Im looking at new bows to replace my 9yr old pse thunderbolt dual cam
now the hard part bows have changed so much since I bought one that Im confused on what is good and what is crap. I have 400.00 to buy the bow(have new sights and rest on my bow) please help without ford vs chevy vs dodge ect......speed is not a huge factor my old bow shoots 275 fps at 72 lbs

Well, if it helps at all, I spent the day shooting bows to try and buy one for my son and I. I am on a limited budget and would like to replace my 20 year old Proline Force II. My son is just starting out (at 16). After shooting a number of bows in the lower price ranges, he went with a Diamond Rapture. It was hands down the smoothest and most comfortable bow to shoot of the lot. I am going back to try out some others. I may go with the Rock (the 2008 replacement for the Rapture), but they didn't have the adjustment to set my proper draw length. Just my observations from a day at the shop.

I would agree with Gundeck...The Diamond line is a great line and rather affordable. They have their top of the line bows that are pricey, but this year the Diamond Rock is supposed to be one of the best shooting bows for the money. I would try to shoot one and see if you like it. If not there are so many other great bows out there i am sure you can find one that fits you.

Right now is a good time to be looking. The '08s are arriving, and guys are trading their bows in. You can get a heck of a deal on a1 or 2 year old bow right now.

Reflex is another good line up to have a peek at. Incredible shooting bows for not a lot of money. Another one I really like is the Browning Rage.

I guess the part that is so frusterating is the guys at the bow shops are all speed freakes(how fast their bows are ) they will say a bow is crap because it is slower I want a smooth draw bow and ok speed but nice to shoot all day long. anyone shoot a Martin bengal 27-28 draw 70lbs?

A direct hit from a .22 short is better than a miss from a .300 win mag.

We just sold my '05 Switchback with brand new WC strings and cablesto a local pastor (buying it for his son) for $350 w/ a spare cam (I think the extra cam was about $90).

There are similar deals out there, Im sure. I'd go used......and be choosy.

I've heard good things about Parker's Wildfire XP or Trailblazer XP. Fit's that price range. Also their Pioneer XP is being dumped for $325 ($600 retail) or so when ya find em on AT. Fred Bear Truth is another one worth checking out, and ya can find em NIB for $315-$350 on Ebay..

A bear instinct is a great bow for 399 dollars so wont leave you much to spare but its a great bow so its worth it.

Lots of good info here, but after spending the day shooting at the shop, I would say that my take on a number of bows is nothing like I expected from what I read. Every bow is going to be different for each person. I recommend shooting ALL that you are interested in (and even some that you are not, if they are in your price range)and then decide. You might be surprised what you find.

Thanks to all who took the time to help, I made a list to take a look at next time I go to the shops