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What do YOU look for in a bow?
This is a straight forward question. What specific characteristics do you look for when buying a bow?
Do you look at the speed rating? Do you look at the price? Do you look at what type of cam is on it? What helps you to narrow down your search when looking for a new bow? Everyone has a particular "feel" that they find attractive. That is not what I am looking for. What I want to know is more objective and less subjective. Thanks. |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
This is what I like in a bow
ATA between 38 - 40" Solocam solid limbs (not into the quad limbs at all) long machined riser wood low wrist grip brace height between 7 - 8 inches right around 4 lbs weight IBO speed around 300-315 large idler wheel 65-70% letoff carbon cable guard (I hate the metal ones) I have hunted with a 34" ata bow the last 2 years but I never was really happy with it for my style. For me the bow that matches what I like the best right now is the Q2XL |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
- 36" axle-to-axle length, or less
- solo cam - medium brace height (to combine shootability and speed) - usually a speed above 305 fps (and admittedly always drool over those posting 315+ fps!) - design, meaning not too radically reflexed -- though narrowing down brace heights as mentioned above may preclude some of this - and price figures in about this point |
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RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
It is a fair question as to what the process would be. In my case, most but not all of the bows I have bought over the last ten years have been Mathews. In that sense a lot of the stuff is already predetermined. For instance the grip is a super high priority for me, and I really like double mount holes for my rest, with mathews I already know where I stand on these issues (keep repeating "it's all good... it's all good")
I would go into the process with a tactical objective: be as effective as I can on deer, 280 3D, or IBO 3D. With the objective in mind I would be looking at the new models to see whether they will let me do anything the old ones won't. So this year the Icon with the round wheel would be a fairly different bow, possibly for all of the above uses. I would have to figure out whether it really does something that say my C2 doesn't. The Achilles heel of my C2 strategy (seriously!) is based on the MaxCam. I shoot this bow dramaticaly better because I was able to drop down 60# while still being in the 280 range, with a much more forgiving bow. The key is the MaxCam which isn't, however, a forgiving cam. Would I be better with the round cam bow, maybe even in the higher weight (70# is what I always shot before the accident)?. This is the kind of thing I think about. On the hunting front, I couldn't convince myself that there was any bow with a tactical advantage over the FeatherMax, in other words there is no bow that would put more deer on the ground (though this isn't true since with the inguries I could really use this bow in 60#). I therefore resolved last year to get the very best accessory package that could be conceived of. This is harder because no shop I have ever seen carries anything like the best package, nobody has all the best sights, Stabs, releases, and rests, and they won't let you try them out obviously, so though I wanted to do this, considering the cost I couldn't make up my mind. In fact I couldn't find anyone who had even one of the products I was interested in so I would have had to buy blind. While I am generaly considering the Mathews upgrade path, I am really open to new models as well but again, often I can't find them, so actualy seeing them or trying them would be tough. Price doesn't matter to me at all, though these days it might stop me buying the bow as soon as I would like, but I won't buy something that doesn't meet a tactical need, and if it does I don't care how much it costs. Bows are good that way, there aren't any $100,000 double guns to hunger for. |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
Because I'm currantly looking at getting a new bow, this is an easy one for me.<img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle> At this point everything is objective. It will be another month or so until I have time to go out get the "feel" of each. My decisions are all based on what best for hunting. That is all that's real important to me.
ATA: 33" - 37" Brace Height: 8" or over. I feel this is important for hunting in very cold weather, like I do several days each season. It will help prevent any clothing contact and give a degree of forgiveness that I feel is needed when taking shots from odd angles. Cam: Single cam unless I find a dual cam that meets my other criteria and is as quiet as the average single cam bow. Back wall: I want a hard back wall which I've never had on a bow before. I'm hoping this will make my shooting more consistant in the field. Limb type: Solid, never been real crazy about split limbs for a variety of small reasons. This is one area that I may give a little on, if everything else is equal. Riser: Machined aluminum or possibly carbon. Speed: As long as it's a modern bow, I'll accept whatever speed it comes with. I've come to the conclusion that speed is no where near as important as many other factors, especially when we're comparing 20-30 fps differences. Weight: Not very important to me. I don't want a super heavy target bow, then again, I'm not sure a 2.5 lb super light bow is the right choice either. Price: only important if everything else is about equal. There are other minor things that may attract me to a bow to break any ties, such as, level nock travel, recurve limbs, more durable limbs, lifetime warranty, smoother draw, or even more speed. Having said all that, I have yet to find a bow that meets my criteria.<img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle> |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
Different bows for different applications.
