For those that have shot the switchback?
 

This weekend I shot the Bowtech allegence(sp?) and really liked the speed/power it had. What I did not like was that it seemed like it was a rough draw. When I draw my bow back I don't raise it, I draw straight back and tend to go slow as to minimize movement and noise. I am curious about the SB(switchback). My bowshop doesn't have any in right now.

The question,

For those of you who have shot both, is the SB smoother drawing or about the same as the bowtech. Does the SB shoot as hard. I need as much info from actual shooters before I shrink my hunting budget.

Thank you for any replies!
RBBH

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

I have shot both of them back-to-back and would say that the Switchback is smoother in the draw and considerably smoother in hand shock. The Allegiance seemed heavier in the earlier portion of the draw, which made it feel less smooth. The Allegiance is quite a bit faster, though, and that harder draw is likely what gives it extra zip.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

I've probably read 20 comparisons between the two and BagginBigguns summed it up nicely.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

my opoinion is the sb is very hard to draw

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

I guess I am the oddball here. If I were to think of a smooth drawing cam neither of the bows would fit the bill. I think the binary cam draws smoother, but that is relative. Neither are what I consider to be smooth drawing.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

I have shot both and the Switchback may be slightly easier but the Allegiance is just as quiet and shock free while being 12-15 fps faster. If I scrounge up the money for a new bow this year it will definately be the Allegiance.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

I don't know how anyone could come to the conclusion that the Allegiance is just as shock-free after shooting them back-to-back. It's not even close. I'm not saying that the Allegiance is not an excellent bow. It probably is, but it definitely does not shoot as smoothly as the SB.

Oh, and welcome to the club. ;)

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

Thanks for the welcome BagginBigguns, Myself and two hunting buddies went last week and shot the Switchback, Allegiance, V-tech, and the AR-34 and shooting them with your eyes open and then closed all of us picked the Switchback and Allegiance to be the about even as the most shock free. All were rigged with only a rest and whatever comes on the string and limbs out of the box and with no stabalizer, If you added one that might change which one was the was the most shock free. I don't think you could go wrong with any of the bows we shot.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

I haven't shot an Allegiance (yet) but I did get to shoot a Switchback a few days ago and I gotta say, I don't see what all of the hype is about. While it was very quiet, it was not shock free. In that department, I'd have to say my Patriot has much less hand shock than the Switchback. There was another guy there that shot the SB and said the same thing, and he's only a 3 year archer.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

I've shot them both numerous times. Switchback is WAY smoother in the draw. Don't see how anyone can honestly say the Alleg. is even comparable in smoothness of the draw. Makes me question if folks are just claiming to have shot both. There is a significant hump right before it breaks. It's not the harshest bow I've drawn, but not even remotely close to drawing as smooth as the SB. I'm one of the many that say the SB is the smoothest drawing bow they've ever drawn. I think they are about the same in handshock and both are quiet. Alleg is faster though. Both are nice, you should shoot each and buy what feels the best. The SB will be my first Mathews bow. I started off thinking I would buy the Allegiance based on the great specs, but after shooting both (and an Old Glory) it was an easy decision for me. If you love speed and don't mind the draw cycle, get the Alleg. One other minor problem, my buddy's Alleg. has had some chipping in the paint. Might not be important to you, but it's something you should know. The Alleg. also has a rock solid back wall. The SB's is a little mushier, but I don't mind it.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

This topic sort of reminds me of something..........very few people would or could ever say that an Oneida bow is without a doubt the most smooth pulling bow made, and without much handshock as well. But how many people do you see shooting them?

