Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

I can't decide between the Mathews Switchback XT and the Bowtech Tribute. I want a cobination of speed, smoothness and quite. I do believe a quiete bow is better than a faster bow. I have a 27" draw and shoot around 65 lb draw. I hear they are both fantastic bows. Please give input?

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

At 27" draw the fastest bow you will get is the Bowtech Equalizer. You can get 300 fps IBO with it. Its also smooth and quiet. The other 2 will be a tad smoother draw but @ 15 fps slower at your draw length.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

Mathews is smooth and very forgiving. I don't believe you will find amore quite bow either.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

The BT Equalizer only draws 26.5 Max if that means anything. YES THAT JOKER is FAST! How tall are you? Maybe a Allegience would be good? Max poundage for the Equalizer is 60# but it's fast, accurate and very, very, very quiet as are the rest of the BT bows. I just didn't like the Mathews. I felt it to be to slow and very loud in comparison. For the money go with BT. JMO

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

Do your self a favor and get a Bowtech.Go shoot them. You will get more speed out of the Bowtech Mathews are good bows, dont get me wrong.If I didnt own a Bowtech I would own a Mathews.Shoot them at the Pro shop if you can.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

The bowtech will definitely be faster. The Mathews is very, very smooth. You will just have to go and shoot both and see which one is better for you.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

I have the Switchback XT, I have a 27.5" draw, this bow is as smooth as the Bowtech is fast. The Mathews is just a better quality madebow, not that the Bowtech isn't made well. Speed is great, but what good is speed if you can't draw the bow back smoothly. Go with the Switchback XT, I shoot 100 gr Muzzys on a Carbon Express Maxima 250, and my arrows are flying faster enough

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

Actually they go to 27". Mine came with a 27" module. The early advertising was incorrect. They are also 32 7/8" ATA not 32" as adverised initially.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

After 2.5 hours of testing and shooting I have come to the conclusion...I like the mathews switchback XT. I feel it is a little smoother, quieter and feels better. I also did a speed test with both bows and the arrows I will use hunting (total weight 398 grams). The XT at 60 lbs shot 258 fps. The Tribute at 65 lbs shot at 264 fbs. I'm sure with the XT at 65 lbs it will close the gap and I would rather have the smoother and quieter bow, plus the XT grip feels much better in my hands. Thanks for all your input everyone!!:)

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

The reason I shoot aBowTech, Tribute? Pro Shop quality & service.
The best pro shop in my areahandles BowTech & Hoyt.
The other pro shop has shoe salesman, that sell & try to service bows?[:o]
I refuse topay top dollar for a bow,from a second rate pro shop.

IMHO, Mathews& BowTech make GREAT bows. I am sure you will love your Mathews.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

Shoot them both.. they are both great bows. I personally prefer the XT. It fits me better and is more comfortable for me to shoot. Very quiet and forgiving... and is by no means slow! I shoot 70# at 29" and get 30 yards w/ very little drop w/ one pin.
Shoot them both and one should feel better and more like you. Both are awesome.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

Now THAT'S a first... [8D]

I had both bows hanging in my archery room most of this summer, as the XT was the last bow I was shooting before I signed with BowTech... Honest to God, my Tribute was quieter than the XT by a good bit. I would have people come over to the house, listen to me shoot, and make the same comment...

But... the XT is a great bow, and you' could certainly do worse out there when choosing a bow. Good luck with it if you decide to go that route.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

I'm not trying to stir the pot here, but did you really do a side by side test? I find it hard to beleive that you achieved those results. Unless the Tribute you shot had smooth mods installed and not the speed mods. And you are one of the first people I've seen that said Mathews grips felt good in their hands. I'd shoot my Tribute next to any Mathews and I'll bet you won't hear a difference in quietness. Mathews will draw a bit smoother, but thats it. They are very nice bows however. The best grips come on Hoyt's

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

I just bought a new Tribute after test shooting both bows, and I couldn't be happier. Don't get me wrong,both bows are awesome bows, but I didn't find that the XT was quiet enoughto make up for the lesser speed. I also did not like the fat grip on the XT.
Something else you might keep in mind is that Bowtech's lifetime warranty is exactly that. If you should happen to have a problem, Bowtech will fix it or replace it at no cost to you.
Just shoot the bows and decide which one fits your needs best.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

IMO, buy a BowTech but you should probably shoot the heck out of both of them at a shop then decide.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

I'M with Terry on the Equalizer. I have one at a 26" draw and get about 297fps.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

