Compound Bow Comparator

The Alpine Micro is a youth bow that refuses to shoot like one - a compact two-cam bow with machined 6061 aluminum cams and limb pockets, an aggressive Stalker II cam rated 280 fps IBO, and eight inches of draw-length range, sold from the early 2000s through 2010 at roughly $200 to $255 for the bow and about $300 for the ready-to-shoot Micro Elite Package. Its strength is exactly the thing most budget youth bows sacrifice: it is built with hunting-bow hardware, not molded plastic, and it shoots hard enough to put a young or short-draw hunter in the deer woods for real. What I keep coming back to is how much bow Alpine packed into a small frame - the machined metal, the hard cam, the wide adjustable weight - for a price that reads like a starter toy. It does ask for a little more setup care than a simpler youth bow, since the two cams have to be timed after break-in and after any draw change, and it is not the right pick for the youngest, smallest beginners. It is an excellent bow for the tween-to-adult short-draw shooter and the parent who wants a first bow worth handing down, particularly strong as a grows-with-the-kid hunting setup. Buyers who need to start a younger or smaller child should also look at the Bear Apprentice; those who want the widest adjustment range in one bow should look at the Diamond Infinite Edge. Read full review...

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The Diamond Infinite Edge has revolutionized the bow market. The bow is easy to shoot whether the shooter is 5-years old or 55-years old. Without a bow press, and with only a couple of wrenches, the Infinite Edge can easily be adjusted from five pounds to 70 pounds draw weight and 13" to 30" draw length making it an excellent choice for any shooter. With a speed up to 310 fps and a RTH price of only $479, this bow is definitely affordable. The dual-cam setup is not too aggressive, making it easy to draw. The 75 percent let-off makes it easy to hold on target even for the inexperienced shooter. Read full review...

• Machined 6061 aluminum cams and limb pockets where budget youth bows usually run molded plastic - a genuine hunting-bow build in a small frame
• Hard-shooting two-cam Stalker II system rated 280 fps IBO, fast and hunting-legal for a youth-and-ladies bow
• Eight inches of draw-length range (21 to 28 inches) with the peak weight backing down to fit almost any kid or a short-draw woman
• Micro Elite Package arrives ready to shoot - drop-away rest, Bear Claw quiver, and Cobra three-pin fiber-optic sight - for around $300 at the time

• Very universal and adjustable bow for the youth, women, and small-frame men
• Will grow with a young shooter due to a lot of adjustability
• Very lightweight bow - important aspect for smaller kids
• Easily adjustable draw length - no bow press is required
• Good value for money

• Versatile to meet any archery situation
• Adjustable from five to 70# draw weight
• Draw length adjustable from 13" to 30"
• Good speed with regards to draw specs; tops out a 310 fps
• Affordable

• As a two-cam bow it needs both cams timed after break-in and after any draw-length change - plan on a shop setting the draw and re-timing it after the first 50 to 100 shots
• The 21-inch draw floor makes it a tween-to-adult fit rather than a small-child starter - families sizing a 5-to-8-year-old should look at a dedicated micro-youth bow instead

• Could be a bit faster

• Requires string silencers and vibration dampeners before hunting