Hi Chrissy! welcome to the forum! Echoing Grumpy Tom, the only difference in Excals [until they brought out thumbhole stocks this year] is the length of the rail. To get from 150# pull bow to 225# pull bow, they just make the rails a bit longer to get the poundage [and price,lol] up. I have both the Phoenix and Emax. The Emax [same bow as Equinox but old style rifle stock] is a real bruiser and not a pleasure to shoot like the Phoenix. BHSS has had them best prices on the net, but has a credit only policy on returns, so if you use them, be aware you can't get a cash refund. Another word of caution, Excal offers two packages. One is called the "Right Stuff" and has every thing a new xbower will need. The other is called "Just enough Stuff" or something like that and is for folks that already have some of the gizmo's you need to string and shoot a xbow. the two new models this year are : Vortex [same as Exocet] and Equinox [same as Exomax] but both have the heretofore unavailable thumbhole stocks. Have fun!

Edited to add: W/ Excals, the taller you are, the easier it is to cock the higher poundage [longer pull/stroke] bows.