2024 Hunting Bow Shootout: Best Bow Of The Year

After testing out eight hunting bows over the past several months, it's time for the annual ArcheryTalk Hunting Bow Shootout.
In this video, I break down the bows in a number of different categories, picking a winner or two in each category. Then I pick my favorite bow of the year.
Here are the challengers, in the order they arrived.
Mathews Lift 29.5
Elite Ethos
Hoyt Alpha X 33
Bowtech CORE SR
APA Black Mamba 33
Bear Whitetail Maxx
Xpedition XLite 29
Prime RVX 34
0:00:00 - Introduction
0:01:26 - Draw Cycle
0:02:09 - Speed Test/Chrono Results
0:03:06 - Stability & Accuracy
0:04:02 - Noise & Vibration
0:04:35 - Grip
0:05:18 - Tunability
0:06:26 - Fit & Finish
0:07:25 - Price & Value
0:08:34 - Conclusions
Thank you to Canada Archery Online for letting me record parts of this video at your shop. Check them out here - www.canadaarcheryonline.com/

[@mmk9787]

Great review! Really appreciate all the information. Just purchased a Prime RVX32 a few months back after testing a number of the bows you included here. Just felt right for me…but all of these certainly have an argument. What a great time to be an archer. Keep up the great work

[@simonaudet1107]

I really enjoy your videos Lucas!! Unbiased opinions is really important to me! I understand you on the Hoyt, been a Mathews fan for years but had a chance to shoot the Rx8 this year and made the switch! God I love that bow! Thanks for the review!

[@chadwalker8859]

Great job on these reviews. 👍

[@obionewheelkenobi689]

Great review man👌 I really enjoy your content. I love the alpha x 33 also

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

Thanks for watching. I appreciate it.

[@brettwilliams437]

Thanks for another great review.

[@laurenchapple8244]

My best hunting bow for 2024 is the one I have the most confidence in. Same one I used for the past few years. 😊

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

Shoot what makes you happy.

[@oscarbravo2910]

gracias Lucas!

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

De nada!

[@kevinz8252]

I just bought me the RX8 ultra love it

[@jessiecarroll7003]

Couldn't tell which was which but one of them was much quieter than the rest

[@vgacbtp]

Do you recommend it for a short guy with 26 draw length? Or maybe better the alpha x 30?

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

It’s hard for me to say. If you think you’d want to use it for hunting and some target, I’d go with the 33. If it’s just for hunting, the 30 is probably ideal.

[@fisherman7185]

Where would you put the BOWTECH core SS I have a BOWTECH solution SS and I love it

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

Haven't had a chance to spend time with that one. But I suspect it would do quite well. That is the Bowtech I really wanted to test this year.

[@Petunia31]

SS Gang

[@daniel12141]

Can you review your top target bows?

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

I don’t get sent a lot of target bows.

[@rabbitinthehole1]

You should do Decibel reading for science lol

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

I bought a cheap decibel meter a couple years ago. I may have to consider doing a sound test again. Only did it once.

[@ZachC-130]

Man, I love prime draw cycle. The EC2 cam is money though.

[@ZachC-130]

Oh man, prime getting beat on fit a finish is crazy to me.

[@juanrodriguez-mu7ko]

What about the bear Alaskan XT?

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

Brands don’t typically send me more than one bow. But I really liked the XT when I shot it at the ATA Show in January.

[@chrisrash6479]

Don’t forget Mathews also has the option choosing colors.

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

All the brands do. But the wait time for any custom color for Mathews was not ideal this year.

[@walteroquinn757]

When idraw on a animal dont think about draw cycle or how fast it is or broad head or arrow

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

Then may I recommend a spear?

[@paulheberling2750]

PSE is hands down becoming my favorite dealer. Say what you will about Dud but the dude is really giving them an edge I think.

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

I've had some trouble getting my hands on a PSE for testing the past couple of years. Hopefully we can rectify that next year. And I think Dudley is great for archery.

[@flatearthtravolta6585]

Whats with the trolls? This guy seems cool.

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

What would the internet be without trolls?

[@scottlindholm5568]

The one without training wheels

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

I mean, who even needs a bow at all? I hunt with a 2x2 with a nail sticking out of it. You need to swing it pretty hard, but if you aren’t giving yourself unnecessary obstacles, are you even hunting?

[@matthunter1667]

​@ArcheryTalkVideo man the traditional world of archery is pretty awesome... That's what his comment was referring too with a little joke thrown in... Why such a reply ? Traditional archery isn't for everyone and not all people have the patience to be an effective hunter using traditional equipment.... but ya don't gotta throw so much salt. I'd actually recommend you give it a try. There's something magical about literally using no sights or rest and running an arrow through a mature buck as he walks by at 10 yards using a stick and string bow only shooting 150fps.

