I was thinking about this the other day. What's your favorite bow that you've ever owned? The one you wish you still had today if you don't. I couldn't narrow mine down to just one, so I picked two. My 2005 Bowtech Allegiance and my 2011 Mathews Z7Xtreme. I loved those old Bowtechs (Allegiance, Tribute, etc) with the binary cams. Mossy Oak Obsession camo and a Dead Nuts 2 sight. I may be partial to that bow b/c it was my first flagship that I ever bought new, but it was a sweet shooter. The Z7X was my first Mathews and I loved that bow. Very compact but a longer brace height so it was ultra-forgiving. Mine was the "tactical" version with a black riser and carbon fiber pattern on the limbs. I look for them on eBay every now and again and it's crazy how much they're still selling for. Apparently, I'm not the only one who feels this way.
Loved shooting 3D with my Halon X Comp. I wish I wouldn’t have sold it to buy a new pair of motocross boots. As far as hunting bows, Xpedition MX-16 (current bow). It’s like a Halon 32’s hotter, better built, younger sister.
My Allegiance just before I sold it. Custom grip and all. Killed my best buck ever with my Z7X. 10 years ago but it seems like yesterday. Getting old is stupid.
I didn’t start bow hunting until 2007 so haven’t owned nearly as many bows as you. Of all the bows I’ve owned my Heli-m is the best. A few years ago I bought a Triax and while I shot well with it I liked the Heli-m better so I gave the Triax to my son in law. Now I have a new V3 and I still prefer the Heli-m because it’s so much lighter. Im going to make myself hunt with the V3 this season, but the Heli-m is prepped and ready to go also.
Love my Diamond Black Ice. My first compound bow and I still have it. So accurate and smooth! I want to get a Mathews but will probably keep this one even if I do. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
It's so funny how people's perspectives are different about gear. I've owned every Mathews flagship bow made since 2011 and the Helim is the one I liked the least of the bunch. Followed by the Chill-R.
I think I have two faves. The first you gotta go way back. It was a Hoyt Provantage. I shot alot of 3D back then and honestly, the bow made me a better shot than I actually was. I think it was 46 or 47 inches long and I believe the brace height was 8 inches, so it was ultra forgiving. The second one was my last compound before switching over to the crossbow. It was an Elite Energy 35. I don't know that it shot any better than the Hoyt but man that thing was as smooth as butter with a very well defined back wall. I loved that bow. Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
I have only owned two bows; the PSE Deer Hunter that I started bowhunting with in college in 2005 and the Hoyt Charger that I purchased in 2016. I killed 10 does with the PSE before upgrading to the Charger. I have only killed 5 deer with it, but I got my only two archery bucks with that bow. The Charger is my favorite of the two.
I guess we all have different things we like. I’ve always disliked a heavy bow for hunting, but I’m more accurate at target shoots with them.
Staghorn recurve bow, made in Merrill Wi. back in 60,s and 70,s absolutely would love to purchase one right now !!!!
have owned 2 bows. a Parker Blazer slow slow slow shooter but shot good enough and killed some deer with it, then a 2014 bowtech carbon knight that im still shooting. i dont much care for the carbon knight right now but i guess it is the "better bow". I wouldnt declare either a "favorite"
I still own my favorite bow of all time. From the factory it was a 2015 Elite Spirit however I swapped limbs on to and also changed the string and cable lengths to allow it go 28.5 / 70. I toyed with the idea of selling it several times however i cant bring myself to.... I have owned about 10 other bows since i built that elite. They are all gone except PSE evoke 31
The Bow That Got Away - Golden Eagle...something. It was a target model with ivory limbs and chrome cams but it was stupid fast for the time and really accurate. I believe it was about a 1990. I used to put these camo cloth sleeves on the limbs when I hunted with it. I still have my favorite hunting bow, which is my 2013 Mission Ballistic. It is just a great shooter. My *only* complaint about that bow is the back wall, and I only notice it if I have to hold at full draw for awhile or really have an active target in front of me. I need to see if I can find some rock mods for it, if I do I would sell my BowTech Realm in a heartbeat. Not that the BowTech isn't a great bow, but I don't need a flagship to be my backup bow. Sell it to someone who could get the most out of it rather than collect dust on my wall.
My first compound. 1989 Alpine Sierra Magnum. Just a great bow, durable and it always shot true. And of course my current setup, 2009 PSE X-Force, lots of dead deer on that bow.
Probably my Drenalin that I still own, wrong draw length and all. Was my first Mathews and just smooth and quiet and I have some of my favorite hunting memories attached to it. I shoot a Hoyt Helix now that is out of this world different and probably much better in all aspects, but I just don't have the same connection to it yet. I may go back to Mathews next year if one feels right. When I bought my Helix it just jumped out at me when I shot it compared to the others I shot. Sent from my SM-G781V using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Well seeing as I am new to this, and only bow I have "owned" is my current setup...that would be my favorite. 2010 Martin Saber Dyna Cam Hopefully save up enough between now and next season to go out and get my own official bow, as opposed to a hand-me-down. Still really enjoy shooting it though.
Hmmm.....I'd say my PSE Vector from the early 80's that I shot up until 2011. Was my dad's bow and he shot plenty of deer with it, as did I. A close second was my PSE DNA. I had to sell the DNA in 2016. A few pics of my DNA....
