Hey All, Thanks for taking the time to read and respond to my post. I'm crossing over from rifle/shotgun hunting to bow hunting. Brand new to bow hunting and archery in general. There are a couple solid and reputable shops near my house. One tried to sell me on the package RAK Bowtech Carbon Icon and the other tried to sell me on the new Mathews Halon. I gotta admit, I've only ever really heard about Mathews and Hoyt. Never had heard about Bowtech until I shot it at the range. Obviously the Mathews is way more pricy, with the base price starting at $1050. The Bowtech Carbon Icon fully loaded package is $750 out the door. I'm the type of guy that likes to buy the best, that will last forever and be done with it. But to be honest, I liked the feel of the Bowtech the best. I also liked how light it felt compared to the Mathews. I'd like to get your expert opinion on what you think would be better for me. I want to hunt big deer and elk with it, so want to make sure I'm getting the best bow to get the job done. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks so much!!
Fit and feel is everything in bowhunting/shooting. A lot of people love their Mathews but I can't get comfortable with their grip. I like Bowtech but their are a lot of other brands out there too. Do what you're doing in shooting a bunch of bows. I understand the "buy the best mentality, (I use Swarovski optics) but rest assured that your first bow will not be your last. So get out there and find one that fits you well, so that you will enjoy it and shoot it a lot and let the addiction begin!!!!!
Elkguide nailed it. I personally like the Mathews Halon over the Bowtech. That is just a personal preference but I shoot an Obsession. The most important thing is how it feels to you. Shoot a few brands and don't even ask the price till you figure out which ones you are interested in. Good luck and let us know how things go for you.
Shoot more than 2 bows, Hoyt Matthews bow tech elite bear whatever your shop offers shoot them. I bought a hoyt before I shot a elite and soon as I did I was kicking myself... Sold my hour and bought and elite impulse. Shoot different bows until you fall in love with one Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I prefer the Bow Tech, but while we're talking about top-tier bows, take a look at the Prime lineup. They're getting plenty of top honors on the gear review sites. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I will add a plus one to what everyone else has already said. Shoot many before choosing one. Myself, I shot a Halon, and three Elite models before choosing my Synergy. Like you, I was looking to make a long term purchase. I'm glad that I shot as many different models as I did. Bow shopping is a lot of fun. Enjoy the experience.
I have a carbon icon and I love it. Super light, quiet and easy to draw. Have a look at a Hoyt as well. That is a solid bow company. John Dudley was just on Wired to Hunt and totally sold me on them over Mathews. Next bow I get will be a Hoyt. However, the bow picks you in a way. So go with what you shoot best and is most comfy. Enjoy the experience!
Unless you're a lefty. Then, you just have to take every else's word for it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Don't let them sell you on the RAK setup on the Bowtech or any bow for that matter. You will replace everything anyways with better parts. Good luck with either. I have a carbon knight currently but also owned a Mathews Z7 both companies are great!
I've owned a few Mathews but only bought one of them new. You can buy the best bow they made two years ago and spend the savings on a better sight, riser, release and arrows. Those you may use for years on different bows. Check out a Prime bow if you can. Made by G5. Kilboars Hunt Club
Don't skimp on cost for the bow or its accessories, whichever one you choose. It might be the only bow you ever buy, if you just love it to death and have no buyer regrets. If you settle because of cost or convenience, etc, etc, you won't be happy ultimately, and selling a used bow to make an upgrade is a money-losing proposition unfortunately. A guy on another forum is trying to sell his Halon and he's not getting even a nibble despite a $300 immediate drop in cost from what he paid at the store.
Yes, exactly. Buy a used first and get good, know the bow and good form. That way if u don't wanna keep pursuing after 2 years, u didn't sink $1000 into it ! Some guys buy a new bow every year, pick up one of those, so u can save a lot on a bow to get better accessories for it. Good luck !
^^ Yep! And look for close outs, also. My current bow was a discontinued model. I bought it new, but paid less that 50% of the retail price for it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
A lot of good suggestions. Fit and feel is the most important. Buying used or closeouts if they fit is a good way to save money. Sights, rests, release will stay with you through multiple bows. So don't skimp there. I would advise you to avoid the 65 and 70lbs bows. There is nothing wrong with them, but 60 (or even 50lbs) bows will be far easier to learn to shoot on. And it doesn't take 70lbs to harvest deer, bear or even elk, especially with how efficient recent compounds are. Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
You may want to consider the type of hunting you will be doing also. Ironically I happened to pick up these two specific bows at a shop today and one is quite obviously lighter than the other. This may or may not affect your decision. Will you be packing it longer distances (weight). Some people would argue that the extra weight may help steadying the bow in windy conditions. If you can keep yourself from becoming brand loyal, you should always be able to pick the best product that matches you.
I shot all the makers before I narrowed it down to final 3. Then went home, drove myself crazy on the decision. The Halon was the only bow ( to me ) I couldn't stop shooting or thinking about. Now I bought the halon but loved the Hoyt and Elite bows. You can't go wrong all good bows. Good luck enjoy
