Compound Bow Comparator

The Hoyt REDWRX Carbon RX-7, launched at roughly $1,799 in 2022 and carried over unchanged into 2023 at about $1,849, is the carbon hunting flagship that finally fixed the weight problem - Hoyt's first 100% carbon riser drops the bare bow to 3.9 pounds while adding strength and a riser that stays warm in the cold. On a compact 30-inch frame it pairs a 342 fps IBO rating with real hunting-arrow speeds in the 272 to 320 fps band depending on shaft weight, a measured 24% quieter shot than the RX-5, and the standout VitalPoint grip that nearly everyone who shoots it singles out. In my time behind it the most striking thing is the contrast: a light, fast carbon bow that draws civilized, holds in a deep valley, and sits dead and hushed in the hand rather than buzzing the way early carbon Hoyts did. The trade-offs are honest - a firm front-end ramp before the cams roll over, and flagship-carbon pricing that asks a real premium. An excellent bow for the serious backcountry and treestand hunter who counts ounces and prizes a quiet, low-shock shot, and who already knows they want carbon. Buyers who want that same compact-flagship feel for hundreds less should also look at the Mathews V3X 29, while those who would trade a little weight for a longer, more forgiving axle-to-axle and the highest speed should consider the Bowtech SR350. Read full review...

The Mathews V3X 29 is the compact half of the 2022 V3X platform, and it fixes the one thing that divided shooters on its predecessor: the draw. At $1,199 launch MSRP it lands in the heart of the flagship class and earns the spot with a real 326 fps at 30 inches, one of the quietest shots on the market at around 93 decibels, and a smoother, more usable Crosscentric cycle than the old V3 27 ever offered. What sets it apart from the competition is the integrated accessory system - the Bridge-Lock riser that hides a dovetail sight through its center, the LowPro quiver that tucks in tight, and the Stay Afield System that lets you rescue a broken string miles from the truck. The draw still turns over into a firm, rock-solid wall, which pull-through shooters will love and softer-pull shooters can tune down with the 80% module, and the long riser's slightly top-heavy feel settles with a touch of rear weight. In my experience it is the kind of bow you stop fighting after a session and simply trust to be quiet, fast, and repeatable. An excellent bow for the mobile hunter who works tight timber, treestands, and steep western country, and a strong pick for shorter-draw shooters thanks to its 25.5-inch floor. Buyers who want a longer, steadier hold for mixed hunting and 3D should also look at its sibling the Mathews V3X 33, and those chasing maximum speed should weigh the Bowtech SR350. Read full review...

At a $1,299 launch MSRP, the Bowtech SR350 is a flagship-tier hunting bow that delivers genuine 350-class speed without the punishing draw that usually comes with it - 342 fps with a light arrow in Performance, 300 fps with a real hunting shaft, and a dead-in-hand 96.9 dB shot that belies the velocity. Its two best tricks are the FlipDisc, which turns one bow into a smooth 85% hunter or a faster speed rig with a flip of a module, and DeadLock, which lets you tune the cams square with an Allen key at your own bench. In my experience the combination is what makes it stick: a fast bow you can actually live with and actually tune yourself is rarer than the spec sheet suggests. The narrow Clutch grip and the late Performance-mode hump are real characteristics to know going in, but both have easy answers - feel the grip first, and shoot Comfort mode or back the weight down if you want all-day ease. It is an excellent bow for the do-it-yourself hunter who wants top-end speed and a forgiving 33-inch platform in the same package, and it is particularly strong for the shorter-draw shooter that most speed bows leave out. Buyers who would trade a few fps for a more forgiving brace height should also look at the PSE EVO NXT 33, and those who prioritize the quietest possible shot should consider the Mathews V3X 33. Read full review...

• VitalPoint grip is the standout - warm, rubber-textured and flat-backed, it centers hand pressure for a low-torque, repeatable hold shot after shot
• Draw firms up early then rolls cleanly over the peak into a deep, hunting-friendly valley with a solid, no-squish back wall
• Dead in the hand and very hushed at the shot - the carbon riser and dual Shock Pods leave almost no hand shock
• Light at 3.9 pounds yet it balances like a longer-axle bow, settling steady and planted at full draw
• Carbon riser stays warm to the touch on cold sits and shrugs off real field abuse owners put it through

• One of the quietest hunting bows on the market at around 93 decibels, and stone dead in the hand after the shot
• Smoother, more usable draw than the short V3 it replaces - Mathews clearly answered the complaints about the old 27-inch cycle
• Bridge-Lock sight and LowPro quiver bury the accessories into the center of the riser, cleaning up the balance and killing side-bracket weight
• Genuinely fast for a compact rig - real chronograph readings of 326 fps with a mid-weight arrow at 30 inches and 70 pounds
• Stay Afield System lets you swap a peep, string, or cables in the backcountry without a bow press

• Press-free DeadLock tuning - a turn of an Allen key drives each cam left or right to chase out a paper tear, no bow press needed
• FlipDisc gives two bows in one - flip the module to a smooth 85% hunting draw or a faster Performance draw on the same chassis
• Real-world speed lands close to the 350 IBO rating - 342 fps with a 350-grain arrow in Performance, 300 fps with a 400-grain hunting shaft
• Dead in the hand for a speed bow - repositioned Orbit dampeners pull noise and vibration down to a level most flagships envy
• Clutch grip is thin, flat-backed and modular, with an alignment channel that makes hand placement repeatable shot to shot

• Front end loads firm before the cams roll over - shooters expecting flagship-smooth from the first inch should draw one to feel the ramp
• Carbon-flagship price tier - buyers who want the same HBX Pro cam and VitalPoint grip for less can step to Hoyt's aluminum VTM or Ventum Pro

• The Crosscentric still builds firm and turns over into a defined valley with a hard cable-stop wall - shooters who want a softer pull can drop to the 80% module or a couple pounds off peak
• The long riser gives the bow a slightly top-heavy feel in hand - a rear stabilizer or low riser weight settles it, and the tucked-in LowPro quiver helps

• In Performance mode the draw builds a noticeable hump rolling into the valley - shooters who want all-day smoothness can flip to Comfort or drop a few pounds of peak weight
• The Clutch grip is narrow - most owners like it, but bigger-handed shooters used to a fuller grip may want to feel it first; the modular angles and aftermarket grips solve it