined distance. A sunlight-readable display helps the user configure and customize the sight and provides information like target distance and angle. It also provides a shot odometer, so archers can keep tabs on how many times they’ve shot in one practice session or over the lifetime of the bow.

The Xero A1i includes many additional features. Laser Locate™ estimates the arrow’s point of impact and transfers that location to a compatible Garmin device (sold separately) so hunters know where to begin their recovery of game. The A1i also enables the archer to configure multiple arrow profiles, to easily transition between a target or hunting setup without readjusting the sight. Archers can also analyze and improve their performance with shot dynamics – information like arrow speed, roll of the bow, and bow impulse duration. Additionally, the A1i features user selectable red (default) and green LED pins.

The Xero operates up to a year on two AAA lithium batteries and comes in both right and left-handed configurations. Ruggedized and water rated to IPX7, the Xero can withstand the rigors of bowhunting. The Xero A1 has a minimum retail price of $799.99, and the A1i has a minimum retail price of $999.99. Both models are available in the first quarter of 2018.

Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of electronic bow sights for hunting. Always know and obey all hunting regulations before using this device.

Follow Garmin Fish & Hunt on FacebookTwitter and Instagram to learn more about Xero in the coming months.