SANLIDA DRAGON X9: BUDGET BOW TEST

Sanlida Website Link: www.sanlidaout...
This is a test of the improved Dragon X Series bow-- a very low priced, complete bow package/kit by Sanlida Archery. I previously tested the Dragon X8 and it did quite well, for the price. Let's see how the new Dragon X9 performs.
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[@stevemlejnek7073]

Sorry to see all the deplorable comments to you John for simply reviewing (another) product made in China. Don't let it affect you. Many of us love your product reviews!

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks brother

[@Backwoods365]

We upgraded to a trophy ridge sight , trophy ridge quivers , and drop away rest , got some gold tip arrows , and these sanlida bows shoot great , i can hang with any higher end bow on the market i am 29 inches on draw length and im getting 66.5 pounds which is plenty of weight to kill anything that walks the ground in the usa , i shoot good out to 50-60 yds highly recommend these bows , just upgrade the things that come with it and these bows are shooters !

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Good to hear

[@brianbarney-yt1yp]

Sanlida is a well-known archery brand in Asia, and many traditional / recurve competition shooters shoot the higher end Sanlida bows. They have a few models in the $800 to $1500 range for more advanced archers. People forget that China has an archery culture and bowyer heritage going back thousands of years. Kudos, John for thinking of the beginners on a budget regardless of the origin of manufacture.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thank you

[@caseysmith544]

@@LuskArcheryAdventures If you ever do another of these do the Gen-X if you can, the original Budget bow under the name Genesis-Pro in the 2000's that was under $300 and still is. This bow ends up due to being made for finger use as well as a release tool, used more for bowfishing then other bows. It can't get Elk in some sates, South Dakota just changing for the 2023 season the min for that to 40 pounds from 45 pounds due to how few in South Dakota use Traditional though a growing number are using the better lever bows, Wein South Dakota also have same 40 pounds for Mountain Lion too now from. If going for Buffalo during the Roundup now done every other year, the 45 pound is minimum where they would like people to use a 50 pound but most chose to use a 308 gun on up for that going with the more blunt nose bullets with most preferring the 30-06 or higher. The other That could be done Junxing M183 (right eye dominate only) that is also used similar to the Gen-X as a bowfishing model, in fact a person in Asia does just this on a KZbin video, but could be used like the Gen-X but for all hunting in North America as it has a max draw of 70 pounds. This bow is unique in that the Junxing M183 has an older limb design/length so you can draw it back with tab/gloved fingers but then has more modern cams to have modern let off as well as the speed, I bet they beefed up the limbs given they are based on an older bow with a more modern cam then the limb design.

[@connorhart7597]

Yeah I wouldn't trust a bow made by a company that makes all sorts of shit, but this is an established company in a place with a DEEEEEEP archery history lol not everything from China is cheap shit, just use good judgment lol

[@MiniatureMasterClass]

"People forget that China has an archery culture and bowyer heritage going back thousands of years." - Racists think everything is white only.

[@carltrano1325]

Love the review. Seems like a great value starter bow. Not everyone wants to drop 1000 to 1500 on a bow. Keep up the great work 👍

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks Carl.

[@caseysmith544]

Or even $220 to $400 on the bow alone for the top budget bows.

[@deanbrantley]

To everyone saying negative things. John works hard for his honest reviews and is the gold standard in broadhead testing. Everyone wants American made till it’s time to pay for it. ALMOST everything in our lives is from another country, get over it. Until your ready to replace ever piece of your hunting clothing with “American” made Origin Brand you don’t have a say so.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks for the comment. Just like with broadheads, I'm just testing the bow and not the owners of the gear. Every once in a while I test budget broadheads or bows, for those who cannot afford anything else.

[@awbernardy]

Glad to see some more people testing these types of bows !!! #1 for the haters not every one has a archery shop near them, and they get alot of stuff online and learn stuff like this ONLINE.. so this can be up there ally Also not every one can afford a new bow even some entry level bow can cost $500 set up but still need Arrows .. release aid... case ect.. so still a chunk of change for some... 25 years ago a flag ship bow was $500-600 bare bow.. now $1200+ bare bow... so a nice basic package for a new bow $300-400 for everything can help some people out.. #2 not every one can find a good deal on a used bow and know what to look for in a adjustable draw.. or can it be adjusted.. and are parts available to make it work for them... So glad to see this type of reviews being done...

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thank you!

