We met with Chris Hamm (operations manager) from HHA Sports at the 2006 ATA show. They were interested in having us review the Optimizer Lite model OL-5000 sight. Needless to say we were more than happy to do so especially since it was voted “best movable sight of 2006” by Bowhunting World magazine (reader’s choice award).

When opening the package of the sight the first thing you notice is how bright the pin is. It jumps right out at you. The extreme brightness is due to the 3 feet of .030 fiber wrapped around the sight which is also very well protected in the site design. Some assembly is required but nothing significant. It takes about 5 minutes from package to bow. The allen wrench and all mounting hardware are included.

Once mounted on your bow you can really start to appreciate the thought and design that went into the OL-5000. The sight is very easy to set up, easy to adjust, and extremely smooth. The adjustments are extra quiet with solid construction. Both the fiber and pin are very well protected.

Fit & Finish The fit and finish of the OL-5000 is excellent. The sight is aluminum and steel construction, with the exception of the nylon bushings in all of the pivot points. The anodizing was top quality on the black model we tested. (I think it would be safe to say that the camo anodizing would also be manufactured well).

Engineering Clearly significant time and thought went into the engineering of the OL-5000. It is a very well designed & constructed sight. The way they have protected 3 feet of fiber while still keeping the sight small and visually appealing is exceptional. The sight moves freely and without any play. The OL-5000 also has great adjustability built in to allow for the use of it on practically on any bow. HHA has a lens kit available in which they use Feather Vision lenses. A bubble level is built in and the scope housing is drilled and tapped for an optional light (they offer an accessory light set up that is quite nice).

Hype to Reality Ratio The OL-5000 is not a heavily advertised sight but definitely one that lives up to the manufacturers specs and claims of quality.

IIWII (it is what it is) This one is easy. The OL-5000 does what it does and it does it well. It is a exceptional moveable sight.

Pros:

1. Easy to adjust
2. Reasonable pricing
3. Bright fiber and sight ring for low light conditions
4. Solid construction
5. Can be used for hunting or 3d
6. Versatile accessories available

Cons

1. Only minor assembly required. Hardly a Con, but we needed something here. :-)

Conclusion

The team at BowCountry.com would have to say that if you are in the market for a new sight then you need to check out the OL-5000. This sight is very well built with exceptional functionality and will provide many years of use. With the availability of a lens kit it could easily carry its weight on any 3D course. The bright, green sight ring made for quick target acquisition in all kinds of lighting conditions. The sight is available in anodized camo as well as black and can be bought with .019 fiber and a lens kit (available in 2X 4X 6X).

We would have to give the folks at HHA Sports a big pat on the back for this product. Keep up the good work and we can't wait till turkey season to use the OL-5000 in the field and put it to some real use.

An Update:
Feather Visions Inc.

For those of you looking to add little magnification to your Ol-5000, look no further. Feather Visions Inc, makes some of the clearest lenses you can find in the archery community. Offered in a variety of magnifications, from the lower 2x to bring that whitetail just a bit closer or an 8x to really zoom in on that 12 ring, Feather Visions Inc is your one stop shop for your magnification needs.

Feathers Visions premier lenses aspheric design, offers superior optical quality over its competition and their advanced multi layered coating and optional Zeiss coatings allow over 99% of light to pass directly through the lense to the archers eye and provide a scratch resistance, and waterproofing. This makes Feather Vision lenses a go anywhere type of lense, not just an indoor paper lense like some of there competitors. These coatings also Bond at molecular level prevent coating failure and insuring long life of your lense.

This attention to detail and the neverending desire to keep improving an already great product is why Feather Vision lenses will always adorn all of our scopes. If a scope is in your future, you owe it to yourself to check out Feather Visions Inc. They have a variety of Styles and magnifications to fit every archers needs.

To see the different styles Feather Visions has to offer, you can visit them at www.FeatherVisions.com