Bear Pathfinder Compound Bow

The Bear Pathfinder launched at $199.99 in 2022 and now sells for around $149.99, which makes it one of the least expensive ways to put a real, adjustable compound bow in a young archer's hands. It is not fast and it is not a hunting bow - the 150 fps IBO and 29-pound ceiling make that plain - but neither is the point. The point is a 14-to-25-inch draw and 15-to-29-pound range, all adjustable at home without a press, on a 2.1-pound frame a six-year-old can actually hold on target, wrapped in a complete ready-to-shoot package. What I keep coming back to with bows like this is that the best first bow is the one a kid can shoot well on day one and still fits a couple of years later, and the Pathfinder is built precisely around that idea. An excellent choice for the family following in Mom and Dad's footsteps, particularly strong as a backyard-to-club learning bow that grows with the child. Buyers whose archer is already near the top of its range, or who want real hunting-weight capability, should step up to the Bear Limitless; those with a very small first-timer who needs the lowest possible draw weight should look at the Diamond Atomic... read full review