Darton DS-3800 Compound Bow

The Darton DS-3800 was one of the most speed-and-bow-for-the-money buys on the market when it launched at $829.99 in 2011, and it still is on the used market a decade later. It is a genuine 345-350 fps speed bow that reaches its rating on a chronograph, draws smoother than its 6-inch brace height should allow, changes draw length without a press, and shoots quiet and dead in the hand - a combination that lets a hunter drop arrow weight for a flatter trajectory without giving up a forgiving shot. What I keep coming back to is that it held pace with a bow rated 13 fps faster, from a brand most buyers have never shot, at a fraction of the marketing noise. The aluminum chassis and the long, uneventful record of the DualSync cam make it a bow you set up once and hunt for years. It is an excellent choice for the value-minded bowhunter who wants flagship-class speed and a long 25-to-31-inch draw range without flagship pricing, and it is particularly strong for taller, long-draw shooters and for anyone who hunts open country where a flat trajectory forgives a yardage misread. Buyers who would rather have a shorter, more compact frame with a more forgiving brace height should also look at the Bowtech Assassin or the Bear Carnage... read full review