Compound Bow Comparator

The Bear Frontier RTS arrives at $219.99 launch MSRP as the entry tier of Bear's 2026 youth lineup - a 26-inch axle-to-axle dual-cam bow with a 14-to-25-inch draw length range, 15-to-29-pound draw weight, 65 percent let-off, and a complete Ready-to-Shoot accessory bundle. The headline performance number is the 11 inches of draw-length adjustability, which is what makes this a bow a family buys once and uses for 4 to 6 years rather than a starter that gets outgrown in a season. The 2.9-pound mass weight keeps practice sessions from ending in arm fatigue; the offset string suppressor takes the edge off the post-shot ring at this price tier where the simpler bows ship bare. In my experience the dual-cam draw is genuinely smoother than what Bear's lower-tier Brave and Pathfinder deliver, and the back wall is firm enough for a young archer to learn to anchor against. An excellent first compound for the 8-to-14 age window, particularly strong for households where a kid will grow through the draw range over multiple seasons. Buyers prioritizing the wider draw-weight ceiling that supports hunting should also look at the Bear Limitless RTH or step up directly to the Bear Shootout RTH; buyers prioritizing the lowest entry price within Bear's youth lineup should also look at the Bear Pathfinder; cross-brand shoppers in the same tier should consider the PSE Mini-Burner. Read full review...

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The PSE Mini Burner XT is an upgrade to an older youth bow, but offers more draw length adjustment, and the option of a 50# limb set, which equals about 10 fps more. Although PSE offers this rig with the option of 20#, 29#, 40#, and 50# limbs, the 50# limb set offers draw weight adjustments from 10# - 50#, making it the best value overall. The bow can be set to approximately 4# draw weight with the 20# limbs, but the string is has almost no tension on it. With a 26 1/2" ATA, 7 1/2" brace height, and a lot of adjustability, this is a very nice bow to start the youngster out on. Set at 50# draw weight and 28" draw length, this "youth" bow can send an arrow downrange at a very nice 276 fps. Read full review...

• Draw length adjusts across an 11-inch range from 14 to 25 inches - the same bow fits an 8-year-old at 14 inches and a 13-year-old at 25 inches, covering 4-6 years of growth without buying a second bow
• Ready-to-Shoot package ships with a Trophy Ridge 3-pin sight, Whisker Biscuit rest, 2-arrow quiver, and 2 carbon arrows pre-matched to the draw range - a first-time buyer opens the box and shoots that afternoon
• Dual-cam system is uncommon at the sub-$250 youth tier - Bear's lower-tier Brave and Pathfinder run simpler single-cam-and-idler layouts, while the Frontier inherits a synchronized dual-cam configuration normally reserved for higher tiers
• Bow mass of 2.9 pounds keeps the bow easy to hold up for a young shooter learning consistent form - fatigue ends a practice session faster than missing a target does, and a lighter bow lengthens the session
• Offset string suppressor reduces post-shot vibration and noise - a quieter, less buzzy shot is easier on a new shooter's hands and less startling, which matters more for first-bow learning than headline IBO numbers

• Affordable
• Lots of adjustability

• Peak draw weight tops out at 29 pounds - below the 35-40 pound minimum most states require for big-game hunting, making this a target and recreation bow rather than a hunting tool; hunters can step up to Bear's Shootout RTH

• Multiple limb sets necessary to meet full adjustment capabilities