Compound Bow Comparator

At a $999.99 launch MSRP held across both 2022 and 2023, the Bear Refine EKO delivered a full flagship feature set - the EKO cam's four press-free let-off positions, the enhanced Vibration Reduction System, new KillerWave limb dampeners, the AlignLok riser level, and two included grips - on a long, forgiving 33-inch aluminum frame that undercut the eleven-to-thirteen-hundred-dollar flagships of its day. The 342 fps IBO rating translates to a real 298 to 303 fps with 400-to-434 grain hunting arrows, plenty for whitetail, mule deer, and hog out to honest hunting ranges. What sets the bow apart is not speed but stability: the long axle-to-axle and tall brace plant the pin, the GRIZgrip seats the hand the same way every draw, and the selectable let-off lets one bow fit a spot shooter who wants a crisp 75 percent or an older hunter who wants to hold at 90. In my hands the standout was how dead-still it settles after the shot - quiet, around 90 dB, with almost no hand shock for a bow this fast. Discontinued after 2023 and mechanically identical across both years, it is a strong used-market buy today for an archer who values a forgiving hold and a quiet shot over chart-topping fps. An excellent bow for the long-draw archer and the open-country hunter who aims for the longer shot, particularly strong for the patient hunter who holds at full draw waiting for a deer to clear. Buyers who want the same feature set in a compact, maneuverable package should look at the Bear Redemption EKO, while those who want an integrated accessory system and will pay a premium for it should consider the Hoyt Ventum Pro 33. Read full review...

At a $999.99 launch MSRP, the Bear Redemption EKO delivered a flagship's feature set - the EKO cam's four selectable let-off positions, an all-new Vibration Reduction System, the Align-Lok built-in level, and two included grips - in a maneuverable 31-inch aluminum package that undercut most flagships of its day. The 342 fps IBO rating translates to a real-world 288 to 301 fps with typical 400-to-460 grain hunting arrows, which is plenty for whitetail and hog out to normal hunting ranges. What sets it apart is not raw speed but control: the press-free adjustability across let-off, draw length, and draw weight means one bow fits a wide range of shooters and shooting styles. In my hands the standout was how quiet and dead the shot felt for a bow this fast, with the 90% let-off letting me hold at full draw almost indefinitely. Carried across 2021 and 2022 with identical specs, it is a strong used-market buy today for a hunter who values adjustability and a quiet shot over chart-topping fps. An excellent bow for the hunter who wants selectable let-off and flagship refinement without flagship money, and particularly strong for an older or patient hunter who holds at full draw waiting for the shot. Buyers who want the same speed in a slimmer, cheaper package should look at the Bear Inception, and those who need maximum draw adjustability for a growing shooter should look at the Bowtech Amplify. 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...

• Long 33-inch frame and 6 3/8-inch brace settle the pin for a steady, forgiving hold on the longer shot
• Selectable 75 to 90 percent let-off set with a wrench, no bow press - dial your own holding weight at full draw
• Dead-in-hand, quiet shot measured around 90 dB from the enhanced VRS dampers and KillerWave limb pads
• Smooth draw that rolls into a rock-solid wall when you run the limb stop instead of the cable stop
• GRIZgrip nudges the hand into a repeatable, low-torque position, and the slim VersaGrip still ships in the box

• Four selectable let-off settings (75, 80, 85, 90%) and a 26-to-30 inch draw range, both changed with a wrench and no bow press
• Quiet, low-vibration shot - the revised Vibration Reduction System and limb dampeners leave little in the hand, noticeably deader than the prior Status EKO
• Deep valley and a firm back wall - set at 90% let-off the hold weight drops far enough to wait out a slow buck at full draw
• Light and maneuverable at 4.1 pounds on a 31-inch frame, yet the long riser settles and holds steady on target
• Two grips in the box - a slim low-torque VersaGrip and a fuller NaroGrip - on a flat back that squares up center-shot setup

• 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

• At the top 90 percent setting the hold can feel almost too light to control - dialing to 80 or 85 percent on the EKO module restores holding weight and a crisper break, no press needed
• Quiet but not the quietest bow Bear built - some owners notice a touch more sound than their other rigs, and a heavier 480 to 500 grain hunting arrow settles it further

• Some owners note a firm peak and a slight hump as the EKO cam rolls over into the wall - the trade for 342-class speed; a higher let-off setting and a deliberate draw settle it
• One hands-on owner reported a faint creak from the cable guard on the draw - not echoed elsewhere; a quick check of the roller glides and serving is an easy fix if it shows up on your unit

• 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