Compound Bow Comparator

The Hoyt REDWRX Carbon RX-7 Ultra, launched at roughly $1,899 in 2022 and carried over unchanged into 2023, is the long-axle answer in Hoyt's carbon line - the same first-ever 100% carbon riser as the standard RX-7, stretched to a 34-inch frame with a 7-inch brace for the hunter who prizes forgiveness and a steady hold over the most compact package. On that long chassis it pairs a 334 fps IBO rating with real hunting-arrow speeds in the 295 to 315 fps band, a measured 24% quieter shot than the RX-5, and the VitalPoint grip nearly everyone who shoots it singles out. The most striking thing behind it is the generational flip: where older long Hoyts buzzed, this Ultra sits dead and hushed in the hand, drawing the smoothest of any bow many owners pulled that year and holding planted at full draw like a target rig. The trade-offs are honest - a slight back-wall sponge, the slowest IBO in Hoyt's lineup, and a carbon-flagship price - and each has its answer, from running heavier draw weight to choosing the compact standard model. An excellent bow for the taller-draw, open-country hunter who holds long and counts ounces, and who already knows they want carbon. Buyers who want that same carbon engine in a faster, more compact frame should look at the REDWRX Carbon RX-7, while those who want a long, forgiving flagship for hundreds less should consider the Mathews V3X 33. Read full review...

The Mathews V3X 33 is the steady, forgiving half of the 2022 V3X platform - a 33-inch flagship that holds like a target bow, shoots like a hunting bow, and whispers like nothing else in its class. At $1,299 launch MSRP it sits squarely in the flagship field and earns its place with a dead-solid hold, a real 301 fps with a 400-grain arrow, and a 94-decibel shot that won a professional sound test outright. The Crosscentric draw rolls over more gently than the shorter V3X 29's thanks to the added length and brace, ending against a rock-hard wall that pull-through shooters will love. 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 beyond-parallel limbs leave the riser dead, and the long chassis does the aiming work so the pin simply wanders less - in my experience it is the kind of bow that quietly makes you a better shot. An excellent bow for the accuracy-minded hunter who shoots open country and a little 3D and wants forgiveness, silence, and a centered kit in one rig. Buyers who need a more compact, faster-handling bow for tight timber and treestands should also look at its shorter sibling the Mathews V3X 29, and those wanting maximum brace-height forgiveness at a lower price should consider the PSE EVO NXT 33. 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 - flat-backed and warm, it gives the hand latitude instead of forcing one position, for a repeatable low-torque hold
• Smoothest draw of Hoyt's 2022 line - it loads without aggression, rolls through with no real hump, and settles into a forgiving valley that lets up just enough
• Dead in the hand and very quiet - owners note the Ultra finally sheds the hand shock older long-axle Hoyts carried, shooting as hushed as the Mathews flagships
• Lightest 34-inch carbon rig at 4.3 pounds - rigged out it runs about half a pound under the Mathews, and the carbon riser stays warm to bare fingers at altitude
• Long 34-inch axle-to-axle and 7-inch brace hold dead-steady at distance, and the 27 to 32-inch draw range fits the taller-draw hunter the compact RX-7 leaves out

• Won a professional decibel-meter sound test and reads near 94 decibels - about as quiet and dead-in-hand as a hunting bow gets
• Exceptionally forgiving, dead-steady hold - the 33-inch riser and 6.5-inch brace let the pin float and settle like a target bow
• Smoother draw than the shorter V3X 29, thanks to the added length and brace height rolling the cam over more gently
• Bridge-Lock sight and LowPro quiver pull the accessories into the center of the riser, cleaning up balance and clearing side brackets
• Stay Afield System lets you replace 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

• Back wall carries a slight sponge with a faint recovery at the very tail - mild and most owners stay engaged through it, but flagship limb-stop-wall shooters may want to draw one first
• Carbon-flagship price tier and the slowest IBO of Hoyt's 2022 line - running an 80-pound build recovers speed, and buyers who want the same cam and grip for less can step to the compact RX-7 or Hoyt's aluminum VTM

• The long riser gives the bow a slightly top-heavy feel some owners notice - a rear stabilizer or low riser weight balances it, and the tucked-in LowPro quiver helps
• The 27-inch draw floor and longer, heavier chassis leave out shorter-draw archers and tight-quarters treestand hunters - that shooter is better matched to the compact V3X 29

• 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