Anyway, I just had to say that.;)

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

Just my obsevations here but first of all the handshock and or vibration on the Allegiance that I shot was absolutely non existent. It just simply wasn't there. Next, I think the draw cycle is a subjective thing because I found the Allegiance to be silky smooth on the draw. 70 lbs is easy for me no matter what the draw cycle is like but I found the draw cycle to be very enjoyable without out any noticable humps, peaks, bumps, or crests. It just goes back fluently. I shot it probably 100 shots and I found the more that I shot it the more I enjoyed it. JMO As far as the Switchback goes I haven't shot it. Though, just like the Allegiance, I have heard stories from people saying it was smooth and others thought it was anything but. It just goes to show you that "draw cycle" or "smooth" are subjective terms.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

Been shooting mine for almost 2 months and have loved every moment doing so. The draw cycle on the Switch is exetremely smooth. However, (the Bowtechies will eat this up coming from a Mathews man) the Bowtech Allegiance is quite a bit faster. But, here's the ol' debate about speed vs. KE. Anyway, good luck with you decision.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

Maybe handshock varies from bow to bow within the same model. When I shot the Allegiance it jumped slightly but very distinctly in my grip hand. I felt almost nothing when I shot the Switchback. At least between the two specific bows that I shot back to back, the Switchback clearly had less handshock. In fact my MQ1, which I have shot for the past 6 years, even had less handshock than the Allegiance. I'm not trying to rip on the Allegiance. It seemed like a very nice bow, but at least between these three bows that I mentioned, the Allegiance had the most hand shock. This isn't even a matter of opinion. It's just the way it was with the specific bows that I shot.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

I agree Baggins. I needed a logging chain for a wrist sling on my constitution, but others say they are as smooth as can be with no hand shock or jumping.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

You guys are arguing a moot point. Put a sight, rest and stabilizer on either of them and neither bow will have any hand shock and will both be super performers.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

I would say that handshock would absolutely be different of different bows of the same model just as speeds etc. will be different. I worked in a shop for a couple of years and I have shot a lot of bows of all different kinds and the Allegiance that I shot undoubtedly had as little handshock and vibration as anything that I have ever shot before and it was a bare bow. The OG had a little buzz in the grip but it certainly wasn't significant.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

Not only that, but the Oneidas are not exactly slow either...But again that would not be part of the argument. I shot the Binary's, all but eh long ATA one. I shot the Switchback and I shot three different hoyt cam and a halves. They are all fine bows. I personally like the SB better than the other ones but it wasn't a huge difference. I thought the LX was the best of the Mathews I shot but again that was just my perception. Each person is going to have a preference when it comes to picking which bow they want so each person is going to see which one they like best.

I also shot the Oneidas which is why there is one in my bow case right now. For a guy who from time to time has shoulder/back problems the Oneida is by far the way to go. They are real fun bows to shoot but a lot of people aren't willing to give them a shot or don't have the oportunity. It is amazing how many people I have ran into who own one since I got it. Most of them are older bows that they use for hunting so they are touting around a andonized Mathews right now for 300 leagues. I'm told the local 3-D club has a dozen guys who shoot them show up at their shoots. I would guess it would depend on the area you live in if you are going to see them a lot or not..

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

Shot both, and as far as draw cycle, the Allegiance has a much smoother draw force curve! With that said, it definetly loads up the weight quicker and has a much different draw cycle!

Noise was pretty much the same.

Hand-shock, sorry my fellow Bow-Techies but the SB has the Allegiance beat! The SB had pretty much no vibration and I would say that it was perfect in the hand-shock department except that the SB seemed to torque slightly to the left on the shot. The Allegiance didn't move at all in my hand like the SB did, but it did have more vibration.

Speed, definetlly the Allegiance.... no comparison. The SB I shot was a 70# bow set at 30" and set-up to shoot I.B.O. speeds, the bow wasn't breaking over 310 f.p.s. while as the Allegiance was actually hitting I.B.O. speeds with the hush kit installed!

Now with that said, I must mention that my sisters boyfriend and his friend both bought the Switchback, and so far, they have been dis-appointed.

