Compound Bow Reviews

The Bottom Line:At a $999 bow-only launch MSRP, the 2026 Bowtech Ascend does something the brand has not done before - it puts a forged 6061 aluminum riser, metal limb pockets, and press-free DeadLock Lite cam tuning under $1,000. Its IBO rating is 340 fps, and the real-world numbers back it up: a 350-grain arrow chronographs... read full review

The Bottom Line:The Bear Resilient solves a real gap in the short-draw market: at a $699.99 launch MSRP, it is the short-draw hunting bow that actually reaches full 70-pound adult hunting weight, while its closest rivals stop at 50 or 60. The numbers back the pitch - a 320 fps IBO rating that holds up to 314.8-321.2... read full review

The Bottom Line:At a $1,499 launch MSRP, the 2026 Bowtech Alliance 33 is the rare bow that genuinely earns its keep across two seasons - a 33-inch, 4.25-pound platform built on the updated DeadLock cam that tunes left and right with an Allen key and no press, wrapped around a Comfort draw cycle that hands-on shooters... read full review

The Bottom Line:The Bear DeerMom is the women's flagship of Bear's 2026 lineup, launched October 2025 in collaboration with hunter Sarah Arrington and built around her input on what a women's hunting bow should be at the chassis level. Launch MSRP is $799.99 RTH, sold direct only at beararchery.com. The single configuration... read full review

The Bottom Line:The Bear Frontier RTS arrives at $219.99 launch MSRP as the entry tier of Bear's 2026 youth lineup - a 26-inch axle-to-axle dual-cam bow with a 14-to-25-inch draw length range, 15-to-29-pound draw weight, 65 percent let-off, and a complete Ready-to-Shoot accessory bundle. The headline performance number... read full review

The Bottom Line:The Bear Shootout is a budget crossover bow that does one job very well: it carries a young or new archer through the transition years on a single, affordable chassis. At a $279.99 launch MSRP it adjusts from a 14-inch draw and 20 pounds up to 28 inches and 50 pounds, rides a maneuverable 28-inch axle-to-axle... read full review

The Bottom Line:The 2026 Bowtech Alliance answers a question hunters have asked for years - can one compact bow be both smooth and fast - by letting the shooter flip between the two with a disc rather than committing at the counter. At a $1,499.99 launch MSRP it delivers a 30.5-inch, 4.09-pound chassis carved out of... read full review

The Bottom Line:At a $649.99 launch MSRP, the Pristine delivers something Bear's catalog had been missing - a purpose-built short-draw hunting bow for women and smaller-framed adults that arrives complete and ready to hunt rather than asking the shooter to fit a bow designed for someone else. The numbers that matter... read full review

The Bottom Line:Launched for the 2025 model year at a $1,299 launch MSRP and carried unchanged into 2026, the Solution LS is Bowtech's answer for the hunter who wants real flagship tuning without flagship extras. It keeps the parts that matter for accuracy - the full DeadLock cam system you adjust with a wrench on the... read full review

The Bottom Line:At a $1,299 launch MSRP, the 2024-and-current Bowtech Eva Gen3 is the brand's only women's-specific bow, and it earns that slot with real flagship hardware rather than a cosmetic women's package - the full DeadLock cam, TimeLock no-press tuning, the GripLock adjustable grip, and a rigid Dual Lock pocket... read full review

The Bottom Line:Mathews Title 40 refines the target bow formula with Limb Shift and deflexed engineering, yielding a platform of exceptional stability that elevates competitive edges. Incremental advancements over the TRX series compound into meaningful gains in damping and tunability, justifying its role among pros.... read full review

The Bottom Line:Bear Archery has nailed the mid-range market with the Gamekeeper, refining affordable tech through smart collaborations. Subtle yearly improvements add up, creating a bow that's more than the sum of its parts. The hybrid cams, integrated mounts, and versatile adjustments make it a standout for value... read full review

The Bottom Line:The 2025 Mathews Title 34 is the fastest and most aggressive Title ever made, but it is also the least forgiving and most polarizing. It delivers genuine speed that few pure target bows can match, yet sacrifices the relaxed, dead-in-hand feel that made the Title series famous. At the same $1,599 as the... read full review

The Bottom Line:Mathews' Title 38 polishes the target archetype with Limb Shift precision and deflexed poise, carving a niche for competitors chasing incremental edges in stability. Evolutions from the inaugural Title-refined damping and grip modularity-accumulate into a cohesive performer, yet persistent grip gripes... read full review

The Bottom Line:Mathews' Title 36 hones the competitive blueprint via Limb Shift acuity and deflexed equilibrium, securing a foothold for archers pursuing refined handling in mid-frame bows. Refinements from prior iterations-bolstered damping and grip interchangeability-coalesce into a potent ensemble, tempered by grip... read full review