Mathews Switchback Review

My very first compound bow and no reason to get anything else. I can't believe how this thing shoots. Hunting Montana black bear and elk outta Bozeman, Montana. Doing all my own work on it including tuning and string replacements. The folks at Mathews Boss are awesome to work with and picking of their brains.

I bought this bow in 2007 as a result of my limbs, splitting on my previous bow two days before the opener. I said what the heck and splurged on the most expensive bow I could buy, because I finally landed a full-time decent job. I must say, I really dumbed into a good one here. The night I took it home, I hung it on my dad’s wood pile to admire. That night we heard a loud crash in the garage and there was my bow underneath all that wood. Other than a bent cam, everything was as it should be. I replaced the cam and now 15 years later it is still shooting like a dream. I have shot the new models and they are great, but I cannot justify splurging again for something with more speed. No deer has ever jumped my shot, and there were plenty of opportunities for them to do so.

Last year on a Colorado elk hunt, my brother’s bow string broke, and I let him use my Switchback. He nailed a big bull elk on a frontal that went out the rear. It’s an amazing bow and probably will be my last one until my shoulder goes and I have to resort to a crossbow.

If I was a young lad, looking to get into hunting archery, and was looking for a cheaper bow, you can’t go wrong with this one. Although this old model might be for resale cheap, you certainly are not getting a cheap bow.

Mine is set up with an older trophy ridge fall away rest and a newer trophy ridge five pin sight. I like to use heavy arrows with mine for hunting elk out west. It seems the 500 grain arrows shoot better for me and really put a pounding on those big NWPA whitetails. I can shoot accurately out to 50 but typically never shoot past 30 yards at a game animal.

I bought this bow in 2006 when my hunting buddy had to have the new one. It was still unproven as he had failed to kill a deer the season he hunted with it. I killed 5 with it the very first year I owned it and just harvested a big doe opening day morning with it in 2022. Punch through and the arrow stuck 6" in the ground. She ran 70 yards. I'm 60 now and had shoulder issues that caused me to use a crossbow the last few seasons and I hated it. I did pushups for 5 months leading up to this years opener so that I could pull my 70# Switchback again and hunt the way I love.

I have shot Mathews bows since 1996, when I first owned a FeatherMax. My bow shop was the first Mathews agent in South Africa in the later 90's. Granted, I havent shot all of the Mathews bows but I have certainly found the model that I'm very comfortable with and trust. Why would one look for more? This is my 2nd Switchback XT. My brother inherited my 1st and still shoots that bow as well after all of these years. I've probably shot 100 plus game animals with my Switchbacks alone. The bow has never failed me in performance or reliability. I've been the bows liability. The Switchback, and especially the XT model, simply remains a timeless, top class bow.

Bought the SwitchBack when it came out in '05. Has been my #1 hunting rig for many years. Honestly never thought I would replace it -- until I shot a Triax in '18. Got bit by the new bow bug. There have been many engineering / technology improvements in the '05 to '18 years -- but the SwitchBack does have a timeless quality. I shoot a Triax and Halon (alot) ... when I get tired of punching targets and want to just have some fun - grab the SwitchBack and it reminds me of just how good a bow it really is. Granted, having dropped $2K on a Triax rig - it is my #1 hunting bow - but after updating the SwitchBack with new sights (Trophy Ridge REACT Pro), rest (QAD Ultra Rest HDX) and stabilizer (BeeStinger SportHunter Extreme 6"), the SwitchBack will give the Triax stiff competition. Set at 65# draw Weight, sends the 475 gr hunting arrow along at 250 fps.

Well needless to say I am completely happy with my Switchback even if it did take me 11 years to get mine at least mine didn't come with the $800 price tag like my buddies, but hey I missed out on 11 year's of shooting one of the best bows ever made. Oh yeah! The only reason I probably wasn't in the dog house too back in 2007 with my two friends was because they were both right handed, And I am a lefty the dealer that day sold the last and only Switchback he had that year 30 min, before I walked into his shop! Lol!

I have shot every new bow Mathews has released since the switchback. I also currently own 4 Mathews bows. I hunt year round in many different places and have shot many other bows. Hands down with 70lb limbs and 27.5 draw length cranked up to 68 lbs I have yet to find any reason to get rid of this bow. When I pack for a trip I always pack the Switchback for my back up bow. I shoot it hunting and during indoor league as well as 3d season.

I have been a bow hunter since 1976 to date. I used to shoot with a different compound bow and thought it couldn't be beat because my old bow fit me good. Until I stopped at my local Archery dealer. I shot the Mathews Switchback and it was love at first shot.

After 13 seasons have not once wished I had another bow. I wish I could had a few shots over again but love the bow. Despite hunting in all kinds of weather, all kinds terrain, chasing mt goats or turkeys, thousands of arrows, 4 different strings, I have never had issues with my beloved Switchback.

