Keeping Things in Perspective:

Undoubtedly, the modern compound bow is a fantastic hunting weapon.  But let's try to keep things in some reasonable perspective.  Before you're swayed by an advertising campaign promising exclusive-technology and predatory bliss, try to keep in mind that the compound bow is still a relatively simple device.  The compound bow is constructed from readily available materials, it has only a handful of moving parts, and it isn't micro-processor controlled either.  So there's only so much technology which can be realistically applicable to the design and production of a compound bow.  However, most bows are specifically marketed as a "high-technology" product.  Why?  Because bow companies know what bowhunters want the most - an EDGE.  Bowhunting has a historically low success rate, so it is no surprise that compound bow advertising campaigns focus on offering bowhunters a "technological" advantage - even if it's a little stretch of the truth.  They also know that outdoor product consumers love big scientific words and impressive acronyms.  So beware.  Your new compound bow could be packaged with a few hyperpolyresin fibers of CBT (cock-n-bull technology).

The Brand Name Cult:

The archery industry is often plagued by a "better than your bow" mentality - as brand loyalty seems to often get out of hand.  Some bow manufacturers even seem to develop a cult-like following of shooters - who'll openly malign any other brand of bows (just visit an online archery forum).  This is unfortunate for beginning archers since you are bound to receive one-sided advice which may or may not lead you to a good bow purchasing decision.  So beware of any advice declaring one type or brand of bow to be "the best".  Imagine being told that a Subaru, for example, is "the best" kind of car - and that every other brand was totally inferior.  Ridiculous right?  The Subaru is certainly a fine automobile, but it's not appropriate or practical for everyone. There are many other high quality brands and models you could choose from. The same is true for compound bows. The Point:  There is no "best" brand or "best" type of compound bow, so don't barricade yourself in too deeply on any particular bow manufacturer's ranch.  The bow that is best for you is the bow that best fits your purpose, your size and strength, your shooting style, your skill level, and your budget.  Whether that particular choice is popular or not should be irrelevant.

Statistical Deception in Advertising:

If the Nike shoe company paid the world’s 50 fastest sprinters to wear only Nike brand shoes during competitions, it would be no surprise that most of the big races would be won by athletes in Nike shoes. Would it be fair then to conclude that Nike shoes make runners go faster? Of course not! But the company could make it seem that way if they advertised the race statistics without mentioning the paid endorsements. Sadly, some archery manufacturers use this same little trick to entice buyers, and it usually works. Beware of advertising campaigns that lead you to believe their brand of bows are more accurate, and tempt you with "stacked" statistics on how many tournaments their bows win. The Point: Bows don’t win tournaments any more than shoes win races. The most talented runners win races and the most talented shooters win archery tournaments. Many factors are involved in accurate shooting (proper fit, careful tuning, good technique, etc.). A good high-quality bow is just one part of the equation.

Understanding Trade Offs:

There are many characteristics that archers look for in a new bow. Most archers want a bow that has blazing fast performance, a silky smooth draw stroke, very low hand-shock, a generous valley, and high let-off. Most archers also want their bows to be very lightweight, compact, quiet, forgiving to any flaws in technique, easy to tune, easy to adjust, and affordable for any budget. Unfortunately, this perfect bow doesn’t exist. To get a bow with a certain set of characteristics, you’ll likely have to sacrifice some others. For example, very fast bows are generally less forgiving. Very light bows are generally more expensive, and so on. Ultimately you’ll have to decide which characteristics are most important to you and choose the bow that best fits your personal criteria.

Energy Storage and Release:

When you pull the string of a compound bow, the limbs of the bow are squeezed inward. The energy you supplied to draw the bow is stored in the limbs, as potential energy, until you release the string. Upon release, the potential energy is transferred into the arrow as kinetic energy, as the limbs "spring" back into place returning the string to it’s original position. Seems simple enough! But careful examination of this process of storing and releasing energy is what gives a compound bow its performance characteristics, and it is something you should consider when selecting your new bow. The Point:  In essence, there are only two factors that determine how much "power" your bow will have: 1) The amount of energy that can be stored in the limbs during the drawstroke. 2) The amount of that potential energy that can be successfully transferred into the arrow upon release (efficiency).

