Compound Bow Comparator

At a $449.99 launch MSRP for the full factory-rigged Ready-to-Hunt package, the Cruzer G3 is the generation that finally made Bear's grow-with-you idea friction-free: the MV1 DrawDial covers 14 to 30 inches and 10 to 70 pounds from the modules already on the bow, 75% let-off keeps the full 70 pounds comfortable at anchor, and the 315 fps IBO and compact 30-inch axle-to-axle keep it quick and maneuverable for practical hunting. Bear does not publish a mass weight for the G3 - the closely-related G2 sits at 3.1 pounds and a dealer lists the G3 the same - but in the hand I found it light and easy to point. What sells this bow is not any single number; it is that one platform, under $500, honestly fits a child and a full-grown hunter and everyone in between, and ships ready to shoot. It is an excellent bow for the shared household and the first-serious-bow buyer, particularly strong for spot-and-stalk hunters who value a compact, easy-swinging setup. Buyers who want the most forgiving long-riser hold should also look at the Diamond Edge 320, and shooters who prefer the newer, even more compact chassis can step up to Bear's own Cruzer G4. Read full review...

The Diamond Edge 320 earned its place as one of the best-selling grow-with-you hunting bows of its run for a simple reason: it does more things well at once than a $449 launch price has any right to. It is the longest and steadiest-aiming bow in Diamond's Edge family, adjusts across a class-leading 7-to-70-pound weight range and 15-to-31-inch draw entirely without a press, and holds a high 85 percent let-off for a light, long aim. The Synchronized Binary Cam System delivers real speed to match the name - a true 320 fps at the top setting and 309 at the 30-inch IBO mark on a chronograph - and the shot is quiet and calm in the hand in a way that usually costs more. What I keep coming back to is how little this bow asks of the shooter: an even draw, a wall that holds, a light hold, and a clean release, all on a frame forgiving enough to teach good form. Produced from 2019 to 2022 and now found on the used and closeout market, it was succeeded by the current Diamond Pro 320, so the platform lives on. It is an excellent bow for the grow-with-you household, the beginner who wants a bow they will not outgrow, and the value hunter who still wants genuine speed and a steady frame. Buyers who need to start a smaller, lighter beginner should also look at the Bear Legit Maxx, and those who prefer a tall, forgiving brace at the same tier should look at the PSE Stinger MAX. 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...

• One bow that spans a whole family - the DrawDial module rotates through the full 14 to 30 inch draw range and 10 to 70 pounds with nothing but an Allen key
• Ships as a complete Trophy Ridge kit that genuinely shoots out of the box once the draw length is set at the shop
• Comfortable 75% let-off - even a first-time archer can hold and shoot it drawing the full 70 pounds
• Compact 30-inch axle-to-axle that stays easy to swing and carry for spot-and-stalk in tight timber

• The name is the speed and it nearly holds up - 320 fps IBO on paper, and a real chronograph reads 320 at the top draw setting and 309 at the 30-inch mark, fast enough for any whitetail range
• One bow spans a child to a grown hunter - 7 to 70 pounds and 15 to 31 inches, all set on the limb bolts and a rotating module with an Allen wrench, no press required
• Smooth draw into a back wall that holds - the cam rises evenly to peak and settles into a wall firm enough to anchor against, easy to let down
• Quiet and dead in the hand - minimal post-shot vibration and hand shock for a budget bow, the kind of calm shot that usually costs more
• Complete R.A.K. ready-to-hunt package plus a high 85% let-off - everything to start hunting in the box and a light holding weight at full draw

• 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

• The draw-length module steps in full inches and its rear screw hides behind the cam - a helper on the string or a press eases it, and any pro shop sets it in minutes
• The factory Whisker Biscuit can fray feather-fletched arrows over time - shooters running feathers may want to switch to vanes, an inexpensive swap

• At peak weight it draws about a half-inch short of the marked length, and the 15-inch floor sits on the cam's B cable setting rather than the default A - back the draw weight off or move to the B setting and the full range opens up
• Plastic limb pockets and a barebones Tundra sight mark the price point - the whisker-biscuit rest and 3-pin sight get you hunting, but shooters who grow into the bow often swap the sight for a brighter multi-pin later

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