I'am a bow hunter only, for the last 5 years I have shot the Matthews Z7 and it has served me well. Thinking of buying a new bow before the next season year. I'am thinking of the Matthews Halon 6. To the ones who is hunting with the Halon are there any disappointments?
I'm by no means a bow expert, but I shot a Halon yesterday at my local archery shop. The one I shot was super smooth and had very little vibration. It did seem kinda heavy and bulky though. If you hunt on the move that might be a problem. Hope that helps some. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Hey TomTom. They Halon 6 is indeed a great bow but I can't without a good conscience not tell you to keep your options open. Go to the shop and shoot a few different bows. You may find one that sticks out to you. Dont go in with a particular bow in mind just that you want to get something new. Anyone that tells you brand X is better than Y is only drinking the Koolaid. There are so many great options. Shoot a Mathews, Hoyt, Elite, Prime and Obsession if you can. I start by picking them up. If I hold a bow and something feels off or out of balance it is immediately removed from consideration. That way you can rule some out pretty quickly. I new bow is a financial commitment these days so you want to not rush into anything. I have the H32 and to me the draw cycle is little on the stiff side. Other than that it performs fine. The longer straight riser does help to hold it steady. Im not sure if I care for the flat back grip yet. I still may switch to the focus but time will tell. Good luck in finding a new bow.
I've never shot a Mathews bow but my dad had the no-cam and liked it a lot. I shot a Bowtech BTX and love it. The new Bowtech Reign looks really nice too. I'd imagine you're partial to Mathews but there are a lot of hunting bows out there worthy to purchase if you're interested in switching manufacturers. No harm in shooting a few to see if something peaks your interest.
I have been shooting Prime bows since 2012 and have a pair of Rivals that are great shooting bows. If you like a bit shorter ATA, the Prime Rize has been very popular the past year as well. Unless you are a die hard Mathew's guy, listen to the advice to try some out and compare side to side.
My Xcentric 7 has a 7"brace height, shoots faster than the halon 6 with a draw cycle just as smooth. You owe it to yourself to shoot some other bows. Xpedition, Obsession, Bowtech and Prime are always in the running for me.
PSE Evolve... even guys that hate PSE love that bow, at 60lbs pulled back like a 50lb bow and puts out speed.. was amazed.
I bought an Xcentric last year after I shot a lot of new bows and was blown away. Best bow I've ever shot and I've shot em all. This thing is dead in hand smooth draw cycle pin point accurate and fast as hell. It's a new maker "Xpedition Archery" so the advertisements aren't as much as the Mathews or PSE but this is an incredible compound bow a real must shot bow. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
When selecting a bow think about several things. Think about if you like the weight, the grip, the draw, etc. Think about the aesthetics on whether you like the look of your bow. Honestly it might not seem like a big deal but if you are spending 1000 on a bow you probably will want to like the way it looks. Pay attention to the hold, the string angle, and the shot. Think about if you like the axle to axle and the overall size of the bow. I really like Mathews bows however any reputable company makes a great product. You just need to find a product that fits what you want. In my opinion I would look into Mathews, Elite, Prime, Hoyt, Bowtech, PSE, and Obsession however it really depends what is available in your area. Good luck in your search and let us know what you buy!
I have the Halon 6 bow and it is an Awesome bow! Smoothest bow I have ever shot and is a breeze to tune and setup. You won't be disappointed. Shoot the Halon 32 before you buy one. Only difference I noticed between the two is overall length and the Halon 32 is lighter in the hand. Meaning the Halon 6 is a little more top heavy than the Halon 32.
So many choices! Isn't it wonderful?!?! Get out there and let the fun begin. Shoot every bow that you can and when you find the one that feels the best..... buy it.
Like everyone else said keep your options open. Go and shoot a few. I don't live by regrets, but if I had one hunting regret it was getting rid of my Z7. I loved that bow. Shot so good for me, but like most of us bowhunters I needed to try a different one.
I recently bought a Halon 6 and am very pleased. Because it is much faster than my previous bow i am shooting a heavier arrow. Fmj 340 and they hit the target with authority. I only bowhunt and feel like this will help out if i were to accidentally hit shoulder. That being said i also shpt the no cam and it was really sweet also. Good luck shopping.
There are alot of great bows out there but do yourself a favor and shoot as many as you can. I don't buy a bow that feels good in my hand and I like .I buy a bow I shot the best outta the pack I've shot this year .it was the halon 32 for me even though I love the feel of a hoyt grip . I was splitting arrows with this 32 at the shop like I've never done with any bow before .now I don't like the flat back grip but I'm getting used to it but I shot this bow great for some reason . I can shoot and shoot and my groups stay tight .on previous bows I would shoot great and once in a while I'd get that one arrow that wasn't were it needed to be or not as close prob due to me torqing the bow or jerking but this halon 32 seems to just correct my mistakes so far it seems .it's weird to explain but I stack arrows with it .now my hoyt carbon spyder zt is prob my favorite bow and I absolutely love the grip it's so comfortable .I went in put every bow up against my spyder and defiant and the halon 32 I was shooting it like I owned it for months so I sold the defiant lol .and I shot them all to I mean I shot the new hoyts , Elites, obsession , bowtech reign 6 and 7 , Prime and mission bows and the halon was my choice after shooting all those cause that's what my bow shop carrys lol but my point is I love the feel of the high wrist grip hoyt has on there bows it feels like a part of my arm but I shoot a low wrist the best like mathews flatback for some reason even though I don't like the feel and have a hard time getting used to it .so hopefully shoot it all and pick what's best for you in my opinion you can find many great bows at all price ranges especially if your buying used just a thought .
