Compound Bow Comparator

The Mathews Lift RS is the compact bow that refuses to behave like one. At a $1,399 launch MSRP it delivers the full 2025 Lift X platform - press-free Limb Shift tuning, redesigned ARC7 limbs, deep Bridge-Lock integration - in a 27.75-inch, 3.92-pound package that is among the lightest and most maneuverable hunting bows made, then backs it with real speed: 312 fps with a 434-grain arrow at a 28-inch draw, up to a rated 353 fps. What I keep coming back to is how well it aims for its size - the short-bow reputation for twitchiness simply does not show up on the target, where it prints tight groups out to 60 yards. The two-limb-set design quietly makes it one bow for a wide range of shooters, from an 80-pound hunting setup down to a 41-pound short-draw configuration that finally gives smaller-framed and younger archers a real Lift riser. The only firm rule is the 29-inch draw ceiling - measure honestly before you buy. An excellent bow for the saddle hunter, the box-blind whitetail chaser, and the short-draw archer who wants compact speed without compromise, particularly strong for tight-quarters treestand work. Buyers who draw longer should look at the Lift X 33, and those who want a longer, heavier bow with maximum dead-in-hand calm should also look at the Hoyt Ventum Pro 30. Read full review...

The Hoyt Ventum Pro 30, launched at $1,249 for 2022, is the bow that quietly argues you do not need carbon to get the carbon-flagship feel. Built on the same HBX Pro binary cam, In-Line accessory system, VitalPoint grip, and hunting finishes as the carbon REDWRX Carbon RX-7, it trades the first-ever carbon riser for a machined aluminum one and a half-pound of mass - and gives up surprisingly little for the saving. The HBX Pro cam delivers a 342 fps IBO rating that lands at real hunting-arrow speeds from 274 to 300 fps depending on shaft weight, a smooth no-creep draw, and a selectable 80/85% let-off you change with one screw. The shot is the highlight: zero hand shock and a measured 80-to-81-decibel report that put it among the quietest bows of its year, and the new VitalPoint grip is the rare factory grip owners actually keep on. The honest trade-offs are real but small - a back wall softer than a hard binary stop that firms up at 80% let-off, and an aluminum riser that chills faster than carbon on a late sit. Set those against everything that stays the same, and to my mind the aluminum makes the carbon premium look optional. 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-7, while those who prize Mathews silence and module-based draw-weight changes should also consider the Mathews V3X 29. 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...

• Genuinely fast for its size - real chronograph readings hit 312 fps with a 434-grain arrow at a 28-inch draw, rare speed for a 27.75-inch bow
• Extremely compact and light at 3.92 pounds, among the lightest bows made, ideal for saddle hunting, treestands, and tight box blinds
• Groups tightly at distance despite the short 27.75-inch frame and 5.5-inch brace - holds well and prints small groups out to 60 yards
• Two limb sets widen the fit - lightweight 41 to 60-pound limbs bring youth, women, and short-draw adults onto a full Lift riser; standard limbs reach 80 pounds
• Press-free Limb Shift tuning gets a bare bow to a bullet hole with a wrench, no bow press needed

• Same shooting engine as the carbon RX-7 - identical HBX Pro cam, VitalPoint grip, In-Line system and 342 IBO - built in aluminum for several hundred dollars less
• Dead in the hand - owners consistently report no felt vibration, the riser settling instantly after the shot
• Quiet shot signature, measured at 80-81 dB on a meter, putting it among the hushed bows of Hoyt's 2022 line
• VitalPoint grip is tacky and thin, locks the hand in a repeatable spot, and stays warm where the old hard plastic grip went cold
• Let-off switches between 80% and 85% with one screw inside each module, so the same bow stays legal in states that cap it at 80%

• 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

• Draw length caps at 29 inches - a hard fit boundary, so longer-draw shooters should step up to the Lift X 33 or the long-draw Lift XD instead
• The BOND grip is hand-fit dependent - some shooters love it, others prefer a flatter aftermarket grip like the UltraView B-Real 2.0, so try the three profiles first
• Slightly livelier in the hand after the shot than the longer, heavier Lift models - a normal trade for a sub-4-pound compact, and a heavier stabilizer setup settles it

• Back wall carries a touch of the familiar Hoyt softness rather than a concrete stop - release-aimers who want a hard wall can firm it up by setting let-off to 80%, though most hunters find it comfortable as-is
• A half-pound heavier and quicker to chill than the carbon RX-7 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