I need EVERYONES HELP with this! - I need a new bow

[Kyle]

So Ive decided its time. Im getting totally new set up. Its exciting, but where to start?

I want to spend around $500(give or take a little) on just the bow. Im not worried about accessories right now. I obviously want it to be as fast, quiet, and smooth as it can possibly be for that price range. I dont have a brand preference right now. It needs to be capable of #70 draw weight due to the fact that I will be hunting larger game and possibly taking longer shots. And, I want to get the best warranty from the company as possible. I dont want to buy a used bow. Ive gone that route and Im ready to buy a brand new one for myself now.

this is where all of YOU come in. Please help me. I know alot of you have a ton of expertise in this field of bow lines and new bows and specs. etc.... I want to get as many replies as possible with all kinds of different opinions/experiences. I also want to know what you shoot if it is the price range of what Im looking to purchase. Personal experience is hands down the best way to learn about new products. If you really like a bow, then I want to know about it, but I also want to hear certain things you dont like about that bow. I just want the most and best info. I can get so I can make the best decision. I have no doubt that you all will be a great help!

Thanks- and I cant wait to get this going.(everyone knows half the fun of buying new stuff is talking about it and learning about it)

[96trigger]

The Fred Bear line is quality and mostly in that price range. I have heard good things about the Ross bows, also in that price Range. My favorite would be a Camoflauge Mission bow made by Matthews. It will run about $400 with a machined aluminum riser with cut outs. Very nice shooter, Matthews quality, without the price. Those are the bows that I seriously looked at last year and were in the price range you were looking at.

[92python]

I have heard good things about the Pearson Z34 in that price range. Martin makes nice bows at reasonable prices. When I was looking for a new bow the Diamond Liberty was their flagship bow at around $600. I really liked it but it didn't come in my draw length. Sometimes last years model bows are discounted and can be a good buy.

I am partial to smooth drawing single cam parallel limb bows but there are a ton of good bows out there for $500. I shot 20+ bows before I made a decision.

Don't underestimate what a device like an STS can do for your bow. Same with string silencers and stabilizers. Having your bow tuned also makes a big difference in the way the bow shoots.

Take your time, go to many bowshops and have fun.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I shoot a Hoyt UltraTec.. love the thing.. .going to be a cold day and dead when you will pry it from my hands... but I believe its out of your price range. I would check out Martin bows.. .they seem well priced, I would also check out Diamond bows.. its made by bowtech and a lot of people say good things about them.

Main thing.. go out and shoot them... see what feels best in your hands!

[harvey lee]

I have used a Matthews for years and all the guys I hunt with have switched too. Maybe it had something to do with me or, Cabin Fever also helping these guys out. One could also check into a very little used, used bow. My son sold a very nice Matthews all set up last fall for $500.00 and it was ready to go and in near perfect condition. There are some very good deals out there for nice, used equipment unless you are looking only for a new, unused bow.

[ghotierman]

I used to deal the PSE and Archery Research line in my shop. Pearson as well. I shoot an AR37, smoothe and quiet. I also have a McPherson (Pearson) that feels nice too. As Dietz mentioned though...shoot as many as possible. Find one that fits and feels right. All the brands mentioned have their pluses and minuses. It all comes down to how it fits and feels. It will do you no good to spend money on a name brand that does not feel right. Try before you buy.

[sticknstring]

I see you're in St. Cloud - go pay Archery Country or Mike's Archery Center a visit. Heck, you've got Scheels, Gander, & Sportsman's Warehouse to pick from as well. Pick a day and visit them all - get an idea of what's out there and in your price range and SHOOT them. After shooting a few you'll have an idea of what feels/shoots good. Grip is a big thing for me. I love the narrow one that Bowtech/Diamond uses. The Diamond line would be in your price range and are awesome bows. I bought my girlfriend a Liberty and want to shoot it myself. There are so many good bows out there - you really can't go wrong with any of them. Don't rush the decision, take a full day to go shoot a bunch of bows and ultimately choose the one that looks, shoots, and feels the best. Having confidence in it is the most important thing. Have fun - it's always exciting getting a new bow. Let us know what you choose and we'll toss out some accessory suggestions for ya.

