Matrix Target Review, by Tony Trietch

robby denning

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
14,994
Location
SE Idaho
Hey Rokslider's I want you to meet our newest moderator, longtime member Tony Trietch. He was born and raised in Northern Michigan by outdoorsy parents and fell in love with the sport of pursuit at a very young age. Decades later, Tony does not shy away from the fact that he has built his career and life to cater around his hunting. Tony is a multi-weapon hunter and spends 60-100 days per year out West (and more at home)scouting and hunting. From solo backpacking for elk and velvet mule deer, to sleeping in a farmer's barn so he can pursue coyotes and whitetails-- everything is fair game! A self proclaimed gear junky, Tony looks forward to sharing his experience and knowledge with all of Rokslide. Be sure and give him a warm welcome.


attachment.php


We thought no better way to introduce Tony to you all than with what we do best here on Rokslide- through a gear review!

Tony worked hard under a looming deadline to get this thorough test done on a product that I'd never even heard of until early January- The Matrix Target System (Matrix Targets Modular Archery Target System)
attachment.php

Kevin and KG Peterson of Montana launched The Matrix in 2015. This unique target is designed to outlast other targets due to the "movable wear" principle- that is you can easily rotate the center of the target out so that you are always shooting at the center and spreading the wear to areas that usually see little.

Tony is here to explain the concept and what happens when you shoot hundreds of broadheads from a 70lb bow at 15 feet at The Matrix (hint- not much!)

Take it away Tony!
Matrix Target System Review
 
Last edited:

elkyinzer

WKR
Joined
Sep 9, 2013
Messages
1,257
Location
Pennslyvania
Nice review, thanks.

I just heard of this target a couple weeks ago and was immediately impressed with the intelligent design. Already pining for one, it's climbing the queue of wanted gear pretty quickly. I lose or break a few arrows a year missing my 18:1 at longer distances. I like the bigger size and the rotation of modules is a brilliant idea.

One question, and I assume the answer is yes because it looks like the modules interlock somehow, but does it stop arrows that hit where two, or particularly three modules join together as well as hitting square in the module?
 

Tony Trietch

Part Time Bow Hiker
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2013
Messages
2,101
Location
Northern MI, USA
Hey Elkyinzee, I meant to add that to the article!
It was one my first questions too. The short answer is ABSOLUTELY! It might even stop them better.
The hexes are formed with male and female grooves that self align. Easy as pie.
 
Joined
Aug 24, 2012
Messages
315
Location
Western OR.
They are modular with that groove system and a compression strap that holds it all tight. I will be getting one pretty soon as well as a 3d target. Most ingenious thought out target system yet IMHO! You can even ADD ON modules to make the target even bigger.
I emailed back and forth with the owner a while back about them. They are a bit heavy but,,,they will take thouands and thousands of shots.
 

Tony Trietch

Part Time Bow Hiker
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2013
Messages
2,101
Location
Northern MI, USA
I like the heft of it! I don't need to worry about a shot hitting left or right of center turning the target at impact.
The Matrix stays where you put it.
 

traviswdalton

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
186
This might be a dumb question but why didn't they make it square? That would eliminate the need for the filler pieces between the hexagons. I'm probably going to order one.
 
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
4,624
Location
Colorado
Nice id be curious to see how long it really lasts! Seems like a lot of foam targets will start to rot/decay after time even when not left in the sun.

Wonder if this will be the same
 
Joined
Aug 24, 2012
Messages
315
Location
Western OR.
I had a bit of an email exchange with the owner of matrix a month or so ago and got quite a bit more information.
From what I understand and have researched it's made out of a little bit higher quality and density of foam and outer material than the Reinhardt 18 /1 blocks are made of
The reason it is not square is due to the modular hexagon system, IE: you can swap those target hexagons out, turned them around, put in new ones, move them around and can probably get at least 500 shots in each little target face before you have to rotate or turn it end for end. Entire target is held together with compression webbing straps which makes it easy to dismantle or change modules.
Of course broadheads will lessen the life of each little hexagon face but, with the design of the entire target you will still probably get thousands of shots using broadheads. Because you can shoot each module Then turn it around, and shoot the other side. The thickness of the target and the density of the foam probably limits overall arrow penetration to probably 6-10" unless you're shooting some sort of rhinoceros killing 80 pound 100KE set up.
I'll probably be getting at least one if not two of these targets for my home range. Needless to say a pretty impressed in these targets.
 

Tony Trietch

Part Time Bow Hiker
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2013
Messages
2,101
Location
Northern MI, USA
Nice id be curious to see how long it really lasts! Seems like a lot of foam targets will start to rot/decay after time even when not left in the sun.

