Once again the ol "lipstick on a pig" routine. Creed XS....shorter ATA, 321fps IBO.
Chill R....6" BH 340IBO
Nothing new.

Need pictures...

I can do that

www.mathewsinc.com

Nothing new. 28" ATA Creed XS 321fps IBO. Few color options. $150 price increase.

33" ATA Mathews Chill R. 6 1/8" BH. 340fps IBO

I think Matt is too busy playing with guitars and has let the archery portion of the company slip. They have really not done much since the Switchback. Same cams, geometry etc with different holes in the riser and a new name does not make for much innovation.....

I'm no fanboy, but why do now companies need to come out with a new bow every year, or be considered a flop?

I agree with you. If a bow is a good bow why not keep it in the stable until you have a design that is better and knocks it off the podium? I can see refining it with small details to better it, but no need to change the name of it. However "NEW" good, bad, or indifferent sells!

Ah...therein lies the "problem". If its a good bow, keep it. Refine it. Tweak it. But advertise/sell it as such. Dont put a new sticker on it and tout it as the next great thing in archery.

I own a McPherson guitar, wonderful instrument.

I disagree about the bows, the new ones are nothing like the Switchback. They are much nicer IMO.

They tweak it a little. Add something to the name, and laugh all the way to the bank. Most bow companies do this Hoyt has also been doing it for years. Some people feel the need to buy the latest and greatest bow every year. Call it a flip if you will, or call it smart marketing.

Never understood why so many people buy a new bow, then the following year they sell it and buy the "latest and greatest" and they do it every year.

I was a die hard Reflex guy for years because it just worked for me, then my buddy talked me into shooting a Mathews Drenalin LD. To say I was hooked is an understatement. The following week I bought a 8 month old Drenalin LD for about half of what the guy paid for it (he wanted to buy the latest and greatest).

I don't see me ever selling that bow as it shoots lights out for me. YMMV.

I bought a new Hoyt Charger last year - nice bow $500. Before that I have been shooting a Hoyt Ultratec that I bought new in 2003. Shot the hell out of that bow. Indoors all winter, 3D in the spring and summer and hunted in the fall. I think I got the good out of it, but I still have it and shoot it once in a while. But, this new bow does have some improvements: shorter, faster, quieter, and very dead in the hand. At $500 for a new bow I felt it was a good value. Now some of the top end Carbon risers etc are more of a want than a need and at $1200 to $1500 not even on my wish list.

After being away for a few years, i bought a used Bowtech Heartbreaker. Great shooting bow for a short draw archer. Took a deer with it last season. Wanted more speed so I sold the Bowtech and bought a used Mathews Monster 6. Fast for a 60# bow. Shot a couple 3ds with the bow. Just too heavy-excess weight where i didnt want it. Sold it and bought a Mathews Helim. Kept that bow for all of 5 days. Now I have a 2011 Bowtech Invasion. Yeah it has some finish peeling off the limbs, but its everything I ever wanted in a bow. And yeah Ill shoot all the 2014 bows just to get some string time with them. But when I look at the price tags and then think about how much I love my bow, the new ones get left at the pro shops

golf club manufacturers have gone the same route the last 10 years. 2-3 new sets of irons from nearly every manufacturer, nearly every year.

retail companies are desperate to separate us from our money!

If more people were worried about how the bow shot rather than the "cool factor" of the price tag and advertising, etc. that Hoyt Charger would be their top seller. If they would offer one longer than 31", I'd find something to sell to have one. Same with the Assassin. The big boys might want to start watching out for Bear too...they are back in the business of making a good shooter.

Bows are much cheaper than guns, so I have tried several new bows over the years. My first new bow was a Hoyt Trykon. It shot well and I killed a few deer with it.

While I was in a sporting goods store, I tried the Mathews Drenalin and found it smoother, lighter and more quiet, so I bought it. Then Mathews came out with the Z-7 and I bought it. Then they came out with the Heli-M and I got it.

I was able to sell each bow within a reasonable price compared to what I paid for it, so I wasn't out a ton of money.

