Compound Bow Comparator

The Bear Adapt is the value single cam that quietly set the template for Bear's Hunting Public line. Launched at $459.99 for the bow only in 2022 as The Hunting Public's own design, it delivered a genuinely smooth draw, a quiet sub-96 dB shot, and a back-wall choice - rock-solid limb stop or softer cable stop, with a 75-percent hold on tap - that the class simply did not offer. Real-world speed is honest rather than headline: 278 fps with a normal 400-grain hunting arrow at 70 pounds, with enough energy for any North American game. Its 24 to 31 inch draw range and two 15-pound weight modules make it one of the best one-bow-fits-the-family choices Bear has built, and the Bear Paw grip it introduced was good enough that the flagship line adopted it. In my experience it is the kind of bow a shooter buys expecting a budget compromise and keeps because nothing about the shot feels like one. An excellent bow for the value-minded bowhunter or the household that needs one adjustable, quiet hunter to serve several shooters, and it is particularly strong from a treestand where the silent shot pays off. Buyers who want the widest possible draw-weight range for a young beginner should also look at the Diamond Provider, and anyone wanting the current-generation version with IMS and Picatinny mounting should step up to the Adapt 2. Read full review...

Diamond Archery is known for making a large range of compounds, from their extremely adjustable series to their mainline and flagship models alike. Their new-for-2016 Provider continues this lineup with a beneficial single cam setup to allow for ease of adjustment as well as providing tuning longevity, plus it features a very forgiving brace height and a reasonable overall IBO of 310fps. For roughly half the price (and nearly half the overall weight) of a flagship model at a $499 MSRP, any archer would be happy with a setup with such adjustability, assortment of features, and specs to fit the needs of a reliable hunting rig. Read full review...

For a fully set up bow, with a package price of $449, it is really hard to beat a rig like the Stinger Max. Although entry level models are often geared toward a younger shooter, PSE was conscious in making the Stinger Max available to all ages and shooter sizes. Almost anyone in the bow market can be set up to fit in the 30-inch axle-to-axle rig, and the single cam draw force curve is amazing for those just getting started in the world of archery. The Stinger Max shoots well, but when considering the value, the Stinger Max really shines. PSE also did a great job giving the bow enough finish options to meet the entire range of potential buyers offering patterns for anyone and any purpose. Anyone interested in getting started in archery with a frill less bow, at a great price, needs to seriously consider the PSE Stinger Max. It may be one of the best values in the compound bow market for 2020. Read full review...

• Quiet, dead-in-hand shot - a hunting-weight arrow reads under 96 dB with only a faint puff of post-shot vibration that never travels into the riser
• Rare back-wall choice for a single cam - an ovalized limb stop delivers a rock-solid wall, or run it inward to shoot closer to 75 percent let-off for a firmer hold
• Genuinely tunable without a bow press - three exposed screws handle the cable stop, module and limb stop, and the single cam sidesteps the timing dance of a two-cam bow
• Fits a whole household - a 24 to 31 inch draw span plus two 15-pound weight modules covers a short-draw teenager and a 70-pound adult on one bow
• Bear Paw grip debuts here - an over-molded rubber grip that stays warm in the cold, sits low and repeatable in the palm, and pops off with two Allen screws

• Highly adjustable draw weight range for a mainline bow
• Easytotune and adjust single cam system
• Lightweight and easy to shoot

• A redesign of a popular model from previous years
• 2 limb options cover a draw weight range of 22-70-pounds
• Has an accessory package
• Decent starter bow for any shooter

• Heavier than the sheet says - Bear lists 3.9 pounds but it weighs about 4.4 out of the box; pulling the grip and limb dampeners drops it back toward 4.2 for shooters chasing a lighter carry
• Some shooters will feel a slight hump at the back of the draw - the price of pulling 320 fps from a single cam; running the ovalized limb stop inward softens the hold if you accept a hair less draw length

• Plastic grip / components
• Slower IBO of 310fps

• Does not have any flagship model technology
• Not the best accessories in the package