I'm talking about the hype of the latest, greatest, fastest, bestest, and on and on and on! I've just been thinking about how we always say we're "upgrading" or getting something better or faster. Now I know I just posted about getting a new Elite bow but that's my first new bow in five years and the one I had before that I had kept for ten years. Now I'm not just talking about bows but really all archery equipment. I'm rambling here but did you ever wonder why most of the products sold are always in a picture with a big buck. The idea is if you use product x, y, or z you have a better chance of killing a big buck. I myself was caught up in the speed hype of the '80s. I went with an overdraw, short light arrows and super high poundage, 85lbs to be exact. Did it make me better? No, I probably just wore out the bow faster. I have already made the decision that I will never buy a brand new bow again, not with guys "upgrading" bows every six months or so. You can pick up what was new six months ago for about half price. I'm not saying there's anything at all wrong with getting new equipment and I hope it doesn't come across that way. I'm just saying that sometimes we all have a tendency to get caught up in a bunch of hype. I guess if I could ask a more direct question, why do those of you who constantly change equipment do so? What say you?!?!? Blessings.........Pastorjim
My two cents... find what works for you and best fits your style and go on with it. I am shooting a 2013 model with no plans to change anything.
I like new stuff. But currently I dont see anything I think is better then what I have...so Ill stick with my bow another year. This season will be our 3rd together.
I can't afford to get new stuff all the time, so I made sure to get a set up that will last for years. She may not be a Mathews, but she works for me. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
i'm pretty set on the two compounds and one longbow i have. 2007 Bowtech Commander 2014 Hoyt Carbon Spyder Turbo 2006 Maddog Archery Longbow (can't remember the exact name)
I jumped into a higher rank bow just starting out and I'm sure part is hype, other part was wanting something I wouldn't complain about not going the bit extra and feeling like I came up short. I plan on keeping it for quite a while and not upgrading often so was worth going good to be set I think. I did pick up a classic recurve that I fell in love with and kinda plan on more attention. So I guess my upgrade from a brand new insanity last summer was a 42 year old grizzly. Probably not the typical version of upgrade, but I'm calling it that. I'm good with what feels good, whether it's a step up or back, as long as it's enjoyable. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Nope , I'm not caught up in needing the latest and greatest. I've only bought 3 bows in the last 27 years and the last 1 was purchased in 2005 , I'll replace it in a couple of years When I do buy a new bow , I do a lot of research and spare no expense .
You make a very valid point, in the past 2 months I have owned 8 2013-2014 bows. All but two I bought outright and the rest were either bought on AT with the money from selling other bows or trades. This allowed me to spend at least a week shooting each now and seeing what I liked more and got to know each bow more than a couple of an arrows at a pro shop. I didn't change because I wanted newer or better. I just wanted to see other offerings. And I have got to say it was a very rewarding experience. 1) I learned I have no problem shooting low brace height short valley bows 2) I also learned I don't want to shoot a bow under 34 inches AtA 3) i like a bow not sub-4 pounds but not over 4 pounds 4) I prefer cable stops over limb stops 5) I like very narrow grips. So after shooting all if these bows for extended periods of time and learning what I liked about each, I was easily able to compile a list if must-haves for me in a bow. And finally I made a bow choice tags fits all of my specs and it's now on it's way to my front door. It's one I will be shooting hands down for the next year and if similar 2015 options arrive they will be on my radar. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm quite the opposite of most, the newest piece of gear I own is my two hunting bows, and they are 5 years old. I only change gear when there is some SIGNIFICANT improvement, which honestly doesn't happen very often, contrary to what the manufacturers want you to believe.
Good points but the obvious question is why didn't you go to a pro shop to try the different bows? Blessings........Pastorjim
Like I said in my post, it allowed me a week with each bow to really get a feel for it. When I saw an ad for a bow that intrigued me, I went to my shop and flung a couple of arrows, if it was worth it to me then I would take up the deal and try the bow. Then I would have a week of shooting it everyday and make more final decisions. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I don't really switch a lot to the latest and greatest, the setup I have now will be the same for awhile. Except the bow because I change that every 2-3 years for no other reason then my bow shop takes trade in and after that time they aren't worth much. Other than that I don't have a need to change rest, sight, or anything else unless something breaks. Anything else I buy I usually dont worry to much about price. Good gear is expensive but gotta spend a little for good quality most of time.
I'm shooting a 2006 Bear Instinct... I do like new stuff but dont need it/can't afford it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Max brings up a good point, you cant get a real feel for a bow at the shop slinging arrows that are to long, in a bow that the draw is to long(or short) for you, that is out of tune with a whisker bisket that is just stuck on. Its just not set up the way you would want it. Also, there is SOOOO much stuff out there to try. For me its not necessarily that I want the latest greatest I just want to try something that might be better than what I have to best fit my style of hunting/shooting. And heck, lets face it, trying new gear is fun!
I change when something strikes my fancy. I bought an Element last year and was the first new bow I had bought in ten years but when I saw the Elements I had to have one so I spared no expense on it and had the time of my life last season....no regrets. Next time I see something I like more than my Element then I may well upgrade again.
Yeah, now I can know without a doubt what I want in a bow and it is much easier to decide after shooting all ends of the spectrum for a week each as opposed to 5-10 minutes each. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I 'be been shooting the same exact set up since 2010. My 08 ross cardiac shoots way to good to be replaced . Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I always see posts on archery forums where folks criticize others for buying new bows/gear. Some people like to try new stuff, nothing wrong with that. Not everybody falls for marketing or hype just because they buy new gear. That is a broad stroke to be painting everybody with. I generally keep a bow around 5 years. However I did buy a new (used) bow recently after shooting my last bow only 2 years because I wanted to try a slightly longer ATA.
I can't really say I've been caught up in the hype. Mostly I like to play. I haven't really been in archery all that long, going into my 4th season. I'm actually on my 4th bow now, but I should explain. My first bow was a mathews FX from the pawn shop. It was cheap and I didn't want to make a big investment having the last time I shot a bow before that was about 13-15 years. I had that bow for about 6 months and was in love with the sport. I sold it and got a new Mathews Xtreme. I just loved the way it shot. I did get caught up a little in the speed game. I traded my z7x for a used insanity after they came out. However, I just didn't like it enough to keep it and went back to a z7x. Along the way I've tried a huge number of arrows. Really I wanted the speed bow so I could shoot a much heavier arrow without sacraficing the fps. It worked, but I just didn't like the way a speed bow feels. All that said, I've had my z7x for a year now, shot many other bows, but haven't felt the need to trade it in. I did shoot a strothers vital the other day, it was tempting not to make a deal on it, and I still may, but it won't be for any speed reasons.
