Compound Bow Comparator

The Carbon RX-10 Ultra is the 2026 carbon flagship stretched to 33 1/2 inches for hunters who already know a longer bow aims better for them, at a $2,199 launch MSRP. Its headline for the year isn't speed or geometry - both carry over from the RX-9 Ultra - but XTS, Hoyt's first press-free tuning system, which cleans up left/right and high/low tears up to about an inch with an Allen key. The performance is there to back the hold: about 324 fps at 30 inches, 70 pounds, and a 350-grain arrow, dead in the hand with no bare-bow vibration, and a 4.5-lb carbon package that's light for a bow this long. The draw is firm and slightly stiff rather than silky, and that's the honest trade - this platform gives up a touch of draw sweetness for a very forgiving valley and a long, steady hold. In my experience it's the kind of bow that gets better the longer you hold on target, which is exactly what its buyer wants. An excellent bow for the western, long-range-leaning, or target-crossover hunter who prioritizes a steady pin and a light carbon riser, particularly strong on a slow, deliberate long-distance shot. Buyers who prioritize a silent shot and a lower price should also look at the Mathews Phase4 33. Read full review...

The Phase4 33 launched at $1,299 as the long, steady, forgiving half of Mathews' 2023 flagship line - a hunting bow with a target bow's riser. Its defining number is not speed but sound: 92.9 dB on a meter and a shot so dead in the hand it barely registers, courtesy of the eight-limb Resistance Phase Damping limb design that stops vibration before it reaches you. Around that sits a 33-inch frame that holds a pin rock-steady, a forgiving 6.5-inch brace, and honest chronograph numbers - 320 fps at 350 grains dropping to 283 fps with heavier hunting arrows - that trail the compact Phase4 29 by only a step. Add SwitchWeight's one-bow-fits-all module system and a cam that tunes almost without argument, and you have a genuine hunting, 3D, and target crossover. In my experience the calm sight picture on that long riser is what wins you over - the pin parks and stays. It is an excellent bow for the longer-draw hunter and 3D shooter who values a steady hold and a silent shot, particularly strong when a calm pin matters more than a compact frame. Buyers who want a shorter, more maneuverable bow should also look at the Mathews Phase4 29; those shopping the same long-axle platform for less should look at the PSE EVO NXT 33. Read full review...

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• Very forgiving valley and a long, comfortable hold - settles and stays put for the extended aim
• The XTS system corrects left/right and high/low paper tears with an Allen key, no press for micro-tuning
• Dead in the hand - no post-shot vibration or hand shock even bare-bow, and a subtler shot report than the RX-9
• Light for its size at 4.5 lb, unusual for a 33.5-inch axle-to-axle carbon bow
• Holds tune well over time, in line with the long-tune-life reputation of Hoyt's carbon Ultra line

• Measured 92.9 dB at the shot - the eight-limb RPD design makes it the quietest Mathews of its era
• Long 33-inch axle-to-axle on a target-length riser holds rock-steady at full draw
• Forgiving 6.5-inch brace height smooths out form errors for hunting and 3D alike
• SwitchWeight modules set peak weight and let-off, so one bow spans 60-75 lb without new limbs
• Tunes fast and predictably - many owners dial it in without touching the top-hat shims

• The draw is firm and a touch stiff with a slight stack near the wall - shooters coming off a butter-smooth cam may want to draw one first, or drop to 75% let-off for an easier cycle
• Flagship carbon pricing - buyers who want this hold and geometry for less should weigh the aluminum-riser field

• The rubber Engage grip divides owners - those who dislike it can pop it off for flat side plates or an aftermarket grip
• The 27-inch draw-length floor rules it out for shorter-draw shooters, who fit the Phase4 29 better