First, both bows were ordered with 60-70# limbs. When they recieved their bows, they were maxing the bows out around 75#-76# so they could only back them down to the mid 60's#

My sisters boyfriend's bow came set at 64# and he shot it at that weight for awhile and the draw cycle felt great, but when he put that bow up to 70# it turned into a whole new bow. At that point, the draw cycle turned for the worse. The bow at 70# seemed like a 80# bow. The draw force curve seemed to have more noticeable humps and like I said, the bow felt MUCH harder to draw than it should have!

His friends bow was ordered with a 29" draw length and came with 29" cams which is what he shoots. Well, when he started shooting the bow he was anchoring behind his ear as this bow's draw length was more like 30" even though it had 29" cams!

These could be two isolated problems, but these guys are both incredibly dis-appointed and are really wishing they hadn't bought these bows! They are going back to the pro-shop where they got them when the snow clears so hopefully we will figure something out then!

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

If it feels like 50lbs it probably is 50lbs!;) Am I the only one who draws a 70lb bow (no matter which brand) and it feels like a 70lb pull? 70lbs is 70lbs no matter how you cut it. Somewhere in the draw cycle it's going to hit 70lbs and it's going to feel like 70lbs.:eek:

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

Doug,

I don't think that statement truly applies. Try taking a 70 pound wheely bow and a 70 pound Black Knight II or Black Max II and see if one feels heavier than the other! I shot my sisters boyfriends (Brad) SB side by side with my Liberty, his SB was set at exactly 70# and my Liberty at 71# and there was a very very large differance. I could easily pull another 10# of draw weight with my Liberty where as with his SB, it was about the max that I would want to go with that bow.

Now, with that said, this isn't the normal thing with the SB, atleast from the one I shot at the shop when he was getting his! It was a 70# bow and felt pretty dang nice, much better than the actual bow that Brad got! We aren't sure what is wrong with his SB but something definetly is as this bow feels nothing at all like the bow we test shot!

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

A honest evaluation and full of useful information. The numbers don't lie which is why I don't buy a bow based on how it "feels". The numbers, all of the ones given must line up. They know most don't check. Best to have the proshop verify all the numbers while you watch. I am seeing a pattern in the matthews bows. This is the second time I've heard about this. People are plunking down some serious cash, best to get what you want not what they give you.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

It all depends on how long it stays at 70#. A very smooth bow will peak at 70 very quickly. If you are used to drawing a bow at 70 that is not smooth, a smooth bow will put a much less strain on your arm although each are 70#. Hold your arm out empty and see just how fast it becomes heavy. Same principle.

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RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

I'm saying at some point during the draw cycle it's going to feel like 70lbs if indeed it is a 70lb bow.

I dont care what scenario you give me , it's called physics!

Sure there are more appealing draw cycles. It differs from person to person. I just get a chuckle when I hear "it feels like 50lbs". I'll give you a 50lb bow to draw side by side and then tell me what it "feels like";)

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

No kidding. It's kinda like putting a wind-chill factor on the draw weight. It's 30 degrees out, but it feels like 18. It is what it is, not what it feels like.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

No doubt it is what it is but what people are talking about is how long the bow is actually staying at peak weight. If you hand me a 70 lb pow that only hit's peak for 2" of the draw cycle and then you hand me one that stays at peak for 6" of the draw cycle then the bows that stays at peak for 6" is going to feel like more weight because you had to exert more energy to draw the bow. That's why it doesn't feel like 70 incomparison to another bow.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

During the draw the switchback drew much stiffer earlier in the draw cycle at a 2# lower draw weight than my infinity cammed Patriot does (IMHO).
During and after the shot if felt a lot like my Patriot, only slightly heavier.

Oh ya, and the 29" draw SB drew longer than my 29" Pat, maybe that's why it felt so stiff? I think Mathews sells them a little long.

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

Well stated!!

RE: For those that have shot the switchback?
 

I love to read all the subtle bow bashing going on. It's very amusing.




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