Compound Bow Comparator

The Whitetail Maxx is the rare value bow that earns a performance reputation honestly: a flagship EKO cam, a 339 IBO rating that a chronograph backs up at 334 fps, all at a $599.99 launch price. It gives up the last slice of flagship refinement, a shot on the louder end of average and a draw that humps rather than glides, but what I keep coming back to is how little it gives up for the money, and how solid that back wall feels when you settle into it. This is a bow for the adult hunter who wants real speed and a real cam without a four-figure invoice, and who would rather spend the savings on arrows and a good rest than on polish. It is particularly strong as an all-around whitetail bow hunted hard across a season, and if you want the same bow with integrated accessory mounting, Bear's 2025 Whitetail INT is the direct follow-up. Buyers who prioritize maximum grow-with-me adjustability on a tighter budget should also look at the Diamond Edge 320, and those who want the most affordable complete kit should look at the PSE Stinger Max. 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...

• Flagship-grade EKO cam delivers near-rating speed for the tier: a 350-grain arrow clocks 334 fps at 70 lb, just 5 fps under the 339 rating
• Draw length adjusts 26-30 inches on a rotating module and let-off picks 75, 80, 85, or 90 percent, so fit changes without a bow press or new cams
• Back wall sits solid and non-spongy and the riser holds with little hand torque, which makes it forgiving and easy to aim at hunting distances
• Skeletonized riser and roller cable guard look and feel a price tier above the $599.99 launch cost, with the roller guard smoothing the draw

• 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

• Shot is about average for noise with some post-shot vibration and is not flagship-quiet; a stabilizer and added string dampening tame it, and silence-first buyers should shoot one first
• Draw cycle is not flagship-smooth, with a slight hump into the valley as the trade for near-340 speed; worth drawing in person if you are stepping off a buttery flagship cam
• The flat grip face rounds off at the edges and does not suit every hand at full draw; a flat aftermarket grip is an inexpensive drop-in fix

• 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