2008 New Bow Roundup

LAST UPDATED: May 8th, 2015

MISSION ARCHERY

Mathews started the Mission line to give them access to a different group of buyers, those who can’t afford a Mathews bow. Mission bows are high quality offerings in their own right, so the value is definitely there.

Journey: The most expensive model is the Journey with a suggested retail price of $599. However, it has the look and features of a top line Mathews bow – parallel limbs, intensively machined riser, full camo, String Cushions and X-Silencers cable silencers (the cushion and silencers are standard on all Mission bows). The Journey is fast (IBO of 315 fps) with a moderate brace height of 7 1/2 inches.

X3: You aren’t going to buy a Mathews for $379 but you can sure buy the Mission X3 for that price. The X3 is a single-cam bow with a short riser and an axle-to-axle length of 33 inches. IBO speed is 310 fps with the Mission Cam, a 7-inch brace height and the Zebra Hybrid string and harness. The bow has a black riser to save a bit of money, but it is machined, so it is not as if it looks like an el-cheapo model.

X4: The X4 is basically the X3 but with an Advantage Max-4 camouflage riser. The suggested retail price jumps to $449.

X5: The X5, is a bit more intensively machined. Machine time is expensive so this bow costs more. All the other features plus full camouflage equate to a suggested retail price of $559.

Buckmasters: Mission Archery teamed up with Jackie Bushman at Buckmasters to produce a Buckmasters bow. The bow is fast, has a forgiving brace height, lightweight and short. Here are the specs. 31 inches long, 7 1/2 inch brace height, 316 fps IBO speed and weighs 4.25 pounds. It carries a suggested retail price of $699.

MATHEWS ARCHERY

Mathews released two new bows for 2008. The first is the Drenalin LD a long draw version of last year’s Drenalin and the DXT, a super short bow.

Drenalin LD: The Drenalin was the first Mathews bow with the narrow, composite limbs and a pocket-less riser design. The LD differs from the original in that it has a longer riser, which makes it a bit heavier (4.15 pounds). The LD clocks in at 315 fps coming in part from the new Straightline Perimeter Weighted Drenalin LD cam and from the bow’s 7-inch brace height. The LD is 37 inches long, 4 inches longer than the standard Drenalin. The LD stands for long draw; it will reach draw lengths up to 31 inches. Suggested retail price of $899.

DXT: The DXT is 29 3/4 inches long, so it will fit in many suitcases, not to mention ground blinds and tree stands. The bow weighs in at a very light 3.75 pounds due to its size and the use of Mathews’ proprietary SE4 thin, composite limbs. The DXT is fast with an IBO rating of 322 fps and a 7-inch brace height. Despite its short length, the DXT will make draw lengths up to 30 inches. Suggested retail price for the DXT is $859.

HOYT

Last year’s Vector Cam & 1/2 stirred a lot of interest because it was fast and smooth. For 2008, Hoyt replaced that cam with the new Cam & 1/2 Plus, which has the same feel and performance. Hoyt also introduced an all-out speed burner in their new Z3 cam system.

Katera: Hoyt’s Katera features a low 6-inch brace height and the super fast new Z3 cam. The Z3 comes up to poundage quickly when you start drawing the string and then drops off sharply into the letoff valley. It is a classic speed cam and the Katera is a classic speed bow with an IBO rating of 330 fps. It is 33 inches long and weighs 4 1/2 pounds. Like several of the 2007 bows, it features vibration and noise reducing rubber accessories. It also features the Stealth Shot riser-mounted string silencing cradle. Approximate retail is $849.

Katera XL: The Katera XL is longer than the Katera with an axle-to-axle length of 36 inches. It has a 7 1/2 brace height and cranks out IBO speeds of 320 fps, again with the Z3 cam. You can also order it with the smoother Cam & 1/2 Plus producing 305 fps IBO speed. Approximate retail is $899.

Seven 37: It is 37 inches long with a brace height of just over 7 inches, thus the name. Hoyt has a reputation for keeping longer compounds in their line when others are dropping in favor of pocket bows. This is their latest. It has all the standard Hoyt top-end features including the new Cam & 1/2 Plus system. It will make draw lengths up to 32 1/2 inches and produces an IBO speed rating of 313 fps. Approximate retail is $909.

