Compound Bow Comparator

The Hoyt 38 Ultra was the one-year-only speed half of Hoyt's 2007 pair - the faster, lower-braced twin of the 38 Pro, built around the hotter Vector Cam and a half - and today it is a rare, rewarding used buy for the archer who wants a long all-around bow with more velocity than a pure target rig. The core numbers make the case: a 310 fps IBO from the smooth Vector cam, a forgiving 38-inch axle-to-axle and a 7.5-inch brace, laminated XT1000 limbs on a machined TEC riser, a wide 40 to 80 pound and 27 to 32 inch fit range, and buyer-selectable 65 or 75 percent let-off. Hoyt published neither a mass weight nor a launch price and built the bow for a single season, so the honest read is a scarce used-market chassis you judge on condition and buy for its cam - a bow that came with the StealthShot and RizerShox damping most of its contemporaries made you add yourself. Drawing it against its sibling, what stays with me is how the Ultra keeps the long bow's forgiving hold while asking for just a little more at the shot in return for real speed. This is an excellent bow for the all-around 3D, field and precision-hunting archer who wants a stable, quiet, genuinely quick used chassis and does not mind hunting down a rare example and refreshing its string, particularly strong for the shooter who wants one long bow to cover both the range and longer hunting shots. Buyers who rank pure target forgiveness first should also look at the Mathews Conquest 4, and those chasing the fastest, most compact all-arounder of the era should weigh the Bowtech Allegiance. 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 Allegiance is a high quality all around bow with an easily adjustable shooting style. Each Allegiance bow is available in smooth or fast modules to deliver extremely smooth draw cycle or faster speeds. In addition, the let-off can be adjusted easily from 65% to 80%. No bow press is required to change the draw length or adjust the let-off. When it comes to shootability, the bow has a smooth draw cycle and is pretty quiet on the shot even with the speed modules. Ideal for hunting, the Allegiance can also be used successfully for 3D shooting and indoor competitions. Read full review...

• Hotter Vector Cam and a half pairs a smooth draw with a 310 fps IBO, giving the long 38-inch chassis more speed than the accuracy-tuned 38 Pro without going to an aggressive hunting cam
• Long 38-inch axle-to-axle with a 7.5-inch brace keeps the bow forgiving and steady while shaving enough brace height to pick up velocity - a genuine all-around geometry
• StealthShot string suppression and RizerShox came standard, so a used 38 Ultra shoots quieter and deader in the hand than most bare-riser bows of 2007
• Selectable 65 or 75 percent let-off by draw-stop peg lets a shooter set a firm target hold or a more relaxed one on the same bow
• Wide 40 to 80 pound range on the machined TEC riser and laminated XT1000 limbs makes one used chassis fit almost any adult setup from range to woods

• 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

• Easily adjustable shooting style: fast or smooth modules + adjustable let-off
• Very solid back wall
• Quiet bow for the speeds it generates
• Modular-adjustable eccentric system (except 2005 version)
• Draw length can be adjusted easily without using a bow press (except 2005 version)
• Great hunting bow also suitable for 3D shooting

• Built for a single model year in 2007, so used examples are scarcer than the three-year 38 Pro and finding your exact draw and weight can take patience
• Any 2007 bow needs a condition-based string and cable judgment - a fresh set and a re-time is the standard first step and brings the draw and speed back to factory
• Draw-length changes run through the module and limb setup, not a tool-free rotating module, so confirm the draw at a shop before buying a used example

• 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

• Draw length specific eccentric system in 2005 (2006-2008 versions are adjustable)
• The grip on the 2005-2006 modifications could be a bit narrower