Just shot a Bo-Tech...

[Mtnman198]

I have started my search for a new bow, 10 years ago I bought a PSE, things have changed a bit since then. I have planned on buying a Mathews for a few years and just havent pulled the trigger yet, so, this is the year, the problem is that I shot a Bo-Tech and an Outback, side by side and both felt great but the bo-tech seemed smoother the only thing I didnt like was the grip, the mathews felt a little better on the grip. Does anyone have any comments on Bo-Tech vs. Mathews, I was suprised to run into this problem.

[Trushot_Archer]

Both are great shooting bows. You can't go wrong with either. I'll give my 2 cents on pros and cons....but I'll admit now I shoot and love Bowtech.

String on the Bowtechs are better quality. The Zebra on the Mathews stretches a bit much.

Bowtech has a modular draw adjustments and a lot of options with the Infinity and Freedom cams to really tweak draw length, valley and letoff. Mathews has a whole different cam fro each length. Not adjustable. (which to me is actually a GOOD thing)

Bowtech is pronbably faster

Mathews is probably smoother on the draw

Both are scary quiet....but I think the Outback may be a bit more so...depending on which Bowtech Model your talking about.

Bottom line...shoot the one that feels better.

[Banditto]

And don't just limit yourself to two choices either. Get out and scout proshops and shoot a lot of different bows to help you make the best decision.

[DEERSLAYER]

I own a Mathews and have shot several Bow Tech's. I would say stick with a Bow Tech.

[GVDocHoliday]

I need you to answer this question for me:

I want to know why you were planning on buying a Mathews? Why did it have to be a Mathews...Why not a Hoyt, Bowtech, AR, Martin, or another PSE? You automatically assumed you were going to buy a Mathews without ever shooting one, or any other model bow.

I don't know...I just can't seem to comprehend why Mathews is always first on the list for new bow buyers, that's all.

[deputy]

Advertising!

[Pinefarm]

Try the grip on a Hoyt too.

[Death_From_Above]

I own a Mathews Legacy two years old. It's a very nice bow...just bought a Parker and like it even better! Bottom Line...Why pay $800 when you can get a quality Bow for $300 - 450. My Parker was a $589 bow....I paid $236. It will shoot just as good as my Mathews. Actually I also own a PSE, and a Proline. I think I just realized my wife is right!

[Banditto]

I like my Mathews Icon. I shot over a dozen bows before buying it. Mine has the round wheel cam, which suits my tastes perfectly.

I don't care for the hatchet cams with the small ridge (1/2" draw from let-off break point to back into full power). My concentration is all that great and in the heat of the moment I have been known to lower my draw 1/2" while sizing up the shot and WHOOPS! crap back into full draw weight. I can't stand that...

To each his won. If you don't like Mathews don't shoot one.

[Trushot_Archer]

Hey Banditto...that creeping ever blow a shot for you? It did for me which is why I prefer the narrow valley and 65% letoff. If I creep in practice...I find out in a hurry!LOL!

Like you said though...to each his own. I pull like hell on the string so I prefer a very solid wall and 65% letoff. Always there. Same spot. Every time. Time after time after time. :D

[ds619]

Before getting my LX I shot seven or eight bows from Hoyt Parker and Bow Tech etc. It came down to the Bow Tech and the LX. I personally liked the way the LX felt and shot better than the others. Whatever shoots and feels best for what your looking for is my suggestion.

[Banditto]

Blow "A" shot? I can recount so many times and so many ways I have had opportunities blown. Ya my Icon has a solid wall but even with that sometimes... you just get overwhelmed by your current emotional state... i.e. buck fever.

Ya I still get it once in a while. But as I get older I see that Oct's come more often than when you are young. That is about the only plus to get older. I think this years Oct. has come the fastest yet, as it was only about 8 weeks ago that we had our last one.

My philosophy is take all the stupidity out of what you do. Over-simplify your gear because you just never know when you are gonna have a wall mounter standing 12 yards away, or like what happened to me last Oct. 1st, 6 of them at the same time.

[Steve]

I try to keep from reading these threads. I don't have the money for one of these new fangled bows and my old Hoyt Heat still shoots pretty good.

