best 2008 bow? [Archive] - The Michigan Sportsman Forums

dhunter_83

08-01-2008, 08:34 AM

hey im new to the forum and just wanted some opinions of the new bows that are out. i presently shoot a Mathews legacy 70# 29in draw and was looking to up grade to a new bow. i have shot the bow tech 82 and 101st and commander side by side with a dxt i noticed bow tech has a harsh draw cycle but very smooth shot so i just wanted to hear other opinions

muliefever

08-01-2008, 08:40 AM

Well it is really hard to label Best bow. But out of the new bows I have shot I would narrow it down to three.
1. Bowtech General
2. PSE X-force
3. Diamond Marquis

You can't go wrong with either of those.

Michihunter

08-01-2008, 08:54 AM

The 'best' bow iis the one that you shooot the best. That's gonna vary amongst everyone. I shot a bunch of them this year and I would certainly rank them differently than another person but for what its worth, I too liked the General. The DXT was a very close 2nd though. And the Martin Firecat was a very close 3rd.

Sabre03

08-01-2008, 09:10 AM

I also Shoot a lot this year, and I also liked the BowTech General, and the DXT.. If i where to buy one, it would be the DXT do the the draw cycle, but the General feels so good at the shot, its a tough call for me

Swamp Monster

08-01-2008, 10:29 AM

Too many great bows really to label one as best, especially since whats best for me, may not be whats best for you. Mathews, Bowtech, Hoyt, PSE, and Martin, all make great products that are distinctly different from each other. There are other brands as well, Diamond (Bowtechs single cam line up), Darton, Elite, Parker, Mission (Made by Mathews).

From my experience shooting them this year, I rank them as:
1) Elite GT500
2)Mathews Drenalin LD
3)Hoyt Katera
The Bowtech lineup are great shooters, but I absolutely hate the draw cycles on their latest models and some like the General, are having too many limb issues to warrant a purchase just yet.
Bows I want to try yet are the Martin Firecat and the Parker Blackhawk XP

jdawg240

08-01-2008, 10:35 AM

The Bowtech Allegiance...One of the best overall bows ever made and rumor has it 08 will be the last year they make it!:mad:

I also liked the Marquis by Diamond and the Matthews Drenlian LD!

dhunter_83

08-01-2008, 07:53 PM

one of the bows has to out perform the others in someway shape or form and yes best bow on a forum is due to number of responses and opinions of people responding to a thread
i was just looking for others opinions of the 08 bows that might make me look closer at one bow than another

dhunter_83

08-01-2008, 07:55 PM

what are some of the issues with the limbs
i havent heard any about bow tech but heard some about the x force

madmike22

08-01-2008, 08:44 PM

Take a long hard look at the hoyt katera!!!! It really really stood out when i shot them all.

Swamp Monster

08-01-2008, 08:59 PM

what are some of the issues with the limbs
i havent heard any about bow tech but heard some about the x force

The Bowtech General limbs are having serious issues with breakage right now. And it's more than from just improperly pressed bows. I have shot one, but I have no plans to shoot another!!

Some will stand out to you as you shoot them each. I love the Elite line up but you might not like them at all. The PSE X force and Bowtech airbornes are some of the fastest, but might be difficult for you to shoot. Performance means different things to different people. Do you want speed? Do you want an easy draw? Do you want lightweight etc, etc. Today, all the bows from the major manufacturers are typically high quality products. The BT General is a great bow but BT is having limb problems with that model.....not so with other models. All limbs can fail and it happens some times.

Itchin' to go

08-02-2008, 10:56 AM

Definetly shoot the Hoyt Katera.

I bought one early this summer and its an awesome shooting bow. Its the fastest bow Hoyt has ever sold at 330fps and its still as smooth as can be.

The new Z3 cams make the draw cycle as smooth as i've ever felt and I feel absolutely nothing when I shoot. In fact the lack of hand shock was what sold me more than anything.

There so many great bows out right now, you cant make a wrong decision. All you can do is have lot of fun shooting them all.

Ryan

U of M Fan

08-02-2008, 12:07 PM

Kelly Johnson

08-02-2008, 12:17 PM

one of the bows has to out perform the others in someway shape or form

They'd like you to think that sure.:lol:

Some are faster than others.
But not as forgiving.

Some are quieter than others.
But not as fast.

Some are smoother on the draw.
But slower as well and maybe the grip doesn't feel right for you.

It's ALL personal preference brother.

None of them suck anymore.

D-BEAVER

08-02-2008, 02:23 PM

They'd like you to think that sure.:lol:

Some are faster than others.
But not as forgiving.

Some are quieter than others.
But not as fast.

Some are smoother on the draw.
But slower as well and maybe the grip doesn't feel right for you.

It's ALL personal preference brother.

None of them suck anymore.

This is true. Bad bows are getting hard to find.

FWIW, I really like the Hoyt Katera and Mathews DXT... but these are nowhere near the end of the road... more like the tip of the iceberg. There are many other great models to look at.

mr.cj

08-02-2008, 04:28 PM

Darton there made here in michigan

dhunter_83

08-03-2008, 10:27 AM

well i think the mathews line is at the top of my list but i will go shoot the others that where listed to try and find the one that im most comfortable with
thanks

GuT_PiLe

08-04-2008, 12:14 PM

Ya there isn't a clear "BEST"...never is.

Just don't go into shops with a particular brand in mind.
Go in with a totally open mind, and let your body tell you which bow is the best.

