Thank you for reading our post, please rate this article at the end.
Last Updated on August 24, 2024 by Paul Clayton
Table of Contents
9 Best Brands For Compound Bows
Like any other sport or professional hobby, Archery requires the right equipment. These days, you can find premium archery sets from various companies. The number of bows in the market is customized for the differing needs of every archer. However, while many brands give you an incredible array of choices, they can be confusing.
Key Takeaway
This webpage is a buying guide for compound bows
Summary
-
- This webpage provides information on the top 9 brands for compound bows.
- Factors to consider when choosing a compound bow brand include quality, ethics, customer service, budget-friendliness, and purpose of use.
- Some of the top brands for compound bows include Hoyt Archery, Bowtech Archery, Mathews Archery, Bear Archery, and Elite Archery.
Compound bows are available for beginners who want to start shooting with their first archery set. They are also sought after by experienced archers who need new bows to up their game. You must know which company will deliver the right quality for either purpose.
Compromising on quality and features will reduce your shooting speed, be less durable, and hamper your comfort.
This review will guide you through the buying process for quality compound bows. Each company listed here will deliver on performance and smooth usage for all archers. Before purchasing, you should also know a little about their brand values and what makes them reliable.
Why Are These Companies Considered Top-Notch?
Several important factors must be considered when deciding on the best brands. The best producers of compound bows should ensure excellent quality and have strong core company values.
Quality
The primary factor when purchasing a compound bow is its quality. To ensure the best value for your money, the product should meet all the design, materials, and build criteria.
You can’t experiment with quality since compound bows are high-end and expensive sporting gear. If a company has negative reviews of faulty products, steer clear, and don’t waste your resources.
Ethics
Companies don’t just make products but also follow certain principles that make them big names. You should know that you always buy from an ethical and honorable brand. Check that their business practices are reputed and not associated with negative manufacturing reviews. Suspicious dealings could mean quality will be lacking, and your product won’t be up to the mark.
The company should be reputable if you want to invest in a durable and long-term bow. It’s a letdown to discover later that the company can’t deliver on its promises and that your equipment is lacking.
Customer Service
Design, manufacturing, and quality form the foundation of a great company. However, customer service is something you should always look out for as a consumer. Will you be valued after you purchase the product and maintain a good relationship with the company?
This might seem irrelevant to your archery, but it becomes essential when you have issues with the product. A top-notch company will ensure that someone is always around to look after your queries and concerns.
Before purchasing from any company, check out customer reviews and after-sales services. Do they have a positive reputation for helping customers? Are they considerate about their clients’ overall satisfaction?
These questions will help you determine whether you can trust them for future purchases.
Budget-Friendly
Being a sportsperson or passionate amateur archer, you won’t want to compromise on your equipment. However, the cost-effectiveness of a product isn’t something to overlook either.
Bows are priced differently depending on their purpose. Some bows are priced unfairly or exorbitantly and shouldn’t be purchased on a whim. Additionally, even the most expensive bow might not suit your specific style.
The prices for compound bows on the market range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. Since upgrading your gear is always possible, good companies will have budget-friendly bows that you can enhance as you grow.
Purpose Of Use
Choosing the right compound bow means knowing what you will use it for. Different companies specialize in the production of bows for varying applications. The two primary purposes for any bow are regular archery and target practice or bowhunting.
When both these functions require some exceptional features to cater to your needs, be firm about your purpose. Although some bows meant for target shooting can be substituted for bowhunting, it is not usually preferred.
Beginners and seasoned archers will also have differing equipment requirements. Keep these factors in mind so that you don’t get a too elaborate bow to handle. In some cases, you may be an expert archer who ends up purchasing an amateur bow for introductory shooting.
Best Companies For Compound Bows
These are a few established brand names in the industry. Their products are made to fit your needs, with quality checks and various pricing.
1. Hoyt Archery
Hoyt Archery is a renowned brand that has existed since 1931. Their workmanship has an undeniable influence on the world of archery.
