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Best bow for beginners? $500-$600?

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41K views 54 replies 41 participants last post by  Cdn1  
#1 ·
So I know there will be the brand fanboys but I am not one “yet.” I have never shot a bow before. I have an appointment on Monday at a local shop, they specialize in Matthews bows and don’t stock any used bows for purchase.

so the fun part. What do you consider to be the best “budget ($500-$600)” bow for someone just starting out? I won’t be hunting probably for at least a year or two, as I learn everything And purchase the gear I need to be successful. Or do you recommend buying used from here and having my pro shop tune it and check it over?

Or if you think a bow is a great option slightly out of my budget let me know too! If you have any leads to someone trying to get rid of one, post or pm me. I am very open minded and willing to try basically anything.
 
#2 ·
What kind of now are you looking for specifically? I assume compound? The reason I ask is I started shooting traditional first for a few years and then transitioned into compound. I personally think it made me a better archer.
If you want a beginner bow, look at Cabela’s or bass pros packages. There are always online places as well.
Money aside, I would recommend just trying out a bunch of bows. I’d start at 50lb and pay attention to the start of your draw. Pay attention to how smooth it feels to get to full draw. The sponge or lack there off of the back wall. Look at how you’re torquing the bow or not torquing it. Listen to how the bow releases and the vibrations. Compare these across the board and after each, look at the price. I’m not telling you to go poor over a bow, but shooting higher class bows and lower class bows you’ll see what you like and the differences between them. Good luck!
 
R
#3 · (Edited)
you can get a new in box bow from bear archery off ebay that was a flagship bow a year or so ago from a reputable seller for half what it cost new

my backup bow is a 750 dollar bear traxx that i bought new in box from midwayusa for 400 bucks, that is rare for midwayusa but common on ebay

so, for 500, i'd buy something like a brand new bear kuma off ebay
 
#7 ·
Is $600 your budget for everything or just the bow?

You also need the following:
  • release
  • sight & peep
  • arrow rest
  • arrows
You can spend quite a bit on each item but for starter gear figure $350 for the lot.

I think I spent around $800 for everything about 3 years ago, looking back I could have done it much cheaper but I did buy decent items that I transferred subsequent bows.

You're not going to buy new Mathews for $500 - $600, but Mission is the Mathews budget line the dealer may want to steer you into that. My first bow was a Mission Hype, it was a decent bow but they've got some issues
  • No back wall (no limb or cable stops) - cams turn over into valley with nothing to pull against. This can lead to inconsistencies if you don't anchor in the exact same spot every time.
  • 1" draw length adjustment - too large of an adjustment - should be 1/2" at most.

Unless those items have changed on the newer Missions look else where.

For your first bow you want draw length & poundage adjustability. If you plan to shoot 60# get something you can set at 45# (or at least 50#) while you're getting form down, try to get a bow that has 1/2" draw length adjustments on the cams (you don't need to buy anything to change the draw length).

If you can find a used bow that meets the above and that's built in the last 5 years it'll probably be OK regardless of brand.

Take some lessons.
 
#12 ·
Nova_Archer said:
Is $600 your budget for everything or just the bow?

You also need the following:
  • release
  • sight & peep
  • arrow rest
  • arrows
You can spend quite a bit on each item but for starter gear figure $350 for the lot.

I think I spent around $800 for everything about 3 years ago, looking back I could have done it much cheaper but I did buy decent items that I transferred subsequent bows.

You're not going to buy new Mathews for $500 - $600, but Mission is the Mathews budget line the dealer may want to steer you into that. My first bow was a Mission Hype, it was a decent bow but they've got some issues
  • No back wall (no limb or cable stops) - cams turn over into valley with nothing to pull against. This can lead to inconsistencies if you don't anchor in the exact same spot every time.
  • 1" draw length adjustment - too large of an adjustment - should be 1/2" at most.

Unless those items have changed on the newer Missions look else where.

For your first bow you want draw length & poundage adjustability. If you plan to shoot 60# get something you can set at 45# (or at least 50#) while you're getting form down, try to get a bow that has 1/2" draw length adjustments on the cams (you don't need to buy anything to change the draw length).

If you can find a used bow that meets the above and that's built in the last 5 years it'll probably be OK regardless of brand.

Take some lessons.
Click to expand...
The archery shop im visiting today specializes in Mathews. He said he currently doesn’t have any used bows, but i’m hoping he can steer me into someone who is trying to get rid of one.

