Compound Bow Comparator

The Hoyt Montega is a deliberate outlier - a long, 44-inch, 9-inch-braced bow with a soft AccuWheel wheel system, built for finger shooters and precision archers at exactly the moment the rest of the industry chased short and fast. Its numbers tell the honest story: 270 fps in AccuWheel trim or 280 with the Cam & 1/2, 65% let-off, a 26.5-to-34-inch draw range, and draw weights from 40 to 80 pounds on stable XT 3500 split limbs, all wrapped in a deflexed target-grade riser. What I keep coming back to is that this is a bow engineered to be shot well, not shot fast - the forgiveness of the long geometry and the calm of the soft wall are the entire value proposition, and owners reward it with talk of groups tight enough to endanger their own arrows. Discontinued after 2009, it lives on as a used-market find that still delivers everything it was designed to. It is an excellent bow for the finger shooter and the accuracy-first target or 3D archer who will happily trade fps for a long, stable, low-torque hold. Buyers who want that forgiveness with more speed for the target line should also look at the Hoyt Vantage Elite, and hunters who need a shorter, more packable bow for tight cover should look at the Mathews Switchback. Read full review...

The Hoyt Vantage Elite is a purpose-built target bow that does one thing exceptionally well: it holds still and lets a disciplined shooter aim. Built as the flagship of Hoyt's 2009 target line and carried into 2010 with an added 30 to 40 pound draw-weight option, it pairs premium XT 2000 limbs and a 41-inch axle-to-axle frame with its defining Shoot-Through Technology riser, the stiffer, longer riser that owners repeatedly compare to shooting off a bench rest. Buyers choose between the smoother Cam and a half Plus at 301 fps IBO and the crisper, faster Spiral X at 308 fps IBO, tailoring the draw and back-wall feel to how they like to shoot for score. It is easy to tune, forgiving across a wide range of shooters, and backed by real competition results from the archers who ran it. What I keep coming back to is that steady sight picture, the trait that separates a bow you fight from a bow that flatters your form. A firmly dated launch-era price point is the 2,344 Australian dollar dealer listing from 2009, reflecting a premium flagship position; Hoyt did not publish a US list price. An excellent bow for the spot, field, and FITA archer who prizes a still hold and a choice of cam personalities. Buyers who want a shorter, faster target rig should also look at the PSE Supra, and those who prefer a single-cam draw in the same length class should look at the Mathews Conquest 4. Read full review...

The Mathews Switchback entered the market in 2005 and continues to be one of the best smooth bows ever since. Many hunters strongly agree this bow is one of the smoothest bows available on the market. With the very low levels of vibration and noise, the Switchback is smooth and fast at the same time. Having received a lot of extra positive reviews and comments from archers throughout the world, this legendary bow has been the most popular and most selling Mathews rig for a long time. Read full review...

• Long 44-inch axle-to-axle and 9-inch brace height make it exceptionally forgiving - owners routinely call it the most accurate bow they have drawn
• AccuWheel draws with a soft wall and a long, easy valley - the smooth, low-stress cycle finger shooters keep asking for
• Long riser geometry cuts string-angle finger pinch, so it stays comfortable even at 31-inch-plus draws where shorter bows crowd the fingers
• Forgiving enough to shoot tight groups with fixed-blade broadheads and a full-containment rest, not just target points

• Holds dead still at full aim, with owners comparing it to shooting off a bench rest thanks to the long axle-to-axle and stiff riser
• Stiff Shoot-Through riser cuts hand torque and stays consistent even when hand placement isn't perfect
• Easy to tune and set up, with owners calling it one of the simplest target rigs they have dialed in
• Spiral X cam builds a rock-solid back wall and a crisp, repeatable shot for score shooters
• Forgiving across a wide range of body types, draw lengths, and poundages, not just one build

• smooth and fast single cam bow
• low noise and vibration
• great value for money

• Modest speed by design - 270 fps IBO puts trajectory behind short speed bows; shooters wanting a flatter setup can order the Cam & 1/2 option for 10 fps more, but this is a forgiveness-first bow, not a fast one
• A big, long bow to move - at 44-plus inches and 4.9 pounds it is a lot to maneuver in a tight treestand or cramped ground blind, so hunters in close quarters may want a shorter axle-to-axle instead

• The Spiral X is picky about exact draw length and timing, so buyers should have a shop set it precisely and roll the cams slightly long to tame it
• Short valley punishes creeping forward, a genuine target trait that rewards disciplined form rather than a flaw to fix
• Cam and a half Plus wall can feel soft if the cams drift out of time, which a routine timing sync restores

• non-adjustable eccentric system