Compound Bow Comparator

The Carbon RX-10 SD is Hoyt's answer to a real gap in the flagship market: a full carbon hunting bow built around a 23-27 inch draw and a 30-pound floor, so the shorter-draw shooter finally gets the same platform as everyone else instead of a compromised youth-adjacent rig. It carries the whole 2026 package - the new XTS Xact Tuning System for press-free tune corrections, the HBX Gen 4 cam, and the Gen 2 carbon riser that keeps the shot quiet and dead in the hand - at a $2,149 launch price that matches the standard RX-10 exactly. Its 310 fps IBO trails its siblings and its rivals, but that is the honest trade of a short-draw geometry, and for whitetail-range hunting it is more than enough. Drawing a compact RX-10, what stayed with me was how flat and manageable the cycle is - a short draw punishes an aggressive cam, and this one never fights you. An excellent bow for the shorter-draw hunter who wants a true carbon flagship that fits their frame, particularly strong from a treestand where its quiet shot pays off. Buyers who draw 25.5 inches or longer and prioritize the lowest flagship price should also look at the Mathews Phase4 29, while those wanting the lightest fast carbon rig should weigh the PSE Mach 30 DS. Read full review...

The Phase4 29 launched at $1,199 as the more accessible, compact half of Mathews' 2023 flagship line - the everyman's flagship, $100 under its longer sibling. What that money buys is the quietest, deadest-in-hand shot Mathews had built to that point, wrapped in a maneuverable 29-inch frame that reads 296 fps with a 443-grain hunting arrow at 70 pounds. The eight-limb Resistance Phase Damping system is the real advance here: it does not chase speed headlines, it chases silence, and it delivers. Add the SwitchWeight module's one-bow-fits-all adjustability, Bridge-Lock stabilizer integration, and a draw cycle that stays true to Mathews' smooth signature, and you have a hunting bow that does almost everything well. In my experience the stillness at the shot is what stays with you - it changes how relaxed you can be at full draw. It is an excellent bow for the treestand and ground-blind hunter who prizes a silent shot and a compact frame, and it is particularly strong in tight cover where handling beats horsepower. Buyers who want more axle length and a steadier target-style hold should also look at the Mathews Phase4 33; those chasing outright speed should look at the Bowtech SR350. Read full review...

The Mach 30 DS is the bow that pulled PSE level in the carbon-flagship fight, and it did it from an unusual angle - not by out-speeding the field but by being among the lightest carbon bows on the market, at 3.6 pounds, with a shot signature shooters rank dead-even with or ahead of Hoyt for quiet and vibration. For 2026 the new FDS cam closes the last gap, lifting the rating to 348 fps and adding effective brace height while keeping the smooth draw and immovable back wall that defined the platform, all at a $1,799 launch MSRP that sits under the comparable Hoyt carbon. Real-world hunting velocity is genuinely there - the outgoing EC2 cam already put a 425-grain shaft past 300 fps at a 30-inch draw, and the FDS cam is rated quicker still. The trade-offs are honest and small: a short brace that asks for clean form, and a featherweight mass that likes a touch of stabilizer weight to plant the shot. It is an excellent bow for the backcountry and mobile hunter who wants carbon's light carry and cold-weather warmth in a compact 30-inch frame, and it is particularly strong as a heavy-poundage elk setup that never feels heavy to pack. Buyers who want the same platform with more built-in forgiveness at distance should look at the longer Mach 33 DS or Mach 35 DS; those who don't specifically need carbon should weigh the Mathews Phase4 29 and keep the difference. Read full review...

• Built for the short-draw shooter without a youth-bow cap - 23-27 inch draw and a full 70-pound top end let a compact archer run a genuine hunting setup
• XTS Xact Tuning System lets owners chase out left/right and high/low tears at home without a bow press, a first for a Hoyt carbon bow
• Same Gen 2 carbon riser that made the RX-9 quiet and dead in the hand carries straight over - shooters describe a very quiet shot with almost no residual vibration
• Flat, hold-forever draw cycle that settles onto a firm cable-stop wall - the compact geometry does not turn harsh
• Draw weight floor drops to 30 pounds, so a smaller-framed or transitioning shooter can start light on the same bow they will hunt with

• Eight-limb RPD design kills vibration at the source - the shot is muted and dead in the hand
• SwitchWeight modules set peak weight and let-off, so one bow covers 60-75 lb without new limbs
• Smooth, consistent draw that rolls over the peak into a firm, defined back wall
• Compact 29-inch axle-to-axle balances and holds steady in a treestand or ground blind
• Tunes quickly and predictably - the centered roller guard keeps cam load even

• One of the lightest carbon hunting bows on the market at 3.6 pounds - you feel it the moment you pick it up, and again on hour six of a backcountry pack-in
• Dead in the hand - quiet shot with minimal vibration, closer to a heavier flagship than a sub-4-pound bow has any right to be
• Smooth draw cycle into a rock-solid back wall you cannot flex, with adjustable let-off to tune the valley
• Carbon riser holds a neutral temperature - warm to the touch on a frozen morning, no metal bite through bare fingers
• Tunes without a press for the everyday jobs - half-inch draw changes and let-off swaps at the module, cam lean via the EZ.220 snap spacers

• Draw length tops out at 27 inches, so anyone drawing 27.5 inches or longer is outside the fit - those shooters belong on the standard RX-10 or the long-draw LD instead
• Flagship carbon pricing that some short-draw shooters may not expect to pay - buyers who want the short-draw fit without the carbon premium can look at an aluminum compact flagship first
• Hoyt does not publish a mass weight for the SD - worth putting it on a scale in the shop if a specific carry weight matters for your setup

• The rubber Engage grip is polarizing - owners who dislike it can pop it off for flat side plates or an aftermarket grip
• Draw length and weight changes need a module swap and a bow press, so dial in your spec at the shop before you commit

• The compact 30-inch frame and short brace favor maneuverability and hunting ranges - shooters who live past 50 yards or want a target-length bow's forgiveness can move up to the longer Mach 33 DS or Mach 35 DS on the same platform
• At 3.6 pounds the bow can jump slightly at the shot for shooters used to a planted, heavier feel - a front stabilizer with a little mass settles it right down