SCbowhntr,

Here's my 2 cents on the Darton and Mathews bows based on my personal experience.

I've been shooting the Darton Avalanche Extreme the last 2 years. Nice moderately fast bow for the price. My buddy also shoots the Typhoon and is quite happy with it. Low maintenance, very little string creep, fairly quiet, with the proven CPS cam system. For a hunting bow, you can't go wrong.

That being said, I just bought the Mathews Switchback (call me a traitor if you want) after test shooting it 3-4 times. Hey, I just got a big tax refund burning a hole in my pocket. Had to get a new toy. Over the last year I've also shot the LX, Legacy, and Outback. One of my other hunting buddies also shoots the MQ32. Out of all of these bows, I think the Switchback has the optimal combination of smooth draw cycle (very circular cam), lack of vibration/shock, and speed. Although, it has an ATA of 33" it appears and shoots like a longer bow (it has a very long riser and extreme parrallel limbs). Personally, I'm gravitating towards longer bows for greater forgiveness. The only negative thing I can say about the SB is that I've gotten some string creep on the stock Zebra Barracuda string. For the kind of $ you will be paying it would be nice if Mathews could put a high end string like Winners Choice or similar on their bows. You can't go wrong with this bow. Although you may pay a bit more for the Mathews you will also be getting alot of innovation and technology for your $. Resale value on used Mathews is also good.

SCbowhntr, test shoot both lines of bows. See which feels the best to you and your wallet. Good luck and have fun shopping for that new toy!