Looking to buy my first bow need advise.

Discussion in 'Intro to Bowhunting & Archery' started by romannumal, Feb 4, 2016.

  1. romannumal

    romannumal Newb

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    I am new to archery. I have it down to three bows. I am looking at elite impulse 31 or a Hoyt defiant or nitrum 30. Any thoughts.
     
  2. Shocker99

    Shocker99 Grizzled Veteran

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    Warranty on Elites is the best but you need to go shoot them all. A warranty is useless if the bow doesn't fit you well. I bought an Elite after shooting 6 other name brand bows. It was the one that I liked the best. For you it might be the Hoyt
     
  3. cg2737

    cg2737 Weekend Warrior

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    Like Shocker99 said. Shoot every brand available to you in your area. I have shot Mathews since 2000 and ended up buying an Xpedition Xcentric 7 after shooting all the bows at my favorite shop. The Elite 31 was a super close second. I kind of wish I had that one also. Have fun choosing your new bow.


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  4. romannumal

    romannumal Newb

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    I am going to shoot them next week while I am on vacation in hayden Idaho.

    For new shooter what is a good lbs to start with. The bear bow I have been borrowing was set at 57 lbs and at first I was wow that was hard. After about a week it was much easier to shoot.
    Also what Is the best bang for your buck on a good site and rest. I hope to be able to bow hunt mule deer next year in AZ. well that is my plan


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  5. ybohunt

    ybohunt Die Hard Bowhunter

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    First off what are you looking to spend on sight and rest ?
    If your looking for a sight in the $50 to $100 range then I would look at a Trophy Ridge Cypher 5($75ish) or the Truglo Carbon Hybrid.($70ish)
    If you can spend more then that I would look at Spot Hog or Black Gold.

    For a rest I would get a Trophy Ridge whisker bisciut. (about $50)
    If want a drop away rest then I would look at the NAP Apache.(about $65)
    Whatever you do get for sight or rest dont get something cheap

    And for a bow I suggest going to a couple different archery shops and shooting as many different models as possible and then pick the one that you like the best after that.

    Welcome to the forum !,feel free to ask any and all questions that you have.
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2016
  6. elkguide

    elkguide Grizzled Veteran

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    Whichever one fits you best. That's the bow to shoot.

    My son shoots one brand that I can't even begin to be consistent with it and likewise, he doesn't like mine.
     
  7. killer chill-r

    killer chill-r Weekend Warrior

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    It's gonna be the one you like & that fits you. Just be sure when you shoot them, shoot them for as long as you can at the shop to make sure it's the one. I've been shooting my Bear Arena 30 pretty regular for the last few weeks because I'm gonna us it for hunting pigs. Then the other day I shot my Chill R & what a huge difference between the draw cycles. Mathews is one of the smoothest drawing bows I've shot. Before I bought my Chill R I shot several(Pse, Hoyt, Bowtech, Elite) out of them all the to me the Mathews was hands down smoother than any of them. I'm headed next week to get my 3rd Mathews bow! An Htx, it's smoother than the Chill R I believe, just slower. Anyway sorry for the long post. Good Luck!!
     
  8. trial153

    trial153 Grizzled Veteran

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    I hate the answers that typically get posted to questions like this.

    You hear things like shoot them all, the bow will pick you ....honestly that's all a load of bull crap until you have enough experience to develop a preference you have nothing to go on.

    I think a better corse is to give some solid guideline and recommendations.

    So what what would my recommendation be for a beginner ?

    If the person is of avg size and draw length 27-29 ish and an adult.
    Look for the following things.
    ATA length of 32-35
    Brace hight 7 at the minimum
    Adjustable draw length via mods
    Draw weight that maxes out at 60

    Lastly I would chose a version of a binary cam system as apposed to a hybrid or two cam or even a single cam.
     
  9. lgreenslade3

    lgreenslade3 Weekend Warrior

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    I shot the elite impulse and I wasn't a fan of it at all. I liked the hoyts though. You can find a nitrum for a good price now that the 2016's are out
     
  10. Marshberry

    Marshberry Newb

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    I recommend going to a bow shop and trying a few different brands and models. All the bows are going to shoot great once tuned up and sighted in so it's important to get one that fits you the best and has a good draw cycle for you. It's like comparing a ford and a Chevy, they're both great vehicles but each has their own following of people who like one over the other. tried the bear escape, Hoyt defiant, halon 6 and the htx before deciding on the halon 6 a couple of months ago. It was a very tough choice but the halon just felt the best for me.

    I recommend getting the best you can afford because the more you like your bow, the more you'll want to shoot it. Good luck and have fun. Deciding which bow is best is a great problem to have!
     