Vantage: The Vantage X7 and X8 are very long bows by today’s standards with 41 inches between the axles. The X7 has roughly a 7-inch brace height while the X8 has an 8-inch brace height. These are primarily target bows, but since they come in camouflage too, they would certainly work well for hunting. These bows are ideal for someone looking for the ultimate in stability – possibly a finger shooting looking to avoid pinch. IBO speed is 305 and 300 fps respectively. Approximate retail is $919.

38 Pro: The new 38 Pro replaces last year’s 38 Ultra and features the new Cam & 1/2 Plus, a higher brace height of 7.75 inches and an IBO speed of 306 fps. Approximate retail is $909.

Kobalt: The Kobalt is a fast (270 fps at 60# and 28”), short (28 inches axle-to-axle), lightweight (3.1 pounds) bow for youth, women and small-framed men. It has all the top-end Hoyt features including the new Cam & 1/2 Plus. Approximate retail is $549.

Dorado: The Dorado is a nice looking recurve bow with an aluminum riser and removable laminated glass limbs. It is 60 inches long and weighs just 2 1/2 pounds. Suggested retail is $499.

REFLEX

Charger: The Charger is Reflex’s version of the speed bow with a 6 1/4 inch brace height and the aggressive FX Cam & 1/2 system. The bow produces an IBO speed of 320 fps. In addition to excellent speed, it features a custom string and harness system from Fuse Archery, parallel limbs for shock free shooting and a manageable 34 inches between the axles. Approximate retail is $549.

Musky: The Musky is a bowfishing bow with a smooth draw well suited to quick shooting with heavy fish arrows. It is 34 inches long with a 7 3/8 inch brace height. Fully rigged with the AMS Bowfishing Kit, there is no question this bow will bring home the carp, the gar, the sharks, the frogs, what have you. Approximate retail is $479 for the package.

PSE

Last year PSE turned heads with their X-Force and proved to the industry that speed is not dead. This year there are five new X-Force models. All of the X-Force bows (including last year’s model, which is still in the line) feature the HF cam. HF stands for Hybrid Fast. That’s what it is, a very fast hybrid cam.

X-Force Long Draw: This model has a straight riser rather than the reflexed riser of the original. As a result, it has an 8 1/2-inch brace height instead of a 6-inch brace height of the original, allowing it to make draw lengths up to 32 inches and speeds up to 340 fps when shooting a 350-grain arrow at 70 pounds and 32 inches (note, this is not a true IBO speed). Suggested retail is $849.99.

X-Force Dream Season: Drury Outdoors is now endorsing PSE bows and this relationship inspired the X-Force Dream Season. It is last year’s X-Force but with a more forgiving 7-inch brace height. IBO speed is between 332 and 340 fps. Suggested retail is $849.99.

X-Force TS & X-Force SS: The TS stands for Tree Stand and I think the SS stands for Super Short because that is what it is. The TS is 28 inches long with a 7-inch brace height and the SS is only 26 1/2 inches long, also with roughly a 7-inch brace height. Both of these lightweight bows (3.5 to 3.8 pounds) will crank up to 70 pounds maximum draw force, so they are serious adult bows though they look extremely short in the hand. IBO speeds on these two bows are 322 to 330 fps. Suggested retail for the TS is $699.99 and for the SS it is $799.99.

Thunderbolt X NX: This is a very short bow at just 28 1/2 inches long with nearly an 8-inch brace height and an IBO speed rating of 304 to 312 fps. The bow has super short 9-inch limbs and the NRG-X cam, the same single-cam used on the Mach X. In fact, the Thunderbolt is just a very short version of the Mach X. Suggested retail is $599.99.

Stinger: The Stinger is one of the best values on the market right now with a suggested retail price of $299. It is 31 1/2 inches long, has 7 1/2 inch brace height and an IBO speed of roughly 300 fps. The new NRG Inner Cam permits an amazing draw length range of six inches from this single-cam bow.