Hunting- Short ATA Deeper brace height (7+) Smooth drawing, fairly light draw weight unless hunting larger game (wanna be able to get it back in cold weather) QUIET. (biggie) Solid limbs only, preferably recurve for smoothness. Built to exacting tolerances. (I have this bow, it's the Merlin Hunter's Quest.) Outdoor Target and 3D- Longer ATA (38-42) 7"+ brace height Fully adjustable eccentric system that can be fine-tuned to the highest degree. Recurve limbs, solid only. High precision machined riser, built to exacting tolerances, not reflexed more than 1 1/8" Large sight window 290+ IBO speed Blue(more accurate than any other color!<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>) (I have this bow, the Merlin Max 2000) Indoor Target- Longest ATA (40+) Deepest Brace (7.5+) Deflexed or straight riser smooth drawing eccentrics speed doesn't matter Accuracy, accuracy, accuracy. Precision machined to exacting tolerances Recurve limbs, solid only. Blue (see above) (I have this bow on order, the Merlin Supernova) Good shooting! Pinwheel 12 Edited by - Pinwheel 12 on 03/06/2002 14:09:17 |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
Just went through it!! I wanted something fast 305+ because I shoot a 525 gr. arrow and like at least a little speed. Wanted fairly short (32"-36")..I don't hunt from a tree stand but I think a shorter bow in some of the thick stuff I hunt elk in would be a benefit. Wanted a 7"+ BH. I shoot a lot but my form suffers when there's a bull bugling 5 yards away!! And yes PRICE!! I set my limit at $400. I looked and there are some fantastic bows under that price. I ended up with a.................HC BRUTE FORCE XL for $295 delivered brand new. Hope it lives up to expectations.
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RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
Since I am looking for a new bow I have this info already written down.
ATA 34"-38" (Tried the shorties and not for me) Solocam Solid Limbs (I have had both and this is just a preference) Deep brace height (7"+) Smooth drawing Solid back wall Consistent Quiet Medium to low grip Any IBO speed of 300+ is fine for me I'll shop around for a good price but it's usually a lost cause since I'm left handed |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
Frank,
I like an ata from 38" to 43" because bows in this range (to me) are more forgiving, stable, and more accurate than anything shorter. I want a bow with the highest craftsmanship possible. Surprised ? I especially look at the limbs and the way they're constructed. To me, the current best limbs are Barnsdale, Merlin's new carbon limbs, Martin's XRG and Hoyt's XT 2000 or 3000. Doesn't matter to me if they're laminated or solid as long as they are top quality. I prefer a recurve style over a straight limb for looks and function. I like a well built and finished riser with great lines and well built limb pockets. I prefer reflex for hunting and somewhat deflex for pure target bows. For components, I prefer bronze bushings with the cams, hardened steel polished axles, with plenty of spacers to keep parts from galling. Some companies are lacking there. I like hatchet cams and as long as they're precisly made they have proven to be plenty accurate. I like a bow weight from 4 to 4.5 lbs. for hunting. For target, it can go 5.5lbs. for all I care. The bows that most closely meet my demands for all of the above are... Merlin, Bowman, Red Man, PSE Mach, Martin MV-2 and Scepter. Again, no surprises here. Right now, if I were starting from scratch, I would choose these bows for Hunting, Indoor target, and Field shooting. For hunting I would choose the Max2000 in Sherwood Forest Camo. It has awesome limbs and components and is quite a bit lighter than my Bowman and about the same as my Mach bows but overall higher quality than the Mach. For Indoor target I would go with Merlin again and choose the new SuperNova. For Field Shooting I would go with my Bowman. Got to shoot a Bowman for something. LOL. Actually, the Bowman is well know for long range field shooting. As far as price goes. If I can't afford the bow I want, I just save up until I can. No compromises for me. If I don't buy what I truly want, I always regret it later. Sag. |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
As for me personally, it helps if the letters w,h,c,b,o,e and t ,are on the limbs…
Seriously… Despite my current choice in hunting bows (which is an exception to the rule due to it’s axle to axle length) I prefer AtoA of 37 to 41” Brace Height ranging between 7-to7.75” Mass weight of 4 to 4.75 Lbs bare Solid limbs, unless it’s a Hoyt. And I prefer Recurve over straight for aesthetics (unless it’s a longbow, which is an entirely different subject). 