Compound Bow Comparator

The Mathews Atlas is a purpose-built answer to a question the industry ignored for years: what does a real flagship hunting bow look like for an archer with a 32 to 34 inch draw? At its $1,349 launch price it delivers a long 34.75 inch axle-to-axle chassis, a forgiving 7.75 inch brace height, and a published IBO up to 350 fps - a figure it earns from a long power stroke, translating to a measured 306 fps at a 30 inch, 70 lb, 350 grain setup and comfortable hunting-speed numbers with heavy arrows. What the spec sheet cannot show is how it shoots: the Crosscentric cam smooths out on this long chassis, the back wall is firm and secure, and the 3D damping makes it one of the quietest bows on the market. Every time I come back to it, the same thing stands out - the pin sits still and the shot vanishes, a rare combination on a bow this large. It is not the fastest bow at an average draw length, and its size asks something of the shooter who carries it, but those are the trade-offs of a tool built for a specific archer. An excellent bow for the long-draw hunter who values fit, forgiveness, and silence over an IBO headline, and one that is particularly strong from a treestand or ground blind where a quiet, steady shot matters most. Buyers at a more conventional draw length who prioritize speed and press-free tuning should also look at the Bowtech SR350, while those wanting a similar forgiving platform from another flagship brand should consider the Hoyt Ventum Pro 33. 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...

At a $1,299 launch MSRP, the Bowtech SR350 is a flagship-tier hunting bow that delivers genuine 350-class speed without the punishing draw that usually comes with it - 342 fps with a light arrow in Performance, 300 fps with a real hunting shaft, and a dead-in-hand 96.9 dB shot that belies the velocity. Its two best tricks are the FlipDisc, which turns one bow into a smooth 85% hunter or a faster speed rig with a flip of a module, and DeadLock, which lets you tune the cams square with an Allen key at your own bench. In my experience the combination is what makes it stick: a fast bow you can actually live with and actually tune yourself is rarer than the spec sheet suggests. The narrow Clutch grip and the late Performance-mode hump are real characteristics to know going in, but both have easy answers - feel the grip first, and shoot Comfort mode or back the weight down if you want all-day ease. It is an excellent bow for the do-it-yourself hunter who wants top-end speed and a forgiving 33-inch platform in the same package, and it is particularly strong for the shorter-draw shooter that most speed bows leave out. Buyers who would trade a few fps for a more forgiving brace height should also look at the PSE EVO NXT 33, and those who prioritize the quietest possible shot should consider the Mathews V3X 33. Read full review...

• Purpose-built for long-draw archers - the 29.5 to 34 inch range and open string angle finally fit tall shooters who have been adapting target bows for years
• One of the quietest hunting bows out there - the 3D damping makes the shot nearly silent, ideal for ground blinds and close treestand encounters
• Big 7.75 inch brace height and long riser make it exceptionally forgiving and steady, with owners routinely driving tacks out to 40 yards
• Balances almost on its own - the long, heavy chassis settles in the hand with minimal stabilizer, a clear step up from Mathews' shorter hunting bows
• Switchweight modules shift peak weight from 60 to 75 lb in 5 lb steps, so you can keep the limbs maxed for the cleanest tune and set weight at the module

• 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

• Press-free DeadLock tuning - a turn of an Allen key drives each cam left or right to chase out a paper tear, no bow press needed
• FlipDisc gives two bows in one - flip the module to a smooth 85% hunting draw or a faster Performance draw on the same chassis
• Real-world speed lands close to the 350 IBO rating - 342 fps with a 350-grain arrow in Performance, 300 fps with a 400-grain hunting shaft
• Dead in the hand for a speed bow - repositioned Orbit dampeners pull noise and vibration down to a level most flagships envy
• Clutch grip is thin, flat-backed and modular, with an alignment channel that makes hand placement repeatable shot to shot

• Some owners aren't fond of the stock Engage grip - dropping in Mathews' own side plates or an aftermarket grip is a cheap, common swap that changes the feel entirely
• It makes its speed from a long draw, so a shooter under about 30 inches gives up fps here and is usually happier on a shorter, more conventional flagship

• 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

• In Performance mode the draw builds a noticeable hump rolling into the valley - shooters who want all-day smoothness can flip to Comfort or drop a few pounds of peak weight
• The Clutch grip is narrow - most owners like it, but bigger-handed shooters used to a fuller grip may want to feel it first; the modular angles and aftermarket grips solve it