Understanding The DXT's Barracuda Strings
The Mathews DXT uses two seperate strings, more properly a string and a cable, often referred to as a yoke cable The shooting string anchors with a small loop over a post on one side of the DXT's cam, travels over the idler wheel at the top of the bow, back down through the roller guard, and ends at an anchor post on the other side of the same cam. The cable originates at a post on the bottom cam, rises through the roller guard, then splits and anchors with a small loop around plastic "yoke" buttons on each end of the idler wheel axle at the outside of the limb.

Strings and cables (as well as the string suppressors) are the only items on the Mathews DXT not covered under Mathews lifetime warranty. They are considered wearable parts and should be replaced as needed. (more on that later) How long they last depends on two factors I call internal and external abrasion. Internal abrasion comes from the effect the fibers that make up the string have on each other as they undergo movement and change during shooting or just from being under high tension. This also includes the effects of and dirt or dust trapped between the bow string fibers. External abrasion is any cutting of the bow string fibers from activities such as dragging your bow through brush or scraping your string along the tree as you raise the bow into your stand.

A replacement Barracuda string and cable for your Mathews DXT is going to cost 100$ or more at any Mathews dealership. Since strings are wearable parts and replacing them is expensive you will want to maintain them for maximum life. Fortunantly, with a few simple maintainance chores, you can extend the life of your string and cable two to three times that of an unmaintained string.

To protect against internal abrasion apply a quality bow string wax to your string and cable on a regular basis. Just cake it on the fibers and rub vigorously with your fingers to warm the wax and melt it into the fibers. The wax will reduce the internal friction from the fibers and seal the spaces between them which prevents the entry of dirt and dust. Any excess wax on the string can then be removed by running a loop of dental floss over the string.

The best way to protect against external abrasion is to always be aware of your bowstrings. Take care not to scrape them against brush or your treestand, always be careful with your broadheads and keep them well away from your strings. These seem like common sense suggestions and they are but it is amazing how many strings we replace every year in our proshop that were damaged in just this manner.

One of the best ways we have found to protect your bowstrings in the field id to carry your bow with the Primos bow sling. The Primos sling incorporates a neoprene and cloth cover for the sling and cable. It makes carrying your bow hands free, yet still allows easy access and string protection. It is light and small enough to easily stow in a pocket or your pack once you've reached your hunting site.

Finally, always store your bow in a case or hanging safely out of reach of children, pets,or pests. We replace strings every year that have been chewed by mice, dogs, and even cats.