Compound Bow Comparator

The Bowtech Justice is the value entry to a real Bowtech: a $1,099 launch-price hunting bow that trades flagship tuning hardware for proven binary-cam engineering and delivers the brand's signature quiet, low-vibration shot. It is not a speed bow - hunting-arrow speeds sit in the 250-to-275 fps range against a 326-fps IBO - but that was never the point. The point is a forgiving 6.875-inch brace, a light 4.3-pound mass, a grip that ranks with the best in the class, and a FlipDisc draw you can flip from comfort to performance on your own terms. What I keep coming back to is how little this bow gives up in the way it actually shoots: sit behind it and the calm, dead-in-the-hand release feels like bows costing far more. Tuning is the traditional shim-and-press route rather than a DeadLock cam, and the fixed grip has no swappable options - value trade-offs a hunter is far likelier to accept than a target shooter. Bowtech has since replaced it with the Solution LS, but the Justice remains a lot of genuine Bowtech for the money on the used and closeout market. An excellent bow for the whitetail hunter who wants a premium-brand feel and a treestand-friendly, quiet shot without flagship spending, particularly strong as a comfortable, forgiving deer-woods setup. Buyers prioritizing the lowest possible entry price should also look at the Hoyt Torrex, while those who want more tuning adjustability at the same money should look at the Elite Kure. Read full review...

The Hoyt Torrex is one of the most capable bows you can buy for under $600 - a $599 bow-only ($699 ready-to-hunt) value hunter that borrows the X-Act grip and Cam & 1/2 system from Hoyt's carbon flagships and only gives up the things a hunter rarely misses: a machined riser and aluminum limb pockets. The numbers back the feel, with hunting-weight arrows chronographing in the high-260s to low-290s fps at 70 pounds and 74-plus foot-pounds of energy behind them, all in a light 3.8-pound package that draws clean and holds easy at 80-percent let-off. What I keep coming back to is how little the Torrex actually concedes - the grip is a flagship grip, the cam is a flagship cam, and the shot is quiet and low in vibration in a way that embarrasses its price. It is an excellent bow for the first-time serious buyer and the family looking to share one dependable hunting rig across draw lengths and seasons, particularly strong as a treestand and ground-blind whitetail setup. Buyers chasing more speed and refinement should look at the Torrex XT in the same family; buyers who want the widest adjustment range for the least money should also look at the PSE Stinger Max. 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...

• Quiet, low-vibration shot - Orbit Dampeners settle the riser fast and the bow shoots dead in the hand
• FlipDisc comfort-to-performance modules flip the draw from smooth to aggressive, adding a few fps with no module to buy
• Comfortable low-torque grip that shooters rank with the best in the class, right alongside an Elite
• Forgiving 6.875-inch brace and a light 4.3-pound mass make it an easy bow to hold steady from a treestand
• Proven Bowtech binary-cam build with a dry-fire-resistant limb design, at the entry price of the 2024 lineup

• Carries Hoyt's Cam & 1/2 and the RX-1-derived X-Act grip on a sub-$600 chassis, giving repeatable hand placement and a clean, easy-drawing platform
• Smooth draw that rolls into a firm cable-stop back wall and settles solid once the cams come over the top
• Strong real-world speed for the tier - high-260s to low-290s fps with hunting-weight arrows at 70 pounds
• Light 3.8-pound bare weight, with tool-only draw-length changes that need no bow press
• Quiet, low-vibration shot for a budget bow, with hand shock many owners rate below far pricier Hoyts

• 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

• No DeadLock cam or yoke tuning here - tuning is the traditional shim-and-press route, so shooters who want click-adjust flagship tuning should step up to the Core SR
• Fixed riser grip with no interchangeable-grip system - owners who like swapping grip shapes can fit an aftermarket grip or side plates to dial in the feel
• Tuned for comfort over raw speed, so hunting-arrow speeds land in the mid-250s to high-270s fps - buyers chasing maximum flat-shooting range may want a faster flagship

• The X-Act grip's slick plastic surface divides owners - a few dollars of grip tape gives a more secure hold for cold or wet hands
• Short valley means the bow wants you to stay on the back wall, so shooters prone to creeping should settle in deliberately

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