Compound Bow Comparator

The Tempest E T launched at $1,249.99 in target colors as the indoor and spot member of Darton's 2021 Tempest E line, trading speed for a long 37.25-inch bar, a tall 7 5/16-inch brace, and the forgiving E-System roller - everything pointed at a still hold rather than a fast arrow. Its 310 to 315 fps IBO is the slowest of the three siblings on purpose, because on a spot line the float under the pin is the whole game and this bow delivers it. What makes it work is the combination I keep coming back to: a thin angled grip that seats the hand perfectly, a rock-solid cable-stop wall, and a platform that simply sits still while you aim. The minor in-hand buzz and the painted finish are small things handled with a stabilizer and ordinary care. An excellent bow for the competitive indoor and spot archer, particularly strong in Vegas and known-distance rounds where a forgiving long hold matters most. Buyers who want a proven flagship name and anodized refinement should also look at the Hoyt Pro Comp Elite or the PSE Citation. Read full review...

The Hoyt Pro Comp Elite is a specialist's target bow that earns its keep at the tuning bale as much as on the line. It asked flagship money at launch - around $1,349 for the base finish - and it answered with flagship control: a genuine choice between the smoother, let-off-flexible GTX cam and the faster, firmer Spiral X on the same XT2000 riser, adjustable Air Shox dampers you set by hand, and a wide shoot-through window that ends fletching-clearance headaches. It holds tight and settles on the spot, and in my experience that steadiness is exactly what makes a disciplined archer better - it rewards clean follow-through with a tight group and asks for it honestly. It is not a hunting bow and does not try to be. An excellent choice for the spot, field, and 3D competitor who wants to fit the bow to their form; longer-draw shooters should look at the Hoyt Pro Comp Elite XL, and archers who prefer binary-cam simplicity should also consider the Bowtech Specialist. Read full review...

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• Holds dead still - the long 37.25-inch axle-to-axle, tall 7 5/16-inch brace, and E-System roller combine into a platform that sits calm under the pin and flatters a deliberate aim
• The thin, angled machined grip pushes the hand slightly forward and seats it the same way every time, which steadies the shot more than a taller vertical grip
• Rock-solid cable-stop back wall - the big flat pad meets the cable with almost no give, and the limb stop both firms it further and lets you tune let-off
• Smooth, humpless draw - the cycle builds to the wall with no peak to muscle over, so the shot process stays quiet and repeatable

• One riser, two target cams: the GTX for a smoother pull and a 65% or 75% let-off choice, or the Spiral X for more speed
• Adjustable Air Shox limb dampers slide, re-angle, or come off entirely with a set screw - tuning you do by hand, not by press
• Wide shoot-through riser window clears fletching whether the arrow tunes a touch inside or outside center
• Settles and holds on the spot with a tight, planted aim that rewards a disciplined shooter
• Selectable 65%/75% let-off on the GTX cam suits both long practice ends and a firm back-tension release

• A little vibration reaches the hand at the shot because the grip is machined straight into the riser with nothing to absorb it - the bow itself stays still rather than jumping, and the stabilizer setup every spot archer already runs damps what is left
• Paint, not anodize - the family's painted finish can run slightly or lift under repeatedly applied grip tape, so seat accessories cleanly and leave any grip wrap in place once it is on

• The set screw on the adjustable Air Shox needs a firm bite - snug it down hard or it can creep up under the shot
• A short-valley target cam demands honest follow-through - break form and the miss is bigger, so stay in the shot to the wall