Compound Bow Comparator

The Hoyt Ventum 30, launched at $1,199 for 2021, is the bow that quietly argues you do not need carbon to get the carbon-flagship feel. Built on the same all-new HBX binary cam, In-Line accessory system, XACT grip, and hunting finishes as the carbon REDWRX Carbon RX-5, it trades the hollow-carbon riser for a beefed-up aluminum one and two-tenths of a pound - and gives up surprisingly little for the saving. The HBX cam delivers the firm, defined back wall earlier Hoyts lacked, a 342 fps IBO rating that lands at real hunting-arrow speeds in the 265-to-286 fps band for 430-to-455 grain shafts, and a selectable 80/85% let-off you change with one screw. The detail owners keep circling back to is the one that defies expectation: shot against its own carbon twin, the aluminum Ventum settled at least as dead in the hand, and more than one shooter preferred it. The honest trade-offs are real but small - a touch more mass than the carbon bow, and an aluminum riser that goes cold faster on a late-season sit, both easy to live with. An excellent bow for the serious hunter who wants flagship engineering and a forgiving, quiet hold without paying the carbon premium. Buyers who want that same engine with cold-weather warmth and the lightest possible mass should look at the REDWRX Carbon RX-5, while those who prize Mathews silence in a more compact frame should also consider the Mathews VXR 28. Read full review...

The Hoyt REDWRX Carbon RX-5, launched at $1,699 for 2021, was the year Hoyt stopped refining the REDWRX formula and rebuilt its engine. The all-new HBX Cam - a Tri-Track binary that finally retired the old split-yoke layout - gave this compact 30-inch carbon hunter the one thing earlier RedWRX bows lacked: a solid, defined back wall that owners who had shot every carbon Hoyt since the Defiant rate as the bow's standout trait. Around it sits a 342 fps IBO rating that translates to real hunting-arrow speeds in the 270-to-302 fps band for 440-to-508 grain shafts, a selectable 80/85% let-off you change with one screw, a hollow-carbon riser that stays warm in a December stand, and the In-Line sight, Integrate rest, and included Short Stop stabilizer the RX-4 never had. The honest trade-offs are a 4.4-pound mass that is light but not the featherweight some expect from carbon, and a shot that is quiet rather than silent - both tamed by the included damping and stabilizer. Studying how owners describe it, the through-line is that wall: this is a carbon bow you settle into and hold, not one you fight. An excellent bow for the serious backcountry and treestand hunter who wants a compact carbon rig with a forgiving hold and already knows carbon is the goal. Buyers who want that same engine in a longer, steadier-aiming frame should look at the REDWRX Carbon RX-5 Ultra, while those who would trade carbon for renowned silence and a lower price should also consider the Mathews VXR 28. Read full review...

Mathews has perfected the compact hunting bow, and continues to make fine tune adjustments year after year in order to release a product better than the previous. Although these changes may not seem like much from one year to the next, over time, the changes become significant. The line between success and failure is very fine while bowhunting, and any advantage a shooter can benefit from will be well worth the end result. The VXR 28 is the best compact hunting bow Mathews has brought to the market. The stiffer draw and Switchweight technology may not be what all shooters prefer. However, the technology, performance, and extended stability with the long riser make the VXR 28 worth a serious consideration for anyone on the market for a new bow in 2020. For those willing to pay the premium MSRP of $1099, the Mathews VXR 28 will be a solid rig for anyone wanting a shorter bow hunting rig. Read full review...

• Settles to less hand shock than its own carbon twin the RX-5 - owners who shot both came away surprised, since aluminum usually buzzes more than carbon, not less
• Smooth draw that builds and rolls into the wall without a hard dump or the old Hoyt habit of creeping forward at full draw
• Genuinely solid, defined back wall from the all-new HBX binary cam - it stops where you pull to and stays there
• Quiet shot signature - owners rank it among the quietest bows of Hoyt's 2021 line, dead in the hand right after release
• Let-off switches between 80% and 85% with one screw on each cam, so the same bow stays legal in Western states that cap it at 80%

• Genuinely solid, defined back wall - the standout upgrade over earlier RedWRX bows, with no give whether you set the cam to 80% or 85% let-off
• Smooth draw that builds and rolls into the wall without a hump or a hard dump, so you can pull straight back on a cold, still treestand
• Let-off switches between 80% and 85% with one screw on each cam - no module swap, and the 80% drop keeps the bow legal in Western states that cap it there
• Noticeably less hand vibration than earlier carbon Hoyts - the shot settles fast to a single thump instead of a lingering buzz
• REDWRX XACT grip fills the hand and resists torque - the bare bow stands upright on its own and holds steady at full draw

• The latest installment of Mathews compact hunting rig
• Speeds up to 344 feet per second with a great drawing cam system
• Benefits of a longer target-style riser on a compact hunting bow
• Brand new Silent Connect System (SCS)

• A touch heavier than the carbon RX-5 twin at 4.6 pounds - backcountry hunters counting ounces on long packs may prefer carbon, though on a treestand hold the extra mass steadies the bow
• Bare aluminum riser chills faster than the carbon RX-5 on late-season sits - a grip wrap or gloves handles it, and it is the trade for paying several hundred dollars less

• Some owners note the RX-5 is fairly quiet rather than silent for a carbon flagship - the included Short Stop stabilizer and added dampers tame most of what remains, worth shooting one in person if silence is the top priority
• Carbon-flagship price tier - buyers who want the same HBX cam, XACT grip and shooting feel for less can step to Hoyt's aluminum Ventum 30

• "Premium" finish options are subject to an upcharge
• A $1099 MSRP is still pricey for a compound bow
• Some shooters may not like the string angle of the 28-inch VXR