Area Under the Curve (no calculus required):

The Force Draw Curve (above) represents an average modern single-cam compound bow. The amount of energy the bow stores is represented by the darkened gray area under the curve. The more gray area you have, the faster the bow will shoot. So how do we get more gray area? Just change the shape of the curve.  Of course, changing the shape of the curve requires changing the bow's major characteristics.  This is where draw length, draw weight, cam design, let-off, brace height, and other attributes come into play.  If you're looking for a fast bow, energy storage is what it's all about.  

If speed were the only goal, a Force Draw Curve shaped like this one  (at left) would yield the greatest possible amount of stored energy for any bow at 70# max draw weight and 30" draw length.  Of course, a bow like this would be nearly impossible to aim and shoot.  With a 0" brace height, the string would rest on the bow's handle, and would nearly chop off your hand with every shot.  And the bow would have no let-off, leaving you to hold back the entire 70# until release.  A bow like this would be far more dangerous to the archer than it would be to the game animals.  And although this graph is only a theoretical example, it can help us to  understand how today's super-cam bows are yielding faster arrow speeds than ever before.  But beware!  The closer a bow's Force Draw Curve comes to the theoretical limit graph, the more difficult it is to draw, shoot, and control.

The curved line on the force draw curve represents the bow’s drawstroke, commonly known as the powerstroke. The powerstroke represents your effort.  The powerstroke begins as you pull the string back from the resting position and is completed when the bow reaches full draw. Each bow will have a different powerstroke depending upon its settings and cam characteristics. Powerstrokes which are longer, higher, or flatter will generally result in increased energy storage and arrow velocity.

Brace Height - Effect on Total Stored Energy

Since increasing the length of the powerstroke would result in increased energy storage, a shooter with a 30" draw length could gain significant arrow velocity by increasing their draw length to say 32". But this isn’t an acceptable method for increasing arrow velocity. Shooting a bow with excessive draw-length will result in a host of shooting form problems, and the increase in speed will be a poor trade-off for the loss of comfort and accuracy. So instead of lengthening the end of the drawstroke, some bows are designed to increase the powerstoke at the beginning of the stroke by bringing the string closer to the handle. Brace height is the distance from the center of the bow’s riser (handle) to the string at rest. If a bow’s brace height is 8.5" and the shooter draws the bow to 30", then the powerstroke is 21.5" long. However, if the resting string is brought closer to the riser, reducing the brace height to only 6", the same 30" bow would have a 24" powerstroke. Viola! More energy! So shorter brace heights produce faster arrow speeds. Easy enough. So it would seem that in order to get better performance from a compound bow, all you have to do is look for a model with a short brace height, right? Not so fast! Short brace height bows may be fast, but they will come with a few drawbacks you should think about.

Brace Height - Speed vs. Forgiveness

If you’ve been shopping for a new compound bow, you’ve certainly noticed that some bows have dramatically different brace heights. If shorter brace heights result in faster bows, then why aren’t all bows designed with short brace heights? It’s because brace height has a profound effect on the bow’s forgiveness and shootability. Short brace height bows are generally less forgiving and require more skill to shoot accurately. Since the arrow is in contact with the string for a longer distance and period, there is more opportunity for any glitches in your shooting form (hand-torque, trigger punching, etc.) to have a detrimental effect on the arrow’s flight. Longer brace heights have the opposite effect, limiting the effects of form glitches. If you shoot with absolutely perfect form, a short brace height bow will be just as accurate as it’s longer brace height cousins. But if you have average skills and are prone to occasional goof-ups, a bow with a little longer brace height will yield better accuracy in most shooting situations. The average new compound bow has a brace height of approximately 7". Bows with shorter brace heights (5"-6.5") will be faster but less forgiving to shoot. Bows with longer brace heights (7.5"-9") will generally shoot slower but will be more forgiving to your errors. Consider this carefully when choosing your new hunting or 3D bow. Unless you have a specific need for a blazing fast bow, you may find that a more moderate brace height will increase your enjoyment of archery and your success in the field.  SPECIAL NOTE:  Tall guys with draw lengths 30" and above should be especially conscious of brace height - as a long draw length and a short brace height are normally a bad combination, particularly for new shooters.