[Meat-Run]

I 2nd what SnS stated above. Shoot as much as you can and for me it was all about the feel in my hand and weight issue. Noise is the second factor because you can always by acc. to help in that department. I too purchase a bowtech patriot mainly because of the feel in the handle and the quietness and weightlessness was just a bonus. NOW i'm not promoting that bow because it is allot of money and I wished I had more time to research and shoot all the brands and models. Good luck and give us a report on how its going.

mr

[FishGUY]

I agree with the options above, shot as many bows as you can and see what you like the best. Diamond, Fred Bear, and Reflex would be good ones to look at. When you have it narrowed down to a few, let us know. I shoot a Bowtech 101st Airborne and could not be happier, but it was not an easy decision. Good luck and let us know if you have any question along the way.

[Kyle]

Well, tonight I went out and shot a few different bows. I shot last years Mathews drenalin, I shot a 2007 Bowtech Gardian, and I shot a Diamond Marquise. The mathews was a used bow. It was in great shape, but I wont buy it due to the fact that I wont get a warranty with any used bow. The Gardian was SUPER FAST!!! I mean, really fast! but towards the end of the draw, right before it let off, it was like hitting a brick wall. I really didnt like that. The Diamond Marquise was an awsome bow all the way around. It was soooooo smoothe and fast! It was a little louder than the Gardian, but the smoothness without sacraficing alot of speed was a huge plus. Its quite a bit more than what I want to spend, but if I decide that its the one for me, then Im gonna get it. I will continue to look at and shoot more bows so I can get an even better grasp of what I like in a bow. Overall it was a great evening spent with a buddy, and I think I might have found the bow for me(even though right now Im not holding myself to it).

[Deitz Dittrich]

Sounds like fun.. What I suggest to you..

Take a not pad or a recording device, and write down what you liked and didn't like about each bow.. right after you shoot it.. sometimes you forget things and its nice to be able to go back and look over your notes..

The Gardian is probably the quitest bow on the market, comparing another bow to it for noise is going to be impossible.

As for warrenty. I have owned 10 bows and have never needed to deal with a warrenty issue... But thats not to say that you wont.. maybe I have just been lucky. I have bought quie a few used bows... and quite a few new. I will have no problem buying used again. I figgure with the money you save, you can afford to fix something if it goes bad.

[Kyle]

The reason why Im so big on the warranty aspect is because it seems like no matter what I buy, if its more than about $100 it ends up being bad because of manufacturing. I always research things thouroughly before I buy too, so its not like I buy junk at all. Not only that, but if im investing that much money and time into a bow, then im gonna need a good warranty. Good tip on the note pad though! Thanks

[96trigger]

I agree with Deitz on the used bow aspect. My bow was used, but it looked new. I think that bows are unique in the fact that most bows don't show their use. Many of them look as good and shoot almost as good or as good as they did when they came out of the box. I wasn't worried about the warranty when I bought mine. However, if you are still learning, you might want a warranty, you never know whay goofy situation you might put yourself in, like accidentally dry firing and damaging the bow. My first bow was a piece of [PoorWordUsage], I never shot a deer with it, but it took a beating and I learned a lot. If you feel comfortable with how to handle your bow, I wouldn't hesitate buying a used one.

[96trigger]

H4Life, If you have your mind made up, thats great. You were writing your post as I was writing mine. I really don't think that you can go wrong with any of the bow mentioned above. They are all pretty sweet. For some people, warranties are a big thing, and that is very understandable. Let us know what you get.

[Deitz Dittrich]

not only let us know.. take picts.. I like picts!!! Might have to line my babies up some night and have a family photo.. LOL

[Team Salmo]

I have the new Hoyt Vectrix and its awesome... no problems!! Just a great bow.

[sticknstring]

That Guardian is an awesome bow. Same goes for the Marquis. Try shooting the Diamond Black Ice as well... you might be able to find an '07 model (Break-up pattern) closer to your price range. Similar to the Marquis without rollerguard and built-in string tamer. As for the "solid wall" you were referring to... that's a good thing. Bowtech and Diamond have the draw stop post on the cams with gives a nice solid wall when at full draw providing a consistent anchor point. But go with what feels good. I'd shoot a few more - maybe some Hoyt's or even a Bear model or two but it'll be tough to beat the two you've already got picked out. What shop(s) did you end up checking out if you don't mind me asking?

