Title: Hoyt catalog 2015, Author: Davy Goedertier, Name: Hoyt. PODIUM X ELITE 40 SPIRAL PRO CAM & 1/2 New Spiral Pro Cam with draw. Bowstrings.com is now offering the best bowstrings for the Podium X 40 Spiral #4 by Hoyt at a price point of $69.99 Are you a bowhunter or archer that has had.
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Compound bows are unlike conventional longbows and recurve bows in a significant manner. Their limb tips do not bend backwards in the direction of the shoot – the opposite happens i.e. the string and harnesses pull the compound bow’s limb tips in the same direction.
The compound bow’s limbs are also relatively a lot stiffer than other variations of bows. This unique construction of the compound bow allows it hold energy more efficiently when shooting with it.
Additionally, a pulley cam system comprising of wheels and strings is present to aid with the bow’s shooting – this is absent from longbows and recurve bows since they are the continuation of old fashioned designs while the compound bow can be thought of as a hybrid of new and old technology.
If you’re new to the compound bow market, prepare yourself to hear about the best compound bow brands and their various models of compound bows. Compound bows aren’t exactly a new product and don’t possess the kind of hi-tech technology which many brands of compound bows would have you believe.
As you begin your quest of buying a compound bow, you will frequently come across marketing tactics which upsell the manufacturer’s technological improvements in compound bows – these are usually just fancy words chosen to make the product look more technologically advanced than it really is.
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However, compound bows have in fact come forward by quite a degree when you compare today’s versions with the simplistic Robin Hood Compound bows of the ‘80s. (Looking for a Recurve Bow? Check Out Our Ultimate Guide)
You’ll also discover that many shoppers rely on brand loyalty. Shops and forums contain plenty of people who have a ‘my bow is better than yours’ mentality. The truth is that most bows are more or less the same product but advertised to different audiences.
One individual may have a preference for Bowtech because of their edgy designs, and he may disregard Bear bows because of their simpler, more understated looks. This would be true even if the bow had identical specs and was made from the same material.
Your choice of crossbow brand will have a lot to do with your needs and preferences – for instance, if you’re a beginner, you’ll be looking for the best entry level compound bow, whereas someone who’s tight on cash would search for the best budget compound bow.
Regardless of what the manufacturer touts, there isn’t a single perfect bow. Each bow design will have its advantages and flaws. It is up your call to decide the features which are most important for you based on your skill level, past experience and aesthetic preferences.
he only sure shot way to know how good a bow performs is to buy it, give it a try and then compare its statistics with other bows you have used.
However, bows aren’t cheap, so most people haven’t the resources to test shoot lots of bows – archers are restricted to trying out only those bows which are up for sale at their nearest pro shop.
Fortunately, we’ve done the hard part for you, and have chosen the bows best suited for the most common denominations of archers. Read on to find out.
What do I need to Consider when Choosing a Compound Bow?
To answer the question of how to pick a compound bow – there are some essential characteristics that you need to consider when picking out the best compound bow for yourself.
These are speed, draw weight, draw length, let off, brace height and, of course, your budget. Here’s an explanation of each to teach you how to buy a compound bow, even if you’re a total novice.
Normally, when you’re picking out a compound bow, you should go for the fastest compound bow on the market that matches your budget. The greater the speed of an arrow shot from the bow, the harder it will be for your hunting prey to dodge it. Furthermore, more speed means that the arrow will hit its target with greater force. Ensure that you use the correct hunting arrows for your bow to get the best results.
In order to enhance the speed and energy of the stroke, it is recommended to shoot with a compound bow that has the highest draw weight. For example, a compound bow with a draw weight of 60 pounds will have greater arrow speed as compared to one with 50 pounds draw weight.
If you opt for deer hunting with your compound bow, a 45 pounds draw weight is the lowest you can settle for, but the majority of hunters settle for compound bows with draw weight between 50 and 70 pounds.
Although greater draw weight has its benefits, it can also come at a disadvantage. Even though you can achieve a quicker and deadlier shot with it, if it is too much, it can result in poor shooting techniques since the drawing and aiming will be harder to control.
In order to prevent injury and ensure correct shooting techniques, it is important to be able to keep the bow fully drawn for at least a minute without shaking and also to draw the compound bow smoothly at any instant of the whole draw cycle.
However, many compound bows today let you decrease the draw weight by 10 pounds so you are able to begin with an easier to handle draw weight, increasing it when your muscles get tougher from practicing.
