I think speed bows have always gotten a bad rep from the hunting public. Honestly,two of the best shooting bows I've ever shot were speed bows (Black Knight & HCA Iron Mace).

The problem is:most of the people buying them in the past hadn't been shooting long enough to "know how to shoot it" - usually on a speed bow, you're going to have a shorter BH, a harder draw cycle, etc... But it is what it is, you're still drawing X pounds - same as you would be with a "smooth" draw cycle - there's just more area under the force-draw curve. You are doing a little more "work." Still peaked at X, though. With the short brace, if you're not holding it right, you're eating watch straps. You need a solid follow through. You need to be able to hold it. Most guys just weren't good enough to shoot those bows (bad form, bad grip, bad follow-through, bad everything).

Technology has gave us the ability to get past those concerns, however. With string loops to keep you from torquing the release, dropaway rests (that are a crutch for "peaking," "torquing," and "deathgrip"), and STS units to keep the string off your arm on short BH- almost anyone can shoot a speed demon, and shoot itwell.

It used to be that when you picked up a real racehorse (I'm thinking back to the top end PSE Mach bows) - with the cams preloaded up, overdraw, thin strung, pencil arrow, tiny BH - and you shot it - it was really something. Sounded like a bomb, tore the skin off your arm, and was not pleasant at all.

Compare that to an Allegiance or an Iron Mace or a Black Knight or a Vulcan. There's no contest. These bows are as smooth and soft and quiet as their "smooth" competitors (or at least very comparable).

Maybe that's just me trying to justify why I do what I do (b/c I'm a "speed guy"), or maybe there's some truth in there. Riding a racehorse isn't hard anymore. You have beginners out there shooting XForces, and doing it very, verywell. That should tell you something.

Also, as some of you know, I've been doing a little bit of "high speed" testing of my own. You wouldn't believe the difference in yardage markings between my old bow (285), and my new bow (365). I really think the new "speed bows" are giving us the best of both worlds. They're really no louder than theslower competitors, other than the increased string vibration (hum) that comes with a higher string speed. Put an STS or some leeches on there, and you're looking at a bow that's as quiet and soft as any other bow on the market.