Compound Bow Comparator

The Mathews V3 31 is the steady, forgiving half of the 2021 V3 platform - a 31-inch flagship that holds like a target bow, shoots like a hunting bow, and whispers like nothing else in its class. At $1,199 launch MSRP it sits squarely in the flagship field and earns its place with a dead-solid hold, a real 328 fps with a 350-grain arrow, and a roughly 96.8-decibel shot that was the quietest in more than one shooter's lineup. The Crosscentric draw is linear and feels lighter than its poundage, with a slightly deeper valley that pull-through shooters will love and butter-draw shooters should sample first. The beyond-parallel limbs leave the riser dead, and the long chassis does the aiming work so the pin simply wanders less - in my experience it is the kind of bow that quietly makes you a better shot. An excellent bow for the accuracy-minded hunter who shoots open country and a little 3D and wants forgiveness, silence, and speed in one rig. Buyers who need a more compact bow for tight timber and treestands should also look at its shorter sibling the Mathews V3 27, and those wanting the widest draw and poundage adjustability should consider the Elite Kure. Read full review...

The Hoyt Ventum Pro 33, launched at $1,349 for 2022, is the aim-first aluminum hunter - the long, forgiving member of the Ventum Pro platform for shooters who want a dead-steady hold without paying for carbon. Built on the same HBX Pro binary cam, In-Line accessory system, and VitalPoint grip as the carbon REDWRX Carbon RX-7 Ultra, it stretches the platform onto a 33-inch frame with a taller 6 3/8-inch brace, and gives up only carbon's warmth and a third of a pound for several hundred dollars of saving. Its draw cycle is the highlight: owners shooting Hoyt's whole 2022 range rank it with the RX-7 Ultra's class-best draw, building and rolling over with no hump, and the 334 fps IBO lands at a real 296 fps with a hunting arrow at 71 pounds - flat enough for the longer shots this bow is built to take. The long axle-to-axle holds the pin rock-steady, especially once a stabilizer bar is on it, and the VitalPoint grip is the rare factory grip owners keep, gripping even in heat and humidity. The honest trade-offs are small and fixable - a touch of back-wall softness and imperfect bare-bow balance that a stabilizer and 80% let-off resolve, and an aluminum riser that chills faster than carbon on a late sit. Set up with a stabilizer the way it is meant to be shot, it gave me the steady, unhurried hold that is the whole reason to reach for a long bow. An excellent bow for the long-draw archer and the open-country hunter who values a steady aim and a silky draw over the last few feet per second. Buyers who want more speed and lock-in tuning should also look at the Bowtech SR350, while those who prize maximum forgiveness and the longest draw range for less should consider the PSE EVO NXT 33. Read full review...

The Kure adapts to each shooter, without the need for a bow press, to match exactly how shooters like their rigs to feel. The 31 13/16- inch axle-to-axle is somewhat compact, while still maintaining some stability. The mass weight is a bit heavy, but the Kure carries the weight well, and never feels unbalanced or uncomfortable. For those wanting a solid performing hunting bow, the Kure is competitively priced with other flagship hunting models, and offers more customization than elite has ever provided on a hunting bow. It would be nice for Elite to offer some additional camo patterns, although the three included look great. It may take some getting used to seeing the cable in the sight picture. The bow may be too slow for some shooters, and may be too heavy for others. However, all these are personal preference items. The Kure is a flat out shooter, and that is not based on personal feeling. For those on the market for a flatout hunting bow, the Kure has a comfortable shot and is easy to hold on target. For an MSRP of $1099, the 2020 Elite Kure is worth a test shot for anyone interested in a top end hunting bow with interest in tinkering to get the desired set up personally outfitted to each shooter and their equipment. Read full review...

• Exceptionally quiet and dead in the hand - measured near 96.8 decibels, the quietest bow in more than one shooter's lineup
• Rock-steady, forgiving hold - the long extended riser aims like a big target bow yet maneuvers like a much shorter one
• Fast with real hunting energy - 342 IBO translates to 328 fps with a 350-grain arrow and over 72 ft-lbs with a heavy shaft
• Super-linear Crosscentric draw that feels remarkably light at full weight, with zero hump into the valley

• One of the smoothest draw cycles in Hoyt's 2022 line - owners rate it right alongside the carbon RX-7 Ultra's class-best draw, building and rolling over with no hard hump
• The long 33-inch axle-to-axle holds rock-steady on target, the aim-focused choice for the longer shot, and settles even more solidly with a back bar
• Same HBX Pro engine, In-Line accessory system and VitalPoint grip as the carbon RX-7 Ultra, built in aluminum for several hundred dollars less
• VitalPoint grip is high-tack and repeatable - owners report it stays planted even in heat and humidity, the rare factory grip they leave on
• Reaches a 31-inch draw across the full 40-to-80-pound range, fitting longer-draw and bigger-framed hunters a compact bow caps out before

• Newly designed cam system
• Everything is adjustable
• Compact 31 13/16 - inches axle-to-axle measurement
• Great looking finish options
• MSRP of $1099 is competitive for flagship hunting rigs

• The cable-stop wall gives a pull-through feel and a slightly deeper valley than older Mathews cams - great for a pull-through shooter, but buyers who want a rock-hard limb-stop wall should draw one first
• The 26-inch, 60-pound floor leaves out shorter-draw and lighter-poundage archers - that shooter is better served by the wider-adjusting Elite Kure

• Shot bare, the long riser carries a touch of back-wall softness and does not balance perfectly in the hand - a stabilizer and back bar (standard kit for an aim-focused bow) settle it rock-solid, and 80% let-off firms the wall
• Heavier and quicker to chill than the carbon RX-7 Ultra twin - a grip wrap or gloves handles the cold, and it is the trade for paying several hundred dollars less

• The top cable can be seen in the sight picture
• 4.6-pounds bare bow weight is a bit heavy for a compact bow