Compound Bow Comparator

The 2026 PSE Sicario delivers on a hard promise: a carbon speed bow that actually shoots like a hunting bow. At $1,999 launch MSRP it asks flagship money, and it earns it with the numbers that matter - 350 to 353 fps real-world velocity at a hunting-weight setup, a class-leading 3.9-pound carbon package, and a shot that comes in quiet at under 70 dB with the FDS cam taming the draw that a 357 IBO would normally inflict on you. What I keep coming back to is how civil it feels for how fast it is: the early rollover, the firm back wall, the dead-in-hand finish with a relaxed grip. It is not a beginner's bow, and the short brace and short valley mean it rewards form and punishes laziness - but that is the deal every true speed bow offers, and few offer it this lightly. An excellent bow for the experienced carbon-minded hunter who wants maximum speed in the lightest possible rig and packs miles to find game. Buyers who want a longer, more forgiving hold for unhurried shots should look at the Sicario's own longer sibling, the Sicario 35, while those prioritizing a softer price over the carbon weight savings should look at the Bowtech SR350. Read full review...

The 2022 Hoyt Carbon RX Twin Turbo is a speed bow that refuses to behave like one, and that is its whole appeal. It launched at carbon-flagship pricing and earns the tier with rare honesty on the chronograph - owners measure the mid-340s fps with a light arrow against a 350 IBO claim, and 290 to 310 fps with real hunting arrows, running 10 to 18 fps ahead of the standard RX-7. The new HBX Twin Turbo cam is the story: a rotating module that finally opens turbo speed to short-draw shooters, plus an adjustable 80% to 85% let-off the old 75% turbos never offered. What sells it in the hand is what it does not do - it does not jump, it does not buzz, and it does not get loud, shooting dead and quiet where older turbos punished you for the speed. The trade-offs are real and narrow: a draw that stacks through the last few inches and a short valley you have to stay engaged on, both of which most owners stop noticing after a break-in. The carryover RX-5 riser is its only genuine compromise, and it shoots like a Hoyt carbon flagship regardless. This is an excellent bow for the speed-focused hunter - the western archer flattening trajectory across uncertain yardage, or the short-draw shooter who was locked out of real turbo speed until now - and it is particularly strong as a fast bow you can still aim. Buyers who would rather trade that top-end speed for a more forgiving brace and an easier draw should also look at the PSE Evo NXT 33, while those cross-shopping the same 350 fps in an aluminum chassis 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...

• At 3.9 pounds bare, one of the lightest 33-inch hunting rigs you can buy - built to be carried and held, not just shot
• Genuinely top-of-class fast - real-world chronograph readings of 350-353 fps with a 350-grain arrow at 70 lb back up the 357 IBO claim
• The FDS cam rolls over early with no harsh stack, so the draw is far tamer than a 357-fps speed bow leads you to expect
• Quiet, low-vibration shot for a speed bow - measured near 70 dB with a crisp, dead-in-the-hand finish
• Textured carbon grip sits low-torque and repeatable, and the riser shows no twist at full draw even on the short brace

• Knocks on its own speed rating - owners chronograph the mid-340s fps with a light arrow, where most speed bows fall well short of their published number
• Dead in the hand and quiet for a speed bow, with none of the violent jump older Hoyt turbos were known for
• Rotating-module HBX Twin Turbo cam lets short-draw shooters run a true turbo without buying a separate cam, and the let-off adjusts between 80% and 85%
• Solid back wall that does not creep - a fast bow you can actually settle into and aim
• RX-5 carbon side-plate grip gives a low-torque, repeatable hand position owners rate among Hoyt's best

• 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

• The 5.25-inch brace runs vanes close to the rest - owners report keeping fletching under 3 inches to clear it cleanly, easy to plan for at setup
• Less forgiving of form than a tall-brace bow, with a short valley - staying engaged on the back wall and running the 85% let-off setting (the 75% feels aggressive) keeps it settled
• Fine cam-lean tuning relies on the EZ.220 snap-spacer kit (about $100, sold separately) and a bow press - only a concern if you tune your own gear

• The cam draws stiffer through the last few inches and drops quickly into a short valley you must stay engaged on - most owners say it settles after a short break-in, and setting the let-off to 80% calms the rollover for a steadier wall
• The 5 7/8-inch brace height and steeper string angle at the top of the draw reward disciplined form - shooters who want maximum forgiveness over outright speed should handle one next to a longer-brace flagship first

• 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