Compound Bow Comparator

The Bear Species XT is the current face of Bear's single-cam Species line, launched at $499.99 and built for the hunter who wants a quiet, easy-to-tune bow with one genuinely modern twist: an IMS rest and Picatinny sight rail that bring flagship-style accessory mounting down to a sub-$500 ready-to-hunt package. Its 320 fps IBO translates to a real-world mid-260s with a 400-grain hunting arrow - measured on its identical-chassis predecessor, the Species EV - which is enough for whitetails at sensible ranges rather than flagship velocity, and the numbers were never the point. What I keep coming back to is how approachable it is: a machined-aluminum riser, aluminum limb pockets, a comfortable 80% hold, and a shot that ran quieter than a same-tier rival, all on a bow a first-timer can tune at the kitchen table. The wide 23.5 to 30.5-inch draw and 15-lb weight spread make it one bow that fits a short-draw woman, a growing teenager, and an adult hunter alike, and the modern mounting makes it a smarter long-term base than most of its class. An excellent bow for the value-minded hunter who wants a quiet, compact single cam with room to grow its accessories, and particularly strong as a first serious hunting rig. Buyers who instead want the widest grow-with-you adjustment range should also look at the Diamond Edge 320. 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...

• Modern integrated mounting rare at this price - an IMS dovetail rest and a Picatinny sight rail, the kind of accessory interface usually reserved for flagships
• Compact and easy to handle - a short 30-inch axle-to-axle that stays balanced and maneuverable in a tight treestand or blind
• Quiet single-cam shot - ran noticeably quieter than a same-tier PSE single cam head-to-head, helped by the split-limb build
• Wide 23.5 to 30.5-inch draw, a 15-lb weight spread, and 80% let-off fit short-draw women, growing shooters, and most adults from one bow
• Durable where budget rivals cut costs - a machined aluminum riser and aluminum limb pockets instead of composite

• 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

• Stock grip is Bear's slim profile - shooters who want a fuller, hand-filling grip can add the Bear Paw grip for around $15, a quick drop-on swap
• Entry-level ready-to-hunt accessories - some owners find the bundled sight and rest merely adequate, though the IMS and Picatinny mounting make later upgrades painless

• 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