Compound Bow Comparator

The Hoyt Pro Force is one of the better value propositions in the brand's recent history: a genuine do-it-all target, field, and 3D bow that quietly out-chronographed its faster-marketed rivals and asked far less than a carbon flagship to do it. Across 2018 to 2020 it stayed remarkably consistent - 35 3/4-inch axle-to-axle, 7-inch brace, 325 fps IBO, 4.7 pounds on the zero-torque ZT Hyper Cam - adding only a 70 percent low-let-off option and a tightened cam range for its final year. Real-world it measured 292 fps at a 29.5 inch, 60 pound, 350 grain setup, the fastest of three name-brand target bows tested side by side, so the speed is honest. What I keep coming back to is the shot: owners describe it as crisp and dead in the hand, a bow that tunes easily and groups like a tack driver, with a cam feel close enough to a Hoyt hunting bow that an archer can train it all summer and carry it into the fall without relearning a thing. At Hoyt target-bow pricing well under the carbon line, it put the shoot-through riser, the zero-torque cam, and a true crossover platform within reach of a club shooter, not just a sponsored pro. An excellent bow for the target, field, and 3D archer who wants a long, forgiving, dead-stable platform with a crossover hunting feel, and is particularly strong as a do-it-all rig for the shooter who lives on the line spring through fall and hunts in winter. Buyers who need a longer 32-34 inch draw should look at the Hoyt Double XL, and those who prioritize a short, fast, compact frame should look at the Mathews TX-5. Read full review...

The Hoyt Double XL is one of the few compounds ever built around a long draw rather than apologizing for one, and that single decision defines it. From 2017 to 2021 it grew from a 340 fps, 36 3/4-inch DFX-cam hunter into a refined 345 fps IBO, 35 7/8-inch rig on Hoyt's HYPER ZT Cam, splitting along the way into HTG hunting and TGT target trims on one shared chassis. The 2018 HTG launched at $1,199 MSRP per Lancaster Archery, putting flagship-grade Hoyt engineering - the zero-torque cam, the split-cable system, the shoot-through TEC riser, the Shock Pod damping - in reach of a long-draw shooter who had run out of options. What I keep coming back to is what owners say about the shot: a smooth cam into a solid wall, and a bow that sits dead and quiet in the hand even without a stabilizer. It is not the fastest bow in any given year, and it was tuned for steadiness over headline velocity - but for the archer it was built for, that is exactly the right trade. An excellent bow for the tall, long-draw hunter or target shooter who needs a true 32-34 inch draw and a forgiving, quiet hold, and is particularly strong as a steady big-frame rig for treestand hunting and 3D alike. Buyers who want a new bow with the same long-draw reach should look to the Bowtech Revolt XL or to Hoyt's current LD-suffix models that succeeded it. Read full review...

The TX-5 is a Mathews bow specifically designed for shorter draw archers in mind. Although some will look at the TX-5 and say it is nothing more than a Triax with a 5-inch brace height, those interested in the extra speed are not going to care too much about what the TX-5 resembles. The Triax was a popular bow last model year, the those wanting a quicker arrow from the same package will be thrilled to have it available. The color options for the Mathews lineup are awesome for 2019, and so well done the finished product looks like a work of art. Some shooters may shy away from the 5-inch brace height based on some information floating around the shorter brace is less forgiving. However, those looking at the TX-5 are already aware of potential trade offs for increased speed, and it will more than likely not be a major area of concern for those the bow is designed for. The new grips are great additions to the Mathews family, and having more than one option to choose from is always a good thing. For those interested in a compact hunting bow, with some bonus speed from a shorter brace height, the $1099 price tag may be worth a new bow. Read full review...

• Crisp, dead-in-hand shot - owners describe no vibration through the grip and a bow that sits still after the arrow leaves
• Tunes easily and groups like a tack driver - the zero-torque ZT Hyper Cam keeps nock travel straight and cams tracking nose to nose
• Genuinely fast for a long target bow - chronographed as the quickest of three name-brand target bows at a matched 29.5 inch, 60 pound, 350 grain setup
• True crossover feel - the same ZT Hyper Cam an archer trains on the 3D range carries straight into a hunting setup with no relearning
• Practical adjustability - the 4-angle modular grip bolts on and off in seconds, and draw length changes by rotating modules with no bow press

• Long-draw fit most bows can't match - the 32-34 inch range serves tall archers and big wingspans that mainstream hunting bows leave stranded at 30-31 inches
• Smooth ZT Hyper Cam draw that rolls over peak weight into a solid back wall, a draw cycle owners repeatedly rank among the smoothest they have pulled
• Quiet and dead in the hand - owners report it settles still after the shot even without a stabilizer
• Long axle-to-axle paired with a generous brace height makes it forgiving and steady to hold on target
• Tunes easily and shoots accurately - the zero-torque cam and split-cable system keep nock travel straight, and owners call it a tack driver

• Award-winning Crosscentric Cam system
• Cam is optimized for draw length range of 23.5-29.5-inches
• Two new grips with the Engage or side plates

• At 4.7 pounds it is a deliberately heavy, stability-first bow - shooters who want a light rig to carry should know the mass is doing forgiveness work and is the point, not a flaw
• Some owners have noted a drop-away rest cord can rub the shoot-through bridge - a blade rest sidesteps it entirely, and a follow-away rest routed clear of the cage works fine for shooters who prefer one
• Out of production since 2020 and found only on the used market now - target archers who want a new Hoyt rig should look at the brand's current Invicta and target lineup

• Built for stability over raw speed rather than chasing a top IBO number - long-draw shooters chasing maximum velocity should weigh the 345 fps rating against shorter speed bows first
• Some owners have noted the ZT cam settles into a fairly short valley - staying firmly into the back wall handles it, and a buyer who wants more forgiveness on holding can shoot one in person before committing
• Discontinued after 2021 and only found on the used market now - long-draw buyers who want a new bow should look at Hoyt's current LD-suffix models that replaced it

• 4.58-pounds is heavy for a compact bow of only 28-inches
• Some shooters may shy away from the 5-inch brace height