Here is a table containing general guidelines for selecting draw weight:
Besides these technical factors, you should also consider buying a bow with additional perks, such as an optic sight, camouflage etc. Collapsible compound bows, for instance, are quite popular with those who go on longer hunts since they are much more portable than their non-collapsible counterparts.
The sections which follow contain compound bows reviews of the most prominent brands to give you an idea of what you’ll find in the market:
What are the Top Compound Bow Brands?Bear Archery
Bear Archery has consistently remained one of the top compound bow manufacturers in the market. Each year sees them launch new bows which see a lot of acclaim e.g. the Bear One compound bow. In 2014, they released 20 new bow models in the market, and this year, up until now, they’ve release five new ones.
Bear Cruzer:
Of the many Bear compound bow models out there, this one is a top competitor. This bow goes head to head with the Diamond Infinite Edge considering how adaptable it is. It has an adjustable draw length of 12 to 30 inches and a variable draw weight of 5 to 70 lbs., making it one of the best starter compound bows out there, ideal for both beginners and huntresses. Bear has also tried to deviate from the classic look with this bow – its shape and color options are meant to appeal to children. Bear pays heed to the requests for more customizability options, as well as for better quality bows for female archers, as is evident from this particular model.
Bear Archery Cruzer G2 RTH Compound Bow - Shadow - Right Hand
Bear Arena 30:
This is another fresh release from Bear and is quite the powerhouse. Shooting at an amazing 343 feet per second, and generating little shock, this bow incorporates almost all innovations Bear has under their belt.
Its draw length is adjustable over a narrow range from 25.6 to 30 inches, and the draw weight can be varied from 50 to 70 lbs, so it isn’t really recommended for youngsters. This bow is excellent for hunting from treetops, and also for long distance archery. The Arena 30 lends confidence to hunter and ensures a clean kill.
Bear Archery Arena 30 Compound Bow Realtree Xtra 70# RH A5AR20007R
Bear Element:
The Bear Element compound bow, priced at just $240, is a good, cheap bow meant for beginners or for those on a budget. It comes with a silencing package to reduce noise, and has a modular-adjustable eccentric system.
It doesn’t need a bow press to vary its draw length (which can be done in 1’’ increments. However, the strings it comes with leave something to be desired, and if you want to adjust the draw length in more accurate intervals of .5’’, you’re going to need a bow press. With all said, this bow does indeed offer great value for the money.
Hoyt
Hoyt is another one of the leading compound bow companies and has made adaptability as their chief priority:
Podium X Elite:
The Podium X Elite incorporates some seriously user friendly elements. Besides its draw length being easily adjustable, it also comes with various options for your back wall at the time of purchase. Hoyt have included a modular adjustment to their spiral cam, which touts a solid back wall to prevent overdrawing. It also comes with a GTX 1.5 cam.
The new inner module adjustment allows for a more flexible wall which is good news for people who intend to share the bow with others, since it will be easily adjustable each time you hand it to the other person.
Another interesting feature is the adjustable grip – you can decide between the standard grip angle, or another one from the included grips that adds 2, 4 or 6 degrees. This gives archers more freedom to improve their shooting.
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Although Hoyt has innovated several personal adjustment options in their 2015 lineup, they don’t have a bow which can compete with the weight and draw length adjustment features from Bear or Diamond, which is why this offering remains an entry level compound bow at best.
Ruckus:
This crossbow is meant to cater to the female/young adult clientele, with a length that can be varied between 15 and 26 inches, and an adjustable weight of 15 to 45 (in case of the regular) or 9 to 29 (in case of the Ruckus Jr.).
This is a bow that has the most customization options out of the box when compared to everything else Hoyt has to offer, making it one of the best youth compound bows in the market. However, this does not mean that their other bows are inferior – the other models are also superb choices for experienced archers who are well aware of the requirements.
Note that Hoyt products can only be purchased at Pro Shops (i.e. establishments where the dealers themselves are professional archers). An online purchase of their product will void its warranty.
Bowtech
Bowtech is another one of the top compound bow brands; they focus on innovating the style of their compound bows.
They are masters of the binary cam system, which got rid of cam synchronization problems. 2015 has seen them launch their ‘Powershift technology’.
Bowtech Prodigy:
With the Prodigy, Bowtech have incorporated a new power disc to the cam system which lets the archer easily and quickly change the bow’s power setting to achieve shots which demand varying levels of power or comfort. Set it to performance to obtain the most speed and power, albeit with a less smooth draw.
