Compound Bow Comparator

The Hoyt Pro Comp Elite XL is the stability specialist of Hoyt's 2013-2014 target pair - the 40-inch bow for the archer whose game is the long, steady hold. It asked flagship target money at launch, the same bracket as the standard Pro Comp Elite, and it answered with a long XT2000 riser that sits dead-still, a draw reaching 32.5 inches for the tall shooter, a choice between the smoother GTX and the faster Spiral X cam, and adjustable Air Shox dampers you set by hand. In my experience the long geometry does exactly what it promises - the aim plants itself and the middle holds tighter than a shorter bow allows - and it asks only for honest follow-through in return. It is not a hunting bow and never tried to be. An excellent choice for the outdoor field and FITA archer with a long draw who values length and hold above all; shorter-draw shooters should look at the Hoyt Pro Comp Elite, and archers who want single-cam simplicity at the same length should also consider the Mathews Conquest 4. Read full review...

In short, the Mathews Conquest 4 is a high end target bow with the long ATA and good brace height that is very capable of putting up great scores in stiff competition. Also one of Mathews' lightest competition rigs it isn't a bare to walk around the ranges all day. It is very customizable to the specific needs of most shooters; whether it is smooth drawing, fast shooting or forgiving as possible. A little on the noisy side but this bow is practically dead in the hand at the shot. With a good stabilizer this bow will become even more comfortable for most shooters and it is balanced very well at full draw so it won't take much before you can start pin-wheeling some targets. Read full review...

The Bowtech Specialist is a very high performance up and coming target bow. A long axle to axle, a good brace height and great IBO speed are all ingredients that make a great target bow that is very forgiving and capable of competing with some of the top target bows of the world. The Specialist uses a binary cam system making it a smooth drawing bow that is easy to adjust and has virtually no timing issues. Tuning may need to be done by a professional but once it is set up there should be no problems keeping it that way. With a number of color options to choose from, it's a bow that can look good while putting great numbers up on the score card. Read full review...

• At 40 inches with a draw range to 32.5 inches, it gives long-draw archers a long sight radius and a planted, steady hold
• One riser, two target cams: the GTX for a smoother pull and a 65% or 75% let-off choice, or the Spiral X for more speed
• Adjustable Air Shox limb dampers slide, re-angle, or come off with a set screw - damping you tune by hand, not by press
• Wide shoot-through window clears fletching whether the arrow tunes a touch inside or outside center
• Holds the middle tighter than a shorter, livelier bow - the aim settles on the spot and stays there

• A very forgiving bow
• Pretty low amount of vibration in your hand
• 3 different cams make this a very customizable bow
• Conquest family has won more competitions than any other bow

• No timing issues after initial setup
• Virtually no riser torque
• Minimal Vibration
• No bow press needed to adjust draw length
• Smooth drawing
• Fast IBO speed rating

• The set screw on the adjustable Air Shox needs a firm bite - snug it down hard or it can creep up under the shot
• The long, tight-holding geometry punishes a broken shot with a wider miss - it rewards honest follow-through, not a lazy one

• Choosing a cam can be a little bit confusing
• Draw length is cam specific - new cam needed for each draw length
• Lightest in the lineup but still feels a little bit heavy

• Limited draw lengths (no option for longer draw shooters)
• Some shooters complain of small valley
• Limb color limited to black only