However, if you are a short-draw archer (27" draw length or less), you'll be pleased to know you have a nice advantage regarding forgiveness and shootability on your compound bow.  A bow which has a 6" brace height and is set for long 30" draw length will have roughly a 24" powerstroke.  This means the during the shot, the arrow will remain in-contact with the string for approximately 24" - until the arrow finally releases.  This would generally make for a rather unforgiving setup.  But that same bow in the hands of the short-draw archer will be considerably MORE forgiving to shoot.  Why?  If a short-draw archer shoots the same bow at - say - 26" draw length, his/her powerstroke will only be 20" long, rather than 24".  So the short-draw archer's arrow gets off the string in a shorter distance - thus the short-draw archer has some "built-in" benefits of forgiveness.  If you are a short-draw archer, don't spend too much time fretting over brace height.  Instead, consider shooting a bow that's a little more aggressive. The same bow that might give your 6'4" hunting buddy fits, will be quite manageable when set for your short draw length.  And choosing a more aggressive bow will help you to recover some of the speed and power lost in a short-draw setup. 
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Draw Weight - Height of the Powerstroke

Another method for increasing the amount of stored energy during the powerstroke is to shoot a bow with a higher maximum draw weight. All other things being equal, a 70# bow will store more energy and shoot faster than a 60# bow. However, this is a complicated issue you should consider carefully when selecting your new compound bow. The maximum draw weight of the bow is typically determined by the stiffness of the bow’s limbs. Compound bows come in a variety of maximum draw weights, but the most common are the 60# and 70# versions. Although you may purchase a bow with 70# limbs, you can generally adjust the draw weight as much as 10-15# down from the maximum weight. So a 70# bow could actually be adjusted for 61#, 64#, 67#, or any draw weight within the allowable range. However, it should be noted that a 70# bow, turned down to 60#, will not perform as well as the same bow in a 60# version operating at it’s maximum draw weight. Bows are generally more efficient at or near their maximum draw weight.

Draw Weight - Effect on Arrow Velocity

High poundage bows require heavier, stiffer arrow shafts. Lower poundage bows can use lighter, more limber arrow shafts. IBO standards allow 5 grains of arrow weight per pound of draw weight. So a 70# bow should not shoot an arrow weighing less than 350 grains. A bow set for 60#, no less than 300 grains and so on. Shooting an arrow that is too light for the bow’s draw weight setting has a similar effect as dry-firing the bow and can result in eventual bow damage. In addition, violating IBO’s minimum arrow weight standards would cause you to be disqualified at an IBO 3D event. That much said, the fact is that arrow weight has a dramatic effect on arrow velocity. Lighter arrows fly considerably faster, heavier arrows much slower. Surprisingly, when set for IBO minimum standards, many bows are only fractionally faster in the 70# version vs. the 60# version. Since a 70# bow will need at least a 350 grain arrow, and a 60# bow can use a lighter 300 grain arrow, the savings in arrow weight offsets the loss of energy storage during the powerstroke. Properly set-up, a 60# version of most bows will perform within 10 fps of the heavier 70# version.

Draw Weight - How Much is Necessary

Some states require a compound bow to meet certain draw weight minimums in order to hunt large game like Whitetail Deer. Always observe the rules and regulations for legally harvesting game in your state. However, it should be noted that some of these rules have been in effect for many years, and do not necessarily consider the recent technological advances in archery manufacturing. The average bow of 15 years ago was struggling to shoot 220 fps, and even at those speeds many bowhunters got clean pass-thru’s on large game like Whitetail Deer. Today the average bow is shooting nearly 300 fps at 70# draw weight and 30" draw length. This means that even bows in shorter draw lengths and lower draw weights will still provide plenty of velocity to penetrate the ribcage of a Whitetail Deer. A modern single cam bow with a 50# peak draw weight and just a 26" draw length will still zip arrows well over 220 fps. Of course, if you plan to hunt larger game like Elk or Moose, or if you plan to take shots from longer distances, you will need additional kinetic energy for complete penetration to ensure a humane harvest. As a general rule, a 40-50# draw weight will provide sufficient energy to harvest deer and a 50-60# bow will provide sufficient energy to harvest larger elk-size species.  Unless you're planning to hunt huge animals like Cape Buffalo, a 70+ pound bow really isn't necessary.  You can be just as effective with a more moderate draw weight.

