Gear Review: HHA Sports Optimizer Lite King Pin Sight

Image provided by HHA Sports.

Disclaimer: I am a member of the HHA King’s Court national pro staff. That being said, every company I partner with understands that if I like something about the gear I promote, I will share it. The same things goes for the parts I do not like. I share those as well because it is only fair to share everything in a review, not just the good parts.  

For a couple years, I have been shooting my bows with HHA Sports single pin hunter specific sights mounted on them. This year I stepped up my game. The HHA Sports Optimizer Lite King Pin TE-5519 (Tournament Edition) is dialed in on my bow and it has helped me improve more than I could have imagined. I am going to review the sight and I encourage you all to ask questions to either myself or HHA if you want more information.

Many have asked me why I opted for the King Pin tournament edition vs. the hunter edition. The reason I went with tournament edition vs. hunting edition is the dovetail and being able to extend it out further on my bow. This allows me to adjust it perfectly with my peep and I love how easy it is to adjust. The housing is further out, making pin movement more visible and can be more difficult to keep in one place, whereas the King Pin hunting sight is closer to the riser, thus reducing that shakiness you might find. It’s a personal preference as to which one you choose. I have an Optimizer Lite Ultra on my other hunting rig and I really like that one, too, but I love the way the King Pin works.

A few details to mention to give you an idea of what the sight is all about. The sight housing is 1 5/8″ and the fiber length is 5 ft. This allows for more light gathering and a brighter pin. Like many HHA sights, the King Pin has the mechanical rheostat feature that allows you to adjust the brightness by twisting it to the desired brightness level. I’ll be honest, I usually leave mine at the brightest setting. 

The weight of the King Pin can be an issue for some as it comes in at 16 oz. Many might be turned off by that. I wasn’t concerned as much as curious if it would impede performance. I originally had an 8 oz. stabilizer on my bow. I removed it due to the sight adding so much weight and I thought the sight itself would help stabilize my bow. I was mistaken and found I still needed the 8 oz. stabilizer on the bow. I do notice how heavy the bow is, but I also shoot with my quiver on my bow, as that is how I hunt. I have to get used to the fact that if I plan to hunt with all of the gadgets on my bow, it will be heavier.

When choosing a pin size, I opted to go with the .010″ pin vs. the .019″ pin. Normally, I like to have a large pin to focus on when aiming at an animal and it really helps during the dawn and dusk hours. I want a bright pin and be able to see it, due to the fact that I wear glasses 100% of the time when I hunt. I dislike contacts. This year I decided that I would go with a .010″ pin because no matter what, I can’t see the pin before a certain time of day or after due to my vision, no matter what the pin size is. It turns out it is the best thing I have done with my sight set-up. This allows me to focus even tighter on my target and see more of what I am aiming at. Along with this, the King Pin now has a sight tape magnifier that allows for adjustment to the 1/4 yard. It is really nice to see your set yardage pop just a bit more when shooting. It’s a mental thing, but it’s really nice.

There are now removable dials in case you want to switch the sight to different bows that may also have different draw weights. For me, this wasn’t a game changer. Personally, once my sight is on my bow, it is staying put. I am not going to risk moving it to another bow. I would rather pay for a new sight that take that risk. It’s a great idea and I wonder how many people actually use one sight for two different bows. I’d love to hear about it.

Wheel-forward technology has been added to allow for one-piece quivers, such as the TightSpot Quiver. I swapped out the large screw for the set screw and was able to add the quiver mount directly to the outside of the sight. Excellent new feature in my opinion. Before I had to add a bracket, between the sight and the riser, to allow for mounting my quiver. It’s not even an issue any more.

I added a sunshade and 4x lens kit B to the King Pin. This is the amber lens used primarily for hunting. I tried using a 6x lens and that required I use a clarifier. I opted for the 4x amber lens and it is incredible and really does help me out. This could be bad for me when hunting in the desert or rain, as sand and water will collect inside of it, but it’s a gamble I am willing take.

Don’t forget about the sights are Made in the U.S.A. and carry a 100% Lifetime Warranty. Allow me to repeat that so it sticks with you – Made in the U.S.A. and a 100% Lifetime Warranty. Need I say more?

After shooting the King Pin TE for a while and talking with others, I do have one thing I do not like. The magnifier over the sight tape only works well before you draw. If you hunting and are at full draw and the animal moves, you will want to see the yardage you are set at. Unfortunately, the magnifier not only blocks it, you can even see the line. IMHO, it might be worth looking into for an update to either lower the magnifier so you can see if at full draw, or lose it altogether.  (Update: I am told that HHA has come up with a solution to this issue and will offer a ‘brass pointer assembly that will be shipping along with the magnifier next year.  That way the customer can pick which one they prefer.’ Again, this is another reason why I love HHA Sports. They listen to the archers and make modifications for us. Awesome!)

This was my group at 60 yards when sighting in. I am very happy with the results.

The King Pin is not inexpensive. MSRP for the tournament edition is $400. I explain to people that you need to think of the King Pin as an investment, not just an archery sight. When you buy the King Pin, you are buying a sight you will use for many years, if not a lifetime. These sights are built like tanks and with a warranty like HHA offers, you can’t go wrong. I know guys that are rough on gear and buy inexpensive sights that they replace every couple years because they break on rocks where they hunt. Save and spend your money on the King Pin and you won’t have that problem any longer. 

Would I recommend the HHA Sports Optimizer Lite King Pin to anyone? You bet I would! Tournament archers and bow hunters alike will benefit from this awesome new addition to the HHA sight line.  I know I have and love how comfortable I am shooting now. This sight truly is a game changer for me and it will be for you, too.