Your best bow sales pitch

[Mikeha33]

I'm going to upgrade to a new, or maybe a 2012 model bow, but I don't know what I'm going to go with. I'd like to build a complete set up for $1000-$1100. I'm not in a hurry to purchase, and plan to shoot a lot of different types before I buy, but honestly am completely unbiased at this point. I'd like to be able to pull about 75lbs, and need a 28.5 draw length, so keep that in mind while making suggestions. Also, I'm probably going to switch from a whisker biscuit to a drop away. Recommendations or adivce concerning that decision? Let me know what you guys love, and why, and also what you shy away from.
Any and all input is greatly appreciated and will be considered, after all, who better to get advice from then the guys who put their equipment through hell and back!

[ctdad]

Shoot every bow you can get a hold of and buy the one you like the best. But, shoot them under the same conditions, i.e. same draw weight, length, with or without stabilizer, etc.

[pointysticks]

me too!! i wanna start.

let me preface this by saying, i've been a solocam guy for years and years. that is all i really know. i know how to press the bow, and tune it back to spec. only one cam, so cam timing is non existent. you can run the cam "off timing" to optimize DL +/- .25".

i dont think you can go wrong choosing a solocam bow. (rhymes with Jath-thews!)

now..i am gonna buy a two cam bow! just to see what the differences are. draw cycle? draw stops? i gotta know!

i am 99% sure i am going to buy an Elite Energy bow. just need to figure out if i want the 32 or 35..(leaning towards the 35 since i only hunt turkey from a groundblind). i think the longer ATA will give me a tad bit more shooting forgiveness. i KNOW i want a 3 pin sight with a slider. so..Black Gold Ascent. will order this from SANDSARCHERY because he will put one together custom for me. that last pin will be 0.10".. this will be another big step for me, cuz all my sights have been SpotHogg stuff. i like a 1/4" peep. just better for me with light gathering. big hole lets in more light. simple enough..so large guard bowsight. and just a plain black, non fancy peep. it is just a hole.

REST? Axiom Pulse. kinda like a limb driven/released rest. i like how it cocks itself. it is always up until you shoot..then WHAM! it drops. limb activated, so it wont have any internal torque put to the cables..timing, again non-existent.

the rest of the stuff i am gonna pirate from my other bow. stab, wrist strap, quiver, etc.

[Triplebhunters]

I'm with ctdad shoot them all. Should be some sports shows in your area soon. And pointysticks sounds impressive too. I would like to try that sight as wel. Let me know when you test it. Archers around here are saying good things about the spyder by Hoyt. My bow and I went thru he ll I skied through the mud onto my butt several times. Checked my bow out and cleaned the mud off daily and shot at my target every day that I fell and when I was at camp during daylight. Glad I did, bow and its equipment held up awesome but release started acting up. Nothing some dead down wind oil wasn't able to fix. Hoyt Carbon Element, Qad drop away( no oil required ),Spot Hogg sights. Happy Shopping.

[pointysticks]

if the Carbon Element was more cost friendly, that would be difficult bow to beat. when i shot one, i had visions of shoplifting..
"hey look! puppies!" and just run. my wife saw the four digit price tag from across the shop and shook her head..hahahah.

this is a good time to shop. all the new bows are coming out.

and lots of used bows being sold to get them.

[Triplebhunters]

Lol. My last bow kept breaking limbs. And I did get a good deal on it. Some shops are giving gift certificates with them due to Hoyt requies x amount of dollars. That's just one of them rumors.

[Swede]

Often I read "shoot all of the bows", and choose the one that works best for you. Have any of you ever shot all of the different makes and models of bows in a well equipped shop? I do not know if the store owner would accommodate me on that. I know what works well for me and try a couple that meet those preferences. I like a forgiving bow, which is moderate in length axel to axel, has a brace height 6 1/2 to 7+ inches, and a narrow grip. I prefer a duel cam bow, but it is not essential. I tell the store owner I want a bow that is quiet and does not have significant hand shock. That narrows down my selection to a much more manageable level. Price may be an important element in my selection so I can use that to narrow down my preferences. I do not know if the store owner would want to spend days setting up bows for me to try, but I don't want to spend that much time with him either. If you are in the market for a bow, it sure helps to have some idea what you are really looking for when you arrive at the store. Good luck.

[ctdad]

I agree with Swede that it is nice to know what you are looking for when shopping. However, I disagree with asking someone else what that is. I bet if I described my impression of some brand and models of bows that I've shot, some of you who own and like them would disagree with my opinion. Also, if you don't shoot a few different styles of bows, you may not know what is available. If you don't know what is available, you may not know what you like.

I respect other peoples time, but an archery shop owner or employee is in the business of trying to sell bows. Some of that will require setting up bows and allowing some shooting (but setting up means slapping on a whisker biscuit and a sight, not tuning). I would discourage you from purposely wasting their time and if you can, try to visit during their slow times. Be polite, say please and thank you, and shoot em all. I shoot just about every new bow model that I can find every year. I like to know what is out there.

[Triplebhunters]

All very good points. Shopping for a new bow is a lot of work. As Swede mentioned a lot of work for a bow shop, and ctdad says they are in the business of selling bows. Going to have to go to as many shops and shows as possible. Take your own release, and try to use your own arrows. I did mention try. Bow shop owners are still salesmen, treat them with respect but remember salesmen. And try to ignore fanboys. Make a checklist. Anchor point, weight, and as Swede mentioned axle to axle, brace height etc. just like hunting a lot of research.
Dave

[JohnFitzgerald]

Thanks guys, my son and I are both getting new bows next year. I'll be easier to fit than my son. Thank the Lord Oregon lifted it's let restrictions some years back. I'd like to find a 50 - 70# with an 85% left off for him. The best I can find is 50-60# with a 80% let off.

