Bow Reviews – Summary 2005 Part TwoHunting- Bow Reviews- It’s impossible to shoot every bow out there with new bows being released each and every year. In part two of our series Hunting & Fishing Gear Review Has compiled information from all of the bow reviews we’ve received over 2004 and 2005 into one informative summary. All of the bow reviews mentioned come direct from you the end user, not the manufacturer who is always going to say their bow is the best or from the publisher of this website. The overall winners of bow reviews and rating from the last year was Mathews Archery with PSE coming in second, however beyond these two there are many great bows which were reviewed well and some which didn’t appeal to the reviewers. In part two of Hunting bow reviews we will take a closer look at these bows. Part II Bow Reviews – Part Two Since there’s no clear cut winner in this category we’re going to put our bow reviews in alphabetical order by manufacturer. Bear Archery Bear Compound Bows are what many of us cut our teeth on when new to archery. I can still remember the feeling of bringing my new Bear Whitetail Hunter compound bow home to put it through that first round of arrows many of which were never seen again. Bear Archery Buckmaster BTR Although we didn’t receive a lot of reviews of Bear Bows we did receive one excellent review of the Bear Buckmaster. I personally don’t know a lot about these compound bows, but here is what our readers had to say about them. I bought this bow at wal mart. Yes, Wall-mart. the bow came with everything you need except arrows all for around $189. Andrew Lee Likes: the bow is great I love it. I believe that it shoots just as nice as any bow that cost 2 or 3 times the price. -Andrew Lee Likes: The price was the big factor. I took this bow got good sites, a stabilizer, string whiskers, automatic peep sites, string loop, and some good arrows. this bow literally now compares to my friends $800 Hoyt split bow. we both stood there and shot and hit the same targets. the noise on the bow is low, speed is good, and vibration is actually very minimum. the most amazing thing to me is how accurate this bow actually is all the way out to sixty yards with carbon arrows. –JT Dislikes: The bow does vibrate just a tad but that is no big deal especially based on the price. other than that I really have no bad things to say about this bow.-JT Dislikes: the arrow rest that the bow came with is a piece of junk the one shone on the box is totally different. But I picked up the wisker bisket which made it great. - Andrew Lee New Products from Bear Archery Include: Buckmasters G2SQ Bow Bear says the Buckmasters G2SQ Bow is Tough, Durable, Lightweight and Fast and also mentions it’s New, S1.5 Synchronized Hybrid Cam System™ Sets The Standard In Smooth And Stable Performance. Stating the secret to the Cam System on this compound bow is it Hybrid Cam System with synchronized timing. Let-Off of this bow is 75% with an option to get the compound with a 65% let-off. Bow Tech Bow Tech states they are the fastest growing company in the history of archery saying they have sold more bows in their first four years of existence than any other bow manufacturers. BowTech is a Design, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Customer Care company that focuses on two critical customer concerns: the quest for the highest performing and most dependable bow equipment in the world, and the need for unparalleled follow-up service after the sale. – From the Bow Tech Bows website Bow Tech Patriot The Bow Tech Patriot reviewed well by two readers. I’ve shot the Bow Tech Patriot myself and can tell you this is one very smooth bow. It makes improving your accuracy much easier with such a smooth shooting and for that matter forgiving bow. Likes: This bow is extremely fast and quiet. I set it up at a 70# draw weight and a 28.5 in. draw. It took me three arrows to sight in and I was shooting 2" groups at 30 yards. – Colorado Bow Man The bottom line is that this is an incredible bow. It has the speed, adjustability and accuracy to perform well under any circumstances! – Colorado Bow Man Bow Tech Mighty Mite VFT I love this concept in a bow. I’ve been in plenty of tree stands where there just wasn’t enough room to move around, let alone shoot a compound bow. Unfortunately we can’t always choose where nature puts that perfect location for an ambush which is where the Bow Tech Mighty Mite kicks into action. We only received one review of the Mighty Mite VFT, however it was very detailed so I’ll share some of the high points of this bow review here. Likes: I really enjoyed how easy to setup and tune this bow was. I knew the moment I picked it up that The grip had a better profile and feel than my Vipertec and sat true in my hand. the bow is smooth drawing and has a solid wall due to the infinity cam stops. – Jay Tithe bow is real quiet and there is no Hand shock or vibration at the shot, probably due to the new VFT (parallel limbs)that Bowtech introduced this year on the MightyMite. I am very happy with my purchase and hope Bowtech continues to have great customer service!