[@escott1140]

Facts💯

[@toMCsh]

I'm 55, grew up in the city, live in a more rural area now, and made this my first bow purchase as I did not want a substantial financial output while seeing if it will be something I stay with. The arrow rest issue is still there. Maybe they are clearing the inventory? However, customer service has been fantastic and a new rest is on the way. And for all the naysayers, times change and Sanlida is leading the way with online purchasing. Eventually, if the big bow names want to stay competitive, they, too, will end up doing this. In the end, if it is enjoyable or puts meat on the table, it's a good purchase.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@justaguy7997]

Great review, we really appreciate you taking YOUR time to what you enjoy and helping those of US to enjoy and benefit from. THANK YOU!

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thank you

[@Backwoods365]

These bows are for real we been stacking taco meat up for a couple years with the X8 , the X9 is nice , that new X10 will out shoot most American bows

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

They are impressive

[@KTMsoldier1988]

For me this is a perfect bow for a teenager.....it will last them until they are an adult and can buy there own. I bought my son the older version for Christmas when he was 12.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Nice.

[@MagVair]

I've had really good customer service from Sanlida

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

That’s good to hear.

[@blainelyons4493]

Great review John. Sounds like a great starter bow.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thank you

[@IIDASHII]

Looks like a great starter bow. I may consider it for my son. Any bow with a whisker buiscuit is going to be limited in terms of accuracy and forgiveness. I bet even a cheaper drop-away rest on that would improve precesion a lot.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Yep

[@frankbrowning328]

This is a great vaue price bow. To have the adjustability in weight & draw length and also get over 300fps is outstanding at this price. I'm tall and of course I have very long arms which means a 31 1/2'' minimum arrow length. Some bows do not have enough adjustment in length to accommodate this. I shot an inexpensive PSE Nova which I equipped with higher end accessories for many, many years. It was very accurate and hit plenty hard. When punching paper I would very often outshoot people with bows costing several times more money. I could hit the bow shops hanging 1/2'' spinner blade more often thn not at 20 yards back then. Now unfortunately, my shoulders wont allow me to shoot a compound any more so in 2013 I went to a Scorpyd Orion crossbow. I love the Scorpyd and the Mission 360 crossbows I have but I still miss the fun of shooting a compound at 50+ yards and watching that arrow arc into the target

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@IIDASHII]

Everything is going to hit hard when you have a 31.5" draw. XD

[@bradcombs2048]

All of those knocking John for reviewing a bow made in China: Be honest with yourself, you know you have clothes, tools, or other equipment that comes from there as well, whether you know it or not. I dont like it, but thats the world we live in fellas.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Yep. Thank you.

[@dangdang8106]

The x10 looks pretty sleek I've been hearing good things about these bows x8, x9, x10

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Yeah, I'm testing that one now.

[@connorhart7597]

The apex looks pretty shmexy too ngl but I'm not about to go drop 1200 on a bare bow rn hahaha

[@brentbarnetthunting]

Ignore the haters, John. Great review!

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thank you

[@Jari_Kuusisto]

The rest is not actually the issue, but the arrow fletching that is too far from the back. Nice review, thanks!

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Yes that's correct. The problem is that it gets stuck on the rest when loading, for that reason. That's what I tried to communicate.

[@jamessolus4303]

Exceptional review. Thanks so much for helping us newbies feel welcome. Question: Are the arrows provided still getting stuck in the holder? I know they were planning to correct this.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

I just asked them and they told me they have corrected it now.

[@Oleman72]

Would you please do the 10. It looks so good and the price is right.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

I have one and am testing it now. But it is a challenge to pull! Man, I can't believe how difficult it is to draw. But I will test it out more.

[@wildpigremovalinc.executio8028]

Good video. I have been looking for information on the cams of the x8,x9,x10. Different reviews have said the cams are shaped differently. That being said, more bows are being designed with equal distance from the upper and lower cams to the arrow rest. I believe bows having the same cams are easier to tune and set up. I'm not a fan of different designed cams. Is there any information on the cam specifications? I believe these would be great bows for growing kids with the adjustability built into these bows. And as a bow for archery fishing set up.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

The best place to find the info is on their site; I put the link in the video description.

[@Brooklynapoli]

Should I get the x8 or x 9. I’m new with archery Please help me started. I will appreciate

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

I'd get the 9. Still a great value and quite a bit better than the 8--if you can swing the extra $100.