BEAR ARCHERY

Last year’s Bear Truth was one of the best values on the market. The new Truth 2 has a higher suggested retail but it offers more features. However, Bear is not turned their back on the budget bowhunter: they added five new bows at various prices from $650 all the way down to $280!

Truth 2: This is a different looking bow with a pair of string suppressors contacting the string both above and below the grip section. They are called Dual Arc string suppressors and their purpose is to stop the string from vibrating immediately after the arrow is gone. The Truth 2 also has flared split limbs, Realtree All-Purpose Green camo and green anodized single-cam, idler wheel and limb pockets for a very attractive appearance. The bow is 33 inches axle-to-axle, has a 7-inch brace height and an IBO speed of 316 fps. It also features a Winner’s Choice string and harness. Suggested retail is $649.

The Done Deal: The Done Deal is similar to the Truth 2 but it is a bit shorter, a bit slower and features the in-house Tech Twist string and harness rather than custom Winner’s Choice. Not surprisingly, it is also a bit cheaper. Suggested retail is $529.99.

Game Over: The Game Over sheds the Dual Arc suppressors in favor of just a single suppressor below the grip; it is also a bit slower with a higher brace height. Suggested retail is $429.99.

Lights Out: The Lights Out doesn’t have a string suppressor and is shorter (30 inches) and slower with a brace height of 8 3/4 inches. Suggested retail is $329.99.

Show Down: Finally, the Show Down is the least expensive of the new bows from Bear with a 288 fps and a brace height of 8 3/4 inches with a 31 3/4 inch axle-to-axle length. Suggested retail price is $279.99

BOWTECH ARCHERY

Last year, Bowtech gathered a lot of attention for the center pivot limbs of the Guardian and Commander bows. This year it is a roller cable guard and the string cushion (in addition to the center pivot limbs).

General: The General utilizes center pivot limbs like the Guardian and Commander but it also has a higher brace height of 8 1/4 inches, a new super smooth Center Trac Binary Cam and the new ShortStop string cradle. The ShortStop cushions the string when it reaches its undrawn position and is an extension of the bow’s new roller cable guard. The General is only 31 1/4 inches long and produces an IBO speed of 307 to 315 fps with the speed module and 300 to 308 fps with the smooth module. Suggested retail is $799.

82nd Airborne: The 82nd Airborne is a very fast bow with a conventional (not center pivot) riser and a low 6 1/8-inch brace height. At 36 1/2 inches axle-to-axle, the bow produces an IBO speed rating of 342 to 350 fps with the speed modules and 330 to 338 with the smooth modules installed in the Binary Cams. This makes the 82nd Airborne one of the fastest bows on the market. It features parallel limbs to virtually eliminate hand shock despite this speed and the roller cable guard and ShortStop found on other new Bowtech models. Suggested retail is $799.

101st Airborne: The 101st Airborne has the same basic form and feature list as the 82nd Airborne, but it has a higher brace height of 7 1/4 inches. The IBO speed is also lower – clocking in at 332 to 340 with the speed modules installed in the Binary Cams and 320 to 328 with the smooth modules. Suggested retail is $799.

DIAMOND ARCHERY

Last year’s Diamond Black Ice was one of the best bows of the year despite the fact that it was not blazing fast. The newest addition to the Diamond line is the Marquis and it ups the speed without giving up the things we liked about the Black Ice.

Marquis: The Marquis is a quality parallel limb bow that spans 34 1/2 inches axle-to-axle. It features the Pinnacle single-cam system and a 7-inch brace height to produce an IBO speed of 316 to 324 fps. The same roller guard and ShortStop string suppressor found on new Bowtech models is also available standard on the Marquis. It is a very attractive bow with a great grip. If you liked the Black Ice but wished it was a little faster, the Marquis is Diamond’s answer. Suggested retail is $749.

MARTIN ARCHERY

Pro-X Firecat: Another blazing fast bow, with an IBO speed of 335 to 345 fps, the new Firecat has a 7-inch brace height and is 33 inches long. It gains its speed from the new CAT Hybrid Duo cam. This is the conventional hybrid that produces lots of energy storage. The bow has parallel limbs and a string suppressor to remove unwanted vibration after the shot. Approximate retail price is $550.