- Jay Dislikes: it is really hard to find any dislikes on this bow as it has tuned and shot better than any bow I have owned so far. If I had to make a complaint I would have to say that the camo seems like it would wear rather quickly but I have yet to take notice of any wearing! – Jay New Bow Tech Bows Bow Tech Allegiance VFT I’m hearing nothing but great things about the Bow Tech Allegiance. It has a binary came system which is supposed to be awesome. According to a close friend of mine the Bow Tech Allegiance is the most vibration free bow he’s ever shot after twenty years of bow hunting and probably the largest hunting bow collection I’ve ever seen one man own. He has it at the top of his must have bows for 2005. The binary cam system on this hunting bow is supposed to make all the difference. Please note:unlike many bows if you need to change your draw length on the Bow Tech Allegiance you will need to change the cam as well. You might want to bring this up to your local archery shop for their recommendations on this. Browning Archery One thing you can be sure of is when you buy a product with the Browning name on it the chances are excellent you’re buying a great piece of gear. Although Browning is much better known for it’s firearms it appears they are starting to make a big push toward the bow market as well. We received two excellent bow reviews of the Browning Adrenaline which features a full 10” of draw length adjustment which is perfect for the young hunter who hasn’t quit growing yet. Browning Bow Reviews Browning Micro Adrenaline Likes: This thing is incredibly fast, it shoots 280#fps set at 50#lbs with a 26-28 inch draw. I shot it a couple times and it has a very smooth draw. My son shoots at 46#lbs and shot his first cow elk at about 18 yards and got 19 inches of penatration using a rocket ultimate steel broadhead!- Mr. Makey The bow is as sturdy as my hoyt, the hypermax cams never get out of time. You could definitely drop this a few times before having to look at it. – Mr. Makey If you’re looking for a bow for a young hunter, this is it. You can shoot any thing from gophers to elk with this bow. One of the best things about it is you can grow into it until your an adult. The browning Micro-Adrenaline is the best bow money could buy for a young hunter. Like they say, "start em' young, start em' right!- Mr. Makey Quality: This bow is bulletproof and the 10 inches of adjustable draw length makes it so you can grow it to it.- IO Dislikes: The grip on it can have some torque issues with small hands, so it takes some getting used to. Other than that, it’s a great bow!- Mr. Mackey Diamond Archery If you don’t know a lot about Diamond Archery yet I have a feeling you will in the future. Diamond Archery is a subsidiary of Bow Tech. Diamond by BowTech is a Design, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Customer Care company that focuses on two critical customer concerns: the quest for the highest performing and most dependable bow equipment in the world, and the need for unparalleled follow-up service after the sale. – From the Diamond Archery Website. Hunting & Fishing Gear Review only received one Diamond Archery Review. Diamond Bow Review – Gladiator Likes: I found the Diamond to draw as smooth as the Mathews and smoother than the Pearson. It is an extremely fast bow at IBO rating of 328fps. I tried to avoid choosing a bow for its speed but this bow seemed to have it all. It was smooth, short A2A (34-in), fairly priced and fast.- Diamond Owner Dislikes: If the grip was the same as the Pearson Dagger it would be perfect. The Diamond has a very nice wooden grip but the Pearson is much smaller.- Diamond Owner New From Diamond Archery Diamond Rapture is the star of the Diamond archery lineup which provides excellent value for the price. The Diamond Rapture is a high technology bow at a low technology price. It’s obvious the Bow Tech Engineers had a lot to say in the design of this bow. When talking about this bow to a couple of guys at the range people are impressed with what they are offering for the price. The Diamond Rapture bow is definitely one of the best values on the market for the bow hunter on a budget wanting to get the most for his money. Hoyt Archery The Hoyt bow reviews for the most part were very good to excellent. People like their Hoyt’s and their reviews show it. The Cam and half System is the mainstay of their compound bow line. Here’s what Hoyt’s website says about their cam. The symmetry between the top and bottom cams of the Cam & 1/2 Performance System allow for precise tuning and ultimate accuracy. They are also "slaved" together with one harness system, allowing them to work together rather than independently and to fire at the exact same time every time. This means that you will never have to worry about cam synchronization or timing, making the Cam & 1/2 Performance System extremely forgiving and reliable. It comes standard with sealed stainless steel ball bearings that never need lubricating creating a very fast and consistent design. Take your game to a whole new level with the Cam & 1/2 Performance System. – Hoyt Most of the Hoyt reviews were excellent if not very good. They could have easily taken second place in the bow reviews category received by Hunting & Fishing Gear Review. Here are a few of their models and the bow reviews submitted by readers. Hoyt Xtec Bows Likes: It was quite, smooth, and forgiving especially for the people who are just getting into the sport of bow hunting.