What's the best bow?
09-05-2007, 01:27 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,429
What's the best bow?
Howdy folks,
I've been out of the bow market for a few years. I currently have a Hoyt Magnatech thats around 5 years old. I was in a wreck and tore up my elbow and hadn't messed with my bow since. I had pretty much given up on bow hunting. Last week I got the notion to get back into the action, so I pulled out my old bow. Cranked it down from 70 to 55 and tried shooting it. I had forgotten how rewarding it was to watch your arrow fly into the X ring. So it got me to thinking that technology has probably improved in the last half decade. I'm trying to do a little research to find out what's the best out there. I've read really great things about the Bowtech Guardian but I've been a longtime Hoyt man. Just wondering what the concensus was.
What does the Guardian sell for nowadays? Whats the brace height on the guardians? What kind of speed should I expect from a hunting set up pulling around 60#?
I've been out of the bow market for a few years. I currently have a Hoyt Magnatech thats around 5 years old. I was in a wreck and tore up my elbow and hadn't messed with my bow since. I had pretty much given up on bow hunting. Last week I got the notion to get back into the action, so I pulled out my old bow. Cranked it down from 70 to 55 and tried shooting it. I had forgotten how rewarding it was to watch your arrow fly into the X ring. So it got me to thinking that technology has probably improved in the last half decade. I'm trying to do a little research to find out what's the best out there. I've read really great things about the Bowtech Guardian but I've been a longtime Hoyt man. Just wondering what the concensus was.
What does the Guardian sell for nowadays? Whats the brace height on the guardians? What kind of speed should I expect from a hunting set up pulling around 60#?
09-05-2007, 01:39 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Middletown PA United States
Posts: 3,625
RE: What's the best bow?
Depends on what you want to spend and what you want to do with it. You mention the Guardian. There's also the Drenalin and Vectrix---all the latest and greatest things to ever happen to archery---or so it might seem. Also with prices of about $700.
There are a lot of bows out that can do the same job for a lot less money.Two that seems to be hot this year is the Martin Bengal ($400)and Pantera ($479)with the easy drawing MPro cam. Personally I like the Pantera with Nitrous X cams.
My advice would be to not take any advice at face value, but get out to shops in your area and shoot every bow that they will set up for you. Make a list of your priorities and compile a list of the bows that meet your desires. Then buy one.
I would say that Diamond is made by Bowtech, Mission is made by Mathews. Pretty good bows at about half the cost of their parents. Lots and lots of bows.
There are a lot of bows out that can do the same job for a lot less money.Two that seems to be hot this year is the Martin Bengal ($400)and Pantera ($479)with the easy drawing MPro cam. Personally I like the Pantera with Nitrous X cams.
My advice would be to not take any advice at face value, but get out to shops in your area and shoot every bow that they will set up for you. Make a list of your priorities and compile a list of the bows that meet your desires. Then buy one.
I would say that Diamond is made by Bowtech, Mission is made by Mathews. Pretty good bows at about half the cost of their parents. Lots and lots of bows.
09-06-2007, 07:19 AM
#4
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,429
RE: What's the best bow?
heck,
its not like i'm a rookie at this. I've just been out of the game for a few years. My current setup will probably do everything that I need it to do. set on 70# it chrono'd 276 FPS. I may not do anything, but I was just wondering what the consesus was.
its not like i'm a rookie at this. I've just been out of the game for a few years. My current setup will probably do everything that I need it to do. set on 70# it chrono'd 276 FPS. I may not do anything, but I was just wondering what the consesus was.
09-08-2007, 05:48 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Balt, MD (orig: J-town,PA) The bowels of Hell!!!
Posts: 2,188
RE: What's the best bow?
The best bow is the one that you like the best. Draw cycle, and grip.
There are a lot of guys that still shoot their Allegiance or bought an Allegiance over a Guardian. Rhe common complaint is the draw cycle.
There are a lot of guys that still shoot their Allegiance or bought an Allegiance over a Guardian. Rhe common complaint is the draw cycle.