MOAB: The new MOAB is very similar to the Firecat, with an axle-to-axle length of 32 3/4 inches, a brace height of 7 3/8 inches, but it features the smoother, M-Pro cam instead of the rockin’ CAT Cam. It has an IBO speed of 315 to 320 fps and a lower approximate retail price of $369.

Slayer: Martin didn’t mess around with the Slayer. It carries an advertised IBO speed rating of 350 fps. That would make it one of the fastest bows on the planet. The Slayer has a 6 1/4 inch brace height and features the fast CAT Cam. It is 36 inches long and has a string suppressor to reduce string vibration after the shot. Approximate retail price is $610.

GANDER MOUNTAIN

Gander Mountain is the latest to produce an in-house bow. If you study the new TecHunter Elite it shouldn’t be hard to come to your own conclusions regarding who makes this bow for Gander, but since we haven’t heard it from the horse’s mouth, we aren’t going to speculate here.

TecHunter Elite: The TecHunter Elite is a very good product, one that any bowhunter would enjoy owning. It is 33 5/8 inches long, has a 7 1/4 inch brace height and produces an IBO speed rating of 317 fps. Other features include a single-cam with a draw stop for a solid back wall, a grip section with pre-drilled sling holes, a roller cable guard and a string suppressor that extends from the riser below the grip. It also has parallel limbs. Retail price is $499.

BROWNING ARCHERY

Grand Illusion: Browning based the Grand Illusion MF on the same design principle as the X-Force bows in the PSE line. It features the same short, narrow, lightweight split limbs that bend dramatically near the eccentrics. The bow is equipped with the MF hybrid system. The MF stands for “Mega-Fast”. The Grand Illusion with the MF cam and a 7-inch brace height produces an IBO speed rating of 322 to 330 fps. The bow is 35 1/8 inches long. Suggested retail price is $799.

SIMS

The Limbsavers people made a bow and it is fast, quiet and very comfortable to shoot. Visually the Dead Zone’s most distinctive feature is its long, straight riser with all the machined cutouts. You will also notice the offset limbs; the pocket actually serves as a teeter-totter to effectively shorten the limb’s working length without concentrating stresses. They call it the Rolling Fulcrum System and it permits you to take the bow down without a bow press.

Dead Zone: The Dead Zone is powered by the HEAT cam, a hybrid cam system that Sims engineered for maximum efficiency and features parallel limbs that reduce recoil until it is nearly imperceptible. Of course, we would expect nothing but silent shooting from the originators of the Limbsaver. Other features include Winner’s Choice string and harness system and the fully-adjustable cable guard rod with the Teflon slide. The rest shelf has a built-in arrow holder for use with fall-away rests. The bow is 32 inches long, has a 7 1/4 inch brace height and an IBO speed rating of 320 to 330 fps. Suggested retail price is $799.

DARTON ARCHERY

Darton started the revolution in hybrid cams more than a decade ago with the CPS cam system. The latest versions is their new CPS G2, 2 1/2 Cam. It is very similar to some other cams you have seen on the market (licensed by Darton) in that it is actually two cams that are a mirror image of each other. Both cams are tied together rather than tied to the opposite axle. In so doing, they automatically adjust to changes in harness length to remain in time and turning together.

Pro 3000: The Pro 3000 is the fastest of Darton’s Pro line. It has a brace height of 6 1/4 inches and a blazing IBO speed of 332 fps. This bow is 34 1/2 inches long. The Pro2000 has a slightly higher brace height of 7 1/4 inches and an IBO speed of 320 fps. The Pro4000 and Pro5000 are successively longer and slower with higher brace heights. If you want a longer, more forgiving bow, this end of the Pro Series is for you.

Assault: All three of Darton’s new Assault Series bows, AS 25, 50 and 100 utilize a stripped down version of the CPS-G2 Hybrid Cam system. This series is the value line so some of the finer details are missing. The AS 25 is a good bow for budget-minded bowhunters. It features the CPS-G2 cam design, a 7-inch brace height, is 34 inches long and produces an IBO speed of 302 fps. Suggested retail is just over $400. The AS 50 is a little faster (310 fps) and a little shorter (31 1/2 inches). Approximate retail price for the AS25 and AS50 is $389 and $499 respectively.

