Compound Bow Comparator

The Hoyt Podium X Elite 40 is the steady-hold specialist of Hoyt's 2015 target line, a 40-inch competition bow that trades the 37's quickness for a calmer pin and, on the Spiral Pro cam, a genuine 32.5-inch draw at 322 fps. At a $1,599 launch price it asks flagship money and answers with flagship control: an adjustable cable guard that sets cam lean, torque, and vane clearance without a bow press, a four-position modular grip for a dead-center hold, and a tall 8-inch brace on the GTX cam that makes a long target bow unusually forgiving. It arrives with timing and alignment dialed, paper-tunes quickly, and then leaves the fine work to the shooter, giving honest feedback that rewards clean form. In my experience the long riser plus the adjustable grip is what quiets the aim without a fight, and on this bow that is the entire value proposition. It is not a hunting bow and does not pretend to be. An excellent choice for the field, 3D, and long-draw competitor who wants the stillest hold in the line; shorter-draw shooters should look at the Hoyt Podium X Elite 37, and archers who want the lightest classic long-target hold 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...

• Long 40-inch geometry and an 8-inch brace on the GTX cam settle the sight picture for a very forgiving hold
• Adjustable cable guard sets cam lean, riser torque and vane clearance at the range with no bow press
• Modular grip (0, +2, +4, +6 degrees) lets you fit hand angle to your form for a torque-free, dead-center hold
• Spiral Pro cam reaches a 32.5-inch draw at 322 fps - real speed and length for long-draw shooters
• Cam timing and alignment arrive dialed from the box, and the platform paper-tunes to a bullet hole fast

• 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

• Creep tuning rewards patience - a half-twist of the control cable can move groups at distance, so budget setup time
• At 40 inches and about 4.8 pounds it is a deliberate, long-ATA rig - shooters under a 29-inch draw hold better on the shorter Podium X Elite 37

• 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