[@l.i.archer5379]

I bought the Dragon X8 a year ago, but couldn't get it to tune with the arrow level at 26.5" drawlength; it tuned 3/8" nock low no matter what I did to it. I contacted Sanlida about this issue and they sent me a 2nd one. The 2nd one had the same problem. It did tune perfectly level at 29" drawlength, though, so I sold them to people with those drawlengths. Then, a month ago, a friend bought one in camo (both of the ones I got were black) for his daughter. She was a 25" drawlength. I set it up with a whisker biscuit, and wouldn't you know, it tuned with the arrow perfectly level, and she couldn't be happier with it. I don't know what the issue was with the two I received. I don't think I'll buy the X9, since I just ordered a Bear Whitetail Maxx, where at least, I know 11% of the money I'm paying for it will go to the Pittman-Robertson Act for Conservation. Not so with these Chinese-made archery products - a revelation that dawned on me fairly recently. For the record, Sanlida told me to keep both bows no matter the outcome of how they tuned. John, did you notice the cables rub together at full draw near the bottom yoke/buss cable? Draw weight can be adjusted at lower drawlengths by twisting up the cables. I had my bow's 66# @ 26'5" draw weight corrected to 70# by twisting up the cables.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks for sharing that. Being such an entry level, I'm not sure how good the consistency of quality control is. But for most people at a starting point, it's probably fine. The cable is really close to the bottom yoke at full draw; can't tell if it's touching or just really close...but there's definitely not a noticeable gap from my vantage point...nor is there a noticeable pressure on the yoke.

[@Sheridan-tx9zg]

I got my X9 a few days ago. ( I know the 10 is out ) I love it. I changed the rest for a cable driven drop away right out the box. And I swapped the vibration dampener/stabiliser for a better one I had going spare. The Arrows are ok, mine had some crooked fletchings but I planned to change them anyway. I maxed the draw and poundage so the arrows could do with shortening to help the spine. A good quality starter pack that with a few tweaks would be a life long favourite

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Nice. Good luck.

[@BudgetFisherman]

Has anyone tried putting more twists in the string to compensate for the loss of fps at shorter draws?

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

I've not done that with this bow, but I have with other bows.

[@Lugnutz89]

Do you think accuracy may have suffered from the rest? I know on the dragon 10 they moved to a different style. That is really my only concern since the reviews on Amazon mention problems with the rest in particular stating the same issues you had with drawing and tearing of fletching.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

The problems were not so much with the rest, but with the fletching. They used long veins and glued them too far away from the knock. So they contacted the rest even before the arrow was drawn.

[@pierrejansenvanvuuren3666]

I have the X8, great bow, never mind the price point. I have my draw on 32 inches, even though its marketed as 31. 60 lbs. draw, 425 grain micro dia arrow running 260 fps(if I remember correct). Only change I made was to put a drop away rest on. The whisker biscuit it comes with melts away fast. What's the difference between the x8 and x9?

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

They had challenges with the 8’s bolts loosening over time, and have supposedly fixed that. The 9 feels and performs better overall. And the arrows are a bit improved as well.

[@pierrejansenvanvuuren3666]

@@LuskArcheryAdventures So you're telling me I'm not getting stronger, my draw weight is just going down. 😁 I like the 8 and think I need the 9 because logic. Thanks for the reply.

[@larrygratz7695]

I have the x8. Can't think of a better value. I paid 200 and the x9 has been going for 3. The x9 has different colors and I'm told better arrows. I know the site and rest are the same as the x8. I don't know about the release. I wouldn't pay 100 extra for color or arrows although I think 300 is still a great value

[@bojannovkovic8818]

Isnt the bow itself also better? I have 8 and considering 9 but not sure

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks for sharing that. The 9 is an improvement in the bow and accessories and arrows...but the 8 works fine.

[@bojannovkovic8818]

I have dragon x8. Do you think x9 is worth extra money? Does it noticeably shoot better? I don't care much about accessories except the arrows, but I am more interested in the bow itself.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

The bow itself is better. Is it better enough to justify getting a whole new one? That's up to your budget. But it feels better and is said not to "loosen" some of its fittings/bolts over time like the previous model did.

[@N0_WAR]

The bow is not visible because of the quiver. Why keep it that way?

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Well, I wanted to show the quiver. You can see the bow in more detail in the video or check it out on their website.

[@tonymiller007]

First!

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

:)

[@connorhart7597]

Cant remember if you addressed it, but did you have any issues with the arrows not working well with the rest? Like on my wifes, just found out the fletching sticks into the rest, and when you pull back the string, it comes out of the nock.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Yeah that was a big part of the video. They told me they’ve fixed it now.