[Kyle]

Im not talking about the anchoring wall. Im talking about when drawing back right before it lets off there is a surge of power needed to get through it. Reason being, that bow had a double cam. From what ive been told, that really hard spot to draw back at the end of the draw is what is flipping that second cam over, which gives the bow alot more speed. The marquis only has a single cam, therefore its alot smoother. I went to Archery country last night. I didnt have time to go anywhere else. I have gone to scheels, gander, and sportsmans, and none of them have the selection that Archery Country does. Im going to go to cabelas today maybe to check out what they have.

[Slow Jigger]

I shot a Fred Bear Instinct last year and loved it. VERY easy to draw and shoot and not too heavy on the pocket book. I need to buy a new bow this year due some issues with my shoulder during the season so I get the excitement of the hunt of a new bow as well....

Enjoy! Make your decision not just on $$$ but on feel and shooting as many as possible.

Cabelas from the ad on the radio sounds like you can possibly get agood deal on the 2007 models??? Good Luck!

[sticknstring]

Yeah you won't have to deal so much with timing issues with a solo cam either. Once you've got the bow then the fun really begins with all the accessories.

[Pooh]

i think u need to look at the Forge line i bought a Forge safari a couple years ago. short axle to axle, smooth and draw to 80 lbs, which doesnt feel like 80 lbs.its not the fastest bow on the market, but i love it. forge bow dot com (no spaces) is the place to check them out at. i know they arent a real big name, and only know of a few dealers in minnesota and you dont hear much about em. their less expensive than other bows that i looked at at the time. i can help u out more with a dealer if u want to know more about pricing cause i personally know a dealer and he doesnt sell them for the price u see on the HSOforum. email me, check my profile for my email address

[fishermn]

All of the bows already mentioned, Hoyt, Mathews, PSE, Bowtech, Diamond, Bear, etc are good quality bows. Like many have already told you, spend the time shooting a number of the bows in your price range until you find one you are really comfortable with. I personally am a Mathews owner, and wouldnt trade because of the great customer service they have given me. Email me if you are interested in knowing more about my experience, its a long story. They also have a line of lower cost bows, marketed under the name Mission Archery. I bought one of these for my son last year. We got the basic bow fully decked out for around $550. Its a good bow for that price level, but again, there are a number of other bows in that same price range that are just as good. However, your selection of the Diamond is a really solid choice as well. The key is to find one you are comfortable and confident shooting.

Enjoy the new purchase when you decide to pull the trigger!

[tengauge]

i've owned pse hoyt and mathews. first mathews was an outback loved it used it for 2 years then boyt a hoyt trykon also a nice bow. last year bought a drenalin, for me it's the best of all worlds. i rcently shot a new hoyt, bowtech general, the new limbsaver bow, and a new mathews. all have their ups and downs. hoyt=smooth draw cycle lots of recoil.bowtech=terrrible draw cycle unbelievably smooth shot, limbsaver= same cams as hoyt but nice mathews= nice draw cycle and smooth shot. only thing i'm gonna change it put a grip from a dxt on my drenalin. i would definetly take fishermn's advice and look at mission.

[Kyle]

Well everyone, after shooting several different bows numerous times, I started to narrow it down. I shot a gardian by bowtech. It was really fast and really quiet, but I wasnt impressed with the draw on it. I shot a martin-hated it, it just didnt seem very fast or smooth. I also shot the drenalin and the switchback. I would have gone with either one of those mathews bows but the ones that fell into my price range were used and didnt come with a warranty. I ended up spending more than I initially wanted to, but I think that happens to everyone. I landed on the Diamond Marquis by bowtech. for me, it has a really smooth draw even out to 70#'s, its pretty darn fast, and its not the most quiet bow on the market, but its pretty quiet compared to alot of other ones. It just really clicked for me. So ya, I bought the marquis.

thanks for all of your help everyone on the bow selection! I got the g5 peep, and I bought the g5 optix ME on hsolist this morning for 84.05! and its brand new in the package and has never been opened! Thats a steal if you ask me! What would you all recommend for a stabilizer? Im leaning towards the QUAD hunter rest for 50$. What do you think about that also?

[fishermn]

Hunter, good choice you will be happy with that bow. As far as stabilizers, its hard to beat the S-Coil. I dont know much about the rest you are thinking of, but I would say that almost any of the better quality drop away rests would be a good choice. Congrats on the new purchase!