They were founded by Earl Hoyt Sr., who set up a small shop in St. Louis, Missouri. When they began this venture, their primary focus was on selling knives. Archery was later added to their list of specialties.
Hoyt Archery is a leading manufacturer of compound bows located in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is reputed worldwide for its novelty, reliability, and innovative approach.
Their company motto is “Get Serious. Get Hoyt.” Therefore, you can expect heavy-duty products from this company.
Sturdy bows from Hoyt Archery are available to target archers and bowhunters. Experienced archers and hunters can polish their game hunting skills with premium Hoyt bows. Hoyt has you covered for those looking to outshine at competitions.
Serious archers might also be interested in knowing that Olympians verify Hoyt’s bows. Their first-class bows are used on the Olympic level by athletes who have won numerous gold medals. Hoyt Bow users have won more gold medals than all the other companies combined.
Recently, they released one of their best bows yet, Carbon RX-3. This bow is part of Hoyt’s REDWRX series, a newly developed lineup of archery sets. You can count on any of these sets since the REDWRX stamp is only given to bows after intensive testing.
REDWRX bows must pass all the quality standards for durability and speed. Hoyt bows promise maximum performance and are built with these standards in mind.
In addition, Carbon RX-3 is an innovative, fine piece of equipment. It has a one-of-a-kind riser built from more than 50 carbon layers. This benefits serious archers by decreasing vibration and keeping the bow lightweight. Furthermore, the bow is agile and maintains stealth and low noise when fired.
Hoyt is a brand name that promises new technological advancement and upgraded design. However, the advantages it delivers through quality will cost you accordingly. Most of their equipment, including Carbon RX-3 at $1699, ranges from one thousand to a few thousand dollars.
2. Bowtech Archery
Bowtech Archery is a company that won’t let you down about quality. It is a deserving competitor brand that measures up to Hoyt’s reputation in the market. Given their proven worth in bow manufacturing, experienced archers often prefer either of these companies.
This company was established in 1999, a little bit later than Hoyt. Its founders were John Strasheim and Kevin Strother. They released their first bow in 2000 and haven’t stopped progressing. They are situated in Eugene, Oregon, and their influence reaches far and wide.
Bowtech Archery prides itself on the 100% American made of all its products. It works hard to maintain its customers’ trust, which ensures quality and user-friendliness. In this regard, its manufacturing and sales are entirely transparent.
This brand, which goes by its motto, “Refuse to Follow,” is a trendsetter true to its word. It constantly pushes the boundaries of innovation to utilize novel technological approaches. Its team consists of creative engineers and dedicated employees whose hard work is reflected in its services.
If you want to understand their products, RealmSR6 is an exemplary bow. It is Bowtech’s fastest bow. Bowtech’s other products are also highly specialized thanks to its famous Binary Cam System.
This intelligently developed technology allows for smoother bow drawing. Archers can thus benefit from this system by maintaining speed and being at ease.
This radical Binary Cam System is also used in RealmSR6. It uses an upgraded combination with a unique Overdrive Binary Cam system. This makes the bow faster than ever and still highly comfortable to use. Archers using RealmSR6 are guaranteed to use one of the smoothest bows on the market.
Bowtech is a reputed name due to its thoughtful customer service. They are keen on ensuring customer satisfaction, and each product has a lifetime warranty. When buying from this company, you can be sure you’re making an excellent investment.
It cannot be denied that Bowtech is a leading brand, and its prices show it, too. Most Bowtech equipment can be pretty expensive, and RealmSR6, at $1700, also falls in the few thousand dollar category. However, archers on a budget can rest assured that this company also has cheaper alternatives.
Regarding outreach, Bowtech is used globally and even on international platforms like the Olympics. Thanks to their revolutionary technological adjustments, customers repeatedly rely on them for the best bows.
3. Mathews Archery
Matt McPherson established This company in 1992 in Austin, Minnesota. The founder was adept at building bows from a young age. Having grown up in poverty, McPherson was unable to purchase a bow. He began innovating and adding to his designs as he made more bows.
