CrissyK

Planter, I'm going to print this for him after I give him the gift..haha.

I do pretty good with gifts.. I usually buy him power tools.

CrissyK

Thanks so much for recommending that package from bowhunter's superstore, that looks like a great price with all the accessories included!!! I'm psyched now, seriously, thanks everyone so much this has been so helpful.

GrumpyTom

CrissyK the prices were just a ball park pricing for bare bows. That is not any accessories. When you start to talk about accessories you can start to add up more money. As for a Christmas gift, I would honestly just go with a bare bow, and add the accessories later. This way he would have an honest choice in what he gets for accessories. There are different scopes that Excalibur puts out and he might like one better then another. He might like the Peep site that comes with the bow.

The most important part is cost, it would be cheaper with just a bare bow. If you want to add more oney, include a note with the bow, that you will help him with accessories later after he decides what he wants.

Good luck.

GrumpyTom

Remember that when purchasing from the internet ......... some places hide or add SHIPPING COSTS on at the end, just remember it will be there

CrissyK

Good idea about letting him pick his own accessories...

I found a place to buy with free shipping!

One last time... do you think the Phoenix would be too small to fit someone tall with long arms comfortably?

GrumpyTom

Nope

This is the longest stock bow they produce. THey went to the shorter stock (thumb hole) because some were having dificulty fitting into thie standard stock. Now they offer both styles so there is a choice.

I find the thumb hole to be too short for me, but the other is just right and I am about 6 foot.

CrissyK

Ok wait, I am confused.. I thought the Phoenix was for a smaller framed person?

GrumpyTom

No ........... the Pheonix (175 lb) has the standard stock. The Equinox (225 lb) and the Vortex (200 lb) have the thumb hole stock which is shorter by 1 inch in length. The thumb hole design is also about $60 (I think) more in price for it.

For taller or larger people I would recomend the standard stock. FOr shorter arms and smaller hands, the thumb hole would be better (more comfortable).

Here is the home page for the Excalibur site

http://excaliburcrossbow.com/demo/m/content/article.php?content_id=1

CrissyK

Hmm, I guess this is throwing me off, per their description: The Phoenix is ideal for smaller stature hunters

GrumpyTom

Ok ........... that is an older discription some retailers used for the smaller poundage models. I will give you a little education on the bows.

With Excalibur, the bows are almost all the exact same, except for some small changes. Most all parts are interchangable with other models. For a bow, the poundage is determined by the shooting rail lenght. The longer the more poundage, the shorter, less poundage. Now this difference is not very much at all, I believe that from the 150lb to the 225 lb model, the shooting rail is only 1 inch longer (aprox). Now the shooting rail is the part of the bow that the arrow actually rides on or sits on when the bow is cocked and ready to fire. This distance does not effect the fit of the bow for shooting, only when cocking.

It was just this year that the new thumb hole stocks were produced. These new models are more adept for the shorter people.

Again I do not think that your boyfriend would mind this bow and that it would fit him well.