[@Tmpr111]

Lift

[@approachingtarget.4503]

Why test when APA has such high standards!

[@jons7e]

I think the lopsided sales speak for themselves in terms of the overall best hunting bow this year. People generally shoot them all, and it seems like the vast majority chose the Lift. But despite the Lift frenzy, Hoyt has provided a very solid offering this year that deserved more attention than it received.

[@bigz5262]

I’m not trying to discredit Mathews because they built a heck of a nice bow this year, but their sales are a lot due to marketing. They pay all the top archers and KZbinrs to shoot their bows and the people follow

[@mlkman5541]

Hoyts are great bows. I can't see why people love them so much, they don't have anything that makes them stand out vs other bows. If I were to get a carbon bow, PSE's bows weight a pound less than hoyt and the lift also weighs less. Cams or draw are all about the same with the new tech, plus I've never heard anyone complain about draw while hunting your adrenaline would make pulling a 100-pound draw easy.

[@mlkman5541]

Lopsided sales don't mean much in terms of what is to be considered best. people do fall for marketing and social media popularity. The same goes for hunting packs and equipment. Kifaru and peax have the most popularity that doesn't make them the best. Lopsided sales would go to bowtech. PSE is right behind hoyt as well if you'd like to base "best bow" off of sales.

[@mlkman5541]

​@bigz5262 I'd say people fall for marketing for hoyt lol. Cam hanes and Joe rogan definitely bumped hoyts popularity.

[@bigz5262]

@@mlkman5541 Joe Rogan shoots a PSE and if he was trying to sell bows you’d know that. Cam shoots for Hoyt but he never talks about it. All the Mathews guys talk about Mathews in all of their videos. Mathews spends more on marketing than all the other bow companies. Chris Bee, Dan Staton, Seek One and several others all used to shoot a Hoyt but Mathews offered them more

[@Anything.is.Possible]

Archery Talk is sponsored by Hoyt. 😅

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

I don't sell ads myself (just make content), but I don't believe Hoyt has done any direct advertising with us recently (though maybe through Google ads). However, I'm sure they have in the past...much like pretty much every other brand. I do like your name, though - Anything.is.Possible. One thing that may not be possible on your end is making an intelligent, well thought out point that doesn't make you seem like a twit.

[@stacyhardin611]

Very rude and unprofessional comment back to my post…. If you are going to compare something make sure you compare equivalent equipment

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

Mathews sent me the Lift 29.5 for this very project. If I didn’t include it, they would be rightfully upset. As for me being unprofessional in my response…you accused me of being on the take. You acted like troll and got treated as such. It’s not complicated.

[@stacyhardin611]

Comparing the LIFT 29.5… to the 33” bows!!! Get real dude and compare apples to apples! The LIFT33 blows all these bows away as far as overall platform….. weight; speed; forgiveness; dead in the hand and very efficient! How much $$ did Hoyt send your way. I agree it’s a good bow just like the rest but it is severely underachieving in the sales expected!

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

The brands choose which bows they send me. Now go put your tinfoil hat back on and scream at neighborhood kids when they walk past your house.

[@stacyhardin611]

Nice reply very professional! About like all your reviews

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

@@stacyhardin611And yet…you watch.

[@Kammeg71]

Fan boi to the extreme. It’s ok someone didn’t choose your Mathews. Thanks for the work and review Lucas.

[@PD-we8vf]

This guy is a dork.

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

I have long feared the wrath of the dreaded PD-we8vf. That name has brought chills to many a KZbinr. And with biting wit like you've displayed here, it's no wonder.

[@austinphillips9966]

Whoever pays you more like always

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

You are greatly overvaluing my importance/influence if you think any bow manufacturer has ever offered me even a penny. It's usually a struggle to even get in test bows. But I appreciate the ego boost.

[@ecrank83]

Lol pretty silly comment

[@gabrielhouston5660]

@@ArcheryTalkVideogreat response!

[@joshuadouglasarchery]

Very “my bow company I like didn’t win any awards.” Comment

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

@@joshuadouglasarcheryIt happens every single time I do these videos.

[@inthemountainswithmeachum3256]

Bear bows is still proving to everybody paying attention that you're paying only for the name or the hype these greedy companies charging criminal prices for nothing but pure greed and bear proves there's no reason for it

[@ArcheryTalkVideo]

Bear also has a $1250 bow. Many brands offer bows at different price points.

[@waynestevenson9613]

@@ArcheryTalkVideoagreed! But that’s still several 100$ less than most of the others!