COMPARING BOWTECH&MATHEWS
12-23-2003, 05:48 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Onamia,MN.
Posts: 1,375
COMPARING BOWTECH&MATHEWS
To whom it may concern,
I have noticed that BOWTECH & MATHEWS bows look a lot alike from the parallel limbs,riser length & appearance to idle wheel matching cam size.Can someone PLEASE tell me what the difference between the two bows is?Bowtech decided to go the comfortable accurate route after focusing on speed to get the peoples attention(which they did!).Now both MATHEWS & BOWTECH look VERY much the same to me--anybody notice this or is it ijust me?Can anyone give any specifics as to what difference if any they noticed when shooting the two brands?Trying to compare apples to apples as far as the comparing lineups for the two companies(AXLE TO AXLE--BRACE HEIGHT).
I have noticed that BOWTECH & MATHEWS bows look a lot alike from the parallel limbs,riser length & appearance to idle wheel matching cam size.Can someone PLEASE tell me what the difference between the two bows is?Bowtech decided to go the comfortable accurate route after focusing on speed to get the peoples attention(which they did!).Now both MATHEWS & BOWTECH look VERY much the same to me--anybody notice this or is it ijust me?Can anyone give any specifics as to what difference if any they noticed when shooting the two brands?Trying to compare apples to apples as far as the comparing lineups for the two companies(AXLE TO AXLE--BRACE HEIGHT).
12-23-2003, 06:37 PM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jackson, Missouri
Posts: 7,051
RE: COMPARING BOWTECH&MATHEWS
jsasker,
I thought the same thing, at least as far as the Liberty's look and specs go compared to my MQ-1. It's uncanny how much these bows resemble each other. I even half-jokingly made mention of it in an earlier post on here, and I got this response. I'll repost it here to save Jeff some typing!
I thought the same thing, at least as far as the Liberty's look and specs go compared to my MQ-1. It's uncanny how much these bows resemble each other. I even half-jokingly made mention of it in an earlier post on here, and I got this response. I'll repost it here to save Jeff some typing!
quote:
ORIGINAL: MQ1shooter
hmmm...
With that description, and those speeds posted by Matt... sounds like Bowtech created a clone of the MQ-1!
Except by all accounts so far (including some current and former Mathews shooters)
1) The cam is smoother
2) The wall is infinitely more solid
3) Adjustable letoff and minute draw length adjustments
4) Less Shock & vibration
5) Locking limb pockets
6) Better strings and cables
7) Much better camo than that Trebark II
8) Factory installed Hush kit & VB's saves ya some dough
9) Only need to swap a module for a draw length change
10) bearings in idler AND cam
11) better defined/less sensitive valley
12) Less torquey grip
I could go on....
Seriously..I've owned a bunch of Q series Mathews as well as the legacy and Icon. From what I'm hearing the new F-cam bows are a step up from those in recoil/shock/noise/draw cycle.
ORIGINAL: MQ1shooter
hmmm...
With that description, and those speeds posted by Matt... sounds like Bowtech created a clone of the MQ-1!
Except by all accounts so far (including some current and former Mathews shooters)
1) The cam is smoother
2) The wall is infinitely more solid
3) Adjustable letoff and minute draw length adjustments
4) Less Shock & vibration
5) Locking limb pockets
6) Better strings and cables
7) Much better camo than that Trebark II
8) Factory installed Hush kit & VB's saves ya some dough
9) Only need to swap a module for a draw length change
10) bearings in idler AND cam
11) better defined/less sensitive valley
12) Less torquey grip
I could go on....
Seriously..I've owned a bunch of Q series Mathews as well as the legacy and Icon. From what I'm hearing the new F-cam bows are a step up from those in recoil/shock/noise/draw cycle.
12-23-2003, 07:13 PM
#5
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Dover, PA USA
Posts: 5,497
RE: COMPARING BOWTECH&MATHEWS
I know there is no way for me to type this without it sounding pro BowTech anti Mathews but I will give you my take on the differences, and let me preface this by saying that I LIKE Mathews bows, they are a high quality piece of equipment and there are plenty of models that I wouldn't kick out of bed for eating crackers.
I choose to shoot BowTech because I like them better.........simple as that. I like Mathews bows just fine, I just find more to offer in the BowTech line-up.
The differences shooting them? Depends upon what bow you are shooting? A BowTech BKII vs a Mathews Legacy? A Mathews Q2XL vs. a Mighty Mite?
Some are smoother, some are faster, some more recoil free, some definitely quieter........the bottom line is that they are ALL quality bows!! Aren't the "Bow Wars" about the stupidest thing you ever listened to?
BowTech uses modular cam systems on all of their bows. Mathews uses A single draw length specific cam. Each offer advantages.....I'd rather play with mods than new cams though.