- browning buck. Quality: It is built to last. Research that this bow on average can be dry fired (shot with out an arrow) up to 100 times before damage is done*.- browning buck . Hunting & Fishing Gear Review does not recommend dry firing any compound bow. HOYT Vtec Bows Hoyt pushes their engineering to the max with this bow. As Hoyt puts it this is a serious bow for serious hunters. Here are some of the highlights from Hoyt V-tec bow reviews Likes: I bought this bow at 80lbs. I am a pretty big guy so I have no trouble handling 80lbs. The bow actually maxed out at 85lbs. The bow is very smooth and quiet--even at 80lbs. I have a 30 inch draw length, Muzzy Zero Effect, and Beman 300 arrows. Beman 300's at 28 inches (420 grains total weight) are being spit out of the V-Tec at 295fps. The bow is very fast.- Joe I bought this bow so that when I put my sights on a deer, there will be NO doubt of getting a clean pass through. At 83 KE, there is not an animal in North America that I can't take down with this bow. Big Hogs don't have a chance either. I like to have a little overkill on my side. The Hoyt V-Tec is a great Bow.-Joe Hoyt UltraTec The Hoyt Ultratec bow reviewed well. Hoyt throws in a lot of features in this bow package including: Cam and ½, ¾ inch split limb technology, Triax Pocket Stabilization system, Hoyt Tec Risers, Pro-Fit custom risers and more. Hoyt Ultra Tec Bow Review Likes: People have different likes & dislikes, so I would advice everyone to purchase what they are comfortable with. This bow fit my hand like a glove. I had only two weeks to practice with this bow. My concerns went away after the second day of shooting this bow. It is easily set up & and the factory did an excellent job with pre-tuning. My confidence was higher with the Hoyt Ultra-Tech than any other bow I have owned. – Jim Dislikes: My only disappointment falls with the rated IBO speed. All the documentation from Hoyt references approximately 310 fps. I could only achieve 280 fps with a 400 gram arrow weight. Hoyt UltraMag Another Hoyt Bow with all the technologies we’ve come to expect from Hoyt. We only received one Review on the Hoyt UltraMag, but I still want to share it with you here because the review was a good one and just in case you happen to be in the market for one of these bows. Hoyt UltraMag Reviews Likes: The bow is very light. The price is very competitive. Other higher price Hoyts with the same limbs have machined riser which is more rigid; however, the poured rise on the SuperMag has the same feel on release (having shot both) and has a lifetime warranty...so, why pay for a machined riser?- Ten Ring I shot 3D with friend that have paid over $750 for the bare bow and are solid shots, my Super Mag is just as fast and accurate. You will not be disappointed with this bow, do not let the price tag make you think this bow is inferior to the higher priced Hoyts. Happy and Safe Hunting!!- Ten Ring Dislikes: The grip takes a while to get use too..but after a dozen or so practice rounds, your accuracy will increase. The grip forces you to not "grip" or torque the bow. Would like the entire bow to be camo, do not care for the bronze finish on the limb receiver (brush finished, non-reflective)..just being nit-picky.- Ten Ring Parker Bow Reviews I have to admit I don’t know a lot about Parker Bows to the point I just e-mailed their Marketing department to receive a copy of their media kit. What I do know is the Parker Bow Reviews were impressive scoring an excellent in all but one of the seven bow reviews we received. Here’s a little about Parker Bows taken from their website. Since it's inception, Parker Compound Bows has maintained a dedication and passionate commitment to create the finest hunting bows available, supported by outstanding customer service. Do things right the first time and always exceed expectations. We will always value each and every Parker Owner. This philosophy transcends to our dealers and enables them to satisfy their customer's needs without hesitation. And it's this commitment to excellence that instills confidence into every Parker Owner as they set out on their next hunting adventure. – Parker Bow Website Parker Hunter Mag Review Likes: I am very pleased with the bow. At first the draw length was a little bit long but one nice feature about this bow is the adjustable draw length. I shortened the draw and now it is perfect. I like the superflauge camo pattern that parker uses. The bow looks and feels good. The bow draws smoothly and there is not too much recoil. I also like that the Hunter mag is very light. I makes in nice for long walks into the woods.