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New Bow Shopping?

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New Bow Shopping?

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 01 23, 2018 •  [Post 1]

Soo campers, let’s say you’re looking for a new bow. How do you start your search and where do you start? Popular brand consideration first, model availability in the local shop for potential warranty problems, on line technical reviews/specs research, brace height a deciding factor or another special fix manufacturer attribute, won’t go with any other company except XXX Archety, etc. Just starting a rapport to benefit those who are in the market ;).
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby Elkhntr08 » 01 24, 2018 •  [Post 2]

Visit as many shops, not chain stores as you can. Fondle, draw and shoot as many bows as you can. You’ll begin to get an idea of the type bow you’re looking for. I personally prefer a bow around 34” ata with a 7” brace. I don’t chase speed anymore. Smooth draw and easy to hold. I’ll make it quiet and take care of recoil with a 500 grain arrow.
I shot Hoyt for 15 years, back before it was cool. Switched to Elite a few years ago and have been pleased with the ones I own. Not sure what I’d look at if I was in the market, but I’d stick with the basic specs that have worked for me for years. Buying a bow is a personal thing, don’t let someone on the net talk you into something, go shoot it.
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby Swede » 01 25, 2018 •  [Post 3]

I don't know about chasing multiple bow shops. I understand Elkhuntr's point and think it has merit in some areas. Where I have lived, you have few shops within a reasonable driving distance. I don't know if you win by going 200 miles to where another bow is offered. Service and support after the sale is worth a lot. Most bow manufacturers offer excellent bows for a price. I like some bows better than others, but the differences on many are so subtle, that to me it is hardly worth chasing all over for the slightest edge.
I shoot a Mathews Halon 32 bow with top quality attachments. It is an great bow, but expensive. Just another thought, another perspective.
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby Navesgane » 01 26, 2018 •  [Post 4]

I'll be looking a lot more at the quality ( or lack of) the string that comes standard on the bow.
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby Swede » 01 27, 2018 •  [Post 5]

Jeff: What are you looking for in string quality? I got the new Mathews bow and the string looked great. My son got an exact same new bow at the same time I did. I think Stringunner got one like ours just a few weeks before we did. My string was the only one that would twist and turn. Mathews exchanged the string and mine has been perfect since. I was told that every once in awhile they have a string that twists. No one seems to know why it happens.
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby Navesgane » 01 27, 2018 •  [Post 6]

Maybe one that has a string from a string manufacturer and not one of their own. The last two bows I bought (both pse) the original strings stretched, twisted and frayed within a year and now I'm looking at paying around $100 for a new string. Figured next bow I buy I may as well try to fork out the money up front to try to get a better quality and longer lasting one and save some headache and aggravation.
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby lamrith » 01 29, 2018 •  [Post 7]

I will concur with hitting as many shops as possible and getting your hands on as many bows as possible. A Bow is a very personal fit/feel situation and you do yourself a dis-service by not trying everything possible in your budget or maybe one step up. Used bows pop up all the time and well below original price, so never hurts to know what a small bump in budget could net you, so if you have the opportunity, shoot is so you have an idea if it works for you or not. Sometimes the "better" bow is not better for YOU.

For those of you in the boonies your options may be limited in regards to local shops. I know for me I would always want the shop I bought from to be close enough that I could take my bow in for service without a major hassle. The 200mile example as Swede mentioned is honestly not feasible imho either. I would say hit every shop in say 30min drive? The key is different shops usually carry different brands and the object is to try a variety of brands and models.

However if you are a good bow tuner, that 200mile jaunt may not be out of the question, as you are really just looking to see how a bow feels and maybe buy it, then you handle all your own tuning so do not need much support after purchase. That 200mile trip is a one an done, and maybe that 200miles gets you into the big city where there are numerous shops so you make a day of it and hit a number of places.
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby Lefty » 01 31, 2018 •  [Post 8]

When I buy a new bow I will be buying a package deal from a shop or Cabelas, Sportsmans,.. or a used setup maybe craigslist.
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby Navesgane » 01 31, 2018 •  [Post 9]

Lefty wrote:When I buy a new bow I will be buying a package deal from a shop or Cabelas, Sportsmans,.. or a used setup maybe craigslist.

Yeah me too on the used bow. I've been seeing some crazy deals on used bows- it seems like there is a flooded market of them, and how "used" can a 1-3 year old bow be that been owned by a hunter?
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby Lefty » 02 01, 2018 •  [Post 10]

Navesgane wrote:
Lefty wrote:When I buy a new bow I will be buying a package deal from a shop or Cabelas, Sportsmans,.. or a used setup maybe craigslist.

Yeah me too on the used bow. I've been seeing some crazy deals on used bows- it seems like there is a flooded market of them, and how "used" can a 1-3 year old bow be that been owned by a hunter?

