I've had the Matthews Vertix for over a year now and I quite enjoy it.

Bowtech Experience

Xpedition Xception, and Xcursion 6

Bowtech Constitution which is now an older bow but gets the job done just fine..

Carbon Express Piledriver 390.

Ive used a jennings unistar bow I bought and used since about 1987
similar to this picture
https://garage.grumpysperformance.co...3cb8c29c741e78

https://garage.grumpysperformance.co...b20b6e27c27ddf



I use 3 4" vanes for fletching
its an 87 lb and 31" draw bow, which I purchased, and have used every year since.
yeah there are newer, and lighter bows , even faster bows,
but I'm comfortable and consistently accurate with it,
it drives a 200 spine carbon arrow,
with a decent three blade broad head plus
it easily drives a
broad head completely through an elk,
done that a couple times over the years,
and its also worked on white tail deer.
I've been asked dozens of times why I don't upgrade?
why would I?
this bow and arrow combo is familiar in my hands,
and is accurate and lethal,
yeah I'm a dinosaur, by why spend money to replace a known , trusted functional proven combo??

the only issue is most archery shops have never seen one and refuse to work on it,

I've been using a Mathews Drenaline since it came out in 2009, before that a Mathews Z-Lite

I switch back and forth between several bows. My newest bow is a 2021 Oneida Phoenix that I shoot with fingers. I also use a Dan Toelke Montana Whip longbow that he made for me in 2007. It is actually what I am using this deer season. My other two bows are older simple solo cams that I can't remember exactly how old they are. One is a Pearson TX-4 with the Z-cam that I think I bought new around 2007 and the other is a Wheeler Velociraptor (I think it is a 2003 or 2004?) with the Bowtech Infinity cam. For bowfishing I have a 2002 Hoyt Aspen with the Redline single cam. I still kill critters with them all without problems, but I am getting older now and I feel it, so at some point I'll probably have to give up the older single cams. They are probably a lot harsher draw than newer dual cams. Maybe someday I'll shoot a dual cam just to see what I'm missing, but really the smoothest, easiest drawing bow I have is the Oneida.

I am new to compound archery. During COVID many of the gun clubs set up outdoor archery ranges to keep members (indoor ranges were closed) so I bought a used Blackout SS (made by Bowtech/Diamond). I upgraded the sight (React Pro 5 pin) and the rest QED and I really enjoy shooting it.

I too was looking at new bows but the cost is insane - $2,500 for a flagship bow!!?? That can buy a really nice gun.