Compound Bow Comparator

The Athens Vista 31 launched in 2022 at $1,099 for a solid-black build, rising to $1,149 across the camo patterns - direct-shop pricing for a hand-built, deeply adjustable compact hunter. What the money buys is a 31-inch bow that draws far smoother than its length suggests, holds on a firm cable-stop wall, and finishes quiet and dead in the hand through past-parallel limbs and standard X-Out dampeners before a single accessory goes on. On a chronograph it is honest rather than headline-fast - mid-field speed at a hunting setup, with lighter arrows recovering ground - and that trade is the whole point: Athens tuned this cam for a calm, repeatable draw over a speed number. Drawing and shooting it, what stays with me is that calm, the way a bow this short refuses to snap over into the valley or buzz the hand at the shot. Add the 40-to-80-pound span, the two-module 24.5-to-30.5-inch draw range, the independent riser-and-limb color ordering, and Athens' transferable lifetime warranty, and the small-shop ownership case is strong. This is an excellent bow for the short-to-mid-draw whitetail and mule deer hunter who wants a compact, quiet, genuinely adjustable rig built to order, particularly strong from a tight treestand where its length and balance pay off. Buyers who want the widest adjustability at the lowest price should look at the Bowtech Amplify, and those wanting the broadest let-off latitude through a major dealer network should also look at the Bear Divergent EKO. Read full review...

The Bowtech Amplify is the rare budget bow that spends its engineering where a shooter actually feels it. At a $599 launch MSRP in 2021 and a $649 starting price in the 2026 lineup, it delivers a hard limb-stop back wall, an 85 percent hold that leaves only about ten and a half pounds in your hand at 70 pounds of peak, and real-world speed in the 290-to-326 fps range depending on arrow weight - all wrapped around an 8-to-70-pound, 21-to-30-inch adjustment range that genuinely carries a household from a child's first draw to an adult hunting setup. What I keep coming back to is how much bow this is for the money: the limb-stop wall and the PowerShift smooth-versus-fast switch are features shooters usually pay flagship prices for, and here they sit on a bow a first-timer can afford. It is quiet enough for the treestand, light enough at 4.0 pounds to carry all day, and adjustable enough to be the only bow a growing archer needs for years. An excellent choice for the budget-minded hunter and the grow-with-me household that wants one bow to last, particularly strong for the developing shooter who benefits from a light hold and a defined wall. Buyers starting a very young child at the smallest draw lengths, or those who prioritize the lowest price, should also look at the Diamond Edge 320. Read full review...

The Bear Divergent EKO is a limited frills hunting bow, which does everything it is designed to do. Shorter axle to axle bows are not for all bow hunters, but those on the market for something a bit more compact are already aware of what a smaller bow performs like, and should have no issues with the steeper string angle or perhaps added pin float depending on the draw length needed. The changing let off option is a great addition to the Divergent EKO, and will allow shooters to get the best feeling back wall for their personal taste. The Divergent EKO does everything a compact hunting bow is designed to do, but does not necessarily stand out in any one area or with any industry leading technology. Because of that, the MSRP is only $700. For that price, shooters could outfit their rig with some lower priced accessories and be fully set up for the cost of a high end hunting rig. For shooters just wanting a good shooting hunting bow, without needing the parking lot bragging rights to owning the latest and greatest bow with the most advanced technology, the Divergent EKO may be the right choice. There is some felt vibration on the shot, the camo patterns are not as fancy as some others, and may have less choices than some flagship models, but for the price it is really hard to find a bow with better performance. Shooters wanting a compact hunting bow, without paying a premium price tag have a lot to look forward to in regards to the 2020 Bear Divergent EKO. Read full review...

• Smooth, linear draw with no hump-and-dump - a compact 31-inch bow that pulls like a longer, more forgiving rig, which surprises shooters used to short speed bows fighting them at the end
• Dead in the hand out of the box - past-parallel limbs and standard X-Out dampeners leave almost no post-shot vibration or hand shock before a single accessory goes on
• Firm, defined cable-stop back wall that holds solidly - even a shooter coming straight off a limb-stop flagship could not feel the difference
• Deeply adjustable and built to order - 40 to 80 pounds including a true 80-pound option, 24.5 to 30.5 inches on two rotating modules, selectable let-off, and riser and limb colors chosen separately across a deep finish menu
• Light and exceptionally well balanced in the hand for a 31-inch bow, settling steady right out of the box

• Hard limb-stop back wall - a defined, rock-solid wall that budget bows almost never give you, where most cable-stop rivals feel spongy at full draw
• Adjusts across a 62-pound span, from an 8-pound backyard setting to a 70-pound hunting weight, plus 21 to 30 inches of draw, all without a bow press
• PowerShift flip modules switch the same cam between a smoother draw and a faster one, so one shooter can retune the feel in minutes
• Quiet on the shot for its class - around 78 dB with the repositionable Orbit Dampener soaking up most of the residual buzz

• EKO cam has four different let-off settings, 75, 80, 85, and 90%
• Speeds up to 338 feet per second with a 6.5-inch brace height
• MSRP of only $700

• Real-world speed lands mid-field rather than speed-demon - a compact, forgiveness-leaning package; hunters chasing maximum fps can drop to a lighter arrow to recover velocity, and those who value a calm draw will take the trade gladly
• The valley runs deep at the 90 percent let-off setting - a bit more valley than some shooters want; rotating the draw stop to 85 or 80 percent shortens it for a snappier feel and nudges draw length a fraction with it
• The grip is very slim - excellent for low-torque shooters, but buyers who prefer a fuller palm may want to shoot one in person first or fit an aftermarket grip

• Draw is solid rather than glass-smooth - the wide cam builds to peak quickly, so shooters chasing a plush pull should run the Comfort module setting or draw one first
• Some owners feel a touch more hand buzz than a flagship after the shot - repositioning the Orbit Dampener or running a stabilizer settles it in practice
• Fixed plastic grip rather than the interchangeable flagship Bowtech grip - its curved shape takes some owners time to warm to, and a stick-on aftermarket grip is an easy swap

• 30-inch axle to axle bow may be a bit too short for some
• Limited finish options