I appreciate all of the great advice here, especially others in a situation like myself who find all of this information useful!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
S
#9 ·
You can't beat the Quest centec rth package. You can get one $500-$525 tyd. Made by prime. Fully adjustable 55-70# draw length is 25 - 31", 325fps. Its basically a prime without the dual cams so you get that ultra smooth pull & its quick. Check out the reviews

I think an elite ember rth package goes for $550-$600 310fps 10-60# 15-29" draw

Xpedition has the thresher x & xperience that should be under $600

Theres more to life than mathews, hoyt, & pse
 
#14 ·
As a new archer with $5-600 find a local dealer who stocks Bear archery and a PSE dealer. Both of those companies have pretty good offerings in that budget. Heck my hunting bow setup that I used this year was $489 complete package minus arrows and a release, and I’ve been shooting for 25 years. It shoots just as good as previous setups costing $1-2k. Don’t overthink it and good luck.
 
L
#16 ·
If I had a hard stop on the budget for a new bow, I'd do the PSE Lazer. It's about $800 which is a little out of your budget, but it's also a bow you could conceivably never have to buy again. In fact, in my last bow buy, the only reason I didn't do the Lazer was because I prefer a 40" ATA for fitment reasons (the Lazer is 37"), so went with an RTX 40 instead.

And I'm not a PSE fanboi by any means - PSE has problems - but that bow is one of the highest bang/buck options on the market right now. And you literally could just shoot that one forever, in terms of quality, etc

In fact, it's better in a couple ways than the RTX 40 and the high-end bows like the Citation - it has a much better cable guard system (a dog-legged rod just stuck in a hole in the handle secured with a big set screw, the best method ever conceived of for the cable guard on the compound bow) than the awful crap on my RTX 40. And a simple 6$ plastic slide, which is much superior to the expensive roller slide that comes on their more expensive bows like mine. I've replaced the roller slides on my RTX and my Focus with the $6 PSE slide, which is about $50-60 of roller slides kinda down the drain....

If it weren't for the fit issue, those alone would have tipped me over to the Lazer myself....

lee.
 
J
#17 ·
Went to my local shop a few weeks ago, to discuss my options and they had nothing nice to say about Bear Archery. Instead they wanted to put me in a Mathews V3x or a Hoyt Rx7. I get that those may be the best option but I have never owned a bow. So I will have nothing to compare it too.

I was directed to another shop here in Louisiana and was told to wait until the end of the season, when people start dumping there bows. My season ends 1/20. Is this a good plan of action?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
M
#22 ·
If you have the option visit several shops and look at several different manufacturers. For 1st timers I recommend going thru a shop that will help fit you with correct draw length and weight. Pretty common for “newbie’s “ to start off with wrong equipment and bad habits. Lots of decent entry level and mid price bows to choose from. Used market can be a mine field especially if you don’t know what to look for. Find a dealer that wants to work with you and that you like. If they are just pushing top end bows on you, head out the door.
 
#23 ·
For just a bit more than your budget I can't recommend the Bear Resurgence RTH (I still have one in stock) enough. Here is a quick review I did on this bow.

www.archerytalk.com

Bear Resurgence RTH Package Review

@superslamsam You asked for a quick review... I figured I'd share with the group. I just got this bow in to the shop tonight. It was slow after logging in the new inventory so I figured I'd take advantage of the situation and put this together. First Impression This is a nice looking bow...
www.archerytalk.com www.archerytalk.com
 
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#24 ·
www.archerytalk.com

Battle of the "Mid-priced" 2022 bows (post...

Just wanted to create a post where everyone can post what they like or dislike about the 2022 mid-priced bows. This is the category that I think targets the bowhunter or family man that doesn't have a lot of money to throw at a new bow every year. Please feel free to post your thoughts and...
www.archerytalk.com www.archerytalk.com

Click Best Deal
 
#26 ·
I recommend you find a place where you can take lessons. You need to understand "form" and figure out your exact draw length. You may need to widen your search in order to do this.
 
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#30 ·
One thing I suggest is don't skimp on a sight or release or you'll be buying others soon enough. Look for a sight that can be adjusted easily micro adjust is the best and unless it had 5 pins or more make sure it has a slider for longer ranges. I had a wrist strap when I first started (last year) but I hated it and ended up getting a Stan Perfex and haven't looked back.
 
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#31 ·
Thanks for the info. I have an appointment at a local archery shop. They offer 30 min and 1 hour instruction sessions. He said that they start you off on a traditional bow shooting with your fingers. Then depending on how the first instruction goes, they let you “try” a compound with a release and fully set up.
 
#36 ·
Id get my self measured first. Draw length and weight that I can pull
Then Id look at the ebay for used bows that are like 6-10 years old and get one thats my draw specs with all the accessories such as site, rest etc.
Then Id go to the pro shop and get them to help you tune it along with buying a proper release in your budget. Get some arrows a target and have at it.

DOnt get suckered into the must have the latest and greatest flagship bow. Let the suckers do that.
Get what you can afford and as you get better you can upgrade the bow rig if you want.
 
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