I have read all of your comments and I find it very interesting. I have been considering a new bow, but had never given much thought to the Tribute. I used to have an Extreme VFT and liked it very much. I think all this discussion has been awesome! I will definately have to shoot this bow! Thanks.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

I too find it very hard to believe that an XT shot almost as fast as a Tribute with the Tribute having a 5#heavier draw weight. There was a guy at the local Pro Shop here the other day. He was shooting his XT through the chrono at 272fps. Out of curiosity I shot mine through and was at 303fps. I'm not sure of his draw length, but he was every bit as big a fella as I am.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

If i didn't have a mathews, it would be a bowtech. and as wolfkiller said pro shop, i have one 2 miles form me and thats what he deals in

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

go with the bowtech equalizer i have one and love it absolute best bow i have ever shot mine is at 26" and 60lb with a 380gr arrow was shooting 272fps its super quiet by just adding string silencers just inside of the factory silencers but yes it will go to 27" and all they need for it now are 70# limbs

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

Shoot both of them and see which one works for you...

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

The best advice thatI can give you is if you've narrowed it down to 2 choice's, is go shoot them both and go with your instinct's and gut feeling on which to choose . Just because a Mathew's or a BowTech was a good choice for a friend ,definately doesn't mean it's the correct choice for you .This has to be your decission ,no one here on this site or any other site for that matter can tell you which of these 2 bow's is siuted right for you ,but you solely.

nubo

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

This is the best advice!!!!!! Well put nubo!

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

here on base we have 3-d shoot all this summer everyone got mathews switchback but i'm the only one with bowtech i out chrono all of them i was just shooting only 61lbs and some of them shooting 71lbs.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

You cannot go wrong with a Mathews. I just got the new Switchback XT, and it is the quietest, smoothest shooting bow I've ever shot. I've owned quite a few others, and have shot many, many Bowtechs and Hoyts. Mathews, when set up correctly with a good heavy stabilizer, will outperform all other bows, including smoothness and sound level. Bowtechs are faster, but when you have a bow that is so quite, the deer will not jump the string near as quickly as they would on any other bow, therefore the extra 10 fps you gain will not hardly do anything for you. Try them both out, make sure they're set up by a professional and get the right size for you. I'll bet money that you'll get the Mathews. Good luck!

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

So you picked the XT, ehh? Can't believeyou picked a Solocam overthe Binary. Oh well, just another one on theMathews bandwagon...ha ha:D.At the end of the day, it's always been and always will bethe shooter...not the bow.Shoot straight.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

True. I just loved the fact that when I was shooting, all I could feel was the vanes going through my WB!!:D

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

I would respectfully disagree; go back and read the first page of posts... I owned both the XT and the Tribute at the same time, and my Tribute was a good bit quieter than my XT. Add in the flatter trajectory and about the same shock level -- along with the far superior string and hard wall to pull into -- and the Tribute's a clear winner to me.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

I question some of these results as well. There is no way the Switchback is getting almost as much speed as the Tribute. After shooting them all, the Switchback by far was the slowest of the 4 I shot, which also included the Trykon and Allegiance.

After extensive shooting both in and out of a chrono, the Switchback although smooth, not more so and quiet but not more so was the dog of the bunch. The Tribute as much as 15 fps faster, the Allegiance even faster.

When it was all said and done, I chose the Allegiance after shooting Hoyt for 10 plus years, I was dead set on the Switchback too, it just didn't live up to the hype.

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1421735

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

It has been hyped up quite a bit, no question there. If everyone is wanting that much speed, get the Mathews Black Max 2. It is 330+ fps. But if you're wanting accuracy, you don't want that. When you have too much speed, and believe me you can (I owned a Black Max 2), it is literally impossible to get them as accurate as a slower, and much quieter bow. The Black Max 2 is not designed to be a competition bow. As odd as it sounds, it was built for speed with a little bit of accuracy. Not quiet either.

I love Hoyts and Bowtechs as well, don't get me wrong. They are the next two on my list. But after my local bow shop, whose owner I know well, set up both a Bowtech and a Mathews to fit me, I can honestly say that after about 25 shots each, the Mathews was the one that outperformed the other, and that's the one I shot second! Not to mention that Mathews has had more tournament wins than any other bow manufacturer.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... this has NOTHING to do with the qualities a manufacturer brings to the table -- onlyhow much money it is willing to pay its shooters.. period.

