Just got back from the Doctors Office. While there I found an Outdoor Life with a 2008 Bow test. All I can say is what a joke! Obviously I have bias to what I think it should say; however why are they comparing bows that are several hundered dollars apart and in different classes of bows? The Hoyt Katera was the fastest they tested yet got a 3 in performance while slower bows got a 4? There were other interesting things in the reviews and their methods seemed highly flawed and unconvincing. I am extremely glad I shot most of the bows in the test and found the one that works best for me. Why don't these magazines to a flagship bow test, a speed bow test and a price point bow test? I now remember why I quit buying hunting magazines several years ago. Will the Bowhunting.com site have bow reviews starting next year?
Why yes it would. Honestly I think the General deserved to win and the DXT is a great bow. My question is how does the fastest bow of the bunch get rated a 3 out of 4 in performance and slower bows get 4 out of 4? Outdoor Life is a crap magazine to begin with and they use an internet retailer as their testing partner and oddly enough most of what that company carries ends up placing in the top of the test? Flagship bows get rated 1 out of 4 because they are expensive? The General is the heaviest bow out of the bunch but gets no deduction for being heavy and slow while the Katera is the fastest but gets docked in speed and value and can shed a few ounces? I shot most of these bows. I have never owned a Hoyt before nor did I ever want one. I can afford any of the bows on the list. I went into the shop to buy a BOWTECH and walked out with a HOYT on order. I have a connection and can get Diamond or Bowtech at cost and that was the plan. I found the Katera was best for me Now, if anyone is bored try this out. Go to a dealer that carries Hoyt and Bowtech. Get a 70# Katera and General and draw them both back to back and tell me which one is smoother and has a more solid backwall and you will see what I mean. Funny that the one that is easier to draw is shooting 20fps faster How many people in here have even shot a Katera????
Here is a post from another forum from a few months ago regarding the General [Send Private Message] Report | Post #: 12 RE: Bow Questions - 4/4/2008 8:41:28 PM No New Messages racewayking Shooter Buck Posts: 829 Joined: 4/2/2008 From: Pingree Grove, IL Status: online I shot several the other day and liked the Bowtech General. It was a 70lb with 29" draw and the factory tag said it shot a 350gr arrow 301fps. I would like to hit that speed with an arrow 50-100gr heavier than the factory tested arrow. Is there something similar out there 33 in. Or shorter that can fling a hunting arrow weighing 400-450 in a 70lb draw? _____________________________ 2008 HNI Unofficial Hunt' N Camp Alumni Peakrut Calls Me "Mulberry" HOYT Katera 82.2# @28" 403gr. Easton ST Axis Nano@ 310fps 428gr. Easton ST Axis Nano@ 303fps Apex Atomic 4-pin sight Trophy Taker drop away (in reply to kickin_buck) Post #: 13 RE: Bow Questions - 4/4/2008 9:40:06 PM
just remember that those hunting mags are just for entertainment purposes only. i only take the improvement article seriously. there's one mag that everybow reviewed is great in every feature. just wish there was a mag out there that would tell it like it is. but money rules.
Mulberry, you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned shooting them all and finding the one that fits you.
The sad part is that the magazines will never change the way they do reviews. They are funded by the advertisers and they would be idiots to trash a bow company that is paying top dollar to advertise in the magazine. The only want to find the right bow will always be to go out and test them yourself!!!
I was just comparing what was in the test. The General feels harder to draw when comparing 70# bows. I like the draw cycle on the katera much better. The backwall on the Katera is a little spongy but there is a rubber bushing that can be talken off of the cam to give it a solid hard wall. I was close to getting a Guardian or Ally until I shot the Katera, IMO the Katera was smoother and shot better for me than the Guardian or Ally. The 82nd wasn't an option, I don't like shooting anything larger than 33" ATA for many of the stands I hunt.
