johnshiredman

I am not going to ask you what bow I should buy...I have read enough replies to posts saying try them all and buy the one that fits you best. But, I am going to ask a few questions that these companies don't answer in their brochure or website.

First off, I have been bow hunting for two seasons and currently use my brother-in-laws old Golden Eagle (must be 10-15 years old-no idea really), which is 70#, at 65% let off, 32” draw, Tru-ball release and I currently have 32” Gold Tip 55-75 shafts. I get a lot of harassment for how loud this bow is, as well as the little golf ball size cams.

Second, I am willing to pay more if it means better quality (not just a brand name). I recently tried the Hoyt Ultra-Tech and the Bow-Tech Old Glory (Mathews Switchback is on my list to try but it only has a maximum 30” draw) and the only difference I could tell between the two was that the Old Glory seemed to want to jump out of my hand (the pro was telling me not to grip the bow so tight to help eliminate torque and let the grip settle in the groove of my hand, but since the demo was without a wrist-strap, I feared the bow would take off down the alley.) I tried these bows at different shops on the same day; maybe if I found a shop that carried both brands and shot them side-by-side I might be able to tell more of a difference. The big picture is that a few hours spent at shop trying out a bare-boned bow without sights didn’t give me a good idea of comparing this brand of bow to one I shot at a different store. Additionally, I have to believe that if I spend $700 on a bow I would be happy with and learn to shoot it well no matter what brand it is. So initial performance is not my concern, but I am concerned about durability and lifetime of the bow, which leads me to my questions.

(Keep in mind I am new to the sport of archery): Some of these questions I could answer on my own with research, but it will save me a lot of time to just ask for your unbiased thoughts and experiences.
1. The three bows I am currently looking at (Ultra-Tec, Old Glory, and Switch Back) I choose to start with because they seemed to be the correct choice for my size and purpose I am 6’ 6” with a 32” draw and will use the bow mostly for hunting Wisconsin Whitetails and maybe a once a week league. With my height I don’t mind a longer A-A bow frame, I do hunt out of trees, but have room for a longer more forgiving bow. Anyone see any red flags so far (minus the 30” draw of the switchback of course)?
2. Each brand has various cam systems that they claim are the best. What brand cam system will require less maintenance (tuning) over 3-10 years? Bow-tech claims that their Equalizer Binary Cam eliminates the need for timing and tuning because the strings are only attached to the cams, Hoyt claims their Cam & ½ is top dog. Is one truly better than the other in performance (apart from being able to make easy adjustments)?
3. Are there any pro-shops that will include lifetime (tuning) with a purchase? Or is that crazy talk?
4. Hoyt uses split limbs and Bowtech has solid limbs, is there a big performance or durability difference between the two?
5. Silencers: Hoyt has the new Alpha Shox for split limbs, bowtech has a spider leg style, while Mathews has built in harmonic dampers. Will the rubber wear out or dry out in a few years with extended use in hot/cold weather? Will the Mathews dampers lock up after years of use? Are any of the silencers effected more by temperature extremes or extended use?
6. If something would happen to the cams, is there a certain brand that is more difficult or expensive to replace?
7. The video on Hoyt’s website explains that the Tec Riser design is stronger than other bow brand risers and reduces shock because of the additional bar behind the grip. If this is true, why wouldn’t Bowtech and mathews create a riser with a stabilizer bar behind the grip? Do they have a different way of providing strength to their riser?
8. I read on the Hunting BBS forum that someone said their Bowtech was shedding and flaking its coating. I would have to believe that this would be just a situation of a lemon and that the bow would be under warranty. Any thoughts?

I Know I will have more questions, but will just start with these so far. As of right now I am leaning towards the Bowtech, but only because the store where I would buy it from (located near Oshkosh, WI) specializes only in archery, has their own indoor 3-D and 10-25 yard shooting range, and would customize the bow for me with 2 hours of one-on-one instruction and provide additional time shooting on my own. I shot the Hoyt at a Scheels (a huge two level sporting goods store at the local mall), I don’t have anything against Scheels, I just feel my needs would be better serviced through the specialized store.

Thanks in advance for any insight you are taking the time to provide.

BOWFANATIC

First and foremost , DONT assume a bow will grow on you the more you shoot it!!!! "Initial performance" is priority one period!

Also , there are so many quality bow mfg's now that I feel your cheating yourself by only looking at the three you've mentioned.

To try and answer some of your questions as honestly as I can based on my own experiences I'll just lump the important ones in one reply rather than covering each concerns as numbered.

First , I dont believe any of the mentioned bows hold any strong evidence over each other as to what cam system is better than the others for tuning or durability.
Finding a proshop that will promise lifetime tuning is not out of the question if you purchase the bow and accesories from them.
The difference in limb styles (split vs solid) is purely personal preference.

Being as big as you are , I personally would choose the longer axle to axle bows. The Switchback wouldn't be on my list. The Mathews Ovation however would be.

