outdoor life bow review.
 

Just finished reading the outdoor life bow review and Iwas thinking. Does the review actually remain un-biased whentwo of the five panel members work for a specific bowshop and the entire review is also done within that same shop? This shop is also not allowed to sell certain manufacturers bows which are some of the one's they are reviewing. Before I go any further I want to make the disclaimer that in no way am I puting down ANY bow here and as of now I do not have any opinion on this subject which is what prompted the question. Now, two of the reviewers work for a shop that isn't allowed to sell bowtech because of a nearby competitor. In this particular review the guardian finished 4th behind the drenalin, x-force and black ice. My question I guess is...Do you think the fact that the shop isn't allowed to carry bowtech had any bearing on the outcome?..and...If the other local shop (who doesn't carry Mathews but has bowtech) would have been on the panel would the results have been flipped? Like I said, it was just something I was thinking about and personally don't have an opinion. I just was curious as to what everyone else thought.;)

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

Read it. Good information but information you have to take with a grain of salt. I like that they point out pros and cons of each bow. But I firmly believe the best bow is the one you like the most.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

I do find that odd because on the bowsite.com head 2 head blind bow test the results were quite different and i would consider this test more credible that any others i have read about.

http://www.bowsite.com/BOWSITE/features/articles/equipment/2007headtohead/

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

I agree 100% chucker. It was a very informative read and I loved it. The pros and cons were great as well. Personally, I think any of those top 4 bows could have landed at #1 and it wouldn't have been a surprise.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

It's just like when Petersen's Bowhunting review bows they like every one of them. Idon't know how you can like every bow that you shoot.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

Wow...that is a lot different. It's funny that the Mathews scored so high on grip and hand placement on bowsitebut in outdoor life when they asked the testers for their cons they said that the only thing they didn't like on the Mathews was the grip. It's also wierd how bowsite got 320 fps out of their x-force with a 350 grain arrow but outdoor life got over 340 fps with the same weight arrow? Thanks for the link, I think it was very informative.;)

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

I read the article over the weekend. My first thought was that the Black Ice had more "stars" than the Drenalin yet the Mathews won. Thats when I started to wonder about just how biased the testers were. I just bought a new house so I'm not buying a new bow this year anyway, so who cares! LOL!

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

They didn't test a Ross this year either.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

You really can't put much creed into somebody else's analysis of a bow - b/c if they're immersed deep enough in the bow culture to be able to be doing in-depth "head-to-head" analyses - chances are, they have a few bows hanging on the hooks at home. When you have ownership, you have loyalty. Also, a lot of these guys are employed by magazines with advertising dollars at stakeand/or they work at shops who only sell certain makes/models... Lots of competing interests there.

So, after you're finished discounting for A, B, C and D - you wind up with nothing.

The bowsite thing is just as biased, really. You honestly mean to tell me when those guys picked up the bows (even if they WERE REALLY blindfolded) - that they couldn't tell from the shape/feel of the grip which bow they were shooting?Come on. I've never even shot most of those bows, and I could tell them apart as soon as they hit my hands.

Then, they conveniently left out 4 of the best bows of '07 (Vulcan, Iron Mace, Envy, Ally). Really, if you're gonna go "head to head" you should at least include all of the competition.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

I shot a ross cardiac the other day and liked it but I think I am still going with the drenalin but I sure do like that cardiac it made it even a tougher decision

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

Hello fellas - just found this site thanks to a friend. Good site.

I do the Bowsite test and would like to invite any naysayers to next year's test. It is a long two days but it is fun for everyone and I will even feed you just for showing up. The test is unbiased unlike any other out there. Quicksilver, I would even like to invite you to be part of next year's test (There is a 30$ Cabelas gift certificate in it for all the hours you will have to put in). Just for fun we will video tape you to see just how accurate in guessing the bows you really are. I can't tell you how many times we have had people claim they were absolutely sure what bow they had in their hands and be completely wrong! The video should be quite entertaining.

Also, nobody pays me off to sway the test one way or the other. Despite the fantasy world some of you may live in, it just doesn't work that way - at least not on my level. Maybe for the more "famous" in the industry. Also, just to make things perfectly clear - I have refused every single offer of sponsorship, hunts, etc that has been offered to me. And believe me, I have been offered.

