Compound Bow Reviews

The Bottom Line:The Mathews TRX 36 is the fast, stable middle of the 2020 TRX target line - a 36-inch bow that pairs a 334 fps IBO speed rating with the smooth, linear C3X draw and the dead-in-hand shot that is the Mathews signature. Launched at $1,849 as a bare bow, it asks the buyer to add a rest, sight, and stabilizers... read full review

The Bottom Line:The Mathews TRX 40 is the target bow for the archer who decides the trade in favor of the hold - the known-distance, field, and long-range 3D shooter who would rather have a rock-steady aim than a bow that swings fast. Launched at $1,849, it pairs an up-to-329 fps IBO rating with the smooth, humpless... read full review

The Bottom Line: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,... read full review

The Bottom Line:The Diamond Edge 320 earned its place as one of the best-selling grow-with-you hunting bows of its run for a simple reason: it does more things well at once than a $449 launch price has any right to. It is the longest and steadiest-aiming bow in Diamond's Edge family, adjusts across a class-leading 7-to-70-pound... read full review

The Bottom Line:At a $749 launch MSRP, the Diamond Carbon Knockout answers a real gap: a genuinely purpose-built women's carbon bow rather than a recolored men's model. The full carbon Knight riser keeps it to 3.2 pounds, the ladies-tuned Synchronized Binary Cam holds a real valley across its 22.5 to 27 inch range,... read full review

The Bottom Line:The Bowtech Fanatic arrived in 2015 at a $1,499 launch MSRP as the company's serious return to tournament archery, and it earns that positioning through its hold rather than its speed. The headline numbers - 325 fps IBO, a tall 7.75-inch brace, 36.5 inches axle-to-axle, 289 fps in real-world chronograph... read full review

The Bottom Line:The Bowtech Eva Shockey SS was the first hunting bow the industry built as a woman's signature flagship rather than a de-contented version of one, and it holds up as exactly that: a 3.3-pound carbon-riser bow with OverDrive Binary cams, an 80% let-off, a compact 31.5-inch ATA, and a published 332 fps... read full review

The Bottom Line:The Bowtech Convergence was the brand's 2019-2020 answer to the one-bow-for-the-whole-household question, and at roughly $679 for the ready-to-shoot R.A.K. package it delivered something budget adjustable bows rarely do, a genuine limb-stop back wall and a Bowtech shot on a chassis that adjusts from... read full review

The Bottom Line:The BowTech Specialist II can be summed up in one word: unbelievable. Everything about the bow is amazing! It shoots great, feels great, blanances well, and instills a great deal of confidence for anyone spending time with it. Perhaps the best part about the Specialist II is the price, with a suggested... read full review

The Bottom Line:The 2020 Bowtech series is an absolute dream lineup for dedicated bowhunters. The Deadlock Cam System is amazing, and gives every person the opportunity to work on their bow to achieve perfect arrow flight. Even for those not as mechanically inclined as others, the Bowtech Revolt X can easily be tuned.... read full review

The Bottom Line:The 2020 Bowtech Revolt is a homerun, and deserves any attention it gets this year. The Deadlock Cam is a straight up game changer for shooters to have more ability in how their bow shoots. From a tuning perspective, everything is made easier, and gives shooters direct input without having to buy a bow... read full review

The Bottom Line:The Reckoning 35 is the definition of a "keeper" bow. It's not the newest kid on the block, but it's still one of the most capable, most tuneable, and most fun compounds you can own. DeadLock and FlipDisc alone make it worth the money - everything else is a bonus. If you want a bow you can set up yourself,... read full review

The Bottom Line:The BowTech Reckoning 38 is an awesome bow, with possibly the most and easiest adjustments ever designed into a compound bow. Any archer will appreciate the level of customization the 38 allows for, but the ease of making the adjustments is probably the best feature. No bow press, no fancy tools, just... read full review

The Bottom Line:The Athens Convixtion is a compact 30-inch, 335 fps IBO hunting bow from Athens' early-2010s lineup, launched at $799 for the standard black or Next Vista finish and $875 for full camo. Its case rests on a combination that is hard to find in one bow: the carry-and-swing ease of a short 3.8-pound frame... read full review

The Bottom Line:The Athens Protege is a 25-inch, 230-plus fps IBO youth growth bow made from 2010 to 2012, and its whole case rests on reach: a 5-pound, 11 3/4-inch floor low enough to start a toddler, climbing to 29 pounds and a 26 1/4-inch draw as the child grows, with heavier limbs to extend it further. Unlike the... read full review

The Bottom Line:The Athens Judgement is a 36-inch, 340 fps IBO do-it-all target bow from Athens' early-2010s lineup, launched at $849 for the blacked-out standard and $899 for full camo. Its case rests on feel rather than a spec-sheet headline: a smooth, even draw, a hold that behaves like a longer-brace bow, a firm... read full review