Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

New Poster here,
Hey guys- I haven't picked up the bow in years. I have a approx. 11-12 year old Zmax. I started looking for a new bow recently and they certainly have changed. I shot a Black Ice and a Tec Hunter (gander mountain by bowtech). Tomorrow I'm stopping in at the proshop to shoot the DXT, Katera, and a leftover Drenalin. Going to make a trip to the bowtech dealer this weekend. I'm trying to keep an open mind. I've got no draw length (27.5"). i'm looking to make up for it with a faster bow, but I also want something shooter friendly/ forgiving. I couldn't shoot that Mathews nearly as well as an old crappy Browning I started out with. I know everybody has their bias, but can anybody point me in the right direction??? For example, should I stick with a short ATA due to my short draw length?? Brace height?? Why do they call it height when it looks like width?? Parallel limbs / beyond parallel?? Is there a good bow review site? Now I'm rambling, but any help would be greatly appreciated?

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

Also I apologize if I'm in the wrong forum??? Gear Review?

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

I thought I might know you but after reading your short D.L. I know I dont. Any way, best advice is to just go shoot as many bows as you can and see which feels the best. In general a higher brace height is more forgiving than a shorter one, and a longer ATA is more forgiving than a shorter one, in general.

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

Welcome to the site, I went with the DXT after useing my first bow for the last 15 years, I love the DXT but there are alot of bows out there these days. It all determines in what you want,(speed, accuracy, forgiveness ect.........) I would shoot as many as you can, and what fits you the best I just became a member at the first of this year and the guys on here are some of the best people you can meet. Good luck with the New Bow hunt and post some pics of the one you pick.

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

PA -westernish- Johnstown area

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

You may be able to get away with a shorter brace height because of your short draw, it wont affect you as much. As far as ATA goes, its whatever you're comfortable with. I have a 27" draw and shoot a '05 allegiance. Had a Mathews MQ32 and would never shoot anything under 34" ata ever again. Much too twitchy for me.

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

Get the Drenalin, personally I'm not into short bows....ie the DXT, less forgiving I don't see a reason to own a shorter bow, get in the way? I've never had a longer bow get in the way of something, they even make a longer version of the Drenalin.....not sure the name, if anything I'd buy longer, I've got the Drenalin, love it. It'll take care of me for another 10 years if not forever.

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

Can't wait to shoot some different bows. I was impressed with everything I shot, even the PSE Mach X -X1? Wasn't the Xforce. Local shop wants $689 for the 2007 Drenalin. Is that decent?

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

Your already on the right track by shooting lots of different bows. Never buy a bow because of the name, buy it because you like it.

For someone like you I would say try and find a really great pro shop nearby. Find someone that is going to take the time to talk to you about the newer bows, what they feature, what they dont, what accesiroes are available, and set you up right. IMO for this I would avoid your bigger stores, Cabelas, Gander Mtn, etc as they dont seem to have the knowledge or the time that a small proshop will.

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

Any thoughts on the Bowtechs?? Should I make a trip to check them out? Don't think they were even around when I bought my last bow.

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

Jwargo,
I also came back into the sport after a long hiatus and I would definitely recommend that you include Bowtech in your search. A lot of water has went under the bowhunting technology bridge in the last few years. Shoot everything you can get your hands on. Talk to everyone that you can trust.

With that said, this is a Bowtech heavy forum. Part of the reason thatI purchased a Bowtech was because the Bowtech people on this forum were crazy helpful in my search for a bow. You would be doing yourself an injustice by purchasing a bow and not considering Bowtech's offerings.

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

i say just shoot whatever fells the best to you....accuracy depends on the archer a lot more than the bow they shoot

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

jwargo, the speed bows are 82nd Airborne, PSE Xforce, High Country Iron Mace, and the Black Mamba by APA. I have the Xforce and i shoot 309 fps with a 26" draw!! It's fast, but hard to shoot at first, but once you get the hang of, it is awesome!!

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

Welcome back:D.

You've got a lot of good bows listed there... obviously what we all differs quite a bit. My suggestion is to forget about the names and shoot the one that feels the very best to you.

Pretty much all the bows today are plenty fast with just about any draw length. Personally I shoot a Hoyt and a Bowtech... different bows and I like them for different reasons.

This is one scenario where you live by the "if it feels good, do it" theory.

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

Welcome back! I would recommend you check out BowTech & Hoyt. I am a Bowech shooter & love my bow. They make a very fast bow.
Take into consideration the type of hunting you do before you buy any bow.I hunt from a ground blind alot, so I bought the BowTech Tribute. The tribute was everything I was looking for in one short package.

Good luck & welcome back,

WK

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

Thanks for the input. Just got back from the local pro shop-shot the Drenalin and Katera. Both felt very nice. What Bowtech/Diamond should I check out with my 27" draw? What's the word on the 82nd? I got into the speed game way back when- just messing around with the pro shop guys. That Zmax was the fastest thing around back then. PS - I, or it, didn't shoot it for $hit. I could shoot my old Browning Mirage pretty well though. Trying not to fall into that trap again. I'm assuming the new speed bows more forgiving. I plan to stand hunt with this bow and do some video shooting for practice in the offseason.

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

BOWTECH, 82nd AIRBORNE

Might want to check these out but get what feels best to you.

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

For bowtech check out the General I shot one and it is a great bow. I have also heard alot about the Airbornes but have not shot oneyet. For Diamond I have a Black Ice and love it also check out the Marquis it is also agreatbow.

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

Take a good look at the bowtechs. They are allawsome. I personally liked the 101st forthe speed and itis a smoothshooter IMO. If your wanting something that is very smoothand very forgiving take a look and the general andguardian. They are very nice. Shoot a bunch bows and pick the one that fits you the best. Report back here when you get one and post some pics of it!

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

Dang, i wonder what kind of bow dan likes?:D

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

Diddo what looqout1 said. Shoot many and one will find you.

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

First offback to the sport and to the board! Do yourself a favor dont sell yourself short shoot as many as you can and narrow your search till you find that perfect one for you!

RE: Eight year hiatus -- a little help please
 

Spoke the nearest(about45minaway) Bowtech dealer today. Said they have the 82nd/101st. I asked about the General and they told me they don't have any and were having trouble with them. Don't know how many. It kinda scared me a little. I'm sure all brands have their bugs, but how common is that with the Bowtech line? That was the first negative I've heard regarding them. Just suprised me that a dealer would come out and say it. Anybody having any trouble out there? I'm still planning on checking them out this weekend.