Compound Bow Comparator

The Hoyt Prevail 40 is a flagship target bow that asks one honest question of its buyer: do you want the smoothest draw on the line, or the firmest wall and a touch more speed? From 2017 through 2019 it stayed remarkably consistent - a 40.25-inch axle-to-axle, 5-pound platform on the TEC Shoot-Thru riser, XT2000 limbs, and the 4-angle modular grip - and it let the archer answer that question with the cam, X3 at 312 fps IBO for the smooth draw or SVX at 317 fps for the firm wall. Real-world the X3 measured 282 fps with a 350-grain arrow at 60 pounds and a 29-inch draw, the slowest of its test group but with the most generous brace height of that group by a wide margin - a deliberate trade of speed for the forgiveness a competitor lives on. What I keep coming back to is what owners say about it on the line: a draw so smooth it doesn't feel like 60 pounds, the favorite grip of an entire season's worth of target bows, a tune that snaps to bullet holes in a few arrows and holds, and a bow that beat a long-standing personal best the first scoring round out. At roughly $1,700 set up it sat at flagship target pricing, putting the shoot-through riser, the modular grip, and a true two-cam target platform in the hands of a serious competitor. An excellent bow for the freestyle, field, and 3D archer who wants a long, dead-stable platform and a choice of cam personality, and is particularly strong on the indoor spot, the field course, and a 3D twelve-ring at distance. Buyers who prioritize a higher let-off and Elite's draw should also look at the Elite Echelon 39, and those who want a shorter, lighter, faster freestyle frame should look at the Bowtech Specialist. Read full review...

The Echelon 39 is fully redesigned, basically from scratch, and the end result is an outstanding piece of equipment. This bow shoots like a dream, and has enough customization options to meet the exact demands of every shooter on the market in 2018. Shooters historically off the Elite band wagon in the past based on the high let-offs and solid back wall can now opt for lower let-offs and a cable stop feel for the back wall. There are three stabilizer mounting holes, 8 finish options, a new cam, a new grip, and a newly designed cable containment system, which aides in tuning the entire bow. Everything about the Echelon 39 screams shooter, and when given a test shot, it becomes very evident why some many people in the target world have taken the Elite challenge and never looked back. For anyone on the market for a 39-inch axel-to-axel target bow, the Echelon should get a long hard look, because it is one of the best shooting target bows on the market in 2018. The price tag is high, but so are the list of features and customization options available. 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...

• The X3 cam draws like nothing else here - an owner who shot the 2017 target circuit called it the easiest, smoothest cycle he had ever felt, and said it doesn't feel like a 60-pound bow
• Tunes fast and stays put - owners report bullet holes through paper in a few arrows and a tune that holds shot after shot across a full season
• Best-in-class grip - the 4-angle modular grip earned one competitive shooter's pick as his favorite of every target bow he tested that year
• Genuinely dead-stable on the line - the 40.25-inch axle-to-axle and the most generous brace height of its test group let the pin float slow and forgive a less-than-perfect release
• Two cams, one chassis - pick the smooth X3 or the firmer, faster SVX without changing the riser, grip, or any of the platform you've learned

• Forgiving platform with a 39-inch axel-to-axel measurement
• New caged riser, great feeling grip, new cable containment system, and cams
• Adjustability and customization in the draw cycle to create a feel shooters want
• Custom draw stops gives shooters the exact feel they want at the back wall
• Some cool target colors available

• 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 X3 valley is short and the back wall a touch spongy - staying firmly into the wall handles it, timing both cams to their stops together firms it up, and shooters who want a rock-solid wall can choose the SVX cam instead
• Built for stability, not speed - at 312-317 fps IBO it is deliberately slower than shorter speed bows, so an archer chasing raw velocity should weigh that against the brace-height forgiveness it buys
• Out of production since 2019 and found only on the used market now - target archers who want a new Hoyt rig should look at the brand's current target lineup

• Suggested retail price of $1399 is steep for some, although this is comparable to other target bows
• It would be nice to see limbs other than black available

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