I shot 'em all, last night.....
12-01-2006, 06:56 AM
#1
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
I shot 'em all, last night.....
Well...I shot all the ones I thought I might be interested in. Here goes.....all bows were shot at 70 lbs.
'05 Mathews Switchback - I bought this new in '05....and wanted to have a baseline to judge others on. I shot mine a few times to get started.
#2 up....Mathews Drenaline - Light....smooth....and I did notice a bit of lurch at the bowhand when i shot it. It honestly, otherwise, shot like my present bow....and I wouldn't pay anything to switch. I like the one I have .....OK...better.
#3 up...Mathews Switchback XT - Light....smooth...no lurch....easy draw cycle. I'd trade even for this bow, right now....but I don't think that's what the shop owner has in mind. I can buy it for a little over $600.....and I think it's a GREAT bow.
#4 up & #5 up....PSE Mach (??) and Diablo.....OK...but not for me. I have a PSE bow (my son's Browning Illusion). OK....but I don't want to shoot one for my primary bow. No offense meant. I just didn't like a few things.
#6 up...Bowtech Allegiance - Solid bow....shoots "hard"...and that's hard to explain. Not a negative comment, though. If you've ever been to a NASCAR race....during qualifying....you cn actually tell when one driver is faster than the rest....even though there's only one car on the track at a time. It's that way with this bow. You can really tell it's that much faster. Hard back wall.....and the grip ('07 model) is awesome.
#7 up...Hoyt Vectrix - Great feeling bow in your hand. Great LOOKING bow. Draw cycle is good......but I still feel the lurch...similar to the Drenaline...and better (but not nnon-existant) than the trykon....which was very noticeable. I'm wondering if heavier arrows might help this bow???? Don't know.
All in all.....they're all good.....but I'm buying an Allegiance for next year.
Jeff
'05 Mathews Switchback - I bought this new in '05....and wanted to have a baseline to judge others on. I shot mine a few times to get started.
#2 up....Mathews Drenaline - Light....smooth....and I did notice a bit of lurch at the bowhand when i shot it. It honestly, otherwise, shot like my present bow....and I wouldn't pay anything to switch. I like the one I have .....OK...better.
#3 up...Mathews Switchback XT - Light....smooth...no lurch....easy draw cycle. I'd trade even for this bow, right now....but I don't think that's what the shop owner has in mind. I can buy it for a little over $600.....and I think it's a GREAT bow.
#4 up & #5 up....PSE Mach (??) and Diablo.....OK...but not for me. I have a PSE bow (my son's Browning Illusion). OK....but I don't want to shoot one for my primary bow. No offense meant. I just didn't like a few things.
#6 up...Bowtech Allegiance - Solid bow....shoots "hard"...and that's hard to explain. Not a negative comment, though. If you've ever been to a NASCAR race....during qualifying....you cn actually tell when one driver is faster than the rest....even though there's only one car on the track at a time. It's that way with this bow. You can really tell it's that much faster. Hard back wall.....and the grip ('07 model) is awesome.
#7 up...Hoyt Vectrix - Great feeling bow in your hand. Great LOOKING bow. Draw cycle is good......but I still feel the lurch...similar to the Drenaline...and better (but not nnon-existant) than the trykon....which was very noticeable. I'm wondering if heavier arrows might help this bow???? Don't know.
All in all.....they're all good.....but I'm buying an Allegiance for next year.
Jeff
12-01-2006, 07:04 AM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Howard PA USA
Posts: 2,221
RE: I shot 'em all, last night.....
Smart man Jeff, I wish more prople would go out and shoot the number of bows you did before making a decision. I think there would be many more satisfied owners and alot of people who would be surprised that there are other bow companies out there besides Mathews, Hoyt, and Bowtech. I think you will be very pleased with the Allegiance, a top notch bow. I actually have a friend who is thinking of getting rid of his if you can believe that? But he thinks he may be replacing it with a new Bowtech Defender or a commander as soon as he gets to shoot them.
12-01-2006, 07:10 AM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jackson, Missouri
Posts: 7,051
RE: I shot 'em all, last night.....
Can I say I told ya so? [8D]
Seriously... I agree with PA above: Good job on shooting several bows and picking the one that felt right to YOU.... Though I knew it would!
Did the Ally have the smooth or the fast mods installed, do you know?
Seriously... I agree with PA above: Good job on shooting several bows and picking the one that felt right to YOU.... Though I knew it would!
Did the Ally have the smooth or the fast mods installed, do you know?
12-01-2006, 07:18 AM
#4
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: I shot 'em all, last night.....
Greg:
I really don't know. It was tagged (from the factory) and it said it was set on 71 lbs. I didn't even ask about the mods (we were having a local QDMA type meeting amongst the hunters in our area...and I didn't have that much time with the shop owner). I ride right by there on the way home (it's about 2-1/2 miles from my house). I'll ask. I know when you get this bow drawn......there ain't no more, there. HARD back wall....and I like that.
