Everyones Favorite Bow maker

[Cody Gruchow]

i am looking around trying to figure out which is the better bow for me. i am going to buy a new one here in a couple months. i was just wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction. i am currently looking at the new bowtechs and the new fred bear's. any info would be appreciated i also dont want to spend more than 600 dollars for a bare bow. i dont need any accessories. thanks

[Super Star!]

bowtech, you will not go wrong shoot othere bows and you will see what i mean.

[Grute Man]

I woudn't say one is better than another.  One may COST more but that doesn't make it better.  Try a few out and see what feels best in your hand. 

Here's an example.  My bow is a Browning and it cost about $350 bare.  I was at a range in ND where 4 other guys were shooting Mathewes (sp??) with all the fine riggin.  I was shooting as good as anyone and better than some.  Also, mine was one of the more quiet bows out there.  One guy couldn't get over how loud his was. 

My point is, it doesn't matter what the name brand is.  It matters how well it works for you.

Have fun shopping around. 
Grute 

[Grute Man]

You might even want to check out MN Arch in Litchfield.  That's not too far from you is it??

[Super Star!]

I woudn't say one is better than another.  One may COST more but that doesn't make it better.  Try a few out and see what feels best in your hand. 

Here's an example.  My bow is a Browning and it cost about $350 bare.  I was at a range in ND where 4 other guys were shooting Mathewes (sp??) with all the fine riggin.  I was shooting as good as anyone and better than some.  Also, mine was one of the more quiet bows out there.  One guy couldn't get over how loud his was. 

My point is, it doesn't matter what the name brand is.  It matters how well it works for you.

Have fun shopping around. 
Grute 

very true.

[tripnchip]

Rite on Grute, my first compound was what was suppose to be the best of the best at the time. after spending big money, at that time, for it, i ended up selling it for half of what i had in it and used my recurve that year. I just plain could not shoot the bow good enough to hunt with it. The following year iI hit every bow shop in 100 miles that I could find. Ended up with a much cheaper bow but it put the arrows where I thought they should go. When iI go looking for a bow now I simply walk down the line of new bows and pick up each different mod., if it feels good in my hand I lay it to the side. I then ask that each be set to my draw length and poundage i will use so I can shoot them. This will take me down to one or 2 to choose from. I will then write down the info. for the ones I liked and move on to a shop that handles different makes and go through the process again.  A bow has to fit you and feel good to you just like any rifle , shotgun or handgun. I do let the shops know up front that I am looking not buying at the moment and that I have or will be looking at other bows, If they don't want to take the time to do it my way they don't want to sell a bow and I move on. If you have a price range you can do the same thing just by looking at the bows in that range. Up here in the nort woods I probly spend enough in fuil to pay for the bow but I get what I feel is the best for me.

[Cody Gruchow]

thanks guys. no i aint a fan of mattews or hoyt.  i dont think theres anything wrong with them i just dont like them. i currently have a PSE and i just dont like it. i bought used about 5 years ago and i have just outgrown it. i have heard nothin but good things about Bowtech. i am leaning towards a Bowtech tomkat, or a tribute. theres also the fred bear instinct and element. those are the 4 i am stuck between right now. i have already shot both the fred bears and they were smooth and fast. both were very quiet as well. so i still have to try out the bowtechs. well litchfield  is stretching my distance a bit. but if it would save me some money then i think i would probally go out there.

[Faceman]

I myself love the Mathews but I own a Champion. I took a chance and ordered it online from huntersfriend.com. They were extremely helpful when I called and had lots of questions for me to get it set up right. It was a package deal. They also answered all my questions. I absolutely love my bow. I shoot very well for not getting enough time to practice alot and it is very quiet. I had never heard of champion before so i did some research and found they are made in Canada and have a lifetime warranty. So with all that said it definately does not need to cost a fortune to be a good bow. Mine was under $400 for the package shipped to my door but that was 5 years ago. I would not trade mine for anything.

[MnArch]

You may want to keep your eyes on the new Martin stuff, seriously, I was super impressed. You can get a sweet shooting bow for just over $400.  PSE also has some great stuff this year.  But my advice is to shoot as many as you can.  I have about 200 bows in stock and you can shoot anything in the store.  But check into the Martin stuff.
matt

[Mayfly]

If you are looking at getting a Fred Bear bow I would suggest taking a look at the Truth. I have heard widely that there was issues with the Bear Element. Someting with the cams?? I can't confirm this from personal experience but maybe MnArch has heard something?? Besides that I have heard nothing but good about the Truth and the Truth 2 which I belive is new out this year.