Set it to classic to get a blend of power and comfort, to allow for a shot much like a classic Bowtech compound bow. The comfort setting lets you make an effortless draw, and is excellent for shooting in colder locales. With its customizability options, this is a good beginner compound bow.
BowTech Prodigy RH
Bowtech Fanatic:
This compound bow has been made to meet the demands of target archers and focuses on every detail. It incorporates Bowtech’s first shoot-through riser which keeps the bow steady until the archer is ready to take the shot. They have also included adjustable let-off options – low, medium and high, which offer as much as 75% reduced draw weight.
Bowtech RPM 360:
This could possibly be the best compound bow out there – if we had to choose the top ten compound bows, this one would have the throne. Packing a new riser design, a revamped limb pocket and a re-imagination of their already popular cam system, the RPM 360 is a force to be reckoned with.
It doesn’t draw like a normal speed bow, since it is extremely smooth. It is also one of the quietest compound bows in the market, which is also quite extraordinary for a speed bow. Bowtech’s flagship has a 31 inch ATA, 7 inch brace height and yields a blazing 360 FPS IBO speed.
You won’t be able to understand the fuss until you give it a try, but once you do, you will definitely have an answer to the question of ‘what is the fastest compound bow right now’!
It could arguably be the fastest compound bow in the world, but don’t assume, because of its insane 360 FPS output, that it is a noisy bow that isn’t great for hunting. It is extremely quiet and produces very little vibration.
Throw in a stabilizer and even that little bit of vibration is gone, so that you’ve got the fastest compound bow on the market all set for an accurate, silent and deadly hunting experience. It comes in an array of color schemes, a 24 to 30 inch draw length and a 50 to 70 pounds draw weight.
A close competitor of the fastest shooting compound bow is the PSE DNA, with the RPM 360 shooting about 15 FPS more than the PSE, but that is so close that you won’t notice it while shooting.
PSE
PSE boasts of being the best bow maker of all, and they have released some fine compound bows in 2015 – they have upgraded their popular single cam, high performance Madness brand to hybrid cams according to the PSE Bow Madness Review on their website.
However, these bows do not appear to have the same kind of attention to detail in their design. But what is lacking in terms of the latest technology, PSE compensates for with premium quality materials.
Here are some PSE bow reviews for their leading compound bows:
PSE Stinger X:
The Stinger X is a compound bow featuring a durable single cam system. Its draw length can be varied from 19’’ to 30’’, and the back wall can also be adjusted – a helpful feature uncommon in most compound bows.
PSE Stinger X Compound Bow, RH, Black, 60 lbs
Vibration in the bow strings is limited by dual compression limbs. This bow comes with a ‘Grow with me’ setting which lets the user reduce its draw weight until they’ve developed their skill. Its low 3.5 pound weight makes it an ideal starter compound bow, as well as a great choice for extended hunting trips.
At the price of around $400, this bow offers a lot of quality features. And as a PSE product, you can be sure that you’ll get the value you’re paying for.
PSE Brute:
The PSE Brute bow is an exceptional hunting bow if you’re tight on cash. It features a highly smooth draw and an easy brace height that lets you shoot accurately without much effort. It is also free of vibrations, which makes it feel a lot like highly priced models.
At its low price, there isn’t much to find fault with. But its low price might make hunters overlook it, since the norm in the archery industry is that higher the price, better the quality.
Precision Shooting Equipment Brute Force #70 Ready to Shot Bow Package, Mossy Oak, Right
PSE Brute X:
The PSE Brute X Compound bow has an unbelievable smooth and fast performance at its price point. It features preloaded split limbs, a new pivoting limb pocket mechanism, and a totally new machined rise.
The re-designed Madness Pro cam lets you make half inch adjustments with the manufacturer’s posi-lock inner cam (scope). Combine that with a backstop, Raptor grip, multiple sight mounting holes and all the other features typical of PSE, and you’ve got an exceptional compound bow.
PSE Precision Shooting 1733IFRS22970 Infinity RTS 29' Bow RH 70lb Draw Skullworks
The Brute X is available in either 60 or 70 pound draw weight, a maximum arrow speed of 320 feet per second, 7.25’’ brace height and an adjustable draw length between 25 and 30’’. It has a 75% let off and comes with shock and noise suppressing Vibracheck Backstop, as well as reformulated Vibracheck limb bands.
This bow costs just a little over $400 for all its features. Moreover, PSE Brute X reviews from users have been near perfect!
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