Now....I'll admit that after shooting Rob/PA's.....I was biased TO A POINT with the Allegiance. That didn't mean I had anythign bad to say about the others going in....or even now. I shot Rob's bow with an open mind.....and I shot ALL these ohers with an open mind. I'll tell you this....there's a LOT of great technology out there right now. It's a good time to be in the market. If I'd liked one of the others better....I'd have bought it. PSE DOES have a bow for about $400 (I forgot it's name.....but I shot it, too ....it has a rubber grip) that's as smooth a drawer as I've ever drawn. That bow....if they market it correctly...SHOULD do well. I don't have anything negative to say about the others. they're all great bows....and I strayed from the brand I've had nothing but GREAT success and satisfaction with. I'll also say that if I had to choose the next one in line.....it would be the SB XT. That's being honest.
Jeff
I really don't know. It was tagged (from the factory) and it said it was set on 71 lbs. I didn't even ask about the mods (we were having a local QDMA type meeting amongst the hunters in our area...and I didn't have that much time with the shop owner). I ride right by there on the way home (it's about 2-1/2 miles from my house). I'll ask. I know when you get this bow drawn......there ain't no more, there. HARD back wall....and I like that.
Now....I'll admit that after shooting Rob/PA's.....I was biased TO A POINT with the Allegiance. That didn't mean I had anythign bad to say about the others going in....or even now. I shot Rob's bow with an open mind.....and I shot ALL these ohers with an open mind. I'll tell you this....there's a LOT of great technology out there right now. It's a good time to be in the market. If I'd liked one of the others better....I'd have bought it. PSE DOES have a bow for about $400 (I forgot it's name.....but I shot it, too ....it has a rubber grip) that's as smooth a drawer as I've ever drawn. That bow....if they market it correctly...SHOULD do well. I don't have anything negative to say about the others. they're all great bows....and I strayed from the brand I've had nothing but GREAT success and satisfaction with. I'll also say that if I had to choose the next one in line.....it would be the SB XT. That's being honest.
Jeff
12-01-2006, 07:26 AM
#5
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: I shot 'em all, last night.....
Jeff, I'm not surprised either becuase when you shot my bow (almost busting my friggin nocks), it became a part of you and I knew immediately, it worked.
I'd bet the one you shot in the shop had the smooth mods in it. They usually come in that way. The speed mods are slightly harsher, slightly and still give that solid wall but with no creep...and faster.
That is exactly the way to look into bows. With an open mind and non brand biases. Too many go shoot one bow and think wow...yeah it'll be fine but without shooting others they'll have no bases to judge on. That's what I did when I bought my Alley.....
I went and wanted to buy the Switchback...but after shooting them all the Allegiance was just heads above the rest except that Trykon at the time but hey, a Hoyt shooter for so long it was still sweet...but the Alley won my heart.
Great review Jeff, one I can take for accurate vs, Hey I shot this bow only, it's the best....NOT.
I'd bet the one you shot in the shop had the smooth mods in it. They usually come in that way. The speed mods are slightly harsher, slightly and still give that solid wall but with no creep...and faster.
That is exactly the way to look into bows. With an open mind and non brand biases. Too many go shoot one bow and think wow...yeah it'll be fine but without shooting others they'll have no bases to judge on. That's what I did when I bought my Alley.....
I went and wanted to buy the Switchback...but after shooting them all the Allegiance was just heads above the rest except that Trykon at the time but hey, a Hoyt shooter for so long it was still sweet...but the Alley won my heart.
Great review Jeff, one I can take for accurate vs, Hey I shot this bow only, it's the best....NOT.
12-01-2006, 07:33 AM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Howard PA USA
Posts: 2,221
RE: I shot 'em all, last night.....
I couldn't tell you the number of guys who come into the shop and say I want to buy such and such bow because my budies sisters 2nd cousin said they are the best.[8D] I really wish more people would shoot t as many as they can get their hands on to see what works best for them. Heck most of the time they are so set in their ways that they won't even entertain the thought of shooting or let alone looking at another brand we have in the shop.[8D]
12-01-2006, 08:32 AM
#10
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Michigan/Ohio
Posts: 11,682
RE: I shot 'em all, last night.....
ORIGINAL: PA Hardwoods
I couldn't tell you the number of guys who come into the shop and say I want to buy such and such bow because my budies sisters 2nd cousin said they are the best.[8D] I really wish more people would shoot t as many as they can get their hands on to see what works best for them. Heck most of the time they are so set in their ways that they won't even entertain the thought of shooting or let alone looking at another brand we have in the shop.[8D]
I couldn't tell you the number of guys who come into the shop and say I want to buy such and such bow because my budies sisters 2nd cousin said they are the best.[8D] I really wish more people would shoot t as many as they can get their hands on to see what works best for them. Heck most of the time they are so set in their ways that they won't even entertain the thought of shooting or let alone looking at another brand we have in the shop.[8D]
I will shoot 3 bows this year
New Ross Cardiac
New Funky looking Bowtechs
New Hoyts
I am looking for a shorter faster bow. It will be Aug before I get to shoot all three. I will have to go to 3 different shops.
I drove 2.5 hours jusy to shoot a ROSS. Then I talk a Pro shop here into selling them. Which is thier NO 1 selling bow now. I get a nice discount from them now[8D].
I love all the reports, really help me out.
Thx SB and others