Guys think they are going to hunt, then marry the girlfiend and the bow gooses up for sale :lol:
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby BrowTines » 02 13, 2018 •  [Post 11]

I have always bought used ...and that will probably be your best value. All my bows except for my first one were Hoyts. I have found Hoyts to be reliable consistent, made of quality materials, and durable. I am sure other brands are comprable. My current bow is a Hoyt Cybertech 2003 - 15 years old. ...so time to upgrade. However, this year I am buying a new bow. Why you might ask? Well.... it came down to wanting the latest technology. I wanted carbon because I was tired of grabing my aluminum handle and having the warmth from my hand quickly drain out of it. I wanted the new center shot technology and the 85% percent let off. This will probably be the last bow I buy so I want it to last but be exactly what I want in terms of camo, let off, draw length, etc. With a new bow I can order exactly the specs I want. ...rather than maybe making do with what the used market might offer up. ...so I am buying a Hoyt RX-1. I was tempted to go with the RX-1 Turbo but wanted the higher letoff for holding on a reluctant bull elk that might hold up behind a tree. I figure I can get used to almost any bow in terms of the draw cycle so that wasn't a huge factor, although I wanted a relatively smooth draw. At any rate, that is what I am going with. Yes, it is expesive $$ but it will be what I want so.... I will take the hit and amortize that over the next 10 years.

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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby pointysticks » 02 14, 2018 •  [Post 12]

soon.

i am gonna also go with a Carbon Hoyt. i have had only 3 new bows my entire life as an adult. (i.e. stuff i bought with my career money)

it will probably also be my last bow. so i am going to switch it up. i am buying a 60lb-limb LEFT HAND BOW. yup, i am sick of shooting with my non-dominant eye.

i think i can do it. besides my sore shoulder is demanding a break.
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby blackwolf » 03 08, 2018 •  [Post 13]

New Hoyt Rx-1 on order. With old back and shoulders, needed to drop weight to 40-50 range.
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby pointysticks » 03 09, 2018 •  [Post 14]

cool!!

i just got my one year old (used) bow a few days ago.

i went with the Carbon Defiant 34. yes, left handed. i have to buy a rest ASAP..i am gonna go without a sight for now. my main goal is to get some muscle memory shooting left handed.

buying used, i had to go with a 60-70 DW. it feels super heavy pulling back lefty. i am gonna crank it down to max..hope it gets me around 60. i am not even going to worry about tuning it much. going lefty, i am sure i will be all over the place with respect to my shooting form and grip.
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 03 09, 2018 •  [Post 15]

pointysticks wrote: I am gonna crank it down to max..


Cliff, recommend you call the manufacturer and see what the max "turns out" on the limb bolts are. Each manufacturer is a bit different but you don't want to crank out too far or bad things happen :shock:.
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby pointysticks » 03 09, 2018 •  [Post 16]

I did it already. I downloaded the owners manual.
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby Roosiebull » 03 13, 2018 •  [Post 17]

bow shopping.... :D

if you are loyal to one shop, your options are limited, but with so many great bows on the market, you can still find that "perfect bow"

how I go about it is have no brand loyalty at all (bow companies) I look at what specs and assets i'm interested in, and find out what bows fit that criteria. once I have a list, I will shoot as many of them as possible, and pick the bow that picks me ;)

this year was an exception, I had a list of 4 bows I wanted to shoot, with one stand out. I went to the shop I like, and they had 2 of those bows, only shot one, and I knew my search was over. the bow I picked had a set of assets I liked a lot, and when I shot it, I knew I had found the bow I would own, so I broke my own rules, but it worked out perfect.

I have found reviews can be misleading, there are so many who blindly follow certain brands, so you can read a bunch of reviews and get an idea, but with so much bias in the bow business, you will be reading lots of bias reviews, and that doesn't help find your perfect bow.

you see people praise their favorite brand, and see them bash nearly every other brand, so that info is useless from people who are brand bias.

RJ, you thinking of replacing the Darton?
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 03 13, 2018 •  [Post 18]

Roosiebull wrote: RJ, you thinking of replacing the Darton?
NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :shock: .. I love the Maverick II and have a been a Darton fan for many, many years (this is the first new Darton I've had since the early 90s). I'm just sparking some bow shopping chatter :D
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby Roosiebull » 03 13, 2018 •  [Post 19]

WapitiTalk1 wrote:
Roosiebull wrote: RJ, you thinking of replacing the Darton?
NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :shock: .. I love the Maverick II and have a been a Darton fan for many, many years (this is the first new Darton I've had since the early 90s). I'm just sparking some bow shopping chatter :D

good :D

they sure are an innovative company, probably the most so in the whole industry. I wish they had more distributors, I have not seen one in a bow shop since my early years of shooting a bow. they are one company that interests me, I just don't like buying new bows sight unseen (used market is safer for that, because by the time a person buys used, the bow has already depreciated and you can get your money back if you don't like it)
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Re: New Bow Shopping?

Postby jmez » 03 15, 2018 •  [Post 20]

I look at Hoyt first. I've been shooting them for several years and like their bows. Prior to Hoyt I shot Bowtech, then the carbon bow came out and have been shooting them since. I like the carbon platform. Then look at the specs of the bows available . I like a longer ATA bow so I don't even shoot any of the shorties. Pretty well limits my choices but there are longer ATA carbon's available so not really an issue for me in that regard.
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