strother or bowtech?
Equipment
I've been shooting Hoyts for the last 15 years and have the urge to try something different. I am looking at 2 bows.....the Strother SX-Rush and the Bowtech Insanity CPXL. I don't know a thing about either of these bows and live a very long way from an archery shop that handles either one. Before I make a 120 mile drive to test shoot one I was looking for opinions both pro and con. Accuracy and noise are probably my two top priorities when buying a bow with a rock solid wall my next. And I just might consider something PSE has although my limited experience with their bows leaves a lot to be desired. Any opinions?
A year and a half ago when I went to upgrade my bow, my local archery proshop owner let me shoot all 3 of his bows (Bowtech Invasion, the precursor to the Insanity, Carbon Element, and the Matthews Z7.)
I shot all 3 bows back to back. He had them all adjusted to 70 lbs draw which was a lot more than I draw (50 lbs).
The noise, wt, groups, etc, were all about the same.
The huge difference, was how much easier it was to draw the Bowtech. He explained it as their cutting edge design of something on their cams. I cant explain it 18 months later, but I swear it was easier to draw and I'd know since 70 lbs was a tough draw for me (I'm skinny). Draw length were all the same cause they were his personal bows.
The Hoyt weighed 4 oz less, but also cost $400 more.
It wasnt much of a decision for me.
I went with the Bowtech and am so happy with my decision, I love my bow and I think Bowtech's bows are the most value for every dollar you spend.
I shoot both Bowtech (Destroyer 340) and Hoyt (AM32)...Love my Destroyer, but hate the way Bowtech's Customer Service has gone...Terrible!
That's one thing you have to look at...
I shot hoyt for 30yrs, went to pse, not happy, went to darton very happy, now wanting my old hoyts back, but will have to conceder elite answer as well, for the smooth draw cycles like my older hoyts had, you are going to have to shoot them all, ask friends if you have to, until i decide I'm using my recurve its paid for. I want hoyt to dump those ridiculess handles before i get another one.
Yes, Elite is one to look at also...
I would make sure you check elites bows out i had mathews z7 tried a elite pure loved it will never go back to mathews again !
I would make sure you check elites bows out i had mathews z7 tried a elite pure loved it will never go back to mathews again !
I would have to say strother. From what ive gathered from bowsite and a few buddies of mine the customer service is the worst in the industry with bowtech. I shoot neither, been shooting mathews for 10+ years and mainly for one reason: My local archery shop and bow guy are the best in the country and they always make it right with people who buy their bows there. Im sure over the years their have been some better bows out there but you have to have a good company backing you. Never had a problem with any of my bows but if i did they would set me a brand new one up to keep me hunting:) Something to consider when dropping that kinda cash
Six months now with my Bowtech CPXL and still loving it. I shoot this bow better then any I have ever owned.
I never had the opportunity to shoot the Strothers bow so I can't give you a side by side comparison.
I would make sure you check elites bows out i had mathews z7 tried a elite pure loved it will never go back to mathews again !
I think VJ likes his Elite. Iike my Z28 too.
I think my strother infinity is the best speed bow I've owned. I had multiple mathews, a mcpherson, BT allegiances, and a guardian.
The gaurdian was the quietest smoothest bow I've ever owned. I could see myself picking up a used one for ground blind hunting when close and quiet is second to a silky easy draw cyle.
Any bows out there compare to the guardian now???
Anyone want to part with a 27.5" rh guardian??
Bill
I shoot the CPXL...I love the bow, but did have a limb fail....(it happens to all of them)
The limb failure occurred about 3 weeks before hunting season......they told my local archery shop to give me a new bow...they did...I couldn't expect more as far as customer service goes...I killed my first elk with it 4 weeks later!
The bowtech is very easy to tune...I shot 3 different fixed blades...two mechs.....and my field points...they all shoot the same to 70 yards.
Bowtech's back wall is as solid as they get.
Opinions don't mean much...you have to shoot them to know what you want, but it is solid, accurate, and quiet.....the carbon matrix is a little more quiet but the back wall is too soft for me.
I think your urge will serve you well
I've never shot a strother...
good luck
Whatevery happened to Gary Strother himself??? He was at Bowtech, designed alot of their stuff, went to Elite I think and then Strother. Then didnt Strother the company themselves release him??? Is he starting another company or is he designing for someone else under the radar???
His name is Kevin, not Gary, and his company now (the last I heard, kinda hard to keep up!) is called k and k archery. Still putting out some killer bows, but kinda hard for me to put a lot of faith in the longevity of the company with his history.
---Jim
Thanks for the help. I am starting to think maybe I should take a hard look at Bowtech. But after shooting Hoyts for so many years it is going to be hard to get away from them. I still have an old "first year they made them" Trykon. I am unable to find a bow that is more accurate than it.
A couple more questions, are the Bowtech cams considered hybrids, dual cams or something completely different and are they difficult to tune?
Binary cams. Supposed to never go out of tune by the nature of the binary design. They are slaved together.
never shot strother . but u cant go wrong with bowtech insanity cpx. awsome bow!!
Your service quality from bowtech is in direct proportion to your dealer. Which is why you will get service reports all over the map, as you will have bowshops all over the map.
I picked up a near new Invasion a while ago the previous owner had all screwed up, it was nearly unshootable. Probably why I got a great deal on it. Took a good bit of tweaking and during that I over tightened a draw stop and broke it off. The local dealer (The Island Archer on another island) mailed me two new stops, no charge, even after I offered to pay for them, the effort and the shipping. I had them in two days. If I can get over there sometime I plan on giving them some business.
Your service will depend on your dealer. We have had a couple dealers post here that seem to verify that, they considered their service from the factory to be very good.