I've owned bows of one brand or another since the early 80's. The Switchback is BY FAR the best bow I've owned. I'm writing this review in 2017 about a 10 years old product in a market with constant innovation. That says a lot about the quality since I have no intention of replacing it.

I tagged along w 2 co-workers who were buying 1st gen. Switchbacks w no intention at all of buying one myself. We went to the dealer the morning these new bows arrived. After one was prepped we all shot it. It only took me 3 shots to know I had to have one too, #70. I have never missed a deer w it and most of them I've watched go down from a treestand shooting Muzzies, 3 and now 4 blades. Some of the deer never knew they were shot, one picked up acorns for a few moments after a heart shot @ 20 yards, another turned to lick the blood gushing out of it's side before stumbling down. A total of 5 just shook or jumped once before looking around and then slowly walking a few/10 yards before going down. 50 yrds was about all any ran and the furthest run was 150 yards on a rutted up 10 pt shot @ 10 yards through the backstrap/back ribs/heart/sternum......and it still took both hands and a lot of pulling to get the 4 blade out of the ground .I still shoot the vintage CE select CX 3D 300s I got w the bow and have only 2 pins. 1 for 20/30 and 1 for 40, I don't shoot deer @ 50 yrds. There may be lighter and faster bows but I will never own one the Switchback is bow perfection IMO.

I bought this bow as my first bow to get into bow hunting. It has taken 4 deer & 2 turkey. It's a smooth shooter. Hits hard & dead in the hand. I dressed mine with all the best high end accessories & couldn't be happier! I own a 2014 CST as a backup & for hunting in below freezing temperatures. But my Switchback that I named "Bowcephus" will always be my primary bow.

I received my Switchback for Christmas the year it came out. I had tried unsuccessfully to find one to hunt with that fall & just could not locate one anywhere as there was too much demand. My wife finally found a dealer out of state in Montana & surprised me with what is still the best Christmas present of my life.

I have shot 3D & hunted everything from turkey to elk ever since and the bow has just been exceptional. I like mine so much that I recently tracked down an '07 in mint condition for my son. I consistently out shoot guys with newer, faster bows & do not plan to change until the wheels fall off mine.

All i can say is look at the Reviews and if you Dont believe the Reviews try the Matthews Switchback and you will see, and you will be writing and telling People that the Matthew Switchback is the only way to go...

I've owned this bow for 9 years, and it's killed 9 bucks and one doe. Every year I try to justify spending 1000.00 for a new one, but my switchback just keeps killing... Some new bows may have more speed, but sometimes things just fit like a glove. The switchback is just that good.

This bow is hands down just a sweet shooter no vibration or shock just a sweet shot you sometimes wonder if you even shot it I bought it used from a friend last year and have already taken 3 deer (one 8pt and two doe) and a Turkey all extremely fatal short track shots and I owe a lot of that to my switch

I was looking for a new bow and tried the Z7 and Helium. Great bows. Then a friend at work was selling his XT. I tried it and fell in love. GREAT BOW! Shoots just as good (if not better) than other new Mathews on the market today. I have owned many other bows but this will the last one I buy for a long time.

Found this forum because I was looking for a Switchback for my son and had to write something. I have killed seven bulls, 11 deer and 2 bears with this bow in 4 states. I have only missed twice, once because I didn't see a branch and once on a secound shot (nerves). It has never lost it's zero in traveling or hunting. I have only had to move my sights 3 time in seven years, twice with string changes and once with an arrow change. I shoot a bisket both for hunting and 3D and without an issue. Purchased a Z7 when it came out, it shot great but not better enough to make me change, so I sold it. I was on the PSE advisory staff from 1986 to 1999 and have tried most of the other major bow companies top of the line offerings for the past ten years and belive it may not be the best bow ever made but I have never found a better one.

The bow shoots great and has never let me down. I've missed shots...but it was me. I want to buy a new bow (who doesn't right?) but after having this bow I'm having a hard time. I've shot a few other brands, Bowtech, Hoyt, even other Mathews but I just can't commit to spending hundreds of dollars to replace my Ol' faithful. I think I'm going to wait a few more years and see whats out there. Maybe another mathews? This bow has done it all for me, elk, whitetail, muledeer. Theres a lot of good bows out there, faster ones too, but I will probably just stick my switchback for awhile longer.

I have shot many deer,and turkeys with this bow. I sit in a tree 75+ days a year, some in the worst weather and do very little maintenance on it. I wax the string on occasion and I have replaced the string once. Unlike a lot of large purchases this is one I am still excited about after all these hours afield.

Mathews best bow ever. One of those bows that just feel right in your hand and gives you confidence that it will never let you down. If there is a miss, it is not the bow but the archer when it comes to this bow. My second favorite bow of all time!(Katera first) One of those bows that can hold it's own with the newer bows. Less bells and whistles but a killing machine when it comes to game.