When I went shopping for a new bow about 7 or 8 years ago..can't remember.
I shot a TON of bows. I narrowed it down to 3 bows.
All 3 were matthews (i liked thier grip style better than all the others at the time)
They just felt better than the rest.

Of those 3, two were top of the line, all the bells and whistles, when the string suppresors, harmonic dampening was brand spanking new, (maybe 2000, or 2002?)

I chose the 3rd bow....the Mathews FX that had NONE of that stuff, the "meat and potatoes" bow of the Mathews line.
Not because it was cheaper than the rest, (i went in prepared to spend some cash.)

To ME it just "felt" better, shot better, had the axle to axle length i was looking for.

Its not the "best bow" of the mathews line....on paper at least....but its the best bow for ME.

I luv it just the way it is.

Moral of the story...the "Best bow" on paper may not be the "best bow" for you.

borst24

08-05-2008, 01:32 AM

i shoot an 08 bowtech allegiance and couldnt be happier.fits like a glove in my hand, quiet, quick, and accurate.

Critter

08-06-2008, 01:52 PM

The Bowtech General limbs are having serious issues with breakage right now. And it's more than from just improperly pressed bows. I have shot one, but I have no plans to shoot another!!
.

Where are you getting this info from? I have one that I have shot a ton but if there is a real problem I would like to know.

Swamp Monster

08-06-2008, 02:14 PM

Where are you getting this info from? I have one that I have shot a ton but if there is a real problem I would like to know.

Well, get to your dealer and get new limbs...bowtech is giving any General owner that wants a set, a new and improved version due to the problems they are having. Go to ArcheryTalk.com and you'll get all the info you need. Though many threads have been deleted......bunch of folks having the same limb issues with the limbs failing right at the cam axles. Read teh threads with a grain of salt as there is a lot of BS'ing etc. Hasn't been a fun experience for a number of owners. I refuse to shoot one. Call Bowtech, call your dealer. Yours likely will never blow, but who knows, it might. Personally, the what if is enough for me to stay away. Hopefully the new improved limbs will solve the problem. The failure rate is still certainly very low, but it's higher than anything else on the market right now it seems.

KalamazooKid

08-06-2008, 02:27 PM

what are some of the issues with the limbs
i havent heard any about bow tech but heard some about the x force

After some of the Generals "blew up", apparently Bowtech is recalling them for replacement limbs ......

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=732878

There were threads w/pics but they seem to have been pulled.
(edit: sorry, I see Swampy already posted this!)

I'll stick with my DXT and Switchback.:)

Firefighter

08-06-2008, 02:35 PM

I had a Mathews Legacy and now I shoot a Mathews Switchback XT and I absolutely love it!!! It is the best bow that I have ever shot. I havent shot any of the new bows, mostly because I'm afraid I might want to buy one, so I can only comment about my bow. If I were you I would go to a pro shop and shoot as many bow as you can and choose whats right for you. Good luck

I second the XT. Its far smoother than the drenalin or the DXT because its a little heavier. IMO, the switchback XT is the best shooting bow Mathews has ever made. Talk to som archery shop guys and you'll get the same response

Swamp Monster

08-06-2008, 03:18 PM

After some of the Generals "blew up", apparently Bowtech is recalling them for replacement limbs ......

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=732878

There were threads w/pics but they seem to have been pulled.
(edit: sorry, I see Swampy already posted this!)

I'll stick with my DXT and Switchback.:)

Except Bowtech is not calling it a recall....they will never admit there is a problem....this is voluntary on their part and on consumers. They won't admit there's a problem but they have a new and improved limb available....kind of interesting. I like Bowtechs products but I have no desire to shoot one anytime soon. All companies have issues from time to time, but few have limb issues like Bowtech.

Ferris_StateHunter

08-06-2008, 03:51 PM

More than happy with my new Firecat.. I would at least keep it in mind, Especially if speed is a major factor, it definately has that.

The draw might take a little getting used to, but from what I read any hybrid cam might take a little getting used to. Try em all

KalamazooKid

08-06-2008, 04:31 PM

I shoot both the DXT and Switchback on almost a daily basis and I'm tellin ya that if I were going to buy a new bow (just one:)) and budget was an issue, it would probably be either a slightly used Switchback or an XT - they are flat out the smoothest bows ever made IMO. I'm sure you can get great deals on both of them and have some money left over for those nifty accessories.:D

dhunter_83

08-06-2008, 08:54 PM

MuskyDan

08-07-2008, 06:59 AM

I have nothing but good things to say about the diamond marquis, I am shooting a 390 grain axis at 28/70 and getting 290 fps. Smooth, fast and quiet.

The Katera is a sweetheart as well.

Swamp Monster

08-07-2008, 01:50 PM

After some of the Generals "blew up", apparently Bowtech is recalling them for replacement limbs ......

They are calling it a recall now I guess. Here's the info
http://www.bowtecharchery.com/general_technical_bulletin.pdf

KalamazooKid

08-08-2008, 08:54 AM

so you like your switchback better than the dxt?

I like them both for slightly different reasons. The SB has 60# limbs (that are cranked to about 61#) and is silky smooth. The DXT has 70# limbs that are set at about 68# and because of the short length is probably not quite as accurate - my 30 yd groups probably average about 1" larger dia than the SB. Like inside a softball vs a baseball - plenty good for hunting purposes. I do love the compact size of the DXT though and with a relatively heavy set of accessories, the balance on this bow is fantastic.

My intention is to use the DXT through to the gun opener and then when it gets cold in Dec to use the SB more with it's lighter poundage. Both are hunt ready and so am I!!!!!!!:D

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/medium/DSCN0079.JPG