  11. romannumal

    romannumal Newb

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    I want to thank you all for you input. I will be shooting some bow to see what fits me. I am 5 feet 5 inch tall.
    I have a question about these things I am new so not sure what these mean Trial153. an you explain please.
    ATA length of 32-35
    Brace hight 7 at the minimum ( Not sure what this means?)
    Adjustable draw length via mods
    Draw weight that maxes out at 60
     
  12. remmett70

    remmett70 Die Hard Bowhunter

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    First don't rush into it. Find as many bow shops as you can and go to all of them and shoot even if you are shooting the same bows in multiple places. And make sure when you are shooting them, they are all at the right size for you. Based on your height you are probably going to be around 26" draw length. Not sure on your strength or build but would recommend testing bows between 50-60lbs.

    If you shoot one bow set at 26" and 55lbs make sure they are all set at 26" and 55lbs. The difference of 1/2" in draw length can make a bow feel a lot different. Have them adjust the draw lengths up and down on them all. There was an article on the site and I agree with it, for me there are two real factors that determine which bow, how the grip feels in your hand and what you feel comfortable with in "valley" of the draw.

    I would spend at least a couple weeks in and out of different shops shooting everything you can find in your price range. Personally, I don't like the package deals on the bows I've looked at because I would typically end up replacing the sight and rest on them anyway so I'd be paying more for "junk" i'm going to just throw away. The shops I've bought from will typically give a discount on accessories with new bow purchases anyway.
     
  13. Squatchman215

    Squatchman215 Newb

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    If you have narrowed it down to those three bows at this point I think it is all about personal feel and preference. I just bought my first bow two weeks ago and ended up getting an Elite Synergy. I also had it narrowed down to three top line bows and ended up picking the one that felt the best when I shot it. With your final three choices you can't go wrong with quality.
     
  14. JGD

    JGD Die Hard Bowhunter

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    "I want to thank you all for you input. I will be shooting some bow to see what fits me. I am 5 feet 5 inch tall.
    I have a question about these things I am new so not sure what these mean Trial153. an you explain please.
    ATA length of 32-35
    Brace hight 7 at the minimum ( Not sure what this means?)
    Adjustable draw length via mods
    Draw weight that maxes out at 60"

    This is hysterical! :D Sorry Trial that just reads funny given his experience and your response.

    Welcome to the site romannumal. You'll certainly get lots of input here and some of it you can actually understand; and some you can't. Hopefully when you go to a bow shop you can convey that you are new to the sport and would like to have some help picking out a bow that will be good for a beginner and you'll find some help. Getting hands on experience and guidance will serve you well and make it enjoyable. Good luck to you.
     
  15. happyhunter

    happyhunter Weekend Warrior

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    Don't worry about brand, nor what anyone else thinks. Shoot the bows, one of them is going to feel better, if not "right". Let the bow buy you. Whatever you get, make sure it fits, get quality accessories, and have fun. Good luck.
     
  16. romannumal

    romannumal Newb

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    Thank you for all the input. One last thing before I leave for Idaho to shoot bows. How many arrow should I shoot to be able to tell if it is a good fit?
     
  17. buckshank

    buckshank Weekend Warrior

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    However many you shoot just remember to keep it simple whatever feels right and shoots good. I would shoot a minimum of 20 arrows through it. Only because by then you'll know what shoots good for you
     
  18. romannumal

    romannumal Newb

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    Ok guys i shot the elite impulse, Hoyt defiant and I tried the prime ion. All set to 27.5 draw and 60 lbs.
    Sales guys said to try the prime ion that is what he shoots.
    Hoyt was nice seem to rock back after you shoot but they said a stabilizing unit will stop that. Draw was smooth I liked the valley.
    Elite was nice but seemed a little heavy over Hoyt. Draw was little hard at first but got Easier at the valley.
    Prime had lots of vibration but wall was nice. The valley was good too. But the quality was not the same as the Hoyt or Elite.
    They were set at 27.5 draw and 60 lbs. elite seems faster but they said only by 12 fps.
    So I liked the Hoyt more.
    What do you guys think. I was going to get the Hoyt in 55 to 65 or shout I get 60 to 70?
     
  19. ybohunt

    ybohunt Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Good choice on the bow.I would get the 55/65
     
  20. successful failure

    successful failure Weekend Warrior

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    If money is not a issue I would go with elite. They are really nice bows and the let off is insane. When I was looking a couple months ago I went to a bow shop and shot a elite, Hoyt, Mathews, and pse. The only one I could tell a real difference in was the elite. That being said I am it made of money and could spend 850$ on a elite(bare bow) so I went with a 2015 pse premonition HD,I got it brand new for 300$ and after my sights, arrow rest, quiver, and stabelizer I will have just under 550$.
     

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