This past year I tried both the Chill and the Creed and even though the single cam usually is smoother and easier to pull, the new Chill was, in my view, better, so I bought it.

All that said and done, it is my feeling that the Chill is indeed a better bow than any of the rest. The Drenalin was the best of the bunch for it's timing, but they have improved the dynamics of these bows.

Mathews has done a good job staying competitive in this aggressive market and if you shoot the Chill along with any of the previous bows, you will notice fantastic handling, no hand shock, and a very smooth draw and rock solid back wall.

I would say Mathews is far from a flop...

I'm a Bowtech fan and bought a new Experience this year. Awesome bow for me, fits great and is the most accurate bow I have shot.
I was in the bow shop today and the owner said "hey check out the new Creed XS. I was impressed. Smooth, accurate and quiet. Nice and compact for the tree stand guys. If your looking for a new bow it's definitely one to look at. Not super fast but nice to shoot.

Their market share is steady dropping. Sure some will continue to buy simply because its a Mathews. But lots of folks are becoming unhappy with Mathews reluctance to produce longer ATA bows and bows with higher IBO speeds. They have refused to put out a new target bow. Yeah folks are unhappy. The blasting they took on FB and on their website the night of the 2014 release was sign of that. They tried to ride the success of the Z7 ext with the Creed XS. But at 321IBO, cant see sales jumping thru the roof. The Chill R is what the original Chill should have been. It has a more solid back wall than the original, but most will shy away because of the short BH. And it certainly is no replacement for the MR series they discontinued. It wont happen over night, but if they continue the direction they are going, they will find themselves in the same boat as Martin.

Look at Mission Blaze. Mathews is likely to have its best bow be in its value line.

280 is right. The fanboys(mostly the treestand hunters) will keep buying their bows simply because of the name, but Matthews hasn't come out with anything "new" in a while.

I like Mathews bows, not all of them but I don't feel the need to buy a bow every year
I started with the MQ 32 ran that for a long while then the Outback(which I still have ) and Now have the Heli-m
It will be a few more years before I feel the need to buy new

Ill say it again....Mathews is a quality product. While Im just starting to get my tuning business going, I have worked on more of their bows than any other. With the exception of my Bowtech and my wife's Diamond, thats all I have worked on. 5 so far. Thats whats here...Mathews. They all tune well. They are quiet. Very little to no hand shock. We are about to the limits of technology with archery. 400fps may be doable, but doubtful the bow will be a pleasure to shoot. The wheel can only be reinvented so many times lol. And as stated before, if Mathews has a bow that is "great", tweak it or refine it or whatever. But advertise it as such. Dont sell yesterdays news for "the next great thing in archery". Listen to what customers want. That is why I and many many others(a little searching will verify this) view their 2014 release as a FLOP. They not only have been caught, but passed up. And I firmly believe until they do offer something new, their sales will continue to decline

Only killed one thing personally with a bow, but it had no idea whether or not it was a brand new bow, or a Bowtech from 2006....

True that.

Creed XS.

Bowsite review.

Cheaper than guns? I'm not so sure about that. Around here the standard deer rifle is a Remington M7400 with some POS scope on it and the average new bow is close to a $1500 package. They keep the gun their whole life and get a new bow every couple years. The gun looses a little bit of value and the bow is pretty much worthless after 3 years. GO FIGURE!

Why are most bowhunters so fickle and lack confidence?

I've been shoot the same Hoyt Magna-Ted for over 15yrs. It stills shoots a 480+ grain arrow at 275fps, is more accurate than needed, draws smoothly with it's 2 cams, and kills deer just as dead today as it did in 1998.

Do gun hunters constantly sell a perfectly good 30-06 Ruger for a new 30-06 ruger? The same model 70 sold in the 50s will kill deer just as dead in the 21st century.

Why do bow "nuts" think differently? As long as I can continue to pull and aim my Magna-Tec, it will be my hunting bow.

Unless people forgot, bowhunting is meant to be a SHORT RANGE pursuit. It doesn't take much to kill a deer under 40yds. If you need to shoot further than that, learn how to hunt.

Me too.

Bows are much cheaper than the guns YOU shoot, you mean.

