2025 Mathew’s Bows
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: Bowboy
19-Nov-24
Bowboy's Link
The new 2025 lineup is out.
From: PECO2
19-Nov-24
Let's not derail this Mathews thread and get it closed like the last one.
From: Husker
19-Nov-24
I'm a Hoyt guy. Just love the feel of them, the riser, the carbon limbs, the extra weight actually. But, looking over the new Matthews price tags, i think that alone will out sell the Hoyts. Maybe I'm wrong, but that is what a lot of people look at. Both very good bows.
From: TREESTANDWOLF
19-Nov-24
I’m with Husker on this one also.
Bowtech and Mathews had improved on the cam alignment systems for sure, and Hoyts will still need to be shimmed.
From: Ambush
19-Nov-24
Since I bought the new Lift last year, the prices of this years don’t bother me at all.
From: TREESTANDWOLF
19-Nov-24
From: Blood
19-Nov-24
TSW, Hoyt has yokes this year.
From: Bowfreak
19-Nov-24
Comparing apples to apples Mathews MSRP is around $80 cheaper than Hoyt. I am not sure how much of a difference that will make but I bet it will for some. It wouldn't matter to me.
From: Potro
19-Nov-24
Second what Husker said Both are great bows, but the price gap is a factor in buying decision
From: Bou'bound
19-Nov-24
Hoyt still require shims. The yoke does not mitigate that.
From: Ambush
19-Nov-24
Hmmm? Did Pat have a LiftX in his hands when he didn’t shoot that six point in Kansas?
From: Bowboy
19-Nov-24
Pat probably already has the LiftX 29.5 and will do a review of it. Every review I’ve watch stated it’s the same as the Lift except for the different grips and the limb tuning gizmo.
From: midwest
19-Nov-24
I'd rather swap out the top hat shims than torque the limb sideways for tuning.
From: Ambush
19-Nov-24
The Top Hat system is pretty foolproof. I do wish that they came in finer increments though. I bought the kit and may just machine some of the leftovers to in between sizes.
From: TEmbry
19-Nov-24
Openly admit I don’t do the fine tuning of my own bow yet, I take it to the shop and do it with them. But I recently got everything installed for a fully functional shop in my garage and will be from now on. I like the lift improvements but zero chance it’s worth upgrading from those of us already shooting last years lift. The rumors circulated 6 months ago that this would be the case tho, lift orders were so backlogged they supposedly decided early on to not reinvent a new flagship for this year.
From: Pat Lefemine
19-Nov-24
Lift x. From box to bloodtrail in four hours
Lift x. From box to bloodtrail in four hours
I do have the Lift x. Got it Saturday and set it up Sunday. Took me two hours to get it tuned and sighted in.
It normally takes me from a day to a week to get a new bow ready to hunt. But I was so confident in my accuracy that I went hunting Sunday afternoon. An hour later I was filming a bloodtrail for a future challenge.
Love it.
From: Dale06
19-Nov-24
Supposedly there’s a replacement for the Atlas. And news or details on that?
From: aDrenalinJunkie21
19-Nov-24
Dale06 they’ve pretty much just got 4 LiftX sizes; the largest one of those (initials are avoiding my brain at the moment) is the atlas replacement. Looks like a bigger cam, slightly higher brace height, and goes to 33.5 inches.
From: Dale06
19-Nov-24
Thanks!
From: 12yards
19-Nov-24
Can you use an ez green press on a Lift?
From: aDrenalinJunkie21
19-Nov-24
I believe you can but you need to get the updated fingers for wider limb bows
From: TEmbry
19-Nov-24
You can use that press without the new fingers and wider pin but those updates sure makes it easier and honestly probably safer too.
From: aDrenalinJunkie21
19-Nov-24
If I’m spending all that money on a bow, cheating out on the appropriate limb fingers is a non-option
From: DRR324
20-Nov-24
ME- reading Pat's post and taking notes of body position, surrounding leave patterns, impact area, sun shadows, etc. all in prep for the new blood trail challenge... LOL
From: carcus
20-Nov-24
I like the tuning system, especially if you don't have a press, hard to beat pse's .220 shim system for ease of use and no torquing of limbs
From: Bowfreak
20-Nov-24
midwest has a point about moving the limb. Shims and top hats aren't a big deal in my opinion as you only do it once. I can shim my RX7 Ultra in less than 10 minutes. I do like the ease of tuning that this Mathews has but shimming is easy and it would not keep me from buying a bow that required shimming.
From: midwest
20-Nov-24
Bowtech has the best cam tuning system by far. Every other system out there is a Bowtech patent work around and I'd rather just swap shims than use any of them.
From: Bowfreak
20-Nov-24
Agreed.
From: wv_bowhunter
20-Nov-24
I don’t tinker with things that much, especially my bow. I like to set it and forget it. I was able to tune my VXR well enough with just the rest. If needed, the top hats would suit me much better since I could set them and forget them. More so than another screw that could come loose for the “benefit” of tuning any time any where without a press.
From: Coondog
20-Nov-24
Ambush, Podium Archer is making top hats for Mathews for the smaller adjustments.
From: Will
20-Nov-24
I love Podium Archer reviews; he does a great job, Coondog. I like the new Lift 29.5x. Looks like a great setup. Then again, that narrows it down to most bows today - there are a flood of great rigs out there today.
I'll admit, though, I was never a Matthews person, but in the last few years, their bows look nicer to me than in the past. (that's purely personal, not anything to do with the quality or function, they have been great for ever)
From: Pat Lefemine
25-Nov-24
New Mathews LIFT X
New Mathews LIFT X
Pat Lefemine's Link
We just published our Mathews LIFT X Review and Video. Hit the link!
