Mathews TRX 38 Compound Bow

The Mathews TRX 38 was the bow that brought the 40-inch TRX target platform down to a more manageable 38 inches for 2018 -- the same long dual-bridge riser and mini-Crosscentric cam, now in a shorter, lighter frame splitting the brace height between the original TRX 7 and TRX 8. Launched at $1,799.99, it pairs a 328 fps IBO rating off a forgiving 7.5-inch brace with a smooth, humpless draw, a firm cable-stop back wall, and the new-for-2018 70-Valley mod that deepened the hold. What stays with me is the shot: this is a remarkably quiet bow that sits still in the hand, and the long riser holds the pin planted through a full scoring round in a way shorter platforms cannot quite match. Its honest limitation is that even the 70-Valley keeps a fairly short valley -- this is a demanding target cam, and archers who want a lazier hold should spec a lower peak weight or the 80% mod. It is a bare bow, so a used-market buyer should budget for a rest, sight, and bars on top and be ready to carry 4.86 pounds of long target rig over a full round. Discontinued and now a used and clearance find, it remains a genuinely stable, quiet long-riser target bow for the price. An excellent bow for dedicated target and 3D archers who want maximum hold stability in a long, quiet frame at the shorter end of their draw-length comfort. Buyers who want the same length with Bowtech's damping tuning should look at the Bowtech Reckoning 38, and those who prefer a heavier 65% target hold should look at the Hoyt Invicta 37 SVX... read full review