60-65% letoff only. Low to medium wrist grip (no super lows or medium-highs) Wood grips w/ out a glossy/slick finish (I’ve found most rubber grips too torquey, and I HATE plastic), riser spine is my second choice if it’s not too low. 6” plus sight-window I like a lot of reflex in the riser, as long as the riser is well designed/balanced to combat torque. I don’t shoot light reflex, neutral, or deflexed risers as well (generally, but there are always exceptions). High perfomance (i.e. speed). Simply because I can do what I want with it…I don’t care for most 5 grains per LB setups, so I tame the speed w/ arrow weight. It HAS to have low recoil. Vibration (riser or string) does not concern me because proper accessories will tame that. I’m not terribly concerned with bow noise either, unless it’s extreme. Price is usually not an issue, though those days are coming to an end. Personally, I’d rather buy a last years high- end closeout, than this year’s budget to mid priced bow. I’ve had some great budget/low end bows before, but again they are the exception, not the rule. NO GIMMICKY stuff. I like good solid basic designs. No weird cable-guards, or string stoppers, or limb pockets, or grip angles, or stuff that “bolts” through or is attached to the riser or limbs. I can barely put up with Limbsavers and Hoyt TEC risers ;) I want a riser, pockets, limbs, cableguard, cam or cams, string and cable: that’s it. NO MOSSY OAK BREAKUP CAMO FINISHES..YUCK…that is the absolute worst transfer of a camo pattern to a dip finish I have ever seen…I’m being anal, yes, but it’s my money to be anal with! :) JeffB :) |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
First thing I look at is each mfr's website and go through the tech info to find out what models are available in 33" draw. That cuts the field W-A-Y down right off the bat. Next thing I look at is price. $500 + is more than I can afford to pay for a bow. That cuts the field even further.
Then, axle to axle length 40", 46-48" even better. I want the option of shooting fingers OR release. Straight or nearly straight riser (1" reflex or deflex is fine). Machined, forged or cast riser. Shot 'em all and never had any real problems with any of them. Dual cams with a gentle draw cycle. I want a cam that takes about 6" to come up to peak and another 4-5" or so to drop into the valley. I've come to hate drawing peak weight till an inch from the wall and slamming into it, or wearing myself out trying to ease into it. I want a high wrist grip. This low wrist stuff to get your arm away from the low brace string is not right for me. Too torque-ish. Brace height at least 7" and 9" would be better. Speed. I'm more interested in the AMO ratings than the IBO speed. I will never shoot any bow at 5 grains per pound. As long as the bow set at 60 pounds will shoot a 500 grain arrow at least 220 fps, it's good to go. I can think of only one bow on the market that fit most of my requirements, and it's price is 50% more than my max budget. That's why I love my antiques. :) |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
23 and 3\4" ATA, recurved limbs, no cams, 46 and 1\2" nitro string, 7 and 1\2 brace, 65% let-off, 31 and 1\4" nitro cables, machined riser, no cable guard. SMOOTH!!!! FAST!! fun to shoot. Oops; sorry I did'nt buy it. As for the price, I lost track<img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>
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RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
I prefer a solid limb, two-cam bow with a minimum 38" length and brace height not less than 7". I want the letoff to be 65%. I don't look at speed all that much. I've taken deer with traditional equipment slower than the slowest compounds on the market today. Price isn't a major concern either. I must say I've never seen a bow I considered worth more than about $500.00 but that covers most of them anyway. The type of cam recently became quite important. I've had shoulder and back problems so energy wheels will probably grace my next bow.
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RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
Competition bow.
25" riser Phenominal Machining Adjustble limb pocket's 5* offset grip. Aqua(green) Im Irish, It's luck. Limb's- Recurve, making a bow 68" t-t. Carbon/Foam.. Detent'e system. ( I just received my Apex Riser) (Hoyt FX Limb's are on the way) Hunting bow..... Compound. Shorter ATA 7" brace or above. Solid Recurve Limb's. 50-60#'s Twin cam-Hard cam. Smooth Draw. ( Merlin Storm twin cam) when I can afford it. >>>>--------o--> |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
Frank I pretty much only hunt with my bow, but I like one that is easy to shoot, and plenty fast, and easy to maintain. here is the list In order of importance I used:
1. 7" brace height or their abouts 2. Fast, I wanted as fast a bow as I could get and still be shootable 3. Mass weight of around 4 lbs, but not much heavier 4. I wanted standerd length cables and strings, and plenty of drawlenth adjustments, I wanted this bow to fit perfectly, and have enough adjustment to play around with loops and such. 5. I also wanted a quiet bow, with a nice thin grip, two cushion plunger holes for secure rest mounting, one solid mounting cable guard that won't slip, good customer service, and quality construction. Thier are a few other little things, but for the most part this is what led me to my Darton Rampage. TAKE YOUR KIDS HUNTING AND YOU WON'T BE HUNTING FOR YOUR KIDS |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
Short ATA, Smooth shooting, Quiet , 7"+ Brace hieght, Solid limbs, Good coustomer service.
