Back in March, F&S deputy editor Dave Hurteau traveled to Kentucky to meet with me and former archery pro-shop owner Danny Hinton for our annual flagship bow and crossbow shootout. As always, we spent four full days shooting, measuring, taking notes, crunching numbers, and arguing. Lots of arguing. This year, the crossbow test was dominated by a newcomer that simply blew away the competition—even though the competition was strong. The compound test was a much tighter race, with only 2.5 points separating the top three. Here’s the scoop.
First we fit each bow with a Trophy Ridge Whisker Biscuit rest and React sight. We set the draw weight at 60 pounds and the draw length at 28 inches. Next we measured speed by shooting a Victory VAP 400 arrow weighing 364 grains (finished) through a chronograph three times and taking the average. We gauged bow noise in the same manner, using a decibel meter. Then we hit the range for two days, shooting hundreds of three-shot groups on Rinehart bag targets set at 30 yards, to measure out-of-the-box accuracy and forgiveness. All the while, we evaluated draw cycle, shock and vibration, balance and handling, and fit and finish. We awarded up to 10 points per category and then doubled the key ones—speed, draw cycle, accuracy—for a total possible score of 100 points.
| Specs: | Axle-to-Axle | Brace Height | Weight | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 5/8″ | 6″ | 4.3 LB. | 289.5 FPS |
After stumbling off the podium in 2016—the first time out of our top three in at least six years—Bowtech is back on top. While there’s nothing radically new about the 2017 flagship, the Reign puts all of the brand’s best technologies (Overdrive Binary Cam system, FLX-Guard, Center Pivot riser, and Powershift) into a near flawless package that’s smoother shooting than last year’s BTX. Tested in the FlipDisc2’s comfort setting, the bow finished in the bottom third in speed but made up for it by notching perfect or near perfect scores in almost every other test category. And if it’s raw velocity you’re after, all you have to do is flip the disc to the performance setting, in which the Reign would have finished second for speed.
| Specs: | Axle-to-Axle | Brace Height | Weight | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32″ | 5″ | 4.83 LB. | 299.7 FPS |
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Without ever firing an arrow, we knew Mathews had a great shot at a repeat title because the Halon 32 is the same bow as last year’s winning Halon, just 2 inches longer. That means everything we loved about the 2016 flagship applies here. The Crosscentric Cam system, stout dual-bridge riser, and parallel limbs combine to produce something rare and coveted: a superfast bow that’s really nice to shoot. It won our speed test, took second in both draw cycle and shock and vibration, and third in accuracy and forgiveness. The 32’s extra length improves the string angle but also adds a little weight to what was already a bulky bow—and it was that unhandiness that barely cost this stellar bow the win
3. Best Value: PSE Evolve
| Specs: | Axle-to-Axle | Brace Height | Weight | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31″ | 6 1/4″ | 4.6 LB. | 292.7 FPS |
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The Evolve is like no PSE flagship you’ve shot in recent years. For the last…