As I had stated in a previous post somewhere else I am looking to get into a new bow this year as well. I am hearing more and more about the Bowtech line of bows and I have my eyes on Bear. Others have told me to look at Diamond for the price and quality and I am hearing Martin again. I think I will do what MnArch has suggested and just get into a shop and go hands on. That is the only way to make a decision I think! 

[Joe]

Diamond makes some really nice bows that would fit into your price range. I've been shooting the Black Ice for just under a year now and have been very impressed.

[Cody Gruchow]

Thanks guys today i shot the bear truth. it was smooth and fast but i didnt really like it. i also shot the diamond black ice and a matthews switchback and it just made the decision harder. i liked them both. i aint a fan of matthews but this one made me think twice.

[Super Star!]

how about the DOC's deer scent bow? anyone shoot that thing? looks cool.. or a ROSS caridiac??

[Cody Gruchow]

i havent shot a ross but i did see one today and it looked like a decent looking bow.

[repoman]

surprising the new tech hunter elite by guide series is a really nice bow , smooth , fast ,lite , and most of all quite

[String Twister]

I have owned the vast majority of bow brands-if you are looking for a great bow at a reasonable price check out Ross-I currently own a 07 Bowtech Allegiance and a 08 Mathews DXT and hands down I like the bowtec better-if you are looking for a great target bow that holds on spot well look for the longer ATA Hoyt's.  My 2c.

[Joe]

surprising the new tech hunter elite by guide series is a really nice bow , smooth , fast ,lite , and most of all quite

The Tech Hunter is a nice bow. They were made by Diamond specifically for Gander Mountain. I almost bought one of those last winter instead of the Black Ice.

[gotarace]

I have been shooting a martin phantom fusion for 2 years now and love it. Look for shops that still stock this bow and give it a try. They will be at closeout prices and this bow really throws a arrow. i shoot 3d target league and it will shoot with the best of them at half the cost. I have bagged three bucks with this bow and it is very quiet and smooth in the brush.

[GreenGhost]

The new Tech Series above is a repackaged Diamond "Marquis" made only for Gander Moutain by Diamond which of course is owned by BowTech.  The Diamonds are single cam the Bowtech are what they call 1 and half cam since the Cams are connected to each other instead of the frames...as it was explain to me.  All 3 are great bows.  The Marquis is the top of the line Diamond so if you can get the Tech for less go for it.  I recently bought a BowTech Gaurdian at Gndr Mtn.  The aren't suppose to carry them but they bought out an outdoors store in Northern MN and were given the ok to clearence out the inventory by bowtech.  They still had some in stock last week.  29" 60lb only.  Saved about $250+ over MSRP after new credit card discount.  BUT I do not like how the set it up at Gndr.  Would advise against them touching it.

[proangler16]

I shoot an Oneida Tomcat, does anybody else shoot an Oneida.  Here's their link.
http://www.oneidabows.net/

Very smooth shooting!!!

[MnArch]

The new Tech Series above is a repackaged Diamond "Marquis" made only for Gander Moutain by Diamond which of course is owned by BowTech.  The Diamonds are single cam the Bowtech are what they call 1 and half cam since the Cams are connected to each other instead of the frames...as it was explain to me.

Well GreenGhost, your on the right track.  The Tech Hunter is close to the Marquis, but they each have a little bit different single cam and the axle to axle is a little bit different.  The most noticeable difference between the two is the string dampener.  The Tech Hunter uses a string dampener that resembles the Stringtamer and the Marquis uses Bowtech own dampener.  But they are very close in riser configuration.  I do believe the price is the same or within 50 bucks. 

Bowtech's cam system is called the Binary Equalizer Cam.  The cables of this cam system have no yoke.  Thus the cams are slaved to each other keeping the string system totally independent from the limbs.  The main reason for this system is to keep the cams in sync with each other no matter if one cable stretches a touch. 

A cam and a half has a yoke cable that slaves the bottom cam to the top limb.  The cams do not mirror each other like the cams on a binary.  The reason for this is to help eliminate differences in nock travel. 

Both cam system are great.  But for the readers I just thought I'd drop a little bit of useful info.  Sorry to blab on,

Matt