I believe Jons Sport Shop in Oshkosh carries both Hoyts and Mathews. If I'm wrong then Old 45 Archery in Hortonville carries Mathews. The Archery Shack in Neenah carries Bowtechs as well as The Sportsmans Lodge in Appleton.

rob1

I agree with Bowfanatic. Don't limit yourself to any " Brand " of bow. Today's bows are all( for the most part), Hi-Tech. There are several brands that offer longer ATA bows that would meet your draw length requirements. Shoot as many as you can, and , as was previously mentioned, see which one's perform best for you right out of the starting gate. Don't try to change your shooting style to compensate for the bow, buy the bow that best matches your shooting style. You will know when you shoot it, because it will perform well for you right from the Git Go. Check at several pro shops or online and inquire about each bow's factory warranty. All bow manufacturers are going to say that their cam is the best, or their riser design is the best blah, blah, blah. And I feel alot of us on this forum, myself included, have become biased toward the bows and equipment that we most frequently use. If I were in your shoes, I would check them all out ( Renegade, Darton, PSE, Hoyt, Mathews, Bowtech, Reflex etc. ).Like I said, when you find the bow that best performs in YOUR hands, that will be the bow for you.

Medic167

In January I was going to buy a new bow. I shot the Switchback, Outback, Vtec, Xtec, Timberwolf, Superslam, Blackknight, and Allegiance. When I shot the Hoyts I was sure I was going to buy one. Then I shot the Mathews and I sure I was going to buy one of those. Then I shot the Bowtech. The little feel or fit issues with the Hoyt or Mathews were addressed in the Bowtech for me. When it comes right down to it, all the bows I tried were of equal quality, accuracy, vibration free, shock free. I was impressed by all of them. The only real edge went to the Bowtech in speed (which is not the reason I bought it). The bowtech fit me perfectly. I have enjoyed shooting it more each day I shoot it. The one thing I wish is that my local shop had gotten the 05 Dartons in when I was testing bows. I replaced a Reflex and I will admit that the 05 Timberwolf and Superslam left me disappointed. Reflex really missed an opportunity to hit a grand"slam". The Vtec and Xtech were much better perfoming bows. There was no real comparison IMHO. That is my unbiased opinion from my little shooting test. There are excellent bows by many manufacturers. Quite honestly, most perform equally. It is more a fit and feel issue.

Western MA Hunter

I must repeat everythng everyone above has said. They are all good bows. People will argrue up and down why one is better than the other. It's nonsense. I don't quite understand how and why people act this way. Anyway, that's another issue.
They all have their own technologies and marketing ideas. My local bow shop tunes my bows all the time. Make sure you buy it from a pro shop operation... Even if you have to pay more....

p.s. I shoot a Hoyt Vipertec if that helps. It is a great bow!

Sniper151

My choice is Hoyt for a few important reasons. They are an established business with superior tech help and warranty. They offer models for all shooters styles and the are a leader in new technology. I feel confident that, should I need help today, tomorrow or a few years down the road, Hoyt will be there with the support and technical advice needed to solve my problems.

i shoot stuff

i would say for the cams would be the hoyt cam and a half. u might want to also try the reflex grizzly. reflex is made by hoyt and has all the same basically and ur not payin for the name. also its very fast and quiet. and the ram and a half cam on the reflex (just another name from cam and a half) draws very easly. i pull 60 right now on my bow and was pullin 67 on the grizzly. there website if ur interested is reflexbow.com

peebles24

I own a parker phoenix 34 and love it, it's super smooth with no recoil. However I don't want to brag up one company, they all make great equipment. Just the day before yesterday my local shop owner got in his new Darton tempest, since he can't shoot right now he set it up and had me shoot it. It has a little longer a-a and was shooting 300 fps with a 28" draw. As far as bowtech goes, I've never shot one and haven't heard any complaints about the way they shoot. I have heard a couple of major complaints about thier customer service.

To reiterate the main point that everyone will state don't cut yourself short, shoot everthing you can get your hands on, and buy the one that feels the best. The name on the riser dosen't mean anything, the way it feels does.

johnshiredman

Thank you all for taking the time to read my post and for your thoughtful insight. I had great responses from both forums: North American Hunting Club and huntingnet.com. Many asked why I only listed Bowtech, Hoyt and Mathews as the bows under consideration. I am not limiting myself to only trying these bows; they are just the brands that (with my inexperience) I have heard the most about. Two Oaks said it best, “marketing, marketing, marketing”. A few of you have given suggestions of other brands, which I have noted and plan to look into (Oneida, Forge, Mathews Ovation, Darton, Parker). Thanks again for sharing your experience and opinions.

nodog

Check these out. http://www.whispercreekarchery.com/

Don’t sell adjustability short. With an adjustable cam you can easily change your draw length. Not all releases or loops are the same. I have changed mine several times to find which works best, a real plus. Also adjustability means someone else can shoot it. There won’t be many at your length.

Split construction is used in many things. The purpose of this type of engineering is noise reduction, strength and stability.

The silencers might need replaced. Which one can you do without a press?

If something happens (since your new to archery you haven’t learned yet) THERE ALL EXPENSIVE. It’s out of control.

Why don’t other bows have the tec riser? I think they have some patens.

If you have a defect with a bow it would be covered. Make sure of it.

I think with your length you should look at the Hoyt protec.

What ever you end up with I'm sure you will be satisfied. Your doing a great job with researching.