Compound Bow Comparator

The Bear Assault is a complete, quiet, easy-to-own hunting bow that has aged well because it got the basics right: a smooth E-Cam draw, a dead-in-hand shot, 3.9 pounds of compact maneuverability, and a Ready-to-Hunt kit that leaves nothing else on the shopping list - all for roughly $549 at its 2010 launch. Its 328 fps IBO was never class-leading, and real hunting arrows land below that number, but speed was never the point; livability was. What I keep coming back to is how much finished, field-ready bow it puts in a first-time buyer's hands, and how little it asks of them to set up - an inch of draw change is a hex key and five minutes, not a pro-shop appointment. It is an excellent choice for the budget-minded or first-serious hunter who wants one quiet, light, adjustable bow that is ready on day one, and it is particularly strong as a compact treestand and ground-blind rig for whitetail and hogs. Buyers prioritizing raw speed in the same compact size should also look at the Bowtech Assassin; those wanting the lowest-cost quiet single-cam should look at the PSE Stinger. Read full review...

The Stinger is a simple bow. It does not have all the bells and whistles the higher end bows do but it will get the job done. However, adding a couple inexpensive components will help this bow shoot like one that costs a lot more. Combine its price point with its shootability and you have a great bow for beginners and experienced archers alike. This rig can also be a great fit for teens because it has 6 inches of draw length adjustment to grow with the shooter. Because of its affordability and shootability some hunters, especially those that travel to hunt, purchase the Stinger as their back-up hunting rig. All in all, this bow is a bow that does not cost "an arm and a leg" and will do what you need it to do. Read full review...

Designed with proven Bowtech technologies and equipped with a very attractive ready-to-shoot package, the Bowtech Assassin is a good shooting hunting bow at a very affordable price. With an extremely flexible eccentric system, the draw length on the Assassin can be easily adjusted without using a bow press or any extra cams or modules. In addition, the performance system is designed to be equipped with either smooth or fast rotating module thus allowing for choosing the right combination of smoothness and speed. While some shooters can feel a little hump closer to the end of the draw cycle, others either don't feel it for their setups or say it's not pronounced. The Assassin has a pretty good valley and extremely solid back wall. While the Assassin is a very good hunting bow for beginners, it will also be a great choice for advanced shooters who want to save money. Overall, the Assassin is one of the best bows for the money in 2011. Read full review...

• Smooth, quiet delivery - the E-Cam rolls into the shot cleanly and the bow settles dead in the hand, with little of the buzz that spooks close game
• Light and compact - 3.9 pounds on a 30.75-inch axle-to-axle frame swings up fast and carries easily on an all-day treestand sit
• Home-adjustable draw length - numbered modules move the draw an inch at a time with a hex key and no bow press, so refitting the bow to a new shooter takes minutes
• Complete Ready-to-Hunt kit - the RTH package arrives with a Whisker Biscuit rest, 5-pin lighted sight, quiver, stabilizer, peep and D-loop, hunt-ready at a value price

• Forgiving brace height
• adjustable (6 inches of draw length adjustments)
• Good Shootability
• Inexpensive

• fast bow with little hand shock and vibration
• lightweight and well balanced
• very adjustable performance system with a nice valley and a very solid back wall
• eccentric system can be equipped with either speed or smooth rotating module
• no bow press or cams/modules are required to adjust the draw length
• comes with a good ready-to-shoot accessories package
• one of the best value for money bows in 2011

• Some owners have noted the back wall gives a touch rather than stopping hard - typical of a single-cam bow, and buyers who want a rigid wall should draw one before committing
• Some owners have reported the finish and the factory string stops wearing over time - the string stops are a cheap, drop-in replacement worth checking after a season of use

• Wide grip
• Does not come with String Stop
• Slightly noisy without adding vibration dampening components

• some shooters report a little hump closer to the end of the draw cycle
• the draw cycle is a bit stiff (but smooth)