Compound Bow Comparator

The Bear Odyssey II is a discontinued 2007-2008 intermediate compound that did something most youth bows still don't: it put a machined 6061-T6 aluminum riser, compression-molded limbs and a 15-position no-press cam into a package sized for a 13-to-27-inch draw and a 40- or 50-pound peak. That construction is why it earned the "Dad's bow" comparison, and why it stretches across three or four seasons of a kid's growth instead of one. Bear's 283-287 fps rating is a youth-setup figure, not an IBO number, but on the bow it feels genuinely quick, and the 70-percent let-off keeps a new shooter steady on the pin. My one caveat is the bare shot: it carries a little hand shock and noise until you spend forty dollars on the string stop the riser is already drilled for, after which it settles noticeably. With complete examples trading around $70 to $100 used, it is one of the better-value ways to put a real compound in a young or short-draw shooter's hands. An excellent choice for the household where a growing kid or a short-draw adult will share and re-tune one bow across several seasons, particularly strong as a first genuine compound that teaches real form. Buyers who want a single bow that scales all the way to a full 70-pound adult hunting setup should also look at the Diamond Infinite Edge. Read full review...

The Bear Apprentice earned its long run by being honest about what it is: a light, durable, fully-equipped youth bow that adjusts across a 15-to-27-inch draw and a 20-to-50-pound weight range at home, no bow press required, and reaches a legal 50-pound hunting weight when the shooter is ready. It shoots gentlest in the lower two-thirds of its range where kids actually use it, ships Ready-to-Hunt in Realtree APG HD or Pink Camo at an entry-level package price, and, per repeated owner reports, holds up for years of hard backyard use. What I keep coming back to is the service life: families describe six seasons on one bow before a kid finally outgrows it, which is the whole promise of a grow-with-me design delivered. The one thing to understand going in is the coupled draw weight and draw length, so you set it up correctly for your shooter's size. An excellent first compound for the household where a young archer will grow from backyard targets to a first whitetail on the same bow, and it is particularly strong as a complete, tool-free-adjustable hunting setup on a budget. Buyers who want a single bow that stretches all the way to a full 70-pound adult draw should also look at the Diamond Infinite Edge, and those wanting a slightly larger frame or a bow-only option should look at the Bear Young Gun. Read full review...

The Diamond Infinite Edge has revolutionized the bow market. The bow is easy to shoot whether the shooter is 5-years old or 55-years old. Without a bow press, and with only a couple of wrenches, the Infinite Edge can easily be adjusted from five pounds to 70 pounds draw weight and 13" to 30" draw length making it an excellent choice for any shooter. With a speed up to 310 fps and a RTH price of only $479, this bow is definitely affordable. The dual-cam setup is not too aggressive, making it easy to draw. The 75 percent let-off makes it easy to hold on target even for the inexperienced shooter. Read full review...

• Fifteen draw-length positions from 13 to 27 inches, all changed by hand with no bow press, so one bow follows a young archer across several seasons of growth
• Built like a scaled-down adult bow: machined 6061-T6 aluminum riser, compression-molded limbs and pivoting limb pockets instead of a cast or plastic youth chassis
• Ships as a complete ready-to-shoot package: Whisker Biscuit rest, 3-pin fiber-optic sight, two-piece camo quiver and three carbon arrows
• Smooth draw for an entry compound, and a light 2.9-pound mass a smaller shooter can hold steady on target

• Draw length adjusts across 15-27 inches at home with no bow press, so one bow keeps fitting a growing kid
• Genuinely light at 2.9 pounds, easy for a small shooter to hold steady and aim
• Ships as a complete Ready-to-Hunt package that shoots straight out of the box
• Tops out at a legal 50-pound hunting weight, so it grows from the backyard to a first deer season
• Owners report years of use with the bow still tight and shooting well, strong value for the money

• Versatile to meet any archery situation
• Adjustable from five to 70# draw weight
• Draw length adjustable from 13" to 30"
• Good speed with regards to draw specs; tops out a 310 fps
• Affordable

• Some hand shock and shot noise out of the box, though the riser carries a rear boss for a string stop and adding one (around $40) noticeably calms both
• Peak weight tops out at 50 pounds and draw at 27 inches, so a taller teen heading toward full 70-pound adult hunting will eventually move up to a full-size bow like the Diamond Infinite Edge

• Draw weight and draw length are linked: the 20-pound floor exists only at the shortest 15-inch draw and climbs as you lengthen it (around 27 pounds at a 20-inch setting), so plan the setup around your shooter's size
• Not every owner loves the factory Whisker Biscuit rest, though any standard aftermarket rest drops in if you prefer a different feel

• Requires string silencers and vibration dampeners before hunting