STEAMBOW is the crossbow maker

STEAMBOW makes repeating crossbows with bolt magazines. Sounds like something from a role-playing game or a vampire hunter movie, but it's real and works remarkably well. We interviewed Gerald Missbach, the CEO of STEAMBOW.

SPARTANAT: What is the long-term vision and mission of STEAMBOW?

Gerald Missbach: We have always aimed to deliver a well-thought-out product suitable for professional purposes. The application, whether it be hunting, sports, leisure, or defense, essentially depends on the end user. But fundamentally, all STEAMBOW products are designed to meet professional standards in terms of design and manufacturing quality, and to consistently meet these requirements.

Our products are platform-based, allowing the owner to easily customize their STEAMBOW crossbow to suit their needs. The base product is a crossbow like the Tactical or Compact [AR-6 Stinger II]: What the final product from this crossbow will be is determined by the user, not us. You decide what your final STEAMBOW product looks like and what it can do. This also means that a STEAMBOW product can always be reverted to its original version or transformed into a different product. The possibilities are virtually limitless.

This is also reflected in our warranty concept. There is a whole lifecycle behind the product that is hardly noticed by consumers: We are talking about production, packaging, etc. It is important to us to make the entire process as sustainable and ethically sound as possible. An important step towards this goal is the elimination of Styrofoam. This material is hardly recyclable. If it can be reintroduced into the cycle at all, it has to be collected separately. It is hardly surprising that most people are not willing to drive to their local recycling center to dispose of 50 grams of foam from the Tactical packaging.

The transition to newer packaging methods is planned for late summer this year. We are also increasingly focusing on sourcing materials locally to avoid transportation.

SPARTANAT: Please tell our readers about the history of the company.
What inspired the founding and what were the key milestones or successes along the way?

Gerald: It's hard to say what came first: the ambition or the product. Somehow, both developed simultaneously. The ambition was to bring what we believed to be much-needed innovation and a new way of thinking to archery.

The industry was traditional for a long time (and let's be honest, it still is), and the common crossbows were always variations of quite similar themes. The product we chose to break with this tradition was the PowerUnit, a quick cocking system that combined the power of the proven Excalibur hunting crossbow with the technology of PCP air rifles. The result combined all the advantages of a crossbow with the convenience and power of compressed air.

The crossbow fired the arrow, but the compressed air cocked the crossbow. The product itself worked great and was well-received by customers who tried it. However, due to its complex construction, it was quite expensive. Unfortunately, our planned collaboration with Excalibur Crossbows (the chassis selected for the PowerUnit) did not materialize, so it was clear that we had to evolve.

Since we lacked the manufacturing know-how at the time to build a state-of-the-art, high-performance hunting crossbow, we set out to develop something new: the first modern repeating crossbow. A few more improvements, and the "Stinger" was born. The end result was the current AR-6 Stinger II product family. Next, we developed our own carbon fiber-glass limbs, achieving a level of performance not seen in the pistol crossbow category before. We are very proud of this achievement.

The lack of know-how in limb production was no longer an issue: Today, we know very well how to manufacture crossbows independently, and in the future, we will venture into new products.

Regardless of the path we take, our guiding principles will always be the same: to produce quality products that are safe and easy to use for practical purposes. Specifications or performance are not an end in themselves – focusing solely on them, in our opinion, ultimately harms the industry. Our products are meant to help people accomplish a task. If that task is hunting, the crossbows must have certain performance features. If it's about leisure activities, different features are required, and we want those to be available too.

SPARTANAT: In your opinion, what is the biggest weakness in the archery industry and how does STEAMBOW address it?

Gerald: In my opinion, there are two weaknesses. These are mainly based on a cultural attitude. The first is unfortunately a deeply ingrained skepticism towards innovation. By that, I mean truly new approaches. People love improvements in archery, but not innovations.
There are many small companies with stunning ideas, but they are ridiculed because they dare to ask the question, "What if…?" You could say that the rejection of new things is in human nature: The automobile was initially ridiculed – but where are the horse-drawn carriages now? In the firearms industry, this lack of innovation is not observed, which I find interesting.

Randomly, this turned out to be a blessing for us, as it prompted us to look for customers for our innovative repeating crossbows in other markets and industries. In this way, we created a thriving new sector: one that is more related to weapons than traditional archery, leaving the traditional archery market aside.
This leads us to the second weak point, namely that consumers and the entire industry deny that archers use real weapons. However, the fact that bows are weapons is undeniable. Just think about where bows historically come from and what they can achieve in hunting. Yet many refuse to acknowledge that the Olympic recurve bow in archery is a real weapon, especially in Europe.
The problem is that accidents happen because one does not consider their bow as a weapon. Furthermore, by not considering it a weapon, it allows others who do not support archery to define the bow as a weapon. So, we cannot afford the luxury of saying, "We have always considered archery a dangerous sport and acted accordingly." Because it will be clear to everyone that this was not the case.
In addition, crossbow shooters are excluded from shooting in clubs because they supposedly carry "weapons," while vertical shooters use "sports equipment." The crucial point is that a compound bow can compete with a crossbow in terms of speed and kinetic energy - it is easier to carry and faster to shoot. However, crossbows are still considered "evil and dangerous" weapons. Why? Well, because they have a trigger, that's all.
In short: It is time for the archery industry to take itself more seriously and advocate for its cause. And remember that a divided community is weak when it comes to legislation. This applies to both users and the industry.