Kinetic Energy:  Arrow Mass & Arrow Velocity

How much penetration, or knock-down power, your arrows will have is a matter of kinetic energy.  Arrows which impact the target with more kinetic energy will penetrate the target more deeply than arrows with less kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion.  Any object which has motion has kinetic energy.  Total kinetic energy depends upon two variables: the mass of the object and the speed of the object.  This is more an issue of arrow selection than bow selection, but an important issue nonetheless - and another of those "trade-offs" to consider.  A bow is generally more efficient, and somewhat quieter, when launching a heavier arrow.  But since lightweight carbon arrows are all the rage, we decided to conduct a test to see if the extra speed was really paying off for hunters.

Kinetic Energy - Our Test

Kinetic energy of an arrow can be found by using the formula KE=(mv²)/450,240 where m is the mass of the arrow in grains and v is the velocity of the arrow in fps.  So a bow that's capable of launching a 350 grain arrow at 290 fps, sends the arrow with (350x290x290)/450,240 or 65.38 foot-pounds of Kinetic Energy.  Using our Competition Electronics chronograph, our digital grain scale, and a Bowtech Patriot set for 28" draw length and 60# draw weight (representing an average shooter's settings), we decided to put the issue of arrow speed vs. kinetic energy to the test.

We prepared 9 arrows, ranging from 250 grains up to 650 grains in precisely 50 grain increments.  Each arrow was fired from our test bow, through the chronograph and the results were recorded (table below).  Five trials were conducted for each arrow - to achieve a reliable speed measurement (average).  Each arrow was fired from the same distance, from the same shooter, and without any modifications to the bow's settings during the test.  The test was conducted at our indoor range, where lighting and environmental conditions could be held constant throughout our test.

Our Test Results - Chronograph (speed) Test

FPS	Trail 1	Trial 2	Trial 3	Trial 4	Trial 5	Average
250G Arrow	294	294	295	294	294	294.2 FPS
300G Arrow	274	272	273	273	273	273.0 FPS
350G Arrow	256	256	257	255	256	256.0 FPS
400G Arrow	242	242	242	243	242	242.2 FPS
450G Arrow	231	231	231	230	231	230.8 FPS
500G Arrow	220	219	220	220	219	219.6 FPS
550G Arrow	211	210	209	210	209	209.8 FPS
600G Arrow	202	201	201	202	202	201.6 FPS
650G Arrow	196	195	195	195	194	195.0 FPS

Clearly we can see that lighter arrows indeed fly considerably faster.  So where's the trade-off?  Faster is better right?  In most cases yes.  But if you're concerned about Kinetic Energy or knock-down power, a heavier arrow may provide a little more penetration.  Is the loss in speed worth the added kinetic energy?  You decide.  Look at the same chart - converted into kinetic energy (ft-pounds) instead of feet-per-second.

Kinetic Energy Developed by Arrow Weight

FT-POUNDS	Trail 1	Trial 2	Trial 3	Trial 4	Trial 5	Average
250G Arrow	47.99	47.99	48.32	47.99	47.99	48.06 ft-lbs
300G Arrow	50.02	49.30	49.66	49.66	49.66	49.66 ft-lbs
350G Arrow	50.95	50.95	51.34	50.55	50.95	50.95 ft-lbs
400G Arrow	52.03	52.03	52.03	52.46	52.03	52.12 ft.lbs
450G Arrow	53.33	53.33	53.33	52.87	53.33	53.24 ft-lbs
500G Arrow	53.75	53.26	53.75	53.75	53.26	53.55 ft-lbs
550G Arrow	54.39	53.87	53.36	53.87	53.36	53.77 ft-lbs
600G Arrow	54.38	53.84	53.84	54.38	54.38	54.16 ft-lbs
650G Arrow	55.46	54.90	54.90	54.90	54.33	54.90 ft-lbs

As you can see, the gains in KE are relatively minor.  To gain a few more ft-pounds of KE, you'll have to sacrifice a considerable amount of arrow velocity.  Of course, every bow will not perform exactly as our test bow did.  However, you can expect similar gains and losses in performance with most modern compound bow models.  Consider the trade-offs carefully.

And while some archers stubbornly stick by their hefty "big-game" log style arrows, an increasing number of archers are discovering that lightweight arrows can be just as effective for hunting large game - perhaps even more effective.  And it should be noted that a properly placed arrow - impacting with 49.66 ft-lbs of KE would easily generate a clean pass-thru on a Whitetail Deer or Elk.  So with respect to kinetic energy and big-game hunting, the practical difference between an arrow generating 49.66 ft-lbs and another generating 54.16 ft-lbs - would really be how far the arrow sticks in the dirt after passing through the animal.  