[bnsafe]

archery talk classifieds. you can buy a new bow off there (I got mine from scottie) that is very cheap. I bought a new crx 32 last year for 500, put all the goodies on it, an had a custom string an tune done for around 800 total. hoyt doesn't honor warranties for bows of the web but its worth the risk. you should find some awesome deals now with the new bow comes out. I know my dealer back in mo has some awesome deals on bows right not. good luck

[pikemaster]

Mike

I just got done buying a new bow. There are some good deals out there now that the 14's are starting to come out. I shot a lot of bows looking for the right one Mathews, Prime, PSE, Bowtech, Hoyt, pretty much every bow are local pro shops had. Like others said make sure you shoot all the bows at the same poundage and draw lenght. try to shoot as many side by side if possible. For me the Hoyt spyder and the Bowtech experience were my top two. I went witht the Hoyt because it had a better draw cycle. I was able to get my bow fully set up with a Trophy Taker rest, Archery Extreme EXR sight (really like this sight) loop and peep sight for right at $1000. Its a lot of fun buying a new bow good luck.

[Swede]

Bnsafe: It is interesting that Hoyt will not warrantee a bow that is not purchased over the counter from an authorized dealer. I called PSE and told them I had a problem with a cam on one of their pro series bows. Their pro series bows are supposed to be sold exclusively in pro shops. I did buy it from a pro shop, but had no proof. The bow was not registered and I lost the serial number. They gave me a return authorization number so I sent it back. They returned it to me promptly with new cams, cables, string, axels, bearings and shims. No questions and no charge. It took less than three weeks for the bow to arrive back at my front door this October.

[bnsafe]

I completely agree, its one of the drawbacks of hoyt. im a hoyt fanboy, but only because the grips fit me perfectly an I shoot them better. I have some gripes with hoyt as far as having to have diff mods to change draw lengths, warranties on bows bought on line etc. im guessin it has to do with the local dealers getting their bows sold but I don't know. ive heard of guys that bought on line an the local shop fixed them under warranty but it
states no pretty clearly.

[Swede]

Bnsafe: I understand how a bow fits in your hand makes a big difference. I always liked the looks of the Mathews bow, but I prefer a narrower grip. I do not know why Hoyt takes the stand they do, but I also know Martin will fix a bow problem free with no hassle. The one I took to the dealer some years ago had a broken riser. It became evident after it broke, that there was a flaw inside the aluminum that could not be detected by visual inspection. They were very prompt in sending out a new riser to the dealer, who lent me a new Martin. I would have rather kept the new bow, but had to return it when my bow was repaired.

[Mikeha33]

Guys, I appreciate all of the input so far. Another question I have, (I have never bought a new bow, only used, and never "built" one for myself) is what are your thoughts on ATA lengths? I hunt whitetails and turkeys primarily, 70% of the time from a treestand, with shots 10-40 yards, but I am planning at least 1 out of state hunt per year moving forward, and want to be able to shoot 80 yards comfortably. In your minds, what are the benefits to a shorter ATA length bow, vs. a longer ATA???

[Swede]

That is a good question. I do not know if I have a good answer. It used to be that a bow needed to be over 40" ATA to be reasonably forgiving. If you used your fingers to draw and hold the string, then it needed to be even longer. With the newer parallel, and past parallel limbed bows, that has all changed. I like a forgiving bow, but mine is a little under 30" ATA and I have no problem with it. I think a bow between 29" and 34" ATA should be fine. I would not spend much time on ATA length now. Arrow speed is over rated. I would go with one that is smooth, quiet, holds and draws well for you.
Personally I think if you are comparing bows in the same price range, they are pretty close to equal. Like I mentioned above I prefer a narrow grip. I do not want too heavy a bow either. My bow does not give out enough hand shock to be a problem. My old Martin bow did, but that too has changed with the newer Martin bows. I would not go to some web site and compare specs either. They make what is a small subtle difference sound like it is a major matter. If I am paying $200 more for brand X bow, then there needs to be $200 worth of improvement.
I think I would start in the $500-$700 range and go up and down the range from there and look for the best value. Just my thought.

[bnsafe]

bows have changed a lot in the last few years. when the 32 inch ata came out I didn't want any part of it. but a 35 is to long for my personal taste. now that I have a 32 I really like it an wouldn't go back. in the old days a bow had to be long an long brace height to shoot well for most folks, just not like that anymore. with that said, personally I would not own the 30 inch spyder because 30 inches is just to short for me. if I were buying a new bow I would get either a 32 or 33 (hoyt just came out with a 33 that intrigues me). with all that said I think a lot of it depends on how tall you are an how long your draw length is. im 6,3 so don't like the shorter bows.
but, if I keep shooting elk while sitting down on my butt I might change my mind.

[WapitiTalk1]

Don't sleep on Alpine Archery. They have a killer sale going on as I type on the F1s, Nitrous, and Venturas. You'd be able to equip yourself with a new bow, ripcord dropaway, Alpine (or other) quiver, and good sight for the price you're talking and.... it'd be new and covered by exceptional warranty and customer service from Idaho's own Alpine Archery

[JJ Overkill]

i agree with what others have said about shoot every bow you can. id really check out the pes premonition if you get the chance. im thinking of selling my d350 and getting another one. my wife just got one and I love to shot it. its 699 msrp which leaves you with a little wiggle room to set up

[Trumkin the Dwarf]

Try a traditional bow!
I shoot traditional, and it's a blast, so I always tell guys they should try it. That said, its not for most people, and I would never push anyone to do so.