Randy |
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RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
This is what I look for....
1. Speed...not warp speed, but the bow must be capable of 290fps with a 29" draw @ 5gr./lb. More is OK, but not an absolute. 2. Axle to axle=38" range for 3-d/35" range for hunting. 3. One cam design/ the only twin cam I ever liked to shoot was the hachet cams from HCA. 4. For hunting, the lighter the better. For 3-d, 4lb. plus. 5. Price? Just does`nt matter. If I want it, I`ll justify it in my feeble mind somehow. 6. Brace height...6 1/2" would be minimum, prefer 7"-7 1/2". 7. Must have a thin riser @ the hand grip area. If I don`t like the grip, it can come off, but I need a thin grip. |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
There is what I do and what I tell my customers to do.
I tell my customers to choose in the following order: GRIP - choose a grip and riser that fits your hand and how you shoot. ATA - select it to suit your needs; if you know your needs. BUDGET - let me know what you want to spend and I will show you what's available in that range. CAM STYLE - speed cam(s) usually relate to harsher cam action and short valleys. Again this will get down to the application of the bow. REFLEX/DEFLEX - I try to educate them on the differences. BOW WEIGHT - depends again on the application. BRACE HEIGHT - I again try to educate them on the differences. What I do: I shoot them all because I tune them all. When I find something I like, I buy it and try it. You wouldn't believe how many bows that I've shot for a month and then sold them as Dealer "Demo". I'm talking about the "best" of bows. What it all gets down to in my selection is the bow that I enjoy shooting day after day after day. It's the one that fits my hand nicely while on the range and in the woods. It's the one that I can still pull smoothly at temperatures in the teens. It's the one that give me good power and decent speed with a smooth draw cycle. I have found that I like recurve limbs much better when I have the choice. Some of the shorter bows have quickly wound up on the "Demo" rack because of my draw length ratio to ATA. I have found that 36-38" ATA is generally my choice given my 29 1/2" draw. I am right now, however, about to try out a new PSE Enforcer (34" ATA). I shot this bow when the Rep brought it in and really liked it for some of the above reasons. We'll see if I'm still shooting it in about a month. Like Sag, I prefer nicely toleranced bronze bushings over some of the bearings I see in some of these new bows. I will agree with him also on the weight of a bow. Heavier doesn't bother me as long as it provides stability. Lighter is OK as long as my accuracy and enjoyment in shooting doesn't suffer. The brace height is something that is way over-rated, IMO. Proper form allows you to shoot very low brace height, to a point, with excellent results. I can't tell you how many times I've hit my arm with the string on 8" BH bows that habitually torque with every shot, and never hit my arm with 6" BH bows that are designed better. You have to hold the bow with a VERY loose grip to experience this phenomenom. I do, however, try to put new archers in a deflex or lightly reflexed riser with as much BH as deemed necessary. In other words, I try to steer them away from a "speed" bow. Quality of design and components will be recognized in the performance of the bow over various conditional shooting. I do check for proper tolerancing and have been know to shim and modify certain aspects of components. Even though we're only talking about bows, don't forget that arrows are equally important in the final equation. Frank's question cannot be solely answered on an objective note. Subjectivity has to be filtered into the equation due to objective physical differences in the archers. Think on that one, Frank. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
Len,
I did say "more objective and less subjective", but not entirely one and none of the other, so we agree on that point. Take your brace height comments for example....what is the brace height on the Darton Maverick? <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> I agree with you 100% and it shows in the kind responses of these folks. |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
COMFORT!!!!!!!!!!
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RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
I look at all of the things that you originally mentioned, Frank:)
But there is one thing that i have tried to do since I made a mistake a few years back. I always keep the bow that is my present #1, and the new one has to be impressive enough to push #1 to #2 or on to another archer. I really like my present bow. It is by far the best I have owned to date. 36" axle to axle, 7" brace, #66, back up to 30" draw, very smooth draw, not sure how fast it is, but fast enough for hunting. I really like the solid back wall, and the adjustability of the cam over a 3" range (I think). The grip on this bow is the best I've seen so far for me anyway. The "new" bow on the way will have to be something special, or it will also be on its way.<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle> The only thing I would look for is more speed if I can get it without a much harsher draw (the shoulder is comin' around). Quieter shot, although I do think my present bow is fairly quiet. Less recoil, but it really doesn't bother me that much anyway. If I can find something that shoots as well, and has those qualities, I will buy it.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> Avoid the inevitable until it is absolutely unavoidable! |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
Joe: Very good point: "But there is one thing that i have tried to do since I made a mistake a few years back. I always keep the bow that is my present #1, and the new one has to be impressive enough to push #1 to #2 or on to another archer. I really like my present bow. It is by far the best I have owned to date."