Wonder if this will be the same

Only time will tell how it holds up to the sun but it's holding its own against arrows.
 

traviswdalton

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
186
I had a bit of an email exchange with the owner of matrix a month or so ago and got quite a bit more information.
From what I understand and have researched it's made out of a little bit higher quality and density of foam and outer material than the Reinhardt 18 /1 blocks are made of
The reason it is not square is due to the modular hexagon system, IE: you can swap those target hexagons out, turned them around, put in new ones, move them around and can probably get at least 500 shots in each little target face before you have to rotate or turn it end for end. Entire target is held together with compression webbing straps which makes it easy to dismantle or change modules.
Of course broadheads will lessen the life of each little hexagon face but, with the design of the entire target you will still probably get thousands of shots using broadheads. Because you can shoot each module Then turn it around, and shoot the other side. The thickness of the target and the density of the foam probably limits overall arrow penetration to probably 6-10" unless you're shooting some sort of rhinoceros killing 80 pound 100KE set up.
I'll probably be getting at least one if not two of these targets for my home range. Needless to say a pretty impressed in these targets.

Still don't understand why they didn't make the modules square instead of hexagon. Guess it really doesn't matter.
 
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
3,507
Location
Washington
I think they went with hexagon so you get more options to rotate the individual faces. Kind of like nock tuning with 4 fletch vs 3 fletch. Just a guess on my part.
 

MT Kevin

FNG
Joined
Feb 11, 2016
Messages
15
Location
Worden, Montana
Still don't understand why they didn't make the modules square instead of hexagon. Guess it really doesn't matter.
Hey guys, This is Kevin Peterson, owner/ founder of Matrix Targets. Travis has a great question re: our design. My son KG (who is an engineer) and I designed our target. The main reason we went with a hexagonal shape as opposed to a square was that with faster arrows these days we wanted more sides (6 than 4) for additional frictional force combined with a tongue and groove element so you won’t be able to pull an entire module out when removing your arrows. We would have considered that an epic fail from the design standpoint. The other big reason is that when we beta tested a square configuration it just didn’t perform as well. A square has 4 corners that meet together where there are only 3 corners that meet on a hex. These corners on the square target breakdown and get chewed up much more quickly than those on the hex. Btw there’s a good chance you’ll never have to replace a diamond module…they just never get hit. We had over 4,000 shots in one side of our prototype and the only hit in a diamond was a scud missile that Chris Rager shot with one of his toxic broadheads. Can we design a smaller, less expensive 3x3 square target for guys that don’t shoot 50-100+ yards? Absolutely but it will not perform as well or last as long as our larger hex shaped Matrix. We’ll listen to our customers to see where we go next. I actually have more guys asking about a Matrix Wall than a smaller target. Most guys are throwing a single hex in their trucks for deer/ elk camp as a more portable target and want as big of target as we can make them for home. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call/ text me at 406.698.8235. Happy Friday! Kevin
 
Last edited:

traviswdalton

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
186
Hey guys, This is Kevin Peterson, owner/ founder of Matrix Targets. Travis asks a good question re: our design. My son KG (who is an engineer) and I designed our target. The main reason we went with a hexagonal shape as opposed to a square was that with faster arrows these days we wanted more sides (6 than 4) for additional frictional force combined with a tongue and groove element so you won’t be able to pull an entire module out when removing your arrows. We would have considered that an epic fail from the design standpoint. The other big reason is that when we beta tested a square configuration it just didn’t perform as well. A square has 4 corners that meet together where there are only 3 corners that meet on a hex. These corners on the square target breakdown and get chewed up much more quickly than those on the hex. Btw there’s a good chance you’ll never have to replace a diamond module…they just never get hit. We had over 4,000 shots in one side of our prototype and the only hit in a diamond was a scud missile that Chris Rager shot with one of his toxic broadheads. Can we design a smaller, less expensive 3x3 square target for guys that don’t shoot 50-100+ yards? Absolutely but it will not perform as well or last as long as our larger hex shaped Matrix. We’ll listen to our customers to see where we go next. I actually have more guys asking about a Matrix Wall than a smaller target. Most guys are throwing a single hex in their trucks for deer/ elk camp as a more portable target and want as big of target as we can make them for home. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call/ text me at 406.698.8235. I prefer to stay off the forums since I believe it is best that you hear feedback from our customers. Happy Friday! Kevin

Thanks for the response. It makes perfect sense. I'll be ordering one soon.
 

MT Kevin

FNG
Joined
Feb 11, 2016
Messages
15
Location
Worden, Montana
You're welcome! There were a lot of sleepless nights staring at the ceiling thinking about this design. Haha! We wanted it to be big enough to shoot out to 100+ yards, under 50# so it can be easily moved around (weighs@43#), be adjustable in size so you don't have to buy a smaller more portable target, sturdy enough to handle shots that hit the top of the target and it doesn't tip over, have replaceable modules and be made out of a material that can handle abuse of any type of point and be easy to remove your arrows...I think we nailed it but boy it took a while to get there! Thanks for your question. We're just like you guys public land DIY hunters that don't mind paying for exceptional quality for something that is built to last. Einstein said it best "Insanity...doing the same thing over and over expecting different results." And what do we do we go and buy the same inferior target thinking it's going to last longer! That's what really drove our design. We will change the way guys (gals) think about targets forever. Kevin
 

Tony Trietch

Part Time Bow Hiker
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2013
Messages
2,101
Location
Northern MI, USA
The Matrix is still stopping arrows in the same Hex! I figured by now that I'd have to move them around but just buy turning it around and shooting the other side, its still going!
 
Top