I have been pricing out new bows..happy with mine, but ya gotta look. I spent @ $800 on my complete set up 3 yrs ago..I've shot deer with it no problem and I can group shot to my liking. I just cant believe the price tags on the new stuff. I've seen hoyt, matthews, ect...BOWS ONLYfor $700-$900. (Sticker shock I guess). Is there really that much more technology and REALcost going into these bows, or are the prices up there because of the increasing popularity of the sport and these companies taking advantage of it?...Maybe i am frugal (or cheap) but how does a guy stay current with the equipment these days???
i personally don't see any MAJOR improvements from today to a few years back....i will say if you don't stay current with a bow, every year, and they discontinue your bow...which normally happends to most bows every year....then you can wait up to 14 business days to get replacement parts[:@]
maybe just parker, but up to 14 business days to replace my limbs...
Buy this years bow next year for $450-$500. Or buy last years bow this year for $450-$500. Unless you have to have a "virgin" bow or you (anyone)justneed to have this years latest and greatest, then buy a used one. Think about it, the guardian/commander (or pick a manufacturer you like)were awesome bows when they came out last year with their new design and quietness. Well, they are still awesome bows this year but people are selling last years bows, some with just a few hundred or less shots, anywhere from $425 on up. Package deals, sight, rest, peep, stabilizer,extra modules, etc. are going for $550-$600.
__________________
Nature does nothing uselessly.
- Aristotle -
Is there really that much more technology and REALcost going into these bows, or are the prices up there because of the increasing popularity of the sport and these companies taking advantage of it?...Maybe i am frugal (or cheap) but how does a guy stay current with the equipment these days???
If you build it and hype it, someone will buy it just to say they have it. I know a guy who's bought a new Matthews every year for the past five years or so, just because it's the "newest" one out. Odd thing is, he's got 5 bows now but still hasn't sprouted more than two arms. He uses the newest to hunt with, last year's as a back-up and leaves the other three sitting. Until he has more than two arms he's wasting money in my opinion.
And, just like me, you aren't frugal....you're just plain CHEAP. Admitting it is the first step...you're on your way.
__________________
If deer didn't have antlers, would anyone care which one they shoot??
Is there really that much more technology and REALcost going into these bows, or are the prices up there because of the increasing popularity of the sport and these companies taking advantage of it?...Maybe i am frugal (or cheap) but how does a guy stay current with the equipment these days???
If you build it and hype it, someone will buy it just to say they have it. I know a guy who's bought a new Matthews every year for the past five years or so, just because it's the "newest" one out. Odd thing is, he's got 5 bows now but still hasn't sprouted more than two arms. He uses the newest to hunt with, last year's as a back-up and leaves the other three sitting. Until he has more than two arms he's wasting money in my opinion.
And, just like me, you aren't frugal....you're just plain CHEAP. Admitting it is the first step...you're on your way.
Is your friend wanting to get rid of any of his old bows? I'm in the market
I think there are some subtle changes to nearly all of them each year, with a rare change that is more than subtle, Bowtech went over the top with a new riser design last year, then some subtle changes this year. Hoyt came out with their FIRST parallel limb bow in 2006, then has sort of stagnated, Reflex (a subsidiary of Hoyt) then followed in 2007 with a parallel limber of it's own, but this year's offering have stagnated a bit. Bear bows were stagnant for a couple years, and it now looks like they are on top of the "Innovation" curve with their 2008 offerings. Are they worth $800??? Not to me, I just waited until myTrykon XL was a year old, and bought it for less than half of the retail price, with a $100 Trophy Taker rest on it, for $350. I'm frugal, some would say I border on CHEAP, but whichever you call it, I spend my money judiciously.
The one that I have is not the fastest, but it is smooth its 4 years old. I figure I will update in a couple years or so. I most likely will get a last years when I update too.
I feel there have been slight improvements in the past 5 years or so. We have gotten speeds up and managed to tame the recoil and noise at the same time. You used to be able to get a pretty fast bow, but they were not the most pleasant things to shoot. In the past few years I haven't seen them do anything earth shattering though. Not enough to make me want to ditch my mighty might and drop a grand on another bow.
Do we need any of it? Not at all. Like I always tell people, my buddy has been killing deer like crazy with a 15 year old darton with a magnesium riser, round wheels and steel cables. It shoots about 200 FPS with a 400 some grn aluminum arrow and 70 lbs of draw weight. It has about 60 percent let off, feels like smacking an aluminum bat against a telephone pole and sounds like a screen door slamming shut when you shoot it. I have not heard one deer complain about it though and I don't think he misses very often either.
I shot a Mathews SQ2 and a MQ32 in 2000-2001 I think and they were awesome little hunting bows. Felt nice in the hand, quiet and almost no recoil or handshock at all. Were not the fastest bows out, but they were not the slowest either. I really don't feel bows have progressed much since then. Other than getting the speeds up and the other companies have caught up in the recoil and vibration department. I was shooting a darton at the time with the CPS cams. It had a great draw cycle, about the same speeds but had a fair amount of jump and vibration at the shot. The Mathews Ultra 2 felt about the same, but had a harsher draw cycle and considerably more speed with the same set up.
I was a big fan of the Cybertec with the versa cam as well.
Paul
__________________
I didn't climb to the top of the food chain to eat carrots! (Ron White)
Is there really that much more technology and REALcost going into these bows, or are the prices up there because of the increasing popularity of the sport and these companies taking advantage of it?...Maybe i am frugal (or cheap) but how does a guy stay current with the equipment these days???
If you build it and hype it, someone will buy it just to say they have it. I know a guy who's bought a new Matthews every year for the past five years or so, just because it's the "newest" one out. Odd thing is, he's got 5 bows now but still hasn't sprouted more than two arms. He uses the newest to hunt with, last year's as a back-up and leaves the other three sitting. Until he has more than two arms he's wasting money in my opinion.
And, just like me, you aren't frugal....you're just plain CHEAP. Admitting it is the first step...you're on your way.
Is your friend wanting to get rid of any of his old bows? I'm in the market
No, he won't sell them. He's one of the "you never know when I'll need one of them" types. He only uses the newest one though, because he'd hate to be carrying "last years's bow" if one of his friends sees him in the field.
__________________
If deer didn't have antlers, would anyone care which one they shoot??
I amfrugal as well. My hunting rig is a '95 Chevy Corsica (White and the paint is falling off, but gets 30 miles/gallon) and my bow is a 2002 model. Both suit me just fine and are mechanically sound. I use the money I save to hunt... and in no way do I worry about the Jones.
I must admit though, I am considering an upgrade for the use on cape buffalo. Hurry up tax refund!
__________________
____________________________________________
There are people who will always come up with reasons why you can't legally do what you want to do. Ignore them.
Stupid question...but really
