Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Mathews flops....again

I bought a matthews outback years ago. It's a great bow for me, and I'll never have to buy another if I don't want to. It seems the quality has gone down a bit since more and more stores are selling them. Something years ago, Matt said he took pride in being able to avoid due to the amount of shops selling them.

I'm glad I got mine when I did and don't plan to get a different one soon.

It does seem that a few other manufactures have caught up to the quality of Matthews, though I've been out of the game for a few years now. Even PSE makes a good bow now. When I was working in a shop, they were throwaway bows.

After buying a Craze for my daughter last year, I'm a fan of the Mission series of bows.

Quality of the Mathews line is still there. What has gone away is them being the leader of the pack in innovation. There are only so many ways to reinvent the wheel, but meaningful tweaks go a long way. Also offering variety to customers means a lot. Something Mathews isnt doing. A shorter slower version of last years model, along with a tad longer 2 cam isnt much to go on. Just doesnt sit well with their aggressive media campaign, and their "catch us if u can" slogan. Not to mention the schitty attitudes a lot of their shooters posess(attend some ASA shoots and youll see what I mean). As for a bad bow these days, youd be hard pressed to find one. Mathews, Hoyt, Bowtech, Elite, PSE, Bear, Obsession, New Breed, Strother, Athens, Prime, G5 are all top quality bows. Each has its own feel. And its personal preference as to what fits a persons shooting style the best.

You are dead on. Its about how you handle your gear. And the old gear works fine to whatever distances you feel you need to run.

But I still have all my old rifles, they need a new barrel now and then. But I don't buy a new rifle, since the ones I've had for years do just what they need to.

Hence the fact you can do whatever you want with your cash, but its generally not required.

And I agree, as long as you are good, then thats all that matters.

Slob hunters and no way to control them are a big reason I quit guiding too. And I'm talking mostly gun hunters.

I've got a Reezen 7.0, and started with a mid range PSE and believe me their is a world of difference between the two.

But the reason was $700 after tax, and the PSE was ~ 320 when I got it.

They call that diminishing returns

Well in the meantime I keep feeling myself continually pulled back to my recurve generally speaking. Only wished my shoulder injury from a house fire 2 years ago would allow me to shoot either compound or recurve often enough to be competent. ALas it does not.

You have what IMO is one of the absolute best hunting bows Mathews ever put out. The Reezen, the SBXT, the DXT, and the Z7 are my personal favs.

I have two Drenalin LDs and have shot them for about four years with great success. Six months ago, I went to my pro shop and asked about Hoyt and Matthews, looking to up grade. The pro shop owner told me for the extra money you have to spend, your can't beat what you are now shooting. Si am shooting four year old bows and see no reason to change for change sake.

280ack -

The thread title does put down Mathews bows, or at least their latest ones.

but yes the switchback and Reezen are some of the best.

I had a buckmaster G2XL and the reezen shoots about 40 fps faster with a 10lb lower draw weight and is very smooth. Hard to knock it.

Not the bows Spot, the company. You have to look at the whole picture. And its a different view for those of us that see both sides of the industry. While their bows perform as stated, give very little trouble, shoot well, etc., their offerings-in the eyes of a lot of members of the archery community-have not lived up to the hype of their media campaign and slogan. They are riding on their "brand". While other companies are still finding new innovations and making multiple improvements/additions to their lines, Mathews has been content to sit back and do very little in the way of "new". Thus the title of this thread

Every year I think that this will be the year I get a new bow. Then I shoot my old 07 Aigil for a month or two and I start wondering if I really need one. After looking at the price tags on some of the new stuff, I decide the old one will do one more season.

I might pick up 10-15 fps with a new one, but is that worth $1000? The bow is smooth,quiet and more accurate than anyone can likely hold it,certainly more accurate than me. It does everything I need. Still, maybe this year I'll get a new Elite. Maybe...

Thats why Im still driving a 2011 model. And dont see it leaving any time soon. And yes I bought it used. But its perfectly tuned with fletched/bareshafts. Its quiet. Its fast. It holds on target like a rock. But there are those who want a new bow every year. Some even more than just one. Right now everyone wants to win the pizzin match at the chrono. There is starting to be a swing back to longer ATA bows. People want FAST shootable bows. Some companies are listening to their customers. Some arent.

As someone that just got into archery the last couple years, I like the guys that buy new every year. Just that many more good used bows out there for me to pick from.

Yes indeed. Buy used, ship it to me for new threads and a tune, enjoy your "new" bow lol. Im running a 2011 model and dont see it going anywhere any time soon. It offers everything I want in a bow. And I shoot it well. There are a few bows out that Id like to have, but as for any of them being able to take the place of my Invasion, nah

For someone outside the compound bow user group the rapid fire model changes and the associated hyperbolic advertising plays like a satire of the funniest aspects of marketing for marketing's sake. The evolution of cams is a study in itself, or will be until I bring out my new Air Cams using my exclusive Massless Technology.
Santa brought my kid a seriously out of date, pre-loved Bear Super Kodiak. First arrow loosed in a snap shot hit where he looked. Is there really anything else they're supposed to do?

That's great, but it's hard to be out of date with a recurve. However, to say that there haven't been significant advancements in speed, technology, weight, vibration reduction, etc with compound bows is just asinine.

I'm all for shooting traditional, but anyone who decides to diminish advancements has an agenda that is largely based on their own bias.

I still shoot a Hoyt Alpha Tec that I bought new in 95'. My Deer are always just as Dead as all of by buddies that buy a new bow every year.

I think that's great, but I still don't see what your point is. Are you saying there is no difference between a 20 year old bow and one today?

I don't think anyone is arguing you need a new bow every year, but there have been advancements in the last 10 years and some are really great.

If you like your old bow, that's great.

I've got a Drenalin LD myself and love that bow, going back to a longer AtA bow was the best thing I ever did. I can put that bow away for 6 months, pick it up and be hitting bullseyes at 40 yards within 2 shots. The Drenalin LD is an excellent bow IMO.

Still shoot an MQ32, so perhaps it's best not to even speak up. It killed my best buck ever in 2009. No plans to switch. broadheads and sights, yes; bow, no.