SPARTANAT: How does STEAMBOW promote innovation and stay ahead in the industry? What are the research and development focuses?

Gerald: With the success of the Stinger and the Stinger II, one could say that "our industry" is now that of repeating crossbows, and this industry has exploded in recent years. Every day, you see or read about new ideas, whether from our competitors or enthusiasts in their workshops. 3D printing will further expand the possibilities. In a way, there is a risk that it will all become a directionless arms race, similar to the draw weights or speeds in the field of large crossbows.
That's why we don't get distracted by these things and instead focus on applications. What problems can we solve for people? How can we make processes smoother, safer, easier, or more efficient? Where can a product be used and to what extent can it bring added value? We want real, practical performance, not gimmicks.
For us, this means enabling Stinger II owners to use their device for entertainment purposes if they wish. But they can also adapt it for real hunting use (if they live in a country where that is allowed).

We also want to develop the Stinger II into a real sports device. Shooting in the backyard is fun, but what if you really want to know how good you are - how precise, how fast? In this case, the Stinger II should empower its user. Limitations should be based on one's own abilities, not on the platform.
Survival is also a good example. Thanks to the quick-change system and the new folding stock adapter, it can be stored in a backpack in less than a minute. Should you ever be truly on your own, you want a device that you can assemble easily, whether your fingers are numb or not. You want to be able to hunt small game to survive until you get out of the emergency situation you are in. In such situations, it's not about impressing anyone, but about having something that works, no matter when and where. This is where the details of the chosen materials, ergonomics, etc., come into play.
And finally, to remain honest as mentioned at the beginning: we must acknowledge that some people buy a Stinger II for defense purposes. For them, we want to produce a reliable crossbow that allows them to defend their rights and well-being in case of a threat: If I saw a Stinger II in the hands of a homeowner as a burglar, I would quickly retreat. Let's not kid ourselves: The burglar will take the homeowner's request to leave the house seriously if the homeowner is holding something threatening.

SPARTANAT: What are the future plans and strategic priorities of STEAMBOW? How will STEAMBOW evolve to remain relevant in the market?

Gerald: We simply want to continue to respond to people's needs in a safe, reliable, and innovative way. To provide better solutions for actual needs. We also want to continue not to get drawn into a pointless race of specifications because we feel that it only leads to the customer paying for something they don't actually need. And when that happens, everyone loses.

If someone says, "I want to make my crossbow more powerful so I can hunt larger game," we can look at speed, arrow design, etc. If someone says, "I want to shoot my Stinger II for sport and not just for recreation," then we can look for ways to make that possible. For a customer who says, "I want a 200-pound crossbow because my buddy's is 185 pounds," STEAMBOW might not be the right manufacturer.

Let's face it: With our PowerUnit and our carbon fiber/glass fiber composite material, we could offer a crossbow with an unprecedented draw weight, surpassing everything currently available on the market. But would that really be a long-term advantage for archery? Probably not. We would be selling nothing but bragging rights and red flags.

Whoever ignores this makes themselves an enemy and not a benefactor of archers, because this mindset is what prompts the legislator to act. And we can be sure that he will not approach the matter impartially. So why waste time and money? The law will be a direct ban, unless we provide a good reason not to enact it. We want to be a part of this good reason. We want to help prevent it from going that far at all. We want to support our industry and not jeopardize it.

SPARTANAT: Looking into the crystal ball: Do you have concerns or worries about the future of archery? How do you think the sport will evolve?

Gerald: I actually see a very bright future for archery. Not only do outdoor sports in general enjoy increasing popularity, but archery is also a unique combination of physical activity and the pursuit of the "inner peace" needed for accuracy. That's why I firmly believe that people will continue to see crossbow shooting as an attractive new hobby or as a new sport in which they can excel.

What I miss is a competitive sport for the new repeating crossbows. So basically archery, but more towards target shooting. Just without the risks, bureaucratic hassle, and environmental impact of firearms.

It would definitely be helpful if we present ourselves as an industry wisely, and I think that will largely happen. In my opinion, all manufacturers should at least advocate the common goal of promoting archery in all its forms, with a focus on responsible ownership and those things. Essentially, we should embrace the principle of "Just because we can, doesn't mean we should."

This would enable a healthy, competitive, and above all, sustainable industry in the long term. But we shouldn't wait too long to adopt this principle, whether openly or implicitly. Just imagine, someone does something really stupid with one of these 500 FPS crossbows - you can imagine the rest.

SPARTANAT: What are the future plans of STEAMBOW?

Gerald: The most important plan in my opinion is the introduction of our M10 Tactical with detachable magazine for the AR series. This is important because it will likely be the biggest step forward in making the AR series platform competition-ready. With the AR-6 Tactical, you could already compete, but reloading takes too long. We hope that this will improve with the quick [magazine] changes and make longer competition phases more realistic.

SPARTANAT: Thank you for taking the time for this conversation, and all the best for the future of STEAMBOW.

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