[GVDocHoliday]

Just set up my old Darton 400MX from the late 80's up tonight.

backed the limbs out to 60lbs, using 2216's with 5 inch helical feathers, an old school tm rest, no stabilizer, no wristsling, and a one pin sight.

First time tuning this bow using my method and talk about a sweet shooter. This thing weights a ton, has 55% letoff, and just looks like it shouldn't be able to shoot very well.

Well...in the near future I see a TKO rest, copper john sight, a NAP shockblock 1000 stabilizer, and the arrows cut down three inches to the proper length for the spine, and this thing will be unreal.

I started out getting it timed and the tiller even. Kinda hard to do with those dang old steel power cables. Had to get those little plastic discs in the right groove just to get it 'close' enough. The backed out and cranked down the limbs half turns at a time until I got it perfect...and I mean perfect. As luck would have it, it also put the tiller right at even. Even with the low letoff, I can easily say this is one of the nicest drawing bows I've ever shot. One thing is that TM rest sucks. That's coming off tomorrow actually and a TKO is going on.

Using a backtension release I was breaking nocks at 20 yards. Kinda had me in awe because I never ever had this thing shooting this good when I last shot it some 4 years ago. So now, I'm hoping to have this all setup for my dad...so he can harvest his first ever archery deer with it...If I don't end up using it that is.

[Belair]

I agree with everyone else, shoot what works for you. Steve, I had a Hoyt Heat for a long time and it killed many deer. I sold it to a buddy a couple years ago and he is still killing deer with it in Wisconsin. I have a lot of friends that shoot the bow techs and rave about them. The same can be said about the Mathews. Personally, I can't handle the prices. I'll take the hand-me-downs every few years when they upgrade to the "new thing". My latest hand-me-down is a Bear Epic Extreme, which I have been impressed with. Those bow techs that my friends/family shoot are sweet though.

[kingfisher 11]

I shot my first Bowtech the other day. I am left handed and all they had setup was a righty. So the guy talked me into shooting this right handed. I was impressed even though it was awkward for me.

I am not sure it is a smooth as my Oneida...... but it sure was a quiet bow and fast.

Bows are just getting to darn expensive. I would like to have a Bowtech as a backup but just can't see spending that much for a second bow.

[ds619]

:) Don't have the money either but the wife saved up and surprised me at Christmas and told me to buy a new bow. After shooting the Hoyt for 12 years she thought that I needed a new bow What can I say Except thank her all the time

[Mtnman198]

Hey Doc: To answer your question, Why Mathews? Well, I have been a bow hunter for a long time and during that time you always have those hunting buddies that have to have everything "latest and greatest" so with that, I get to try out each years newest models. Since having my current bow for over 10 years, I started tracking a new bow 5 years ago. I tried hoyts and they always seemed to be loud- fast but loud, and the grip wasn't for me. I liked the PSE's but felt the Mathews was a better bow all around. I have the money for a top of the line bow and it always seemed to me that Mathews was always right there. Especially after shooting them when buddies would upgrade. I am for testing the market, but I feel I do a sufficient amount of research on purchases and am in no way swayed by "Marketing" hence my question here in this forum. I had not heard that much aboout bo-tech and was curious as to what the guys thought, it suprised me shooting it that it felt so good, but the grip on the mathews feels the best so far, I am open to other suggestions and pros and cons to each especially, Honestly, I am not a very technical bow guru that is why I asked the question. Like the Mathews string strething, I wasn't aware of this, these are things that this forum is great about, someone can always fill in the blanks for a guy, and its an honest answer and not a sales pitch.

[GVDocHoliday]

Going by how the grip feels, I'd say stick with the mathews. To me, the most important aspect in purchasing a new bow is how does the grip feel. Will it allow me to hold consistent on every shot, is it more comfortable to my shooting form, etc.

There are several aftermarket strings and cables that you can buy for a mathews that won't stretch. Check out Stone Mountains Dakota prestretched strings, or Winners Choice Strings and Prostrings. They all build no stretch or low stretch strings that will probably also give you a boost in speed. Some prostrings have been known to add an extra 10fps.