Mignolafan

Hey board,

I'm interested in bowhunting, I've been to the local shop around town. The guy at the store has shown me the PSE Stinger bow (pkg) and the Bowtech Tomkat Pkg. Both look good, I was able to pull the Tomkat back just to get a feel. Any thoughts on the two bows above from some folks with more experience than me would be great? The guy at the store, said the bows are about the same (PSE is $429 and the Tomkat is $549) He did say the Tomkat held it's value better for trading up down the road. Not interested in trading up right now, just want a good bow that will last me several seasons and help me bag some deer.

Thanks Folks,

mignolafan

odom82

I would just shoot both set ups... Don't think you could go wrong either way, especially if your just starting out. My personal opinion, I like Bowtech. Have not shot the Tomkat so cant speak much on that. I've always felt better shooting B.T. than PSE. The main question I would ask myself is are you wanting to make a $550 dollar investment or a $429 dollar one??? It you stick a deer you will be hooked, but how sure are you that you will enjoy the sport?? The bowtech might be a better bow ( personal opinion of course ) but why not start out with the cheaper one to ensure you are going to enjoy bowhunting. If you do you will want to buy a new and improved one in atleast two years anyway so save the money now and make sure it going to be something your going to stick with and spend the money you save two years from now if youget hooked...

MeanV2

I would shoot them both and see what they feel like to you. He is right about the TomKat holding it's value better.

It is IMO a highly overlooked package. Top of the line technology in the Binary Cams, very good performance, quiet, and very forgiving. Good Luck in your choice, and enjoy your new bow.

Dan

TG78

I would definitely shoot both and hopefully some more if you can. I shot 13 bows about 4 weeks ago trying to find a new bow and could not believe the difference in feel. I ended upwith the bowtech Allegiance and have not looked back. I shot a PSE yesterday and it was my new least favorite of the group but my buddy loved it. Take your time and weigh your options by testing.

offroad7287

I wouldnt shoot either and just by a bowtech or diamond.

Roskoe

Just to build on what others have said . . . at this point in your archery experience curve, it is hard to compare bows and make meaningful decisions. A bow that feels kinda odd at this point may just have the draw length set a bit too long, or have the draw stop set at 65% instead of 75%. You could travel around the area, testing bows in bow shops - hard to get a true "apples to apples" comparison in this scenario. The bows are going to have different draw weights and draw lengths, as well as different accessories not all installed the same, etc.

I would encourage you to select a bow that feels "smooth" to draw, and not get one that has too heavy of a draw weight. Both of these features may result in a bit of sacrifice in speed, but in the long run these are worthwhile attributes. The Bowtech Tomkat or one of the Diamonds would be a good choice. So would a Mathews Switchback or a Hoyt Vectrix. And resale is a good feature to consider because, a year or two from now, you are going to be further down the archery experience road and will likely be looking to move into a different bow.

Centaur 1

Roscoe's got some good advice. When I started shooting archery again after almost 20 of not shooting I bought a Diamond Justice. Yes a year and a half later I have the itch for a faster bow but I'm in no hurry to get one. I've been able to build my skill level with an extremely smooth bow that hasa large brace height. The bow was only $399 so I didn't break the bank and I feel that I'm better able to decide what I really like when I do buy my next bow.

MeanV2

Yep!! The Tomkat with it's 8 1/2" Brace height is very forgiving.

Dan