- Seth Hammond Dislikes: One thing that could be improved upon in Parker bows is the recoil. When shooting especially the shorter bows (Ultra lite 31) there is some recoil. When i shoot my bow I shoot with another guy and he just got a Matthews Outback. His bow draws a little smoother than the Parker and there is no recoil when the shot is released. – Seth Hammond Parker Buckhunter (outfitter package) This is a package for the budget minded bowhunter. Parker uses the manufacturers buying power to give you a package ready to go afield with at a reasonable price. It’s setup in the factory, tuned and ready to shoot. Parker Buckhunter Bow Review Likes: When I picked it up in the pro shop it came equipped with a prong type rest, three pin fiber optic sight, and a Bohning archery quiver. The sights are pre-set and from the moment I picked it up I was splitting arrows, literally. The bow has little torque requires no tuning and look how cheap it is. Truly a great buy. By the way, I killed three deer with it this season and one even dropped on the spot!- Matthew Summers TN Bow Hunter Quality: To make this short, two weekends ago, while hunting, I tripped over a hidden strand of a fallen barb-wire fence, to keep from falling on a stack of Muzzy broad heads I chucked the bow as far away from me as I could. The bow did not go to far however, a giant white oak stopped it from landing on the soft, wet leaves. Previous experience with a compound bow would tell me to go back and re-sight and re-tune. But I picked up the bow I have so much confidence in, walked to my stand and perfectly arrowed a large doe minutes later.- TN Bow Hunter Parker Archery Phoenix 34 Outfitter Bow Reviews The Parker Phoenix 34 Outfitter bow is another package which comes with everything you’ll need without having to add on a lot of extras. Included in this Outfitter package is a Montana Black Gold Fiber Optic Sight, Quick Shot Whisker Biscuit, Parker Quiver, Super Carbon Arrows, Field Points, Sims LS Mod System, Sims Limb Savers, Braided Sling and Parker’s Angled Peep Sight. That is quite an accessory package right there. Parker Phoenix Hunting Bow Review Likes: Very quiet, by far the most quiet I have ever shot in 8 years of hunting. Has everything you need to start hunting today. Smooth draw, even at 70 lb pull. Free lifetime adjustments from any Parker dealer, this includes draw length modules. Don’t have to buy them like at Matthews dealers. Free tuning (paper tuning as well) at dealers year after year. Great lifetime warranty. Very fast and quiet which is hard to find together.- Brent A. Cartright. Summary: This is the best bow I have shot hands down. Fast and quiet (rare to get) and great service from the manufacturer. This is a bow to shoot for years.- Brent A. Cartright Reflex Bow Reviews We had two well written reviews of the Reflex Bows. The first was review was for the Reflex Buckskin and was very complimentary towards the bow. Here’s a few pieces of the Reflex Bow Reviews. Purchase: I was at Bass Pro Shops in Cincinnati, Ohio during an expo and I met a rep from another manufacturer who told me after some coaxing if he were buying a new bow it would be the Buckskin. I paid $479.00 and the price has come down some since.- Scott Lane Likes: I like the cam and 1/2 design and the speed I get out of it with an average draw weight of 63 lbs. I have had several bows over the years and work on them myself. This is the first one I have had that I could get perfectly paper tuned with little effort. I also like the split limb design which does help keep the weight down. It is also fairly short making it easy to shoot from your stand sitting or standing.- Scott Lane Reflex Denali Reviews Likes: This bow is very forgiving with its big 8 1/2 inch brace height and it has all of the speed you need to harvest any North American big game animal. I took four whitetails with it this year and it performed flawlessly. Perfect pass-through shots on every one.- Archery Nut Summary: In summary I find the Reflex Denali to be a great bow for the guy who wants all of the performance of a high end bow for a fraction on the price. I have shot my brothers PSE mach 10 and the Reflex Denali is just about as fast but offers a greater brace hieght and shorter axle to axle design.- Arhcery Nut Redhead Bow Reviews. Before I wrap this article up I want to mention that Bass Pro is now selling bows under the Redhead name with what they call the hybrid Slam & 1/2 System. H’mm almost sounds like the tag line for another manufacturers bows and they look a lot alike. Who knows if they are manufactured by the same company, after all someone has to make them. Unfortunately we didn’t receive any reviews of the Redhead Bows. If you own one and want to do a review of one of the Redhead bows we’d love to see it. That ends part two of Bow Reviews for 2004-2005. Regardless of the rating of your hunting bow or the bow you are thinking of buying it’s been my experience that most, if not all of the bows on the market are good ones. Please take a moment to read over all of Hunting & Fishing Gear Reviews by clicking the link below. Every season is a great season. – Jim Read all of our bow reviews and Bow ratings by clicking the link to compound bow reviews below.
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