09-08-2007, 06:50 PM
#6
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Antioch, IL
Posts: 661
RE: What's the best bow?
i finally got to shoot a couple bows today... bear truth, mathews drenalin and switchback xt, diamond black ice, hoyt trykon, and bowtech gaurdian...
initial impressions, all were 29" 70lb bows, whisker biscuits and a tru fire release
truth, actually very nice for the $$, likes - pretty smooth draw and release, pretty quiet, dislikes - handle, its boxy and akward feeling, with a different handle this would be a fantastic bow, especially for the money, if you don't mind modding a couple things to make it feel better this would be a solid choice...
drenalin - likes - very light, agressive draw, fires smooth, dislikes, the 70lb draw FEELS like a 70lb draw
switchback - same as the drenalin cept a bit heavier, nice bow though, matthews shoot really smooth but the feel isn't there for me
black ice - decpetively easy to draw and hold, smooth shooter, with a nice balanced feel, a top contender, if your not dead set on top tier brands (hoyt, bowtech, matthews, and etc) and can live with the 2nd tier brands like reflex, diamond and the like, this is a worthy bow of the top tier...
guardian - wow, drawing this bow felt like i was pulling back a 55lber, strong shooter, very smooth, i liked this bow a LOT... it just felt right... the hype on this bow is deserving in my opinion...
trykon - this was a very nice bow as well, i really liked the feel of the bow in my hand, but under draw it didn't agree with me to well, i liked it more than the matthews though and the bear, i'd like to try a vectrix but they didn't have one handy...
basically, i've narrowed it to the black ice and the gaurdian... both were fantstic bows... final decision will depend on whether or not i wanna pop the extra 150 for the bowtech over the diamond...
just what i've found today, still some others i'd like to shoot, specifically the vectrix and a couple others... off to work i go, more research... i'm lovin this kinda research...
initial impressions, all were 29" 70lb bows, whisker biscuits and a tru fire release
truth, actually very nice for the $$, likes - pretty smooth draw and release, pretty quiet, dislikes - handle, its boxy and akward feeling, with a different handle this would be a fantastic bow, especially for the money, if you don't mind modding a couple things to make it feel better this would be a solid choice...
drenalin - likes - very light, agressive draw, fires smooth, dislikes, the 70lb draw FEELS like a 70lb draw
switchback - same as the drenalin cept a bit heavier, nice bow though, matthews shoot really smooth but the feel isn't there for me
black ice - decpetively easy to draw and hold, smooth shooter, with a nice balanced feel, a top contender, if your not dead set on top tier brands (hoyt, bowtech, matthews, and etc) and can live with the 2nd tier brands like reflex, diamond and the like, this is a worthy bow of the top tier...
guardian - wow, drawing this bow felt like i was pulling back a 55lber, strong shooter, very smooth, i liked this bow a LOT... it just felt right... the hype on this bow is deserving in my opinion...
trykon - this was a very nice bow as well, i really liked the feel of the bow in my hand, but under draw it didn't agree with me to well, i liked it more than the matthews though and the bear, i'd like to try a vectrix but they didn't have one handy...
basically, i've narrowed it to the black ice and the gaurdian... both were fantstic bows... final decision will depend on whether or not i wanna pop the extra 150 for the bowtech over the diamond...
just what i've found today, still some others i'd like to shoot, specifically the vectrix and a couple others... off to work i go, more research... i'm lovin this kinda research...
09-09-2007, 08:22 AM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location:
Posts: 7,367
RE: What's the best bow?
ORIGINAL: SevenMag
guardian - wow, drawing this bow felt like i was pulling back a 55lber, strong shooter, very smooth, i liked this bow a LOT... it just felt right... the hype on this bow is deserving in my opinion...
guardian - wow, drawing this bow felt like i was pulling back a 55lber, strong shooter, very smooth, i liked this bow a LOT... it just felt right... the hype on this bow is deserving in my opinion...
The Black Ice is a nice bow, but I have both andprefer the Guardian. The center limb pivot technology is worth the extra $$Dan
09-10-2007, 07:54 PM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 239
RE: What's the best bow?
I had A Hoyt X Tech and traded it off for a Parker Hornet. The Parker Hornet set at 70 lbs was easier to draw than my XTech at 60 lbs. I also tried the Hoyt Trykon and felt the Parker was easier to draw and hold for less money. I would say give the Parker bows A try, the 3 I tried were all good bows, the Hornet, the Frontier and the Pheonix. I also had a Parker Hunterthat was a great bow for the price. One of my friends just got A PSE X force that I would also take a look at. Between the ones you've mentioned, the Parkers and the PSE, there are a lot of great choices out there. Just shoot as many as you can and pick the one that feels the best. Every time I find one I like, some one else comes out with something else I want to try. That's why I trade off every 2 years before my bow isn't worth trading back in.