I've related this story on here a couple times, but it's well worth repeating: There's a world champion shooter from my area, and he won his first seven world championships shooting Hoyt. Mathews came along and offered him more money to start shooting its bows... Guess what he won his next two world championships with? [8D]Was it the bow, or the $$? :)

I'll also add in this; it took him a couple years to get used to the Mathews and I know he regretted jumping at the money at first, but good shooters are able to win with any bow... That's why it comes down to who's willing to pony up the bigges bucks.

NOW.. if you like your Mathews, great. There's absolutely not a thing wrong with. But saying the bow is better because more titles are won with them is a fallacy. ;)

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

Well, I've been to many, many competitions, and I've yet to see a PSE, Fred Bear, Browning, etc., make a group at 65 yards the size of a half dollar. I've only seen a Mathews and a Hoyt do that (there is one event that I can't remember if this man was shooting a Bowtech or Hoyt, so I can't really judge that one). At 77 yards at a 3-D competition, I personally watched some of my friends, who were not offered a single cent to shoot a Mathews, not a cent, put a group together the size of the bottom of a Solo cup. The Hoyts came in second, at about the size of a very small saucer. Now this isn't a big margin, true, but it is a lot when you consider the prizes they've won shooting a Mathews vs the Hoyt shooters that went home empty handed on both of these particular incidences. Was it the shooters? Part of it I'm sure. But there were two men there who were shooting the Legacy that used to be die-hard Bowtech junkies. Ironic, or quality?

But there is a big point that Greg makes...you may have the greatest bow in the world (if there was a world so perfect), but if you can't shoot well, then you're bow will do you no good. You must practice every chance you get, or that trophy will just trot away.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

i also just recently bought a new bow i shot the top 3 that would fit my short arms(26in draw) the tribute, the trykon, and the switchback xt. all are very nice bows and i am a firm believer that you get what you pay for. with that said all 3 bows are very comparable with price. but i shoot many arrows through all 3 at 2 different proshops and the tribute was the better one for me and my shooting style. everyone shoots slightly different and as long as the arrow hits its mark that doesnt matter. but with all things i considered speed, smoothness, comfort of grip, shock, and quietness, the tribute beat the other 2 hands down. and the hard wall to pull on and hold on was a major plus in my book, the option of having the 2 different modules(smooth and speed) is also more apealing to have what you want in one package but also I think of the fact that Bowtech has only been around 6-7 years and they are right up with the top names in archery equipment is amazing. but all in all everyone is thier own person and has to make up thier own mind on this sensative subject but if you like a corvette and 1000 people told you a pinto was better would you get what you want or would get the pinto.

just my 2 cents

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

TRASH BOTH IDEAS AND BUY A REFLEX SUPER SLAM. THIS IS A BOWHUNTERS BOW.[8D]

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

I'm new to the furm, so forgive me for a late comment. I am also fairly new to new bows. My husband choose a XT over a Hoyt Trikon. We then bought me a Bowtech Diamond Rapture lite. We have done alot of shooting to try to improve upon our current skills. During this time, my husband has had to return the XT to the pro shop for repair. It was a manufactur defect. On the bottom cam there is a screw hole and on some bows it was actually cutting the serving, on my husbands it was just pulling the serving back. The pro shop said they get several coming back in for this problem. They restrung the serving and a week later it is still wearing on the serving. The other thing I personally don't like about the XT is having to replace those bumpers every so often. He is thrilled with the way the XT shoots and it feels great in his hand. And it is really quiet, you can't tell a noise difference b/t Mathews and Bowtech. I just wanted to share our technical difficulties.

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

And this is where the delema is. 2 different bow companies that advertise the 2 most opposite qualities. Mathews known for smooth draw and quietness. Bowtech for speed. Every company has there selling points. As well does EVERY bow have goods and there bads. People will argue till the day they die on which bow is best !!! There is no best bow!!! Bows specs thse days make it harder to compare. Now most people will swear by a bow for the fact its what they currently or have in the past shot. I personally rely on a bow to win!! My aspects are different from others. I have shot about every bow on the market. Personally I havent shot a real piece of crap. There are others I like better. Buying a bow because of others idea's is retarded. It can help you choose between a few bows. But Dont buy one cause this guy or that guy say's its the best. I went in total different direction this year. Shooting an Illuision. Cant say that I was all over it when it came out. And wasnt sold on it till I shot it. Smooth, Fast, and quiet. Its all about preference. Why do you think so many pro's jump ship in archery. Money plus they can win with what they shoot !! Most bows out now are all comparable !!! Good Luck !!!!

RE: Switchback XT or Bowtech Tribute?
 

vte, welcome to our little corner of the world! Jump right in, and make yourself at home! :)