Mathews Archery began as just a local business run by McPherson and another worker. Thanks to their dedicated work year after year, they built a name that has grown tremendously. At the moment, Mathew Archery is a world-renowned manufacturer of bows. They are well known for their quality, attention to detail, and high-class manufacturing.
Currently, Mathews Archery is located in Sparta, Wisconsin. Mathew McPherson is still at it with his radical innovations to bows, and every product is bound to be customized.
This brand lives by its slogan, “Elevating the archery experience.” Their contribution to archery equipment is undeniable, given the game-changing technology they have repeatedly developed.
One such innovation is Single Cam technology, developed by the company’s founder. Thanks to this technology, compound bows have decreased recoil and lower noise output during shooting.
However, Mathews Archery’s attitude towards customers makes it genuinely reputable. It believes in putting the clients first and striving to meet their needs. It operates according to its motto, “People first, business second,” ensuring the utmost satisfaction.
The latest Vertix bow from this brand is a great bow. It was launched just the previous year, making it their newest product. Vertix has favorable reviews, and its modern design makes it worthy of commendation.
Vertix is a bow best suited for hunting and has an upgraded Engage Grip feature. This makes it highly comfortable for archers to shoot with and decreases the bow torque to enhance its use.
Vertex also has a creative Switch Weight feature, which allows easy adjustment of weights. You can accommodate the weight to your personalized setting without manually changing a thing. All you have to do is use the screw to get the right weight.
Given the quality, Mathews’s products are not expected to be cheap. However, they are not as high as those of Bowtech and Hoyt. This makes a high-quality brand from which you can buy reasonably priced bows.
Overall, this brand will continually cater to your needs as a customer, and you are bound to feel valued. There is no scope for disappointment when buying from Mathews.
4. Bear Archery
This is an exciting archery company because it had nothing to do with sports equipment products when it began. Bear Archery first began as an advertising company back in 1933. Fred Bear established this venture to advertise automotive brands, which was called Bear Products Company.
With time, Fred Bear began to lose interest in the automobile industry and developed intrigue in the archery sector. Making bows was a hobby he invested in during his free time. His handmade bows gradually became one of the products that the company sold.
Given Bear’s talent for archery, his inclination was already decided. He had also won numerous target competitions in the field. He was also a master bow hunter and a star athlete.
As their demand for bows grew, they shifted from handmade products to mass-production strategies. Their bows were developed from fiberglass instead of wood. Once they sold off their advertising venture, the company came into their own as Bear Archery. Eventually, they moved their operations to Michigan.
So, with Bear’s legendary skills, the company has branded itself with the motto, “Walk Among Legends.”
Bear Archery is a fully dedicated archery brand that has made its name in the field. It is now headquartered in Gainesville, Florida, and manufactures countless bows annually. Their equipment is sought after and well-known among archers today.
Their specialization began in traditional recurve and longbows. However, they are now a renowned brand in compound bow styles. Their youth bows are known to be of excellent quality, and you can’t go wrong with any such product.
Kuma 30 is one of their most recently made compound bows. Kuma stands for bear in Japanese and is also the name of Bear Archery’s famous collections. Kuma Thirty delivers on the best that the Kuma collection has to offer. Its accuracy and effectiveness as a bow are exceptional, and it serves as a smaller and lighter version of the Kuma models.
You can count on Bear Archery for quality, innovation, performance, and versatility with their diverse range of products that are also cost-effective. Archers can rest assured that they won’t exceed their budget.
Their most expensive bows are adult bows, which cost up to $900. However, decent bows are also available in the $200 and $300 range. You can find products for kids’ bows that cost 20 to 30 dollars. For older children, bows can cost anywhere from $70 to $200. This is excellent news for those who want affordability and quality.
At Bear Archery, every archer can find something that suits their style. As a result, they will not have to compromise on comfort, technique, performance, or budget. Both beginners and senior archers are sure to find suitable options as well.
5. Elite Archery
Elite Archery is right if you’re looking for a newer company with modernized approaches. It is a young brand that began manufacturing just a few years ago. However, it has quickly become quite influential in the field, and the market loves its products.
