Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

Just got back from the Doctors Office. While there I found an Outdoor Life with a 2008 Bow test. All I can say is what a joke!

Obviously I have bias to what I think it should say; however why are they comparing bows that are several hundered dollars apart and in different classes of bows? The Hoyt Katera was the fastest they tested yet got a 3 in performance while slower bows got a 4? There were other interesting things in the reviews and their methods seemed highly flawed and unconvincing. I am extremely glad I shot most of the bows in the test and found the one that works best for me. Why don't these magazines to a flagship bow test, a speed bow test and a price point bow test? I now remember why I quit buying hunting magazines several years ago;)

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

Thats a bummer........they didn't happen to mention a winner did they? ;)

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

The General won, and I can see why since it shoots well and is very quiet. I almost got a Guardian this year but ended up with a Katera because I could get it in 80# and it shot awesome and has a little more speed to it. They knocked down the Katera because of the weight, it's a little noisy and because of the price.

My question is What the hell are you reviewing a flagship bow like the DXT and Katera and then slamming them on price? The concept of the test made no sense to me at all.

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

The General won?? Imagine that;)

I think it is a Flagship Bow also!!:D

Dan

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

The test had bows from the 500.00 range to the 859.00 range. Again I know the General is a great shooting bow if the limbs stay together and can see why it was in the test and won. I just don't see why they are slamming a flagship bow for price and rating them low while giving big points to price point bows because they are cheaper.

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

Ya ever wonder why a Toyota wins "Car of the year", one year........Chevy wins "Truck of the year", one year........Dodge wins
"Car/Truc of the year" the next?

Just a theory......but these mfr's spend a TON of money in advertising with these publications. Ya think it's in their best interest to "Spread the Love" a little?;)

Something else will win it next year.....(or, insert the one thatwon it, this year)......and it won't be because it was "better" or "best" (necessarily). It will be/IS....."their turn".

Call me a skeptic.

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

LOL Just like a lot of flagships, she tends to blowup easier:D[8D]:)

Dan how much did that one cost me, just add it to my bill:eek:

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

Plus 10% for making a false statement;)

Dan

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

[:@]
damn it, LOL

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

I also like in hunting magazines that on whatever topic the article is there just happens to a large advertisement for a product on that topic next to it.
It doesn't matter if its foodplots, mineral licks, releases, decoys, you name it.

Of course a big part of all this is about making advertiser's happy. If you read the "bow review," they almost always say something positive about the 20 bows they are reviewing.

Some magazines are so bad they simply print the manufacturer's information/plug as an actual review.

This is a new trend I absolutely hate in magazines. Our local city magazine has gone down this road with
constant "Best Of" Articles. Guess what, you only get in the "Best Of" if you advertise. Their restaurant
reviews are nothing but a paid advertisment. Total waste of time.

End of rant. :D

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

Who cares what Outdoor Life says? The number one bow is the one you can shoot well and you can kill deer with. Doesn't have to be $900 (sorry if I offended you archery shop types-NOT). The bow that I shoot and kill deer with cost me $230 on clearance four years ago.

If you are going to pay attention to these tests, at least go to a magazine or site that specializes in bows, not an outdoor generalist magazine like OL.

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

I love my General and bought because I do think is the best bow I have ever owned for hunting!!

Having said that, reviews from magazines are usually always the crapiest things I ever readand bias to advertizing $$$. Follow the money!!!

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

Outdoor life bow test:
After reading it over, it's apparent theyfavor a lightweight (measurable quality), easy drawing bow, draw is subjective.
They did measure objective qualities, but did not print all the data they measured and used for evaluation.
They tested the loudness with a decibel meter, but only published the results for some bows.
Same thing with handshock, they tested it but only published the datafor some bows.
Why not put out all the data that was tested?:eek:

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

I disagree with raceway. I read the article a couple of times and they do base their scores on objective results, but also on subjective results and weighted their scores more heavily on the objective results. To me it wasn't a competition per bow manufacturer, it was a review of all the 2008 bows. What I liked about it was they listed pros and cons of each bow. It was pretty helpful IMO.

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

Wasn't one of the testers an employee at Lancaster Archery ?? I am sure they sell more than one bow line.

At the end of the day, what feels best to the shooter in the hand, and what they want to spend is what really matters.

If Bowtech has a large volume of sales, then the consumer speaks louder than any test. I have shoot Hoyts for years and the vibration, weight and softness in the cam had me look at another company

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

How do you rate the fastest bow in the test a 3 out of 4 and then rate slower bows 4 out of 4 in performance? I shot a majority of the bows tested and walked away with a differen't impression of what I read. I walked into a shop planning on buying a Bowtech and bought a bow from a company I never liked or wanted to get. I used to shoot a PSE prior to my experience.

RE: Outdoor Life Bow Test--WTH????
 

For the record, here is what I posted back in April about the General.

Report | Post #: 12 RE: Bow Questions - 4/4/2008 8:41:28 PM showPicture("4/4/2008 8:41:28 PM",0,0,0,2745949,19) racewayking
titleAndStar(829,0,false,false,"","")Shooter Buck


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Posts: 829
Joined: 4/2/2008
From: Pingree Grove, IL
Status: online I shot several the other day and liked the Bowtech General. It was a 70lb with 29" draw and the factory tag said it shot a 350gr arrow 301fps. I would like to hit that speed with an arrow 50-100gr heavier than the factory tested arrow. Is there something similar out there 33 in. Or shorter that can fling a hunting arrow weighing 400-450 in a 70lb draw?

_____________________________

2008 HNI Unofficial Hunt' N Camp Alumni

Peakrut Calls Me "Mulberry"

HOYT Katera 82.2# @28"
403gr. Easton ST Axis Nano@ 310fps
428gr. Easton ST Axis Nano@ 303fps
Apex Atomic 4-pin sight
Trophy Taker drop away [align=right]
(in reply to kickin_buck) [/align] Post #: 13 RE: Bow Questions - 4/4/2008 9:40:06 PM