New Bow

[RallySquirrel]

Ok guys, looking for some input here.

I am shooting a Mathews Legacy (think it is about 15 years old) and was looking to upgrade this year. I have never been stuck on one brand or another so when I went looking this year, I happily picked up one of everything the local shop had to offer. I did try to limit myself to a Hoyt, PSE or Mathews just due to the fact that they have more shops around the country than anyone else. Admittedly, that doesn't really matter if you are toting a 15 year old rig since no one is going to have any sort of spare parts but that was my logic.

I shot the Hoyts and PSE's first and was pretty excited about how they felt. The new defiant series Hoyts really caught my attention. I am not that big a fan of the short ATA bows and something in 33-34" range always seem to due me right. Hoyt makes 2 models in that size range. Then I shot the new Mathews Halon and it really felt good as well but is just a bit shorter than what I hoped it would be. The pro hop guys had a Chill R on the shelf and I thought, what the heck. Its 33" ATA and shoots pretty fast. I end up shooting the thing and it was really nice to shoot as well.

So maybe I am making to much this but have bows come about as far as they are going to get in the last couple of years? I mean I picked up a 2014 model year bow and it felt better than many of the 2016's I shot. All of them feel awesome compared to my old bow but I guess I had "electronics" mentality going into this purchase... "newest is full of the best technology and should be superior". I know this can be a little bit of a sensitive subject and I'm not really interested in a Ford/Chevy/Dodge debate. I was hoping some of the more experience folks on the forum who have shot and upgraded frequently over the last couple of years could offer their insight. Is there much of a difference in what has come out over the last couple of years?

 

[Aussie-bowman]

Ok guys, looking for some input here.

I am shooting a Mathews Legacy (think it is about 15 years old) and was looking to upgrade this year. I have never been stuck on one brand or another so when I went looking this year, I happily picked up one of everything the local shop had to offer. I did try to limit myself to a Hoyt, PSE or Mathews just due to the fact that they have more shops around the country than anyone else. Admittedly, that doesn't really matter if you are toting a 15 year old rig since no one is going to have any sort of spare parts but that was my logic.

I shot the Hoyts and PSE's first and was pretty excited about how they felt. The new defiant series Hoyts really caught my attention. I am not that big a fan of the short ATA bows and something in 33-34" range always seem to due me right. Hoyt makes 2 models in that size range. Then I shot the new Mathews Halon and it really felt good as well but is just a bit shorter than what I hoped it would be. The pro hop guys had a Chill R on the shelf and I thought, what the heck. Its 33" ATA and shoots pretty fast. I end up shooting the thing and it was really nice to shoot as well.

So maybe I am making to much this but have bows come about as far as they are going to get in the last couple of years? I mean I picked up a 2014 model year bow and it felt better than many of the 2016's I shot. All of them feel awesome compared to my old bow but I guess I had "electronics" mentality going into this purchase... "newest is full of the best technology and should be superior". I know this can be a little bit of a sensitive subject and I'm not really interested in a Ford/Chevy/Dodge debate. I was hoping some of the more experience folks on the forum who have shot and upgraded frequently over the last couple of years could offer their insight. Is there much of a difference in what has come out over the last couple of years?

Yeah? I have shot most of the new bows over the last 3 years and they are all nice to shoot, i ended up settling on and elite the last couple of years, they arent super quick but help you pul the arrow in the right spot. They also have the best warranty in the business (lifetime fully transferable). I'm not someone to get stuck on the one brand either however, after shooting an elite and then shooting a hoyt and the mathews, I really noticed how smooth the Elite was. I hated the no cam. However some guys think other wise. Just a bit of food for thought.

 

[jmez]

Realistically the technology changes now are pretty incremental year to year. No a whole lot has changed in the last couple of years. Hoyt has made quite a few changes over the last two years. I haven't shot any of the new ones but hear they are nice. IMO, any bow made in the last couple of years isn't going to be much behind the ones coming out right now.

You really can't go wrong on any of the newer models. Coming from where you are I'd buy one of the 2015 models on closeout. Bow releases are long on marketing and short on technological advancement. I trade bows fairly regular and one thing I usually do is wait until year two after a manufacturer makes major changes to their lineup. There are usually bugs that show up in new models and designs. By year two those have been worked out.

 

[RallySquirrel]

Good advise. Its hard not to get caught up in the "what's new is best" mentality. The price differences between last years and this years are pretty hard to pass up.

 

[5MilesBack]

If I wasn't LH and 32 1/2" draw, I would NEVER buy a brand new bow.......EVER. There are so many good bows out these days that it's hard to find bad ones. They all deliver an arrow to the same spot if the archer does their job.

So it all comes down to feel and fit.

 

[KHNC]

You should check out the 2015 Prodigy from BOWTECH. Lots of used ones for sale now that the 2016`s are about to be released. The powershift setting on the cam is very nice. Allows you to switch between 3 draw cycles without using a press. Very accurate bow, fast and forgiving.

 

[roadrunner]

I have made my local archery shop very, very happy people in how many bows I've gone through in the last couple of years. That being said, I got a 2015 model Hoyt instead of a new 2016 - mostly because I didn't want to have to get new adapters for my press - and it shoots way better (for me) than the aluminum riser Hoyt I shot earlier this year.

So, it doesn't surprise me that you liked a model two years old, the new and improved doesn't necessarily always have what you want.

 

[Peter K]

I absolutely can't stress how much i love my ChillR!! Smooth, fast, dead in the hand, and I have people at the range tell me all the time how quiet my bow is and I have done nothing to it! I have the 85% mods on it and can hold at full draw forever.

 

[RallySquirrel]

You bring up something I have been wondering about with the 85% mods. They do make a tremendous difference on the feel of the bow. That said, are they legal in CO? I thought I read somewhere that if you got check that you could lose your bow and get a ticket. Can anyone verify any truth to that?

 

[kodiakfly]

Can't comment on CO or the let off issue.

But as to what I think the gist of your question is, no, there's no problem in buying a 2014 bow. There's been a ton of improvements in the last 10, 15, and especially 20 years. But over the past few years, I'd not hesitate to buy a past year's model bow still hanging on the shelf.

 

[goodgrouper]

In MT the 85% mods are a no no. I've never been checked but I know I would be if I took one step in the woods with them. I shot a switchback XT for 8 years. I shot a lot of the new bows each year but never found one I really liked more until the chill r came along. Your on the right track shooting different bows, just find the one that speaks to you and certainly don't worry if it's a couple years old.

 

[RallySquirrel]

Thanks for the advise guys. I ended up not buying the 2016 model in lieu of one from a couple of years ago. it shot awesome, fit me the best and the fact that I was able to save a couple of bucks didn't hurt either. I will add that I was really amazed at how great all the newer bows are over the older models. They hold better, draw smoother, are quieter, faster and are more "comfortable" to shoot. Hope I can get 15 years out of this one too!