Anyone ever pick up the head of a fresh dead buck and have the eyelids closed?

Nope

O.K. but I still think the Mathews is a long way from a flop...

I shoot a z7 extreme ,fast ,accurate,forgiving .A friend of mine works at a bow shop and tells me that from the helium forward Matthews hasn't introduced a new bow that was worth a darn

The creed is pretty nice. I wouldn't have upgraded to it from the year before's bow, but it was a definite step up (as were the other 2013 models I shot) from my 2005 model bow, which was a very good bow.

Well, you are comparing apples to oranges as the technology and advancement in bows is significantly different than rifles.

There hasn't been many ground breaking changes in rifle technology in a long time, while bows have made considerable advancements in the last 10.

I don't see the need for buying a bow every year, but I've got bows from the late 90's and they aren't in the same class as the most budget equipment out today.

And you spend some time in my neck of the woods and shooting an elk at over 40 certainly is well within the bounds of good hunting. This is where individual experience isn't really a telling indicator of what is acceptable for everyone else.

Plus you have to look at big picture. What was put out this year and what was discontinued. And did they replace/upgrade the discontinued ones? The MR 6&7 were discontinued. Were any significant "new" advancements made with the "new" releases? How does what Mathews put out compare(variety/spec wise) with what the other manufacturers have released so far?

I wonder how Fred Bear and others managed to kill those elk with a recurve, past and present? The Indians also managed to kill more than a few elk with their "long" bows. Like I've said numerous times, I think too many of today's "hunters" are lazy and looking for technology to make up for their lack of woodmanship/hunting skill.

Just like a lot of rifle "hunters" who insist you need to shoot 500-1000yds to kill western game, any bow "hunter" that says you need to shoot over 50yds at unwounded game, needs to practice hunting more.

sorry if that offends you, but if more people thought like that, hunting would be held in a better light by the non-hunting public.

Agreed. But unfortunately that isnt the case. Technology and the need for speed is what drives the archery industry right now

Not offended, it's just a significant overstatement. I'm not advocating long range anything and I question your experience.

If you shoot a compound or a rifle, then don't compare yourself to Bear or Indians. And if modern equipment was made available to them, I doubt they would be so finicky.

Maybe you need to get inside 40, but thankfully I don't, specifically with elk. 55 is about where I stop, but that's not a big stretch.

And the non-hunting public is not in the least concerned whether I shoot elk 15 yards beyond what you are comfortable. It takes good woodcraft, knowledge, and ability to close the distance to bow range and I don't apologize one bit for my ability to reach out further with better equipment.

Heck, I just hunted. In Alabama and shot a deer opening archery from a tree stand at 37 yards. I'm not sure what great skill I would have used to close that distance from a tree stand.

The skill I used was just holding still an extra few minutes.

The skill is putting the stand in the correct spot, knowing where and when the deer travel, using camo and the wind to your advantage, moving when the animal is unaware, and calming nerves and muscles to make a clean accurate shot.

This thread isnt about hunting styles or ethics. It is about what a company chose to introduce this year and how their "new" products measure up to what other companies have introduced for the 2014 model year.

This really has little relevance to bow hunting. What Fred Bear and Indians did with a bow is not what we can experience in today's hunting world.

Elk were plains animals an numbered in the millions. Indians were opportunists and took advantage of herds and lack of fear by elk that we are experiencing today. I would put the best hunters of today against George Drouillard and his contemporaries as to their hunting skills. Grit and determination maybe another story but as far as hunting, today is much harder than it was 200 years ago.

If you gave any 18th century Indian, or Daniel Boone the option of a modern firearm, my guess is they would have taken it so fast it would blister your hand...

In other words, a garden variety Mathews bashing thread.

No bashing. Just disappointment. Never in this thread did i say their bows were junk. Just seeing a company that has let relying on their name(one that was built on innovation) cost them their top spot because they have become complacent. Thats all

and I questioned why anyone would go and buy a new bow every other year when the deer are not any tougher than they were years before. If a bow worked in 2005, it will work in 2013.

People like to make excuses for buying something "new", and then bitch that the "new" product isn't all that better than the other.

