This past Saturday I shot a bunch of bows including the DXT, 82nd, 101st, General, Katera, X-Force, and a Darton Pro 3000. I'm not looking to buy, I just shot them for fun and with an open mind.

Overall, the Bowtechs impressed me the most, in particular the 82nd. I love the draw cycle and the solid back wall. I'm used to the mushy feeling of the hybrid cams. The draw stop on the Bowtechs makes for a rock solid back wall. I really liked that. AT full draw,the pin just sits still. What a treat! I've learned that I do not need to fear the 6" BH either. In fact, none of the 6" BH bows that I shot bothered me at all. I think a string suppressor makes a 6" BH bow feel like a 7" BH bow.

Hands down the quietest most shock free bow I"ve ever shot was the Bowtech General. It definitely lives up to it's reputation. With no stabilizer, that thing was just dead. The short ATA is not really a problem, but it was not as steady as the 82nd in my hands.

When I shot the 101st next to the 82nd, I literally could tell no difference at all. Both were just as accurate for me. So if all else is equal, I'd prefer the extra speed of the 82nd over the 101st. Both are just awesome shooting machines. You couldn't go wrong with either.

The Darton Pro 3000 that I shot was fully set up for hunting with a string suppressor, dropwaway rest, sight and stabilizer. The draw cycle felt very similar to the 82nd/101st. The back wall was very solid. The only two things I didn't care for were the grip (too fat) and the slight buzz after the shot. It wasn't alot of vibration but it was more than the Bowtechs.

The biggest letdown for me was the Mathews DXT. I was expecting it to blow my socks off, based on the reviews from Mathews owners. I just don't see what the big deal is. After I shot it, I remember thinking "This doesn't feel like an $800 bow". The grip is uncomfortable for starters. The back wall is not all that solid. The draw cycle is fine. But the bow certainly had a little jump to it, and it vibrated worse than any of the bows I shot that day, with the exception of the PSE X-Force. I think it's just a little TOO light. I didn't chrono it, but it seemed fast. It was nice, I just don't see what all the hype is for. I shot a Bear Instinct right after the DXT and the Instinct felt better IMHO.

The Hoyt Katera felt good in my hands. The draw cycle felt to me alot like my Pearson Stealth. The back wall was a little spongy, like all hybrid cams. That spongy feeling never bothered me until I shot the Bowtechs. The Katera was very fast, with minimal vibration and hand shock. Nice bow, but I wasn't blown away like I was with the Airbornes.

The X-Force was just not for me. There was no valley, and it felt like about 50% letoff at full draw. And you'd better not creep, or it's going! That coupled with the vibration and hand shock left me saying "NO Thanks" as I handed the bow back to the sales rep.

The biggest mistake I made was shooting the 82nd Airborne first that day. Becasue after that, none of the other bows I shot came close. In fact, the ONLY bowthat I felt was significantly better than mycurrent Pearson Stealth was the 82nd Airborne. I was completely in awe of that bow. [:-]