From a standpoint of accuracy, you may find that lightweight arrows will yield some surprising benefits too.  From the moment

your arrow is released from the bow, it begins to lose trajectory.  As it succumbs to the effects of gravity and air resistance, it's flight path (trajectory) changes and the arrow eventually begins to drop back to earth.  Arrows which fly more quickly hold their trajectory better than slower arrows.  So archers who shoot lighter-faster arrows will have less need to adjust for distance - since the faster arrows will hold a "flatter" trajectory within a given distance.  In effect, the faster arrow allows you to make more mistakes in yardage estimation.  If you mis-estimate a deer to be 25 yards away, and it is actually 30 yards away, a fast arrow still hits it's mark (though it might land just a little bit low), while the slower arrow misses more dramatically.  Look at the trajectory chart on the right from our Bowtech Patriot experiment.  The heavier arrows nosedive much more quickly than the lighter faster arrows.

With the wide variety of lightweight arrow materials now readily available, you don't have to let your compound bow lazily cough-out arrows anymore.  We recommend you take advantage of the high-speed output of your new compound bow - and "lighten-up" when selecting your arrows.  You'll be more accurate - and yet you'll still having more than enough KE to harvest big game animals.  So put those logs away.

Draw Weight - Our Recommendations

Before you choose the draw weight of your new bowhunting rig, you should realize that you’ll need to be able to draw your bow back quietly, slowly, and smoothly to avoid spooking the game. When the time comes for that all important shot, you may be tired, nervous, cold, hungry, cramped, and bundled up in multiple layers of clothing. If you’re struggling to draw your bow back when just practicing in your back yard or on your local 3D course, you risk disaster in the field. Can you imagine missing a big buck opportunity because you lacked the strength to draw your bow at that critical moment? It happens to countless bowhunters every year, though most guys don’t freely admit it. An adult male with average physical strength will be most comfortable with a 55-60# draw weight. An adult female with average strength will be most comfortable with a 30-35# draw weight. If you are unsure about which limbs you should select for your bow or feel you are "between sizes", we recommend you choose the lighter limbs.

Draw Weight - Super Human Strength

The truth is, many guys just can’t resist their "He-Man" impulses to try to shoot heavyweight bows. If you’ve ever visited a busy archery shop, you’ve certainly noticed guys who seem determined to prove their super-human strength by yanking and jerking these 70+ pound bows until they're on the verge of a hemorrhage. In spite of the strain, most guys will still choose bows which have too much draw weight. Some compound bows are available up to a 100# draw weight. While these bows will produce remarkable penetration on a target, they will not necessary produce faster arrows speeds or flatter trajectory. Since these bows must shoot arrows which are very stiff and heavy, they rarely outperform their lower weight counterparts. A 100# bow will need to shoot at least a 500 grain arrow and will require very high quality accessories to help dampen and withstand the heavy shock and vibration the bow is likely to produce. This type of bow should only be used for special purposes where huge amounts of kinetic energy is necessary. Think carefully before ordering this type of bow. These heavyweights are available by special order only. And since high draw weight bows are easily dry fired, we do not accept returns on bows which have draw weights in excess of 70#.

Let-Off

If you've ever shot a heavy Recurve or Longbow, you've certainly noticed that it takes a lot of strength and skill.  A traditional bow has the most draw weight when the bow is at full draw, so you must aim and release the arrow quickly before you run out of steam or begin to shake.  Compound bows are designed to eliminate this problem, offering the shooter more time to aim and release the arrow.  In contrast with the traditional bow, the draw weight of the compound bow decreases (sometimes dramatically) at the end of the drawstroke.  This is known as Let-Off.  Early compound bows featured a 35-50% let-off, a welcome relief.  But today it is common for bows to have let-off in excess of 75%.  A bow with a 70# draw weight and 80% let-off will require the shooter to hold back only 14 lbs. once the bow reaches full draw.  Holding back such a small amount of weight, the shooter has the luxury to take more time aiming and releasing the arrow. Of course, you can have too much of a good thing.  There is some concern that a bow can have too much let-off, making the bow feel "sloppy" at full draw.  Maintaining some level of resistance at full draw is necessary to keep things in good natural alignment.  However, the average archer will find the mid to high let-off bow to be more comfortable to shoot.  Advanced archers and back-tension shooters often prefer a little less let-off.  The only other disadvantage to a high (over 75%) let-off cam is a small reduction in arrow velocity vs. a lower let-off cam system.  All other things being equal, a bow with 65% let-off will shoot faster than a bow with 80% let-off.  However, the difference in speed is usually only a few fps.  Fortunately, many cams use interchangeable modules which give you the option to easily switch between different available let-offs.  Some cam systems, such as the High Country XD Cam, the Bowtech Infinity Cam, the Browning Cyber-Cam, and several others, offer adjustable let-off right on the cam without the need for additional modules.

