Buckfevr

Once again here we are, most of the new offerings are out and as I seem to do every year I have to ask, what does it look like to you guys in terms of what will be the new hot hunting bow? From where I sit I think the battle this year will be raged between the Bowtech Allegiance and the Mathews Switchback. And this year I'm not just an innocent bystander, I will be upgrading from my 5 year old FX. The way I see it the Allegiance will have the edge on speed and I think that they will have significant interest in the Equilizer cam system. I suspect that the Switchback will be a little smoother and quieter and will finally have some better strings. Both are draw length specific cams so that point of differentiation is now gone. I think it's going to be a tough competition between these 2.

Last year it seemed to be Liberty, Outback and Xtec and it was quite a battle.

How do you guys see it?

Matt / PA

I would say that sounds just about right..........Allegiance, Switchback, and whatever Hoyt's comparable bow is.
From what I am hearing about the Allegiance and Defender is that they are extremely recoil and noise free. One guy said that the Allegiance was quieter than his Liberty which is saying something. [:-]They are Rockets too.

WWAG's Allegiance came in at 317fps for a 29"/ 60# model with a full string load.

I know I will be shooting an Allegiance for hunting this year but at my 30" draw length I'm just going to get a 60# model myself. With that kind of speed I don't need to bother with 70#. I should get around 300fps with my 400gr hunting arrows out of a 60#'r which is almost silly.

Buckfevr

"I should get around 300fps with my 400gr hunting arrows out of a 60#'r which is almost silly."

I think that is for me as a hunter one of the most compelling reasons to upgrade, the amount of power these bows are putting out today. And with longer risers and decent brace heights, they are very shootable platforms. Plus they're quieter.

buckeye

I have shot a 70 # Allegiance. It was very impressive.

Impressive enough I ordered one on spot to replace my Patriot VFT.

Now I am just waiting on one with 29 inch cams.

PABowhntr

I think everyone's guesses are pretty much right on. I won't be going with any of the big three bows for hunting this year though. I am probably going to end up with one of the Diamond bows. Their overall specs really appeal to me and they are all offered in my draw length.

...or maybe I will break with my personal tradition and take that big ol' 37 inch Old Glory out with me into the deer woods.

muzzyman88

Allegience, Switchback and Vtec. Those will be the ones that will probably in the mix for this year. I just shot a Bowtech Defender and am simply amazed by the quietness of this bow. I don't like short ATA bows so I'll probably be going in the direction of an Allegience for next fall.

rmw

I just picked up a 04 Vtec and it is amazing how smooth fast and shock free it is . My last bow is about 9 yr's old , a browning 6T6L ballistic hunter "a high end bow in it's time" . I really didn't think I would feel/see that much of a diff in the new bows . Plus i was shooting a shoot tru rest with alum arrows , this is almost as good as when I went from a recurve to a compound . I shot Hoyt , Matthews , Bowtec and Martin , they are all great bows but the Vtec just felt right

Elkcrazy8

I just got my 2005 Hoyt protec a couple of weeks ago. I shoot alot of 3-D and that is what I bought the bow for, but I am going to get it in camo also and set it up for hunting. I did however get the first one in Safari color. Cool looking bow and shoots like a dream. I have ALWAYS owned mathews and switched from them for various reasons. I am glad that I did, but I will still keep my LX for backup. It was one sweet shooter and an accurate bow for how short the brace height is, Shoot them all. I would never critisize anyone for choosing what brand of bow they choose. To each his own.

Arthur P

My hot new hunting/3D bow is in the garage right now. Next week, when the snow is melted and temps are back in the 60's I'll be getting out my hatchet, rasps and scrapers to get it out of that board it's hiding in.

Elkcrazy8

Right on ArthurP. I would like to make my own someday when I have the room to spread out. Due to unforseen circumstances I live in an apartment at the present time. I want to arrow a bull elk with a self made bow. That would be the ultimate for me.