This company was established in 2005 in Walla Walla, Washington. It is currently headquartered in Rochester, NY. Over time, its worth and reputation have skyrocketed and remain steadily growing.
Elite Archery has branded itself as the manufacturer and seller of the “World’s Most Shootable Bows.” Their motto is “Speed without compromise,” and it rings true. Their production takes place in the United States, without exceptions, making it a proud American brand.
Their bows’ top-of-the-line design makes them so efficient. Elite Archery bows are known to have the lowest post-shot vibrations and hand shock. Thanks to innovation in design, their cams promise delicate release. Additionally, you can count on their bows’ smooth draw movements.
The other exceptional aspect of this brand is its lifetime warranty on every bow. If you’re still unsure, Elie has a bow trial for hunting. This means you get all the required gear to customize a bow for your preferences.
Your hunting bow will include pre-installed rest, sight, and peep. You can find the right draw weight and length you need as well. Everything is part of the package and offered to you within the given time limit before return.
The 2018 Elite Ritual is one of Elite’s most commonly sought-after bows. This latest model combines convenience, speed, and performance all in one product. Archers can’t get enough of it, and It is a top-rated product.
Elite Ritual is unique because of its exceptionally smooth draw cycle, which is comfortable for any archer. Furthermore, the speed is a whopping 335 ft/sec. This means you will make no sacrifices on either performance or ease of use.
For archers on a budget, Elite Archery offers a broader range of prices. You can find bows that cost about $400 on the cheaper side. For more expensive choices, you can purchase bows that cost up to $1200.
Elite Archery has become a trusted brand despite its recent entry into the market. Its recurring high-quality delivery has made it one of the best brands to choose from.
6. PSE Archery
This company was established by Pete Shepley in 1970. Shepley, an engineer and archery enthusiast, began the company in Illinois and has grown since. It is headquartered in Arizona and is the biggest privately owned bow manufacturing brand in America. It is also one of the biggest manufacturers of bows globally.
They are renowned for their high-quality bows that deliver on performance and speed. They were one of the first in the field to produce compound bows. PSE Archery still holds that its founder was one of the creators of the first optimum compound bow, making compound bows one of their specialized products.
Seasoned archers would be interested to know that this brand has patents on over twenty bow designs and innovations. PSE Archery is a company that has always been ahead of the curve in creative development within the field.
Research is at the core of PSE’s brand principle. Pete Shepley, the founder and CEO, believes that development and research are indispensable manufacturing stages. Shepley also believes that PSE is dedicated to contributing to the entire archery equipment industry through its progress.
PSE Throttle is a renowned bow by PSE and is considered one of the market’s speediest bows. It delivers a speed up to 370 ft/sec that experienced archers can maximize.
Another premium bows is PSE Stinger X, ranked as one of their best bows for beginner archers. Overall, this bow performs well in every aspect. It is light to use, has a smooth draw, and has enhanced speed.
Beginners will have no trouble with it, and the cams can accommodate your preference. This means that vibration absorption is significant, and comfort is high.
What makes this brand reliable isn’t just its history of production and its proven quality. All of its bows are guaranteed to perform exceptionally under all circumstances.
7. Prime Archery (G5 Outdoors)
This is a company founded by the parent company G5 Outdoors. Louis Grace Senior started G5 Outdoors, which is a family-owned business. It began as Grace Engineering in Memphis, Michigan, in its inception.
In its initial stages, Grace Engineering was not a bow manufacturer and did not become one until the 1980s. This was after Louis Grace Jr. began running the company later on. They made their name in the industry through the broadhead they built for the archery market. This was the Montec broadhead and is still one of their best-selling products, G5 Outdoors.
As their popularity grew, they invested further in archery gear and bow production. They became a reputed name in this sector and started 2 new archery brands under their name. Quest Bowhunting and Prime Archery came up and became hits.
G5 Outdoors lives by its motto, “Designed to Hunt.” Its primary aim is to deliver archery equipment for bowhunters. Its premium-quality bows are repeatedly measured for performance in this regard. Thus, G5 Outdoors prides itself on its integrity and roots as a family-owned business.
