Compound Bow Comparator

The Bear Legend 30 takes the Legend line's standout trait - a DHC-XR cam that spans 14 to 70 pounds and 18 to 31 inches - and repackages it in a handier 30-inch frame with a more forgiving 6.5-inch brace, launched at $529.99 bow-only and $629.99 ready-to-hunt. It backs its 320 IBO with an honest 288 fps at a 350-grain arrow, holds a comfortable 85% let-off, and stays quiet at 97 dB, while the adjustable cable keeps it crisp even dialed way down. What I keep coming back to is the pair of upgrades over the XR - the standard roller guard and the Bear Paw grip - that make a mid-priced bow draw and hold like something dearer. An excellent bow for the household or the tight-quarters hunter who wants Legend-line range in a compact, forgiving size, particularly strong inside 40 yards from a blind or treestand. Buyers who want a longer, slightly faster version of the same platform should look at the Bear Legend XR, and those after the lowest-cost widest-range bow should also look at the Diamond Edge 320. 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...

• Same enormous 14 to 70 lb and 18 to 31 inch span as the Legend line, now in a compact 30 inch package for tight quarters
• Standard roller guard smooths the draw and cuts cable torque and wear versus a plain injection-molded cable slide
• Bear Paw grip is thin, lightly textured, and low-torque - a comfortable, repeatable hand position out of the box
• Adjustable cable keeps the draw crisp and the back wall solid at low draw weights, so backing it down does not go sloppy
• Solid, defined back wall from the wide cable stops with a comfortable 85% hold and a shot that settles quickly in the hand

• 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 shorter 30 inch axle-to-axle trades a little speed against its own longer sibling - 288 fps at 350 grains versus the 32 inch Legend XR's 299 - so max-speed buyers can size up to the Legend XR
• The hybrid-cam draw is a touch firmer than Bear's smoothest EKO and single-cam bows - the roller guard and 85% let-off ease it, and ultra-soft-pull shooters can shoot one first

• 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