The Best Compound Bow for the Money in 2024

We tested six bows under $1,000 and two rose to the top as the best bang for the buck. You can read the full test results here: www.outdoorlife.com/gear/best...

[@vfonte218]

PJ i remember when you first shot this Darton when it launched and you couldn't believe how well it shot! No surprise it won

[@seangalagarza9743]

Mine comes into my bow shop this week and I’m excited to set it up. I shot the Darton consequence a a few months ago and I loved everything about it.

[@nathancourtney2006]

Back in the day Outdoor Life was the go to place for what was happening in the hunting community. This just popped up in my feed. Great Job enjoyed the demonstration.

[@Gambino_1776]

A $650 Bow with a $550 Sight On It lol

[@chrississon2646]

👀

[@vfonte218]

Its so crazy that a budget bow is $650...but flagship bows are up to 2k!!!! Thats insane. Maybe things will get better after November...but the archery industry is out of control with pricing...arrow rests costing $250 sights costing $500 just insane and most components are made in china

[@adublbeatz8656]

Glad it's not just me that feels this way. And all they have to say is it shoots 5 FPS faster than last year's model...smh...now that $800 bow is $1300...for 5 more fps....LOL...ridiculous.

[@paulcarman4113]

Every shot sounded crazy loud though!

[@guardianminifarm8005]

Good choices and very good report for all these bows. I chose the Alaskan XT myself over a # of good bows. The Darton was a consideration but I didn't shoot one for various reasons. But it had great reviews and highly recommended. My budget was $700 RTH. So it was just over my limit. Thank you for good input.

[@flintstone4208]

A higher price bow doesn't make you a better bow shooter either you can shoot or you can't

[@paulvega9893]

Your so right be afraid of the shooter not the weapon.

[@commentpolice1]

Agreed. The bow I was the most accurate with was a Bear Bow I bought from a dude in a Bass Pro parking lot. Became a brand hoe and have shot hoyt and mathews for the past several years. I'm thinking about going back to a Bear.

[@jeffhartmann2469]

See you in London! Nice video. I now have 2 Darton Exodus’s.

[@AndrewCawley]

Good job on this video, PJ.

[@masterski03]

I’ll take the Bear Alaskan XT or the whitetail maxx . Too short of axle to axle length on the Darton for me

[@michaelschnitzer4054]

I was very interested in this bow until I started hearing about limbs splintering. Darton is a stand up company and will take care of it if it happens I just don’t have a dealer nearby to deal with it for me.

[@johnbowhunter7676]

I like that carton!.. great price for an aluminum riser bow!👌

[@johnrfrost]

I bought the Bear Species RTH package a couple years ago for 350$ and arrows and broadheads and a release for a total of around 500$ went home and with just a couple adjustments was hitting bulls eyes and im just an average archer.It's not a target bow it's for killing deer. If you just want a bow for harvesting game you don't need to spend a thousand dollars.

[@h2olove]

I really appreciate this comparison. Do you do any arrow tuning to match arrow to bow?

[@outdoorlife]

We choose an arrow with a stiff enough spine for the draw weight and point weight we're shooting, then adjust the bow for tuning by changing center shot (small increments) and cam lean with yolks or shims.

[@thetintwizardsllc3128]

What peep sight are you running on that bow

[@710CAP]

I’ve watched every review I can find on the Darton Consequence and I’ve never noticed that sound being heard from the other bows? In the video that MFJJ and Tim Connor made on budget bows, they remarked how quiet the Consequence was. I would be interested to see you disassemble this bow and go through it to see if something is not as it should be. Or can you, or anyone comment on if this is normal for this bow? Video audio doesn’t always pick up what you would, if you were present.

[@Matto_Harvo]

Ok, ordered one, sight unseen in

[@capricornmagic63]

Mr. P.J. 'Every bow is awesome' Riley. I really can't see how anyone would take this guy or his reviews very seriously. I have NEVER heard him say the phrase, ' things I dislike about this bow '

[@IZZYR23]

I think the bear alaskan xt is better for a bow between $500 and $1000

[@charlesdudley5800]

I'll stick with my Prime's!

[@Waty8413]

People complaining about a $650 bow probably watching this video on a $800 phone they replace every couple years because the fruit company tells them to. Lol.