AS100: The AS100 is an extremely short bow ideal for small-framed archers and youth. It will reach draw weights of 70 pounds so it also fills the role of a full-powered adult bow, but with a length of just under 28 inches, it is ultra-portable. It will make draw lengths up to 29 inches. At 29 inches and 70 pounds, it will produce 309 fps with a 350-grain arrow – fast for a short draw bow! Approximate retail price is $519.

PEARSON ARCHERY

TX-4: The new TX-4 is a true arrow blazer. The new bow features the Z7 single-cam and a brace height of just 6 1/4 inches to produce IBO speeds of 330 fps. Lest we lose sight of what raw speed is during this time of fast bows, 330 fps is fast! The TX-4 is 34 1/4 inches long and it features Pearson’s comfortable Angel Wing grip and a machined riser with cool deer hoof cutouts. Another strong feature (literally) of this bow is the ETI limb tip inserts that strengthen the limbs near the axle holes so the bow designers can increase pre-stress on the limbs. Approximate retail price is $739.

HIGH COUNTRY

If you have been at this for a while, you will remember the late 1980s when the trend toward fast bows began. High Country led that charge. It is fitting that the newest bow from High Country this year is a speed burner.

Speed Force: The Speed Force is 33 inches long and has laminated solid glass parallel limbs made by Barnsdale. With a 7-inch brace height and the new Trinary Hybrid Cam system, the Speed Force produces an advertised IBO speed of 342 to 352 fps. The bow also features a new positive limb alignment system in the pockets, a roller cable guard and String Stopper, a cushion that stops the string when it returns to brace during the shot to reduce vibration. It comes with Winner’s Choice string and harnesses factory installed and Bowjax limb silencers. That is a great specification and feature package. Suggested retail price is $749.

ALPINE ARCHERY

For 2008, Alpine offers three new bows, two of them feature the multi-part riser the company has become know for and the other features a conventional style. All three utilize the Velocitec Hybrid cam system that Alpine debuted last year. The Velocitec is a dual hybrid, which means that both cams are slaved together so the bow can’t easily go out of time.

Eclipse & Sienna: The Silverado Eclipse is a youth or women’s bow that is only 31 inches long and has a 6 3/4 inch brace height. However, it sports all of Alpine’s top of the line features. It will shoot a 300-grain arrow at 295 fps when shot at just 26 inches of draw and 60 pounds. The Silverado Sienna is exactly the same as the Eclipse with the exception of color. It is hot pink! This makes it the perfect women’s target bow. Approximate retail price for the Eclipse and Sienna is $580.

Ventura: The Silverado Ventura does not feature Alpine’s sophisticated multi-part riser, it is a very solid bow with great performance built on a conventional riser. It produces an advertised 320 fps IBO speed with a 7 3/4 inch brace height and the same Velocitec Hybrid cam system. Approximate retail price is $649.

PARKER COMPOUND BOWS

We don’t have photos of Parker’s new bows for 2008, but we do know something about them. When we get the photos, we will post them, as well. Parker made the move to parallel limb bows in 2007 and they have continued that trend this year with several new models.

Blackhawk XP: This new bow all the right specs and design. It has parallel limbs, a fast single-cam, an intricately machined riser and a solid IBO speed of 325 fps. Coupled with a 32 inch length and a 7 3/8 inch brace height it is the ideal package for hunting. Suggested retail price is $649.

Shooting Star: The Shooting Star is a target bow with a very high 8 3/4 inch brace height and an axle-to-axle length of 36 inches. IBO speed is a surprising 305 fps despite the high brace height. Suggested retail price is $749 in camo.

Raptor XP: The Raptor XP is another parallel limb bow, but it is geared for those who want decent speed but from a smooth-drawing bow. The Raptor XP has a softer cam than the Blackhawk, but otherwise their specs are very similar. IBO speed is 310 fps. Suggested retail price is $549.