If you can afford to do it, what you stated is the best approach. I've been shooting the same bow now for 4 years and can't find one that satisfies my needs better. I do, however, keep trying. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle> |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
Len, about arrows being just as important as the bow....
"Any old stick do for a bow - good arrow heap dam work -ugh!" Tommy the Seminole, "Witchery of Archery" 1879. Good arrows were more important than the bow back then. Actually, they still are today. Bad arrows = bad shooting, no matter how good the bow is. |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
ArthurP: You're absolutely right. The whole archery "system" is the bow(including its accessories), arrow, and you. All have to work together correctly to produce the best results.
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RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
Ossage,
I agree with you about the old Feathermax. I seriously looked into a new bow last year and could not find one that was that much better than my feathermax that it warranted its price. The feathermax is really a great great hunting bow, and can still match up to most of the new bows today. |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
n) perfect bow //: see Bowtech Patriot
n) perfect specs //: see Bowtech Patriot |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
Absolutely right, Arthur!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
That might be the most important post on this subject.<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle> Avoid the inevitable until it is absolutely unavoidable! |
RE: What do YOU look for in a bow?
Wow, there are so many variables that come into play here that it is hard to answere, but I'll try.
Before I see the bow: ATA around 36 inches or under, I am a very small person and have no desire to compete. So a long ata is really not that important to me. On the other hand neither is a short axle to axle. But if I find one I like it would be ok. Because of my size and draw length a 32 inch bow to me would be like a 36 bow for a person six foot tall. Brace height of at least 6 inches, again I feel that my short draw length gives me some forgiveness in this department, besides the shorter brace will help me get back some of the speed I am losing. To be honest I prefer 7 inches though. Weight, under 4 lbs stripped down. A slight reflexed riser, under 2 inches preferably. Speed needs to be around 300 fps IBO and 230 or so AMO. I question bows that have high IBO ratings and AMO ratings under 230 fps. This usually means they aren't very effecient and won't perform well at 25 or 26 inch draws. I don't really want a fast bow, but I would like to shoot around 230 or 240 fps with a 6 grn/lb arrow at 60 lbs. And obviously the bow needs to be capable of shorter draw lengths. I also look at overall design, technology, and asthetics. Yes I want my bow to look cool as well as shoot well. At least a 10 year waranty, not really a problem any more, most are lifetime. Word of mouth. I pay close attention to what people on these boards say and what I read. I will admit, most authers are afraid to say what they really feel for fear of offending an advertiser. I also pay attention to what the shop owners and employees think. They will usually have a favorite of the new line ups. When I actually look at or shoot a bow: It has to fit me well and balance in my hand. Some bows just feel wrong when you hold them up. Next they have to draw well. I shoot around 26 inches of draw(recently discovered it was 25.5), but I like to draw a bow back around 29 inches at 65 lbs to see how it feels. If I can pull a bow back 4 or 5 times like this with out shaking or killing myself I know it will be silky smooth at 25 inches and 60 lbs! Besides, most bows are set at around 29 inches when on display. Next I look for vibration, noise and jump when the arrow is released. The bow does not have to be absolutely dead in my hand, but it better be close, especially if it is over $500! If a bow rattles, twangs, or tries to jerk out of my hand when I shoot it, I don't want it. I don't care what the specs and price are. I shot the ultra 2, and while it was fast, I was not impressed at all with the way it shot. Especially for a $600 bow. I also look at fit and finnish and how the over all apearence of the bow is in person. Some bows look hidious when photographed, but don't look to bad when they are in your hand. I also look for versatility and adjustablility. Hoyt wins hands down in this department. But there are other bows that have simular atributes. Another thing that factors into it for me is availability. If one of the shops near me that I like does not carry it, it is not an option. To me, quality service is as important as the bow is. I am sure I could get a bow cheaper at Cabela's(maybe) which is fairly close to me, but the service would be nothing like one of my local pro shops that know me and my friends by name and will give me honest opinions when I ask. I am sure I left a few things out, but that is it in a nut shell. Paul |
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