Compound Bow Comparator

The Bear Persist is a machined-aluminum hunting flagship that trades the last ounce of weight savings for a shot that is genuinely silent and dead in the hand. At a $1,249.99 launch MSRP it sits a clear step below the Mathews and Hoyt flagship tier while delivering the things that actually matter on a treestand: 89.7 dB of shot noise, minimal hand shock, and a four-position let-off that lets you hold light for a long sit or add weight for a windy one. Real chronograph numbers back the 340 fps IBO honestly - 334 to 335 fps with a 350-grain arrow at a 30-inch, 70-pound setup - and the fully integrated riser makes a clean, snag-free build the default rather than an upgrade. What I keep coming back to is how still it holds and how little you feel at the shot; the heft that shows on a scale is the reason. An excellent bow for the sit-and-wait treestand hunter who prizes a silent, motionless shot and deep tunability, particularly strong at measured whitetail distances. Buyers prioritizing a lighter pack-in for mobile, run-and-gun hunting should also look at the Persist 33's longer, steadier platform or a lighter flagship like the Mathews Phase4 29. Read full review...

The Phase4 29 launched at $1,199 as the more accessible, compact half of Mathews' 2023 flagship line - the everyman's flagship, $100 under its longer sibling. What that money buys is the quietest, deadest-in-hand shot Mathews had built to that point, wrapped in a maneuverable 29-inch frame that reads 296 fps with a 443-grain hunting arrow at 70 pounds. The eight-limb Resistance Phase Damping system is the real advance here: it does not chase speed headlines, it chases silence, and it delivers. Add the SwitchWeight module's one-bow-fits-all adjustability, Bridge-Lock stabilizer integration, and a draw cycle that stays true to Mathews' smooth signature, and you have a hunting bow that does almost everything well. In my experience the stillness at the shot is what stays with you - it changes how relaxed you can be at full draw. It is an excellent bow for the treestand and ground-blind hunter who prizes a silent shot and a compact frame, and it is particularly strong in tight cover where handling beats horsepower. Buyers who want more axle length and a steadier target-style hold should also look at the Mathews Phase4 33; those chasing outright speed should look at the Bowtech SR350. Read full review...

The Mach 30 DS is the bow that pulled PSE level in the carbon-flagship fight, and it did it from an unusual angle - not by out-speeding the field but by being among the lightest carbon bows on the market, at 3.6 pounds, with a shot signature shooters rank dead-even with or ahead of Hoyt for quiet and vibration. For 2026 the new FDS cam closes the last gap, lifting the rating to 348 fps and adding effective brace height while keeping the smooth draw and immovable back wall that defined the platform, all at a $1,799 launch MSRP that sits under the comparable Hoyt carbon. Real-world hunting velocity is genuinely there - the outgoing EC2 cam already put a 425-grain shaft past 300 fps at a 30-inch draw, and the FDS cam is rated quicker still. The trade-offs are honest and small: a short brace that asks for clean form, and a featherweight mass that likes a touch of stabilizer weight to plant the shot. It is an excellent bow for the backcountry and mobile hunter who wants carbon's light carry and cold-weather warmth in a compact 30-inch frame, and it is particularly strong as a heavy-poundage elk setup that never feels heavy to pack. Buyers who want the same platform with more built-in forgiveness at distance should look at the longer Mach 33 DS or Mach 35 DS; those who don't specifically need carbon should weigh the Mathews Phase4 29 and keep the difference. Read full review...

• One of the quietest shots in the class at 89.7 dB, and dead in the hand - the Killer Wave limb and in-riser dampeners kill vibration before you feel it
• Deep tunability from the EKO cam - four-position let-off from 75 to 90 percent plus rotating-module draw length, with a fully adjustable roller cable guard
• Fully integrated riser - IMS rest dovetail, Picatinny sight mount, machined-in sling and pull-up rope loops, and a bubble level, all built into the frame for a clean setup
• Stable and forgiving to shoot thanks to a wide 3-inch limb pocket and 2.75-inch limbs - holds a steady pin well past normal hunting range
• Ships with two interchangeable grips in the box, so most hands find a comfortable, low-torque fit without buying anything extra

• Eight-limb RPD design kills vibration at the source - the shot is muted and dead in the hand
• SwitchWeight modules set peak weight and let-off, so one bow covers 60-75 lb without new limbs
• Smooth, consistent draw that rolls over the peak into a firm, defined back wall
• Compact 29-inch axle-to-axle balances and holds steady in a treestand or ground blind
• Tunes quickly and predictably - the centered roller guard keeps cam load even

• One of the lightest carbon hunting bows on the market at 3.6 pounds - you feel it the moment you pick it up, and again on hour six of a backcountry pack-in
• Dead in the hand - quiet shot with minimal vibration, closer to a heavier flagship than a sub-4-pound bow has any right to be
• Smooth draw cycle into a rock-solid back wall you cannot flex, with adjustable let-off to tune the valley
• Carbon riser holds a neutral temperature - warm to the touch on a frozen morning, no metal bite through bare fingers
• Tunes without a press for the everyday jobs - half-inch draw changes and let-off swaps at the module, cam lean via the EZ.220 snap spacers

• Physically heavy for a 31-inch bow at 5.6 lb out of the box - steady on aim but something a run-and-gun mobile hunter may want to weigh against an ounce-counting setup
• The EKO draw is a touch stiff over the top and drops in firmly at the 90 percent setting - dialing let-off down to 80 or 85 percent softens that back-end dump

• The rubber Engage grip is polarizing - owners who dislike it can pop it off for flat side plates or an aftermarket grip
• Draw length and weight changes need a module swap and a bow press, so dial in your spec at the shop before you commit

• The compact 30-inch frame and short brace favor maneuverability and hunting ranges - shooters who live past 50 yards or want a target-length bow's forgiveness can move up to the longer Mach 33 DS or Mach 35 DS on the same platform
• At 3.6 pounds the bow can jump slightly at the shot for shooters used to a planted, heavier feel - a front stabilizer with a little mass settles it right down