Compound Bow Comparator

The Bear Whitetail II is not a bow you buy for performance - it is one you appreciate for what it started and how well it has lasted. Across roughly 1985 to 1995 it delivered the long, forgiving, endlessly adjustable, finger-friendly hunting bow that made Bear synonymous with affordable capability, and it did the job well enough that thousands are still shooting today at prices that once hovered around $150 to $200 and now run to almost nothing used. Its honest limitations are the flip side of its virtues: it is heavy, it holds real weight at anchor with its modest let-off, and its roughly 190 fps speed keeps it firmly a close-range tool. But the same mass and long 46-inch geometry make it stable, quiet-landing, and remarkably durable, and the press-free draw and weight adjustment let one bow fit a whole range of shooters. What I keep coming back to with these round-wheel Bears is how easy they make it to learn genuinely good form, precisely because they hide nothing. It is an excellent bow for the finger shooter, the vintage-archery enthusiast, and the hunter breathing new life into an inherited Whitetail, particularly strong as a forgiving, teach-you-form platform at close range. Buyers who want modern speed, compactness, and high let-off out of the box should look instead at the Diamond Edge 320 or the PSE Stinger MAX. Read full review...

The Diamond Edge 320 earned its place as one of the best-selling grow-with-you hunting bows of its run for a simple reason: it does more things well at once than a $449 launch price has any right to. It is the longest and steadiest-aiming bow in Diamond's Edge family, adjusts across a class-leading 7-to-70-pound weight range and 15-to-31-inch draw entirely without a press, and holds a high 85 percent let-off for a light, long aim. The Synchronized Binary Cam System delivers real speed to match the name - a true 320 fps at the top setting and 309 at the 30-inch IBO mark on a chronograph - and the shot is quiet and calm in the hand in a way that usually costs more. What I keep coming back to is how little this bow asks of the shooter: an even draw, a wall that holds, a light hold, and a clean release, all on a frame forgiving enough to teach good form. Produced from 2019 to 2022 and now found on the used and closeout market, it was succeeded by the current Diamond Pro 320, so the platform lives on. It is an excellent bow for the grow-with-you household, the beginner who wants a bow they will not outgrow, and the value hunter who still wants genuine speed and a steady frame. Buyers who need to start a smaller, lighter beginner should also look at the Bear Legit Maxx, and those who prefer a tall, forgiving brace at the same tier should look at the PSE Stinger MAX. Read full review...

For a fully set up bow, with a package price of $449, it is really hard to beat a rig like the Stinger Max. Although entry level models are often geared toward a younger shooter, PSE was conscious in making the Stinger Max available to all ages and shooter sizes. Almost anyone in the bow market can be set up to fit in the 30-inch axle-to-axle rig, and the single cam draw force curve is amazing for those just getting started in the world of archery. The Stinger Max shoots well, but when considering the value, the Stinger Max really shines. PSE also did a great job giving the bow enough finish options to meet the entire range of potential buyers offering patterns for anyone and any purpose. Anyone interested in getting started in archery with a frill less bow, at a great price, needs to seriously consider the PSE Stinger Max. It may be one of the best values in the compound bow market for 2020. Read full review...

• Long 46-inch axle-to-axle and a tall brace make it steady and very forgiving - a natural finger-shooter's bow for building clean form
• Wide, press-free adjustability - draw weight backs down at the limb bolts and the eccentric offers several draw-length settings, so one bow grows with the shooter
• Simple and durable - the round-wheel/teardrop setup keeps maintenance trivial, and a standard 38-inch AMO string is a cheap off-the-shelf replacement decades later
• Proven big-game performer - owners have cleanly taken deer, antelope, and even elk with it at realistic bowhunting distances

• The name is the speed and it nearly holds up - 320 fps IBO on paper, and a real chronograph reads 320 at the top draw setting and 309 at the 30-inch mark, fast enough for any whitetail range
• One bow spans a child to a grown hunter - 7 to 70 pounds and 15 to 31 inches, all set on the limb bolts and a rotating module with an Allen wrench, no press required
• Smooth draw into a back wall that holds - the cam rises evenly to peak and settles into a wall firm enough to anchor against, easy to let down
• Quiet and dead in the hand - minimal post-shot vibration and hand shock for a budget bow, the kind of calm shot that usually costs more
• Complete R.A.K. ready-to-hunt package plus a high 85% let-off - everything to start hunting in the box and a light holding weight at full draw

• A redesign of a popular model from previous years
• 2 limb options cover a draw weight range of 22-70-pounds
• Has an accessory package
• Decent starter bow for any shooter

• Heavy in the hand with a light let-off by modern standards - you hold most of peak weight at full draw and the mass rides heavy on long sits, so shooters used to 80-percent let-off should expect more work
• Modest speed - real-world velocity lands in the roughly 190 fps class, well below today's bows; plenty for close-range hunting, but not for anyone chasing a flat trajectory

• At peak weight it draws about a half-inch short of the marked length, and the 15-inch floor sits on the cam's B cable setting rather than the default A - back the draw weight off or move to the B setting and the full range opens up
• Plastic limb pockets and a barebones Tundra sight mark the price point - the whisker-biscuit rest and 3-pin sight get you hunting, but shooters who grow into the bow often swap the sight for a brighter multi-pin later

• Does not have any flagship model technology
• Not the best accessories in the package