Speaking of cams, Mathews has pretty much backed themselves into a single cam corner with their advertising campaign. They have some very nice shooting quality bows but they are locked into one idea for life unless they wish to look foolish. How far a single cam bow can be refined? I guess they are going to try.
BowTech offers at present 4 different cam systems, from Dual to Wheel to large smooth and small fast singles. All offering different things. I had a very hard time picking a 2004 BowTech from their line-up because quite a few bows offered something very different that appealed to me, going by the Mathews line-up for 2003 I didn't see as much variety and choosing would have been very easy, between 2 maybe 3 models at most.
I've owned Mathews bows so I am qualified to say that BowTechs stock string cable offerings since 2001 have been FAR superior to the factory Mathews offerings.
Without starting a VFT /parallel limb angle war.......BowTech did have the Patriot with its significantly swept back limb angles and VFT benefits months before Mathews did in the Legacy. I think this is where the "Physical" similarities really took off.
And no NEITHER company pioneered this idea, I think we are all VERY well aware of that by now........However I think BowTech was the first to REALLY use it to its full potential.
Actually if you look closely there really isn't a whole lot of apples to apples in specs between the companies......there are some similarities now physically that's for sure with bows like the Legacy and Liberty and I imagine as well with Mathews new Outback and the Justice.
I guess for a while Mathews thing was smooth shooting with respectable speed.......BowTechs was shootability with above average speed.
I definitely think BowTech took a step in the right direction this year by trying to raise the bar of smooth shooting as I think they were missing the boat to a large degree.
Yeah at first glance they seem pretty similar, but the closer you look very quickly they become quite different.
I choose to shoot BowTech because I like them better.........simple as that. I like Mathews bows just fine, I just find more to offer in the BowTech line-up.
The differences shooting them? Depends upon what bow you are shooting? A BowTech BKII vs a Mathews Legacy? A Mathews Q2XL vs. a Mighty Mite?
Some are smoother, some are faster, some more recoil free, some definitely quieter........the bottom line is that they are ALL quality bows!! Aren't the "Bow Wars" about the stupidest thing you ever listened to?
BowTech uses modular cam systems on all of their bows. Mathews uses A single draw length specific cam. Each offer advantages.....I'd rather play with mods than new cams though.
Speaking of cams, Mathews has pretty much backed themselves into a single cam corner with their advertising campaign. They have some very nice shooting quality bows but they are locked into one idea for life unless they wish to look foolish. How far a single cam bow can be refined? I guess they are going to try.
BowTech offers at present 4 different cam systems, from Dual to Wheel to large smooth and small fast singles. All offering different things. I had a very hard time picking a 2004 BowTech from their line-up because quite a few bows offered something very different that appealed to me, going by the Mathews line-up for 2003 I didn't see as much variety and choosing would have been very easy, between 2 maybe 3 models at most.
I've owned Mathews bows so I am qualified to say that BowTechs stock string cable offerings since 2001 have been FAR superior to the factory Mathews offerings.
Without starting a VFT /parallel limb angle war.......BowTech did have the Patriot with its significantly swept back limb angles and VFT benefits months before Mathews did in the Legacy. I think this is where the "Physical" similarities really took off.
And no NEITHER company pioneered this idea, I think we are all VERY well aware of that by now........However I think BowTech was the first to REALLY use it to its full potential.
Actually if you look closely there really isn't a whole lot of apples to apples in specs between the companies......there are some similarities now physically that's for sure with bows like the Legacy and Liberty and I imagine as well with Mathews new Outback and the Justice.
I guess for a while Mathews thing was smooth shooting with respectable speed.......BowTechs was shootability with above average speed.
I definitely think BowTech took a step in the right direction this year by trying to raise the bar of smooth shooting as I think they were missing the boat to a large degree.
Yeah at first glance they seem pretty similar, but the closer you look very quickly they become quite different.
12-23-2003, 10:13 PM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Lingle WY USA
Posts: 527
RE: COMPARING BOWTECH&MATHEWS
I broke down this last year and bought an MQ1 over an Extreme VFT (IN SPITE of the Mathews hype[:@]). This bow is the QUIETEST bow I have ever shot (the only deciding factor between the two).....If Bowtech can match that with their new bows, I'm jumping ship (but I won't give up the MQ1)......
IMHO.....Mathews has COMPLETELY missed the boat by getting rid of the MQ1....IMHO they have done nothin but make their bows louder, heavier and SLIGHTLY faster since the MQ1......Bowtech could do much worse than create a clone of the MQ1 w/ all the "modern" bells and whistles (bearings, more solid wall, etc.).........If it's as quiet as the MQ1, looks like I'm gonna have to go and shoot a Liberty!!