Let-Off Rule in Pope & Young

Many new bows are available with high and low let-off options, primarily to keep Pope & Young hopefuls within the rules.  The Pope and Young Club is one of North America's leading bowhunting and conservation organizations. Founded in 1961 as a nonprofit scientific organization, the Club is patterned after the prestigious Boone and Crockett Club. The Club advocates and encourages responsible bowhunting by promoting quality, fair chase hunting, and sound conservation practices.  Bowhunters who harvest record animals may qualify to have their trophy listed in this organization's record books.  However, for a compound bow, Pope & Young allows a maximum of 65% let-off to qualify for listing in their record book.  Record animals taken with higher let-offs will not be listed.  Many new bows are designed to use interchangeable modules which allow you to switch between 65% and 80%.  These modules are usually available separately and typically cost less than $20.  Some bows even feature an adjustable let-off right on the cam.  If you are a Pope & Young hopeful, you may want to consider a bow that at least has a low let-off option.

The Valley

The "V" shaped area of the force draw curve is known as the valley.  The shape of the valley gives you some indication how quickly the bow lets-off at the end of the drawstroke.  Less aggressive cam and eccentric wheel designs have a gradual drop off, letting-off over the course of several inches at the end of the drawstroke.  Aggressive cam bows often have a very abrupt drop-off, where the let-off occurs at the last possible moment in the drawstroke (a narrow valley).  By delaying the let-off, additional energy can be stored during the powerstroke to squeak out a few more fps.  Unfortunately, a narrow valley takes a little getting use to.  When at full-draw, you will notice that if you allow the string to creep forward (just out of the valley), the bow will aggressively begin to yank forward.  Very aggressive cams can have valleys less than 1/4" at full let-off.  This can be troublesome, especially for high let-off shooters, since the holding weight can abruptly change from 14 lbs to 70 lbs if you allow the string to creep.  Be prepared to make some moderate changes in your shooting form if you elect to go with an aggressive cam bow.  CAUTION:  If you draw a high let-off bow without an arrow on the string, make sure you have a firm grip.  High let-off bows are easily dry-fired.  Once you draw the bow back and begin to relax, holding only 12 or 15 lbs at full draw, you're likely to forget that the full 70 lbs is waiting for you, just a 1/2" or so away.  When you begin to let the bow down, your grip is too relaxed, and WHACK!  DRY-FIRE!  Dry firing a bow is not only dangerous to the shooter, but it is an ideal way to seriously damage your expensive compound bow and generally voids most manufacturer warranties. 

Hand Shock - The Cause

As compound bows have become faster, storing more and more energy, manufacturers have increasingly had to deal with the issue of hand-shock or "kick".  Don't confuse hand-shock with excess vibration.  Vibration, felt in the handle of a bow, is another issue.  Hand-shock is caused when the bow jumps forward or kicks up upon release.  It's a natural byproduct of such an explosive energy release, however much is made over this issue (perhaps too much).  A bow that produces no hand shock is like a car door that makes a solid "thump" when slammed.  While it may be the layman's quick way of assessing a solidly built product, it has little real impact in the performance of the machine.  The goal of the compound bow is to accurately launch an arrow into a target, not make your hand feel all warm and fuzzy.  There are many bows which are very quiet and accurate, yet still have noticeable hand-shock.  Only when hand-shock is truly excessive, can it have a negative effect on accuracy and comfort.  In spite of all the industry hoo-hah about harmonics, riser materials, and magic-cam systems, hand-shock is mainly a function of one thing.  LIMB ANGLE.  When a bow is fired, the loaded limbs snap back into their original positions.  The inertia of the moving limbs causes  the bow's riser to jump (kick) in the same direction as the limbs.  Basically, if the limbs are positioned so that they jump forward upon release, the riser jumps forward too.  Since your hand is the only thing that stops this forward motion, you feel the riser's movement as hand-shock.  But some bows are designed so the limbs are bent far over (high static deflection), almost parallel with each other.  When this type of bow fires, the top limb jumps upward, the bottom limb jumps downward.  So the upward movement of the top limb cancels out the downward movement of the bottom limb and the bow doesn't "kick".  See the examples (far left) of low-shock designs.  Notice that the limbs on these bows lean far back from the riser at a high angle of deflection.  At full draw, the limbs of these bow models will be practically parallel with each other.  If you are concerned about hand-shock, you should choose a limb design that incorporates this type of high deflection limb angle.  

