Compound Bow Comparator

The Bowtech Vital Impact is best understood for what it was: a genuine Bowtech single-cam Tomkat, fully accessorized and sold as a Sportsman's Warehouse exclusive for about $429, aimed at the first-time hunter who wanted a name-brand rig without the flagship price. Its strengths are its completeness, its single-cam simplicity, its forgiving 8 5/8-inch brace, and 50-60 and 60-70 pound builds that reach a real hunting draw weight - with a modest but honest 272 fps measured with a heavy hunting arrow. Its limits are the ones a value single cam of the era always had: a bit of hand shock and noise that a stabilizer and dampeners largely tame. What I keep coming back to years later is what this bow represents - a real Bowtech in the hands of someone shooting their first season, on a rig forgiving enough to learn on. An excellent first hunting bow for the budget-minded new archer who wants a complete, ready-to-shoot Bowtech and does not need flagship speed or silence. Buyers who want the widest family-share adjustment range should also look at the Diamond Razor Edge, and those wanting a slightly faster value hunting single cam at the same 70-pound ceiling should look at the PSE Stinger. Read full review...

Designed with small to medium archers in mind, the Diamond Razor Edge is a universal bow known for a great blend of speed, forgiveness, and quietness. Ideal for the youth and women, this bow is also a great choice for many small to medium men. Experts say many shooters will grow with this bow without spending extra money. Read full review...

The Stinger is a simple bow. It does not have all the bells and whistles the higher end bows do but it will get the job done. However, adding a couple inexpensive components will help this bow shoot like one that costs a lot more. Combine its price point with its shootability and you have a great bow for beginners and experienced archers alike. This rig can also be a great fit for teens because it has 6 inches of draw length adjustment to grow with the shooter. Because of its affordability and shootability some hunters, especially those that travel to hunt, purchase the Stinger as their back-up hunting rig. All in all, this bow is a bow that does not cost "an arm and a leg" and will do what you need it to do. Read full review...

• Complete out-of-the-box package - Tru-Glo three-pin fiber-optic sight, Hostage rest, peep, and sling included, so a first-timer can shoot the day they bring it home
• Genuine Bowtech hardware under a store name - it is the single-cam Tomkat platform, not an anonymous big-box bow
• Single-cam simplicity keeps it low-maintenance and easy to keep in time - no two-cam synchronization for a new archer to chase
• Tall 8 5/8-inch brace and 65-80% adjustable let-off make it forgiving and easy to hold, and 50-60 and 60-70 pound builds reach a real adult hunting draw weight

• great universal bow for the youth or small/medium frame archers
• forgiving bow with low shock and vibration
• draw length can be adjusted without a bow press
• enormous application range - from training to serious hunting
• excellent value for money

• Forgiving brace height
• adjustable (6 inches of draw length adjustments)
• Good Shootability
• Inexpensive

• Some owners have noted mild hand shock and a bit more noise than a premium bow - a few ounces of stabilizer and a set of limb dampeners quiet it noticeably, and buyers stepping down from a flagship-quiet bow may want to shoot one first
• As a discontinued store-exclusive, any example today is used - worth budgeting a fresh string and cable set, which America's Best Bowstrings and others still make to fit

• not suitable for large frame shooters

• Wide grip
• Does not come with String Stop
• Slightly noisy without adding vibration dampening components