I'm looking at getting a new bow...these are my top three I'm thinking.. Let me know if you own or have shot them, and pros and cons of each. BowTech Invasion Mathews Z7 Xtreme Hoyt CRX, but Would like more info on Hoyt products if anyone has some good info...
for what its worth I just ordered a Z7extreme But I do like the crx 32 alot I just personally do not like split limbs that is the only thing I did not like about the bow. Otherswise they are both pretty comprable. I do not know anything about bow tech. My best advice is the same that is usually said by all try them all and see which one fits and feels best in your hands
I have a Hoyt Alphamax. I've had it a couple of years now and really like it. It has a nice smooth draw cycle. I personally think Hoyt makes some pretty good bows. All the bows you mentioned are good bows, you just need to find what feels good in your hands. What I like or what feels right to another forum member may not feel good to you.
Go shoot them all and see which one YOU like best. Its not about what we like we all have different opinions so go find the one that fits you!
This is MY personal opinion. Take it for what it's worth but shoot them all... Invasion - I just don't like bowtechs. They don't feel right to me and I know too many people who have broken them... THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION... obviously with the following they have, they have to be doing something right. Hoyt - Tough. No way around it. They are very smooth on the draw. I didn't get a hoyt because of 3 things. 1. I didn't like the way the bow felt after the release, it felt like it wanted to jump out of my hand. 2. Cost - The element was my favorite and it's $1200. 3. Size, I wanted a small ATA bow and the ATA of the element is 32, compared to the z7x at 28. Mathews - I have a new z7 xtreme. I love it. I hunt first and target second. To me, this is the ultimate hunting bow. It has a very short ATA, a big brace height, and great speed. The bow is smooth on the draw and the release is just as smooth. Again, these are my personal opinions. Only you can pick the bow that is right for you.
I agree with some of what Indynotch says ,except for the Mathews part. Bowtech..............terrible costomer service, unless you are a dealer, they won't even reply to e-mails if you are an individual. Hoyt....tough, with high quality but the difficulty tuning cam+1/2 kept me away. Mathews....over-rated ad campaign makes people think they don't have the best unless it's theirs. My buddy has a Z7 and it's a finicky wimp of a bow. I finally settled on a APA Mamba M7...super simple to tune, forgiving with blistering speeds. My set up is shooting a 445 gr arrow at 301 fps at 28.5 " draw at 70 lbs. This bow aims rock steady...best bow I've shot in 25 yrs.
I shot all three of those bows and of the three, I would rank them Hoyt, Bowtech, and Mathews based on how each of them felt to me. Now, I think you'd be cheating yourself if you did not try the Mathews EZ7. I personally did not like the extreme but the EZ was one heck of a bow with how, well, smooth and easy it was! At the end of the day I ended of going with an Eltie Pure but that EZ was a very close second. You have the "big" three on your list and all make top notch bows, but dont forget about the smaller companies that simply dont advertise as much as the big three.
Hoyt makes the toughest darn bows period. Personally though, I would say shoot all three and buy the one that shoots the best for you. Buying a bow is like finding a good woman, don't let your peers tell you what to chose and make sure you take a test drive on a few before making the commitment
I'm going to shoot all three this weekend and see what i think...Thanks for all the comments...to all the people that only posted "find out for yourself", realize I will never, ever, ever dish out almost a $1000 on something just because of someones review, ...I was simply getting some opinions to see what pros and cons buyers considered when purchasing a new bow...Great info though guys...I'm not sure if my local shop sells Bowtech...I've seen Diamond but we'll see i guess...
The Carnage is shooting some bullet holes for me and you can find them at a great price if you looks around. I have heard guys buying them for $500
i shot all 3. the mathews was the nicest for me. the bowtech vibrated a lot after i shot it, and had a lot of hand shock. and the crx shot very nicely but i didnt like the way it drew back, and thought it wasnt that smooth
Shot em all and choose. Personally I like the way a Hoyt feels in my hand over all of the other brands but thats just me.
I held a Z7 Extreme Tactical today in a shop and was very impressed with it just looking at it -- best grip I've EVER seen on a Mathews... by FAR. If they've done anything with their Barracuda strings in the last few years, they may have a real winner on their hands. The G5 Prime bows (Shift and Centroid) are getting mostly rave reviews from those who've shot and own them.
