Compound Bow Comparator

The Hoyt Concept X 40 is Hoyt's stability specialist - a long-distance target bow built on the longest riser the company has ever machined, and it commits fully to the hold. It carries flagship money, $1,999 with standard limbs and $2,199 with the high-gloss set, and lands at the same price as the shorter Concept X 37 despite being visibly more bow. It answers with a 32.5-inch riser that sits dead-still, wide TXL limbs that make it ridiculously hard to torque, an SCTR cam whose let-off tunes in 2.5% steps, and a full 30-inch draw off the standard module. Its 327 fps is rated to Hoyt's stricter ATA standard, so it is quicker than the number suggests. In my experience the long riser and torque-proof limbs do exactly what they promise - the aim plants itself and the bow shoots dead in the hand - and it asks only for an honest release in return. An excellent choice for the outdoor field and FITA archer who values length and hold above all; shorter-draw shooters should look at the Hoyt Concept X 37, and those who want the quietest dead hold should also consider the Mathews TRX 40. Read full review...

The Mathews TRX 40 is the target bow for the archer who decides the trade in favor of the hold - the known-distance, field, and long-range 3D shooter who would rather have a rock-steady aim than a bow that swings fast. Launched at $1,849, it pairs an up-to-329 fps IBO rating with the smooth, humpless C3X draw and the dead-in-hand shot that is the Mathews signature, all wrapped around the longest, heaviest, most forgiving frame in the TRX target line: 40 inches axle-to-axle, a 7-inch brace, and 4.93 pounds of dead-straight riser. What I keep coming back to is how still it holds - come to full draw, settle on the mark, and the pin simply parks and stays. The two-mod let-off system lets a shooter pick between the higher-holding 70V and the firmer, slightly faster 80%, both available in every draw length, and the top-hat tuning stays put once it is set. It is a bare bow at that price, so budget for a rest, sight, scope, and bars on top. An excellent bow for known-distance and long-range target archers who want the steadiest possible hold in a compact-brand, no-compromise platform, and it is particularly strong for the long-draw shooter set at 31 or 32 inches. Buyers who want more speed and a quicker-swinging bow should look at the shorter TRX 36, and those prioritizing maximum brace-height forgiveness or an adjustable let-off should also weigh the Hoyt Invicta 40 SVX and the Bowtech Reckoning 38. Read full review...

The Echelon 39 is fully redesigned, basically from scratch, and the end result is an outstanding piece of equipment. This bow shoots like a dream, and has enough customization options to meet the exact demands of every shooter on the market in 2018. Shooters historically off the Elite band wagon in the past based on the high let-offs and solid back wall can now opt for lower let-offs and a cable stop feel for the back wall. There are three stabilizer mounting holes, 8 finish options, a new cam, a new grip, and a newly designed cable containment system, which aides in tuning the entire bow. Everything about the Echelon 39 screams shooter, and when given a test shot, it becomes very evident why some many people in the target world have taken the Elite challenge and never looked back. For anyone on the market for a 39-inch axel-to-axel target bow, the Echelon should get a long hard look, because it is one of the best shooting target bows on the market in 2018. The price tag is high, but so are the list of features and customization options available. Read full review...

• Built on the longest riser Hoyt has ever produced - a 32.5-inch machined riser that plants the bow rock-still at full draw
• Wide TXL limb stance makes it ridiculously hard to torque left or right, the core of its accuracy at distance
• SCTR cam tunes let-off in 2.5% steps (65/70/75%, or 67.5/72.5/77.5% with the Tweener mod) to dial holding weight exactly
• Dead-in-hand and quiet at the shot, yet still gives a clean forward response rather than a lifeless thud
• Reaches a full 30-inch draw and holds like a longer bow, with class-leading Hoyt gloss finishes in ten riser colors

• Dead-in-the-hand shot with no felt vibration, thanks to the front-mounted 3D damping and a dead-straight riser
• Long, stiff 40-inch bridged riser that parks the pin and holds rock-steady for known-distance and long 3D
• Smooth, humpless C3X draw that stayed easy to pull to the back wall through a long practice session
• Two let-off mods in every draw length - the 70V for a higher hold, the 80% for a firm wall and a hair more speed
• Top-hat cam tuning locks in and stays put, so once it is paper-tuned it holds through a long tournament season

• Forgiving platform with a 39-inch axel-to-axel measurement
• New caged riser, great feeling grip, new cable containment system, and cams
• Adjustability and customization in the draw cycle to create a feel shooters want
• Custom draw stops gives shooters the exact feel they want at the back wall
• Some cool target colors available

• Cam movement is shim-based and limited - big windage corrections lean on rest and sight rather than the cam, so plan tuning around that
• Hoyt rates speed by the stricter ATA standard, so 327 fps reads slower than a rival's IBO number - compare like-for-like, not the headline

• The 70V mod runs a soft, spongy valley with no solid back wall by design - shooters wanting a firm wall should choose the 80% mod, which also gains a couple fps
• The C3X draws a touch aggressive for a target bow, and some owners find the rounded Engage grip easy to torque - the factory flat side plates pop in as a simple fix

• Suggested retail price of $1399 is steep for some, although this is comparable to other target bows
• It would be nice to see limbs other than black available