Been killing deer left and right since my last new bow in 91... that bow still does everything I need it to do.

Kind of like my rifles. Get a good one, and tends to be somewhat if not full on custom, I don't need the newest bling.

But there are many a fool out there that will part with their jack every last year, just to brag. Same ones that gut shoot, miss, loose deer like the rest of the crowd. Maybe more so.

The ones locally that brag, I ain't seen nothing evidence wise from their shooting or their harvests that would make me even think about a new one.

I bet I didn't pay more than 300 for the PSE in 91.... I bet a mattews is 1000 bucks these days give or take?

My main bows are over 50 years old. Bear Kodiaks.

My brother however, buys a new Mathews every year. To say they haven't progressed or innovated in the last decade is pure poppycock and balderdash.

They're beautifully made and shoot as good as any bow out there.

This sounds a lot like bragging. I'm always amazed at those who brag about not bragging while they denigrate others.

Who cares if people buy new, unnecessary junk. As someone who guides I've got way more stories of guys with old equipment they haul around and shoot just as poorly as some joker with the latest Mathews. Somehow it's more admirable to shoot something old that's inaccurate vs shooting something new just as badly.

I'm sure none of you shoot anything as exotic as a expandable because Fred Bear didn't have them.

The only thing you should critique is proficiency, not the relevant money spent on gear. Old gear can be very accurate, new gear is more forgiving and easier to shoot.

It's still the archer.

Amen dtspoke !

the O.P. started the thread complaining that Mathews [like most other makers] keep introducing "new " bows, jacking the prices up, touting the "improvements" and the "new" bows aren't much better than the "old" bow from a year or two ago.

I and others have stated that why buy a new bow and then bitch about it. Shoot the "old" bow you liked and keep shooting it while all the fools spend money on needless "new" bows. Chances are, the old bow you have been shooting is more than capable of doing the job, if the archer is.

Listen, I get what you are saying, I just get a little inside out when those who are buying new equipment are deemed as irresponsible fools (my interpretation, not your words).

It keeps the industry going, creates more revenue which then drives innovation and predicates the next big advance. I'm pretty sure the guy who is laminating limbs for Hoyt is sure as heck thankful bow hunters redefine looney and make rifle hunters seem sane.

No one, and I repeat no one, is as obsessed as bow hunters.

Well, maybe guys who are climbing 8,000 meter mountains, but I'm not sure.

You haven't been around skiers and skis. Talk about worthless before you walk out the door...

Good point.

LOL. I know quite a few guys like that, and they're like crack adicts looking for the next fix. they need the latest and greatest as soon as it comes out and can't wait to spend their last dime on it.

Still hunting with my Mathews Featherlight circa 1921.. First single cam IIRC... It rocks on year after year...

W

So where is your solution that improves on their design - or are we just trying to feel better about ourselves by saying other people suck.

Really dude

The solution is....listen to what the people want. Offer a little variety. Taking last years bow and making it super short is not offering anything new. But yet its the same thing as last year and dealers get stuck having to justify a higher price just because they shortened the ATA and put some new stickers on it. Know a few shops that have gotten tired of this. They keep the Mathews bows for the fanboys but have aquired and are pushing other brands now. Other companies are stepping up their game. Sooner or later, Mathews will be forced to take notice

Mathews and Hoyt have done a good deal of trail blazing, the other guys following there lead isn't rocket science it's them being fast followers, or as fast as they can.

Customers want everything from free, and the laws of physics and the economy don't agree so I wouldn't be too sure that all other prices aren't going up just like Mathews bows are.

It really sounds like un-real expectations to me, Matthews makes good bows, and they do something really paradigm breaking every 5 years or so. If new innovation was that easy the cycle would be shorter. In the end the intervals get longer and longer - can't break the law of pyshics with the existing materials too often.

Mathews bows aren't magic but they are some of the best ones, prices could definitely be better, I agree with you there - and they may have to lower prices if the others catch up as you noted.