So, take my test for what it is but please do not suppose that you have any clue what you are talking about when it comes to the integrity of how the test is performed.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

Yo Jon, I'm not saying that you weren't impartial... I'm just saying that you can still be "blindfolded" and know what you're handling. I also know that you likely own a bow. That, alone, makes you biased. It makes anyone biased. Believe me, that's not a personal jab or an indictment of any kind. Just a fair observation. Hear me out...

Only 2 bows tested have giant wooden grips.Gotta either be a Parker or a Matthews. You know that as soon as you touch it.

Only 2 bows tested have identically (uniquely)-shaped sideplates (APA and Bear). One has a long BH, the other is short. One draws like a speed bow, the other is a whole lot smoother. Most guys could tell the difference...

Oops, my arm bumped a rear truss onthe riser? Could it be a Hoyt Tec riser?

Weird shaped sideplates on a thin metal handle? Gotta be the Ross or the Xforce. One is short BH w/aggressive draw - other is long BH w/smooth draw. Also, if youlook atwhere the plates sit, it's a dead giveaway.

Rounded riser, full length sideplates, no shelf above front of grip? Has to be either the Elite or the Guardian. Tough call.

You see my point....

You have to understand that anytime you do a test that claims to be "impartial" - people are going to pick it apart. We both know that. For all I know, you may have gone to extreme lengths to be completely impartial.However,I just have to presume that you did know (because I know that I would've known if I were in your shoes). Hey man, I applaud you for taking your own time to do that. It benefits us all, really.I'm just pointing out that if you wanted to cheat, you could have. And that you left out a few bows that we'd have liked to have seen tested. Hit us up next year around test time. I'm sure you'll have some HNI guys volunteer to help. They might even be able to get you a few other bows to test with the others.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

With all due respect to Mr. Silks, anytime you see a review such as this by any media outlet that accepts advertising monies, the results must be suspect. It's not in their best interest to call a spade a spade and make a comment that would tick off a potential revenue source, ie advertiser. Nor would it be smart for them to make a call that ticks off current advertisers and have them withdraw their business.

And sometimes they intentionally make a comment solely to stir up controversy, because controversy attracts readers/viewers/listeners/website hits. The more people attracted to a certain media outlet, the more money that outlet can charge for advertising. Take an intro course in journalism or marketing and that's the first thing out of their mouths.

Take the reviews for what they are and do your own review of the bows you're attracted to.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

Mr. Quicksilver - the offer still stands. It will be quite entertaining to see just how much you do not know when you are in the pitch black and bows are being shuffled in an out of your hands one after the other. Oh, and remember, the testers do not get to see the bows until they have completed all categories of the test. And, unless you follow Bowsite.Com's voting for the test you may not even knowthe bows that are included. By the way, when you shoot and own as many bows as I do there is NO bias. I have taken some heat from manufacturers over the years for the very fact that I WILL NOT pull punches or plug a product for anyone. Just the way it is.

Mr. Arthur, nobody pays me for that test (Not a dime!)and the people that run the Bowsite have NO say in the test data content. It would be better if you made comments about actual facts, not what you suppose.

Also, I see that you speak with authority on how things work in the outdoor media world. You must have experience as an outdoor tv show producer, writer, outdoor website owner, hunting magazine editor or some other person who would know these things...In my experience things do not always work the way that you state - especially when it comes to websites.

Jon

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

Mr. Silks - I'm not sure ifyou're looking for a feather for your hat, or some kind of ESPY Award, or a phone call from thePresident, or a Batmansecret decoder ringfor your outstanding contribution todeer hunting..??Sorry bra, but you won't get one from me. I call it like I see it - and that's how I saw it...

I said your test could be biased, and I stand by that. That said, I still can't figure out what has you so bent out of shape - learn to handle a little constructive criticism, take your nerve medicationand check back next year.I really didn't think myself or Arthur said anything that was unreasonable or far-fetched... I digress...

For the time being...

Have a crying towel and go back to the testing lab.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

No crying here, just stating factsand I certainly do not need accolades from the likes of you. I think you are a bit sensitive Jr. Offer still stands - come on down Mr. Quicksilver...

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

why no APA X1???

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

I didn't say you got paid a dime. You said in your earlier post that you didn't and I take you at your word. Further, I shall not engage in debate about Bowsite. I know first hand how they operate, as do several other of the old timers here.

