Sharc

Hello !

I am a french bowhunter, and I would like to buy a new bow. Hoyt or Mathews ?
Many guys in my country said me to chose a Mathews : better quality, less noise and vibrations than a Hoyt... What is your feeling about it ?

Concerning the casted riser of the Ultramag Hoyt, is it a good one compared to the machinesed risers ?

Thank you by advance for your advices !

Sharc

mobow

Ok. I shoot the Hoyt Ultramag, and love it. I would argue the quieter and less vibration theory. This bad boy is ultra smooth and quiet, virtually no shock at the shot at all. As mentioned in a different post on the same topic, I like it because I get the same performance as the high dollar Hoyts. In reference to the machined vs. cast riser, I know the cast riser is milled to make it lighter and stronger. I also know that Hoyt carries a lifetime warranty on riser and limbs, so even if it did break, which, I doubt, Hoyt would replace it. The only thing I don't like, and this may be true with the machined riser as well, is the dipped finish likes to flake off, and unless it is obviously because the riser wasnt washed correctly in the process, Hoyt will not replace it. But, the same trouble may be true with a machined riser as well.
A good friend of mine shoots a Matthews, and he likes it. I will say, tho, that I let him shoot my Hoyt, and he would rather shoot mine. I have shot his, I must say it is pretty nice, I wouldnt have any quams with owning one, but IMO the Hoyt is smoother and more vibration free. Good luck with this one. Can't really go wrong with either. If you can, shoot both and decide for yourself.

JAKE53

Being that the Ovation is twice the price of a ultramag, then go with the ultramag. But if your willing to spend the money, check out the ultratec. The ultratec has a machine aluminum riser compared to the Cast mag. riser of the ultramag. The ultra mag is not machine. The Ovation is a great bow, but its my opinion that the ultratec is a smoother shooter. When all is said an done shoot the one that feels the best to you. The manufacturer should be second.

big ol bucks

MATHEWS

JAKE53

Mathews, Hoyt, Bowtech, Renegade, Pse, AR, Darton, etc, etc, etc. Whatever it takes to enjoy the sport.

Arthur P

Being a long time Hoyt shooter, currently with a ProTec in my arsenal, I'd have to say the Ovation I tried out gave me far less felt recoil and vibration, even without LimbSavers. Two other points: I have no great love for Hoyt's Tec risers. I don't really care for split limb bows either. I have no plans to buy another compound but, if I do, I know it won't be another Hoyt.

By the same token, I dislike single cam bows, so Mathews wouldn't be on my wish list either. I'd likely get a Martin with dual cams.

Sharc

Thank you for your advice. I think I will go for an Ultramag, it seems to me a better bow for hunting, because shorter and lighter...

Maghunter

Good call I have an Ultramag I don't think you will regret it. I love mine.

jones123

A cast riser can be milled off to lighten and smooth some surfaces, and they can claim it's a machined riser. In the metal products world, "machined" implies that it was machined from a rolled blank, rather than a casting that was milled off. So you would have to research far into the manufacturer to really know how the riser came to be. A true machined piece of anything is superior to a casting, milled or not, but I don't know enough about bows to know whether you would ever feel the difference.

I am new to shooting, but my neighbor who got me started is very experienced. He bought a Hoyt Ultratec and a Matthews Switchback to do his own comparison. Loaded them both up with very close to the same accessories. After a few months of shooting, neither he or I can tell the difference. He is going to go with Hoyt simply because he likes the shop owner of the mostly-Hoyt shop better than the mostly-Matthews shop owner. Plus the Hoyt looks better.

Personally I would go with Jake53's advice.