Never downed the quality of Mathews. I run more Mathews through my shop than any other brand. Because they are the bulk of whats here. They shoot well and are easy tuners(with the exception of one Monster that was a PITA). Mathews has a huge bullseye on their back. And the other companies are taking aim. No new target bow from them, while only a minute share of their sales, will hurt. Pros and everyday shooters alike are jumping ship. And while it shouldnt matter what bow XYZ shooter uses, people are taking notice. Other companies have taken what Mathews started and have worked to improve it. And their sales numbers reflect that. Research Martin Archery. Like Mathews, they were once the top dog. Customers wants went by the wayside. And now they are trying to rise up out of the ashes. It wont happen over night, but Mathews is starting down that same path.

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.

It's the best bow I ever drew. But I haven't drawn one since I bought it! Maybe that's the secret. Or maybe that my longest shot ever was 22 yards ...

I bought the Chill R and I love it. Dead in the hand, accurate and forgiving. I shot Hoyt and Elite before deciding on the Mathews. It really comes down to what feels best to the shooter. All of the top brands make great bows.

I'm quite grateful that there are so many folks that will spend the money on new gear every year.

Regardless of the new products released by any company, the decisions are made by the company. They will flourish or fail with their decisions. It is after all their business and responsibility. Everyone of us has the option to shop and decide for ourselves.

The beauty of the shoppers that spend lots of money every year on new gear is the R&D. That does not come cheap, getting a new product from idea, through concept, design and tooling to packaging and marketing delivered to shelves is all part of the margin sucking business of manufacturing and retail.

All the shoppers keep this flowing comfortably for me to benefit from in the one year old used market, or the end of the model run liquidation.

Thanks Shoppers! keep on buying and testing this stuff for me! Still waiting on something better then the Switchback XT. Until then I'm just gonna keep killing bears, pigs, and anything else that gets in the way with it.

From Mathews, you may be waiting quite a while. Until then, when the ol SBXT gets in need of some new threads and a tune up, give me a shout. Ill take good care of it for u

JJ -- the beauty of folks buying new gear is the wealth of good used gear!

Exactly, a skilled observer can find gems in the used market.

Even on the rare occasions I get burned, I just chalk it up to " tuition" and don't sweat it. Heck I bought new Bushnell Fusion 1 mile binos. They were bad, had them replaced, they were bad too. Got a third pair, they sucked worse of all. total refund.

Could have bough used and had them just as good! However no return policy then!

Some things are better off buying new, that knowledge comes with the "tuition" spent!

I got a little bored about page 2 so I can't address every point made but Matthews does make a great product. Of course when you are an innovator, you change the market to make things in the image of your innovation. "Standing on the shoulders of Giants" as they say. Now you can get a better bow from the worst manufacturer out there (I will leave it to you to decide which that is), that was available when I got my first Bear Whitetail back in the 80's (on the clearance rack no less).

The point is, if you find a bow that fits you, you can shoot that baby for many years with no degradation in hunting performance. If you are shooting competition, then the nit picking does arise as you are obviously committed to the endeavor, whether rifles, pistols, or bows. I have had the pleasure of meeting many of those masters over the years and the differences between them and other competitors is minute (between them and me huge) but the focus on what will add advantage in the next shoot is big in the microscopic measurements of success.

Physics will dictate what arrow speed will be attainable with controlability. There is a balance. Dropping 325 fps as a performance bar may likely be the perfect speed for a semi-average joe to perform well with a bow, while 350, 375 etc might make that baby uncontrollable for the average hand.

After a shoulder injury I dropped down to a 60 pound compound and found out a lot about performance. That bow, while old tech (Hoyt), shot an arrow at 310, was accurate, and I could shoot a long time before fatigue set in. The Matthews Switchback in a 70 pound bow, replaced that bow and I was very enamored with it. Of course I have since transitioned to a long bow...

The most important thing that I have learned in archery was finding a mentor to help the beginner learn to evaluate the spine, draw weight, sights and all the incredible amount of minutae that archery comes with. I have been lucky enough to meet some of those types in archery, pistol shooting, perhaps rifle, darts, etc. They are not the braggarts but the lovers of the discipline, usually competitors with some humility intact.

Too many beers tonight I fear...