From: Ambush
25-Nov-24
The cam adjust system seems like a great idea. I’m surprised it took this long to appear. Micro adjust rests and sights have been around for years.
I wonder if it can be retrofit to last years Lift?
From: Bowboy
25-Nov-24
I got to see one in person yesterday at Scheels. Me being a southpaw they didn’t have any available for me to shoot. It’s a very light bow. Pat I like the camo pattern you have. Thanks for doing a review and video.
From: 12yards
25-Nov-24
Ambush, it is not a cam adjustment. It actually adjusts the limb.
From: Stoneman
25-Nov-24
Great video review, very informative and well done.
From: midwest
25-Nov-24
Back to an index trigger release I see, Pat.
From: Ambush
25-Nov-24
12yards, doesn’t it just shift the cam over in relation to the limb? Same effect as shims?
From: WhattheFOC
25-Nov-24
Ambush… the cam doesn’t move - it is always a fixed distance from the left limb. The right limb tip moves in/out in relation to the bow which effects the axle loading enough to get the same effect as bumping the cam over. Weird eh?
From: Ambush
25-Nov-24
^^^Thanks, I’d never have guessed that.
From: ryanrc
25-Nov-24
I shot it and had the same criticism as most of the new Mathews that I have had. I just don't like the draw cycle. I find it harsh and I agree with Pat regarding it wanting to jump if you relax at all. It is insanely light, though. I was tempted, but decided to go in another direction.
From: Bowboy
25-Nov-24
Pat what is your draw length?
From: spike78
25-Nov-24
Read they have a terrible draw to them.
From: Pat Lefemine
26-Nov-24
The draw cycle on both the Lift and lift x is not my favorite. Assume it’s how they got +8fps.
I shoot it great though and I love the limb shift feature.
My form has improved tremendously in the last 3 years. But it’s still not great. I will trade forgiveness for speed every time. I don’t mind the draw cycle, if it was a deeper valley I would be fine with it.
From: Pat Lefemine
26-Nov-24
Midwest, I bounce back and forth. I’m much more accurate with the thumb release but sometimes I revert back to my comfort zone.
From: Dale06
26-Nov-24
I was thinking about upgrading from my Atlas. Local shop had the new Atlas “replacement “and I handled it. It’s an inch+ shorter than the Atlas and the brace height is an inch shorter. Those specs don’t look like an Atlas replacement to me. It’s a hard pass for me. But I’m sure some will like it.
From: carcus
26-Nov-24
Smaller valley than previous, I'm out, one of the things i didn't like on my vxr 31.5 was the lack of valley.
From: PECO2
26-Nov-24
Harsh draw, no valley, unforgiving, why would anyone shoot that?
From: Ambush
26-Nov-24
I’ve been shooting last year’s Lift for about six months. I don’t find the draw cycle harsh at all. At #65, I can slow draw it easily. The valley is short and the wall abrupt, but I’m used to that from my last bow.
Not that many years ago everybody was saying to be a consistent shooter you had to be hard against the wall, “trying to tear the strings off the cams!” At that time a bow that allowed creep was an accuracy killer.
Maybe if you regularly have to stay at full draw for longer periods a longer valley is good but other than letting down slowly, I don’t find the wall or valley a problem on the Lift.
But I also believe that if you give any non-speed extreme bow to most anybody it will become natural to shoot within a few hundred shoots. Then anything different will feel off.
From: wv_bowhunter
26-Nov-24
Haven’t shot anything new since I bought my VXR 31.5. The draw is “stiff” but I don’t find it to be an issue. I like how it drops off into the valley with no creep. The downside to that for me, as someone mentioned above, is not being able to let it up very easy if need be. It really wants to take off when you come out of that valley.
From: Coondog
26-Nov-24
You should be pulling hard enough against the back wall that the “lack of valley” should not be an issue at all. If you’re relaxing at full draw, then you’re becoming susceptible to creep. That’s going to lead to inconsistencies with your shots. Wrap your thumb around the thumb barrel or index finger around the trigger and pull for as long as you have to until the shot breaks.
From: Bowfreak
26-Nov-24
I have never owned a Mathews, I'd seriously consider one if the draw on the switchweight cams didn't feel terrible to me. I like the new tuning system but if I really wanted one I'd just pick up a Lift with the transferable limb warranty because I feel the Top Hat system is bulletproof.
From: WhattheFOC
26-Nov-24
Bowfteak - I bought a 60# TRX36 a while back. Draw cycle is super smooth. Gonna put a tight spot on it and call it a hunting bow.
From: midwest
26-Nov-24
The amount of valley is dependent on whether you get the 80% or 85% mods. I played around with a bunch of different mods on my VXR 31.5 and settled on 65 lbs. and 80%. Lighter draw weight and a shorter valley.
From: 12yards
26-Nov-24
I'm going to shoot it, but will probably end up restringing my Enkore. The thought of buying the bow and accessories is daunting money wise. If I didn't have all Elite accessories on my Enkore I'd just use the same stuff. But I wouldn't want to put Elite stuff on the Mathews.
From: Bowaddict
26-Nov-24
I’ve always liked the draw cycle on Mathews bows. Imo they don’t load too much too early, and they don’t load too much towards the back end. It’s spread out well through the cycle. I left them a few years ago more so because they changed the grip style, and to a lesser extent, the top hats. Are they great once you get the right ones, yes. But when you pay that much for a bow you better get all the shims with it. It was more so the grip change and feel. You just can’t argue the fact that a few other co’s have….had much better tuning systems…until now. I will be checking this bow out for its tuning system and the new grips! My personal opinion, Mathews is still at the top for quality, and I’ve been shooting an ss34 and elite ethos the last few years.