)......IMHO.....Mathews has COMPLETELY missed the boat by getting rid of the MQ1....IMHO they have done nothin but make their bows louder, heavier and SLIGHTLY faster since the MQ1......Bowtech could do much worse than create a clone of the MQ1 w/ all the "modern" bells and whistles (bearings, more solid wall, etc.).........If it's as quiet as the MQ1, looks like I'm gonna have to go and shoot a Liberty!!
12-24-2003, 12:32 AM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jackson, Missouri
Posts: 7,051
RE: COMPARING BOWTECH&MATHEWS
CG, that's why I keep holding on to my MQ-1; I've shot several others since I purchased my rig several years ago now (Golly! Has it been that long!?! [
]), and I can't find anything that much significantly better which will justify shelling out another five or six hundred bucks. I mean, my MQ-1 is QUIET. Two years ago, I had a flock of turkeys stroll by at about 17 yards. I drilled the first through her wings, reached back and grabbed another arrow, nocked it, and came to full draw on the second before deciding I didn't want to clean two that night and letting down. The remaining turkeys didn't have a clue as to what had happened; now that's quiet. I'm also getting 276 fps through the chrono, so my speeds aren't too shabby compared to some of the more recent Bowtech offerings after you put everything on the string.
jsasker, I've never been one of those die-hard "my brand's better than your brand" kind of guys; Mathews makes a quality product, but I'm not so naive (or stupid, if ya want to be honest) as to think (and admit that) other companies make quality stuff as well. I've been intrigued by Bowtech since they came on the scene (ask Matt / Pa), and I've been threatening to buy one for a couple years. I came real close to buying a Tech 29 last year, and am taking a hard look at the Mighty Mite VFT this year. I'm reading Frank's reports on it with much interest. I'm a little concerned by the fact that, I guess due to the thickness of the riser, all sights and rests aren't turning out to be compatible.
I'm getting closer financial-wise to being able to take off and go on a nice out-of-state hunt at a lodge or someplace like all the guys on the videos do, and I am going to need a back-up bow if I'm gonna be that far away from home!
]), and I can't find anything that much significantly better which will justify shelling out another five or six hundred bucks. I mean, my MQ-1 is QUIET. Two years ago, I had a flock of turkeys stroll by at about 17 yards. I drilled the first through her wings, reached back and grabbed another arrow, nocked it, and came to full draw on the second before deciding I didn't want to clean two that night and letting down. The remaining turkeys didn't have a clue as to what had happened; now that's quiet. I'm also getting 276 fps through the chrono, so my speeds aren't too shabby compared to some of the more recent Bowtech offerings after you put everything on the string.jsasker, I've never been one of those die-hard "my brand's better than your brand" kind of guys; Mathews makes a quality product, but I'm not so naive (or stupid, if ya want to be honest) as to think (and admit that) other companies make quality stuff as well. I've been intrigued by Bowtech since they came on the scene (ask Matt / Pa), and I've been threatening to buy one for a couple years. I came real close to buying a Tech 29 last year, and am taking a hard look at the Mighty Mite VFT this year. I'm reading Frank's reports on it with much interest. I'm a little concerned by the fact that, I guess due to the thickness of the riser, all sights and rests aren't turning out to be compatible.
I'm getting closer financial-wise to being able to take off and go on a nice out-of-state hunt at a lodge or someplace like all the guys on the videos do, and I am going to need a back-up bow if I'm gonna be that far away from home!
12-24-2003, 06:46 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Onamia,MN.
Posts: 1,375
RE: COMPARING BOWTECH&MATHEWS
I'm a LEGACY owner and i have to admit--BOWTECH is looking really good!I don't think i'll ever get rid of my LEGACY but maybe i'll add another bow in my line up.If BOWTECH isn't careful they WILL be king of the hill in the bow industry.Bowtech--keep up the good work!Mathews--gimme somethin',ANYTHING at all to be awed at.
.If BOWTECH isn't careful they WILL be king of the hill in the bow industry.Bowtech--keep up the good work!Mathews--gimme somethin',ANYTHING at all to be awed at.
12-24-2003, 07:51 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: CT, USA
Posts: 3,058
RE: COMPARING BOWTECH&MATHEWS
ORIGINAL: MQ1shooter
jsasker,
I thought the same thing, at least as far as the Liberty's look and specs go compared to my MQ-1. It's uncanny how much these bows resemble each other. I even half-jokingly made mention of it in an earlier post on here, and I got this response. I'll repost it here to save Jeff some typing!
jsasker,
I thought the same thing, at least as far as the Liberty's look and specs go compared to my MQ-1. It's uncanny how much these bows resemble each other. I even half-jokingly made mention of it in an earlier post on here, and I got this response. I'll repost it here to save Jeff some typing!