Prime Archery has launched multiple new archery series. One popular lineup is Prime Logic CT3. The outstanding feature of this new series of bows is its Parallel Cam system. This new feature is a unique technological advancement that gives archers better aim. The cams are more stable, and learning is not an issue, making you shoot more accurately.
With a Prime Archery bow, you can count on your equipment for the best hunting experience. Rest assured that your overall shooting ability will be enhanced, and operations will be highly efficient.
8. Quest Bowhunting (G5 Outdoors)
G5 Outdoors is also the parent company of Quest Bowhunting. Founded in 2009, it differs slightly from its twin company, Prime Archery.
The main difference is the pricing of each company’s products. Prime Archery is a premium brand, but its equipment is also more pricey. Their products range from $700 to $1000. On the other hand, a quality Quest Bowhunting archery set will cost you around $300 to $500.
Although Prime Archery has high-end products, Quest Bowhunting is a good brand for a balanced bow mid-range.
Quest products are durable, easy to use, and highly comfortable for any archer. They are guaranteed to be worth their price.
Quest Thrive is one of their quality bows, released recently in 2018. This product is a primary example of quality and affordability, making it a popular bow on the market. The bow riser is constructed from 82X aluminum, making it the strongest and lightest build possible for any bow.
Thanks to its speed and convenience, Quest Thrive is comfortable for bowhunting. Reasonable pricing is also a plus.
Quest has covered you for archers looking to get started or find a more affordable brand.
9. Diamond Archery (Bowtech)
Bowtech Archery is already an established name, and Diamond Archery is a child company of theirs. The one drawback some might observe with Bowtech was excessive pricing. Despite being acclaimed and high-quality, Bowtech’s rates were unaffordable for most archers.
Diamond Archery is a better pick for those looking to save. The prices are lower, ranging from $200 to $500. Since Diamond Archery is an offshoot brand of Bowtech, they maintain quality while lowering these prices.
Infinite Edge is a popular best-seller from this brand. Its latest model is an upgraded design called Infinite Edge Pro. It is a new and improved version with flawless manufacturing.
The Infinite Edge Pro is a quality bow thanks to its long draw length, which makes it suitable for all kinds of archers. Its cam system has been upgraded for immense comfort and smoothness, and the added stabilizer also helps streamline your shooting.
The best part is that Diamond Archery has plenty of varying bows to pick from. All these options are built for customer satisfaction, with the highest quality and highly reasonable pricing.
Wrapping Up
In archery, the battle of supremacy among compound bow brands is fierce. Nine brands have marked their territories with utmost superiority. Hoyt Archery, a titan in the industry, has been casting shadows of awe with its masterpieces since 1931.
Their compound archery bows are a fusion of innovation and tradition, loved by archers worldwide. Bowtech Archery, another heavyweight contender, has mesmerized bowhunters with its innovative binary cam system. Their precision and accuracy are unparalleled.
Mathews Archery, an age-old compound bow brand, has won hearts with its harmonic damping system, significantly reducing noise and vibration. Bear Archery, on the other hand, offers affordability without compromising quality—an actual bear in the market! Elite Archery, the name says it all; its compound archery bows are indeed elite, offering unrivaled smoothness and speed.
PSE Archery, a brand synonymous with speed, has been pushing the limits since its inception. Its compound bows embody power and precision. Prime Archery (G5 Outdoors) takes pride in its Centergy technology, which aids balance and accuracy.
Though a lesser-known brand, Quest Bowhunting delivers high-quality compound bows that don’t disappoint.
Lastly, Diamond Archery (Bowtech) shines bright like a diamond in the market with its user-friendly and versatile bows. These brands have not just crafted bows; they have sculpted masterpieces that have redefined the art of archery. They are the maestros who have tuned the symphony of the compound archery bow world to perfection!
It should be noted that there are plenty of other quality archery companies to choose from. However, these 9 companies are the way to go if you’re looking for the best. Buying can become more manageable with your information on their services, history, and values. Pick your brand and join the exciting world of archery!
Home page
Back to the top of the page