[@nicholasgilbertson7161]

😂🤣🤣🤣💯

[@710CAP]

Not all of us! I go budget on phones too. Most things people pay top dollar for is only for very little difference, when you really look at it.

[@flintstone4208]

It's the shooter not the bow got a old Bear whitetail 2 that is for the opposite hand shooting and with $5 arrows and can stake them on top of each other and isn't even set up for the shooter and not setup for open hand shooting or it's not balanced for open hand shooting so it's not the bow it's the shooter either you can shoot or you can't

[@vfonte218]

You can stack them at what 20 yards??? How about 50 or 60...I'm all for not spending 2k....but I owned a whitetail 2....and yea I wouldn't go back

[@mreyes43]

Budget bows with a $600+ sight lol comes on man

[@charlesdudley5800]

I dont like the pingy sound from the Darton.

[@clarkecronin5506]

Glade you all agree with the company philosophy of screwing the public.

[@brooksmaxey9745]

31.5" on as budget bow is great... except when it's 29.5" ATA 😂

[@outdoorlife]

Yea you'd have to give up the string to nose anchor reference at that DL.

[@brooksmaxey9745]

You could get away with it hunting but if you draw that long better to stick with 33" and up even if you have to spend a little more

[@outdoorlife]

@@brooksmaxey9745 Agreed

[@RG_outdoors285]

Or do what a lot of working people do just wait for a few months and get the flagship bows half priced or less 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@pickin4you]

$650 might be a budget now for you, but it’s still damned expensive for a Lot of us. This does not include all of the accessories you need. I can buy an Elite for $550 that comes with everything. That’s still a lot for me but cheaper than a $650 bow.

[@710CAP]

What he’s saying is, it’s half the price of most flagship bows and 1/3 the cost of some of the carbon models. I’m like you, plus I’m old and remember things being a lot cheaper, it’s hard for me to justify paying that much money to typically shoot does and small bucks. But it’s like everything else these days, you can spend a fortune on bows, gear, camo, boots, etc… And a lot of those guys only end up shooting does and young bucks at no more than 30 yards like the rest of us! 😂 It’s all about marketing these days for every venue. Happy hunting

[@flintstone4208]

A budget bow is one you get for $300 or less and it comes with everything with it with a lifetime warranty That's a budget bow not a $650 bow

[@tullymahin]

You can make one out of a stick

[@randallflores-qr8cs]

Did you post this in the 1990s ? In todays economy, if you find a bow in the price range you're talking, it will probably fall apart in a matter of weeks.

[@flintstone4208]

@@tullymahin right and will kill just the same and is a lot cheaper than $650

[@flintstone4208]

@@randallflores-qr8cs just looked up one at Walmart with a one year warranty that only goes up to 55 pound draw that's to lite of a draw but it comes with everything including a case for $169 thin found another one that has a lifetime warranty and is m from t6 aluminum with cnd. Cut cams that comes with everything except for a case and target for $199 and seen some Bear bows as well for under $300 along with a lot of other ones for under that $650 price

[@justinjackson6696]

give me your comprehensive list of today's bows that fit your criteria.....please

[@user-uy3ot8dx9w]

650 is still not a budget.

[@justinjackson6696]

yes it is in today's market

[@jackbuendgen389]

Then what is? A $100 pawn shop bow? A 2021 Mathews vxr for $600? The consequence shoots out of its price range

[@flintstone4208]

You call $650 a budget bow that's crazy

[@tschreiv]

I mean it’s half the price of a flagship so yeah.

[@Futurase1]

Go price a Mathews, Hoyt or PSE. All over $1,000.

[@jmajor5262]

Thanks to bidenomics yes its a budget bow.

[@flintstone4208]

@@jmajor5262 no a budget bow is one you can get with every thing with it for under $300 and comes with a lifetime warranty that's a budget bow not $650 one

[@mikenutto396]

Unfortunately getting a decent bow these days your looking at 600. What I mean is a decent bow that will last. That also has decent balance, cams,and aluminum. Bear and Darton have tried to introduce a less expensive bow. These are the signs of times

[@nidfest]

Best budget bow with the most expensive sight?? Not doing a lot for your "impartiality" there. Outcome... This review can't be trusted. You need to do better.

[@pjreilly3997]

What does the sight have to do with how the bow shoots?