As for me personally, it helps if the letters w,h,c,b,o,e and t ,are on the limbs…

Seriously…

Despite my current choice in hunting bows (which is an exception to the rule due to it’s axle to axle length) I prefer

AtoA of 37 to 41”

Brace Height ranging between 7-to7.75”

Mass weight of 4 to 4.75 Lbs bare

Solid limbs, unless it’s a Hoyt. And I prefer Recurve over straight for aesthetics (unless it’s a longbow, which is an entirely different subject).

60-65% letoff only.

Low to medium wrist grip (no super lows or medium-highs)

Wood grips w/ out a glossy/slick finish (I’ve found most rubber grips too torquey, and I HATE plastic), riser spine is my second choice if it’s not too low.

6” plus sight-window

I like a lot of reflex in the riser, as long as the riser is well designed/balanced to combat torque. I don’t shoot light reflex, neutral, or deflexed risers as well (generally, but there are always exceptions).

High perfomance (i.e. speed). Simply because I can do what I want with it…I don’t care for most 5 grains per LB setups, so I tame the speed w/ arrow weight.

It HAS to have low recoil. Vibration (riser or string) does not concern me because proper accessories will tame that. I’m not terribly concerned with bow noise either, unless it’s extreme.

Price is usually not an issue, though those days are coming to an end. Personally, I’d rather buy a last years high- end closeout, than this year’s budget to mid priced bow. I’ve had some great budget/low end bows before, but again they are the exception, not the rule.

NO GIMMICKY stuff. I like good solid basic designs. No weird cable-guards, or string stoppers, or limb pockets, or grip angles, or stuff that “bolts” through or is attached to the riser or limbs. I can barely put up with Limbsavers and Hoyt TEC risers I want a riser, pockets, limbs, cableguard, cam or cams, string and cable: that’s it.

NO MOSSY OAK BREAKUP CAMO FINISHES..YUCK…that is the absolute worst transfer of a camo pattern to a dip finish I have ever seen…I’m being anal, yes, but it’s my money to be anal with!

JeffB