Arresting Vibrations

Some manufacturers have new designs that stop much of a bow's vibrations.  Browning's Sorbothane™ System, Bowtech's Sandtrap™ Limb Pockets, and PSE's NV System, are all good examples of effective new vibration dampening systems for 2001.  Designed to stop the bow's limbs from vibrating after the shot, these systems prevent the transfer of vibrations into the bow's riser, for quieter overall bow performance.  Unfortunately, these systems are typically offered only on the more expensive bow models.  This isn't to say that an archer on a budget can't have a quiet bow.  With the addition of inexpensive Limb Savers™, a high quality stabilizer, and a few other cost-effective doo-dads, most modern compound bows can be quieted down nicely.  Don't be swayed by ads that claim a bow is "Quiet as a Whisper" without backing it up with HOW that was accomplished.  The fact is, all bows create vibrations and noise. It's how the bow designers deal with the vibrations that makes all the difference.       

Solid Limbs vs. Split Limbs

This is a tough one, but it basically boils down to comparing six in one, and a half-dozen in another.  Some manufacturers like Bowtech, Browning, Martin , PSE and a few others tend to design their bows to use solid limbs.  Other manufacturers like Alpine, High Country, Pearson, and Reflex, mainly utilize split limb designs on their bows.  A few manufacturers even mix it up and offer both.  Solid limb proponents claim that solid limbs are more durable, offer better torsional stiffness, and are more accurate than split limbs.  Split limb proponents  claim that split limb bows are lighter, faster, and produce less hand-shock than solid limbs.  While there may be some marginal or theoretical evidence to support each of these positions, in the real world, solid and split limb bows perform similarly.  Whatever your preference, limb type should be a minor consideration compared to the other bow design characteristics we've discussed.  Weigh this bow attribute lightly.  Beyond the aesthetic appeal, it probably doesn't matter, as one type is likely to perform about as well as the other under most circumstances.

Heavy vs. Light Bow Designs

In response to the demand for lighter and lighter compound bow designs, the average new compound bow now weighs only 3.7 lbs (without accessories).  Considerably lighter than their recent predecessors, these lightweight designs are the result of careful machining and high-tech lightweight materials.  Modern bow risers, which account for most of a bow's mass weight, are typically made from aluminum or magnesium.  But in order to save weight, many manufacturers machine away excess metal from the risers and cams, giving them a Swiss-cheese like appearance while still maintaining the structural integrity of the parts.  A few bows, like the Carbon Series by High Country Archery, take a different approach, utilizing carbon fiber composites instead of metal to construct their risers.  Unfortunately, lightweight bows come with a few drawbacks as well.  To begin, most lightweight bow designs are quite expensive, averaging $400 or more.  You may also find that lightweight bows are a little more difficult to steady on-target, since the lighter weight doesn't feel as stable in your hand.  However, since less than 2 lbs separates the lightest and the heaviest bows on the market, most shooters will discover that virtually any model is light enough to carry comfortably.  And even fully accessorized, most bow systems will weigh considerably less than a typical hunting rifle.  Unless you have a specific need for a very lightweight bow, you shouldn't spend too much time splitting hairs over whether you should get a bow that weighs 3.5 lbs or 3.8 lbs, as it is likely you'll never notice the difference.  Other design features should take much higher precedence in your selection of a new compound bow.