[@connorhart7597]

@@LuskArcheryAdventures gotcha. They told Sean from Sean's outdoor adventures the same thing a few months ago so I guess I just got one from before they switched.

[@paytgary34]

Looks identical to the Dragon X8. So why would I pay an extra $100 for it?

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Well, there are definitely upgrades. The 8 is fine, but the 9 is better. The 8 had some challenges of bolts loosening over time. They’ve corrected that with the 9. It does shoot and feel better.

[@BK-qc8rr]

Damit I just got the x8 😢

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

:) Those are a great value...and work pretty well also.

[@michaelrosa5410]

What could go wrong for use by a growing teenager ? ZERO !! Reminds me of the Hoyt Ignite. A do it all bow that can morph into more inches and more pounds as a woman and or teen needs more poundage and or draw length.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Yep. Great bow for that.

[@yourmomma2995]

just goes to show what a bow should really cost, but people are willing to pay ridiculous prices for the big names, so the manufactures will take their money without hesitation.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Yeah...but it's certainly not the quality of a high end bow. How important that discrepancy is between the two is up to the archer to determine.

[@yourmomma2995]

@@LuskArcheryAdventures but really what are the real world differences? both have machined aluminum risers, fiberglass limbs, aluminum cams, steel axles, made to about the same specs to generate the same speeds. where does the other $1000 come into play with a brand name bow?

[@IIDASHII]

@@yourmomma2995 Lol...not the same speeds at all. Maybe if you are looking at $400-$600 American made bows. A flagship bow will be 20-30fps faster, quieter, more stable, have a drop-away rest improving precision and forgiveness, and have higher quality strings, just to name a few things. Moreover, If one screws up their technique with that whisker buiscuit (which many are likely to do while starting down a buck), one will find the real world difference to literally be hit-or-miss at 30 yards. I'm not knocking the bow, but it IS NOT even close to comparable to a $1300 flagship bow, and isn't pretending to be.

[@yourmomma2995]

@@IIDASHII i have never bought a bow that came with a rest or any accessories, but i have used a WB and found it to be just as accurate as a fall away or spring steel rest. if it has the same specs and cam dimensions it certainly will have the same speed as a higher priced bow, there is nothing magical about a brand name bow, they are all made of the same stuff, do you think someone has magical fiberglass to make limbs shoot faster? or magical aluminum to machine a riser from to make it faster? i have been building strings for many years and there is not a thing wrong with D-97 material.

[@IIDASHII]

@@yourmomma2995 The point is that it clearly doesn't have the same specs and cam dimensions. If it did, it would have a 340 IBO.

[@nojoeoutdoors4623]

I still think a used Diamond or Bear would be a better starter bow than some cheap Chinese bow

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Sure would be-and will cost quite a bit more as well.

[@nojoeoutdoors4623]

@@LuskArcheryAdventures not sure in your area, but around Michigan you can find good used bows in the 200-300 dollar range. Add $100 worth of accessories and you into it for the same price. Minus the arrows, but I noticed you didn’t test the arrows it came with so I’m assuming they would need to be replaced anyway.

[@michaelwilson3165]

You should be on the wall

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Ok….

[@FunDownSouth]

I bought a Chinese knock off bow a few years ago. I DO NOT RECOMMEND!! It was this same company but rebranded by 30-06. The limbs were trash and lost poundage (not strings or cables stretching) in less than a year! Big waste of money. Buy a bear or some other reputable brand that uses good limbs!

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

That's good feedback. Just to be clear, Sanlida is not a knock off company. They make very high end archery gear as well, that is very popular and well respected in Asia.

[@austinphillips9966]

This dude loves China.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Really? Because I test budget stuff that is made there? You might be surprised by how many broadheads and components actually come from there, but are not labeled as such. I love archery and I love promoting archery...not China.

[@FarzBorneo]

and throw away all Iphone..that's all made in China

[@jamesgarland4990]

You just sold your soul.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Really? Cause I test a budget bow? I like to test low end broadheads and bows every now and then, cause people are curious how they perform.

[@jamesgarland4990]

Boo hiss, did China buy you off? What the heck?!?!

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Really? So much gear has its origin in China--way more than people think. I just like to test a wide range of price points so people can make informed choices about their purchases, according to their budgets.

[@unlockyourcock]

@@LuskArcheryAdventures Ignore him, he's just a troll...