Compound Bow Comparator

The Hoyt PowerHawk was Hoyt's mid-priced answer for the bowhunter who wanted the brand's engineering without the flagship outlay, and judged on that brief it delivers. You get a full-size 32-inch hunting bow at a light 4.1 pounds, a forgiving 7 1/4-inch brace, a smooth-leaning M4 Cam & 1/2 at 303 fps IBO and 75% let-off, and - the real signature - the quiet, low-recoil shot that the parallel ZR12 split limbs and RizerShox damping produce. In my experience that planted, dead-in-hand feel is what makes a bow like this easy to shoot well in the field, and it is where the PowerHawk earns its keep over a faster but busier bow. The 2010 update widened the draw-weight range to 30-70 pounds, making it a legitimate family-share or first-serious-hunting bow that a lighter-draw shooter can grow into. Because it left production after 2010, today's buyer is shopping the used rack and should budget for fresh strings and cables, but the underlying hardware is sound Hoyt engineering. It is an excellent value hunting bow for the whitetail and hog hunter who prizes a quiet, steady shot at practical ranges over chasing the speed chart. Buyers who want the most velocity in this class should look at the PSE Bow Madness, and those who want the widest tuning and let-off adjustability should look at the Diamond Black Ice. Read full review...

Being in the mid-price range, the PSE Bow Madness is a great quality bow that can easily outperform more expensive competitor bows with similar characteristics. Outfitted with a highly efficient single cam system, this bow is smooth to draw and hold. With the pre-loaded limbs and comfortable grip, this bow has minimal shock and vibration and is nice to shoot. While being lightweight and stable, this bow is a great choice for those shooters who cover a lot of ground or who prefer light and stable rigs generating fast speeds. Read full review...

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• Quiet, low-recoil shot - the parallel ZR12 split limbs load down-and-up with a rubber damper between them, so little energy jumps back into the hand
• Light 4.1 lb mass on a full 32-inch hunting frame - easy to pack up a mountain and hold steady from a treestand
• The 2010 30-70 lb weight span paired with the 25-30 inch draw covers a household from a lighter-draw teenager to a full-power adult on one bow
• Flagship-family toughness at a value price - ZR12 composite limbs and the Pro-Lock limb pockets carry Hoyt hardware into the mid-priced rack

• low hand shock and vibration
• no bow press is required to adjust the draw length
• comfortable grip
• great value for money

• accurate bow with a very smooth draw cycle
• quiet bow with little hand shock
• lightweight yet well balanced
• draw length can be adjusted easily without using a bow press

• Discontinued after 2010, so today it is a used-market buy - budget a fresh set of strings and cables from any pro shop, which also refreshes the aging factory string
• Draw length changes through M4 modules rather than a tool-less rotating mod - a quick shop swap, but plan a press visit if you need a length other than how the bow arrives

• standard strings could be of better quality

• could be a faster bow