Axle-to-Axle Length:  How Short Should You Go

You've probably noticed that bows are becoming increasingly compact, with an average length just over 36".  Some short axle designs are even pushing below 30".  Often marketed as "more maneuverable", these stubby designs have become quite popular, particularly for treestand hunters.  Short axle bows have a few distinct advantages beyond the obvious.  Most of the short-axle bows are quite fast, shooting at least as quickly as their longer length counterparts. They also have noticeably less hand shock, since most short-axle bows use a high limb deflection angle, or pre-bend.  And since their risers are generally smaller too, most shorty-bows are lighter as well.  Most importantly, you'll find that short-axle bows often have fairly generous brace heights - allowing them to regain some of the forgiveness lost to the short-axle design.  Many shooters report that short-axle bows shoot just as accurately as longer bows.  Admittedly this might be a stretch, but it's a close race nonetheless.  Properly tuned, short-axle bows can shoot quite well.  However, most tournament archers, who need ultimate pin-point accuracy, stick with the longer - more stable designs.  Before you choose a short-axle design, you might want to consider a few small drawbacks though.  Short-axle bows are generally intended to be shot with a mechanical release.  If you are a finger shooter, the acute finger-pinching string angle at full-draw will make holding back your shorty quite uncomfortable.  Most finger shooters look for bows with at least a 38-40" axle-to-axle length to avoid this problem.  You may find that not all accessories will work with the short-axle bows either, since the risers don't offer enough room for large sight-mounting plates and some quiver systems.  You may also have to shop around for a peep-sight that can accommodate the acute string angle at full draw.  Some standard peeps, particularly the tube-aligned type, get over-rotated on short-axle bows and must be modified or replaced in order to get a clear viewing angle through the hole.

Single Cam vs. Twin Cams

This is a hotly debated issue in the industry.  It seems that serious archers who already have a preference for single vs. dual cams, will fight to the end on this debate.  Since the invention of the first dual-feed single-cam, by Matt McPherson in the early 90's, virtually every bow company has feverishly worked to develop and perfect their own single cam systems.  Though two-cam technology continues to improve, single-cam models have continued to gain market share and are today's popular choice in the US (though significantly less popular abroad).  In spite of their popularity, it should be noted that single cam bows are still a relatively new phenomenon, and it may be premature to conclude that twin-cams are a thing of the past.  Because as we all know, designs come and go.  Only time will tell if the single-cam bow is indeed the superior design.

Perhaps the most notable advantage of single cam systems is the lack of cam synchronization issues.  As a whole, bowhunters favor the "keep it simple" philosophy. Checking and setting cam synchronization on a twin cam bow, though not a big job, is fairly technical. It is also an inconvenience many novice archers and weekend bowhunters would rather avoid. And while a single cam does need to be timed properly to achieve best efficiency during the powerstroke, there are no synchronization issues to negotiate between two opposing cams.  So the single cam bow generally spends a little less time in the bow-press.  Twin cam systems require a little more maintenance to stay in top shooting condition.

The demise of the twin-cam's popularity has brought about one pleasing side effect, however.  Many twin-cam bows are now offered for significantly less money than their single-cam counterparts.  Particularly with entry to mid-level bows, you may find the twin-cam versions to be priced $30-50 less, even though their performance specs are  very similar to the single-cam versions of the bow.  Archers on a budget may find that their archery dollar can be stretched a bit further by purchasing a good twin-cam system. 

Conclusions:

Obviously this is a complicated choice.  We suggest you prioritize the selection process based on which attributes you feel are most important.  We suggest you give major issues like brace-height, proper fit, cam type, and axle-to-axle length more consideration, and some issues like brand name, limb type, bow weight, and IBO speed a little less consideration.  If in doubt, choose the more moderate bow.  Remember that a fast miss is no more impressive than a slow one, and what's good for your buddy may not be the best for you.

Now I'm Ready to Shop!  SHOW ME THE SPECS

We have broken down the advertised specifications and current pricing of over 150 different bow models and listed them in our  Side-by-Side Comparison Chart.  You can sort the chart by Brand Name, Model Name, Axle-to-Axle Length, Brace Height, IBO Speed, Price, Bow Weight and the bow's overall Forgiveness Rating.  Now that you know what to look for in a new compound bow...... let's get started.

I hope this guide answered any questions and concerns, and  was help full to you in your quest in matching a bow to you and your needs.  we were glad to help. your