Believe me, I am completely ignoring Bowsite and their test. My comments are about how media at large works and why this kind of 'test' must be taken with anything from a few grains of salt to a few tons of it when it comes from any source that accepts advertising revenue. Credibility and accuracy often takes a back seat to finances.

And yes, I actually was a member of the Fourth Estate in one of my early careers. When one has a series of stories killed by the newspaper publisher because they would make unfavorable publicity for the family of one of the paper's biggest advertisers, one acquires a healthy veneer of skepticism when it comes to filtering information released by media gatekeepers.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

Awwww, the bowsite attitudes. That's what makes that site what it is.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

Bashing people who provide their opinions in a politeand courteous way is not going to win you over many folks! Nor will self directed praise!
A thicker skin,diplomacy and some humility would serve you well.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

Here's another test that was done with supposedly no human involvement in the shooting of the bows. 23 bows submitted.

http://www.archeryhistory.com/techevaluation/2007Face-Off_Results_ArcheryTalk.pdf

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

I would rather get reviews by shooters/hunters at the range, pro shops, or places like this as most of them aren't getting paid to push a product. Why would a writer they say something bad about a company as someday they might want something from them. I really don't put alot of stock in magazines as you can learn more by going out to the trees or range yourself. Do I receive some? Sure, but there just people's opinions and nothing more.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

Arthur, I guess it just gets to me a little when people make cuts on my test when I work so hard to make it unbiased, insist that the data is put out on the web exactly as I record it and only test the bows that are voted on by the readers (8 plus I pick a wild card). We have witnesses attend the test every year who know that absolutely nobody gets to see the bows before the test is over and that the results are recoded as is. Sometimes it amazes me how a tester will rate a bow but I still record it that way and let the results speak for themselves. Also, I think I take it personally when people question my integrity andI shouldn't do that. It is just the nature of people in general, myself included, to speculate about the way things may have happened. I assure you, however, that this is the one test that you can count on to tell it like it is about the parameters of a bow that you and I care about. I don't know where you live or if it would be convenient but I would love for you to join us in the spring of 08 for the next test. You can either just watch or even be a tester if you would like. Really, this test is open for anyone to attend and the more people that show up the more credibility it will carry because there will be more eye-witnesses. You can even be there when I tally up the results and then you will see that what goes on the website is exactly what happens at the test.So, Arthur, give me a call and we will work out a way for you to get here and be part of the test.

The offer to come and watch the test is there for any of the folks on here as well. If you live somewhere near central PA or are going to be in this area during the test I invite you to stop by.

I am sorry if I come acrossin an abrasive mannersometimes - my defensive nature getting the best of me!

Jon

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

No problem, my friend. Anyone who participates on Bowsite develops a habit of being overly defensive out of pure self preservation. I've been in those shoes because I cut my internet teeth at Bowsite. I go there no longer. It's much more civil here. You should hang around and get to know us.:)

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

I think everyone here will accept that and invite you to stick around and share your knowledge.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

Yeah, I think their must have been a little crack smoking or somthing going on in that test. Notice how they only managed to get 309.5fps out of a Guardian, 308.5 out of a Black Ice, 329.5 out of an Elite Envy, and 342.5 out of an X-Force, yet they were able to get 319.5 out of a Dreanalin.:eek:

Yeah there was no bias there. :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Bowtech's have historically always shot very very close to their advertised speeds, Mathews not so much.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

No it's not a good comparison. Go to a shop that has them all and shoot them side by side. I think you'll find they won't stack up that way for you. Of course you can't rely on magazine evaluations. Every issue they put on display a new and "The best they've ever seen". I've shot them all and that evaluation doesn't match that of mine. In my lineup, the Drenelin would be last. Check out the link provided by Buglalowbizz... it covers all the high points and Drenelin isn't even close. Scroll through each section/criteria and see the rankings. I think it's a much more accurate picture than that of a bias proshop. I'm a hunter. I could care less about speed and all that. I'm looking at noise output, shock, vibration etc etc.

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

Thanks BungalowBizz for the link to that testing! Impressive information!

RE: outdoor life bow review.
 

Bow reviews are never un-biased. Also, many of these "broadhead tests" aren't un-biased either.

You just gotta do your own testing and see what fits you the best.