Beginner vs flagship bow.

[Bradenludlow]

So I’m new to archery/ hunting and have a question regarding buying my own bow. Is it worth buying a flagship bow from the get go? Or buying a beginner set up. Or looking for a bow that was the flagship model a few years ago? I feel like if I get the beginner set up I’m just going to want to upgrade soon after and that will annoy me doubling up on the money but I don’t know. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[sndmn11]

So I’m new to archery/ hunting and have a question regarding buying my own bow. Is it worth buying a flagship bow from the get go? Or buying a beginner set up. Or looking for a bow that was the flagship model a few years ago? I feel like if I get the beginner set up I’m just going to want to upgrade soon after and that will annoy me doubling up on the money but I don’t know. Any advice would be appreciated.

I don't think there's "beginner" and "tenured" bows, more so price points. I have friends and family that shoot the most economical new bows very well.

Buy the best rest you can, buy the sight that ticks all your boxes, and then put the rest of your budget towards a new bow, whatever price point that lands you at.

 

[Deadfall]

Been bow hunting since 80's. Shooting compound since early 2000's. owned one flagship bow. Ones before and after were cheaper bows.

I don't have any problem shooting right with fancy bows in leagues. Hunting the end result has always been the same with which ever bow I have.

What is it now a 1000 dollar difference from top to bottom,

Guess if you a gear junky then get the high end bow and all the high end gear.

Honestly as a beginner you will not notice what the differences are. Most likely not notice. even the low end bows are more accurate then I am. As for vibration, weight and all that other gobbly gook....Whatever.

Think most of that junk is gimick myself

 

[Taudisio]

I don't think there's "beginner" and "tenured" bows, more so price points. I have friends and family that shoot the most economical new bows very well.

Buy the best rest you can, buy the sight that ticks all your boxes, and then put the rest of your budget towards a new bow, whatever price point that lands you at.

I concur! Buy the best accessories (sight and rest) as most can be moved to any bow and will be with you for a long time.

 

[TAArrowood]

I would buy a flagship from a few years ago.. They still shoot great and you'll shoot for at least a few years before you see the need for upgrading.. Don't buy a new flagship thinking that it will allow you to skip some period of honest practice or give you some magic formula for success.. (They won't).. As others have stated focus as much or more on the sight, stab and other things because these will be transferable to whatever bow you upgrade to (eventually).. Also, parts for popular previous flagships will be available for years if needed.. If you decide you don't like archery at all you won't be out a ton of money.. Due to the supposed "evolution" of compound bows there is an unbelievable need for many to have the latest/greatest thing out there.. As this happens (annual new models) bows loose their value quickly (good flagships less than others)... Good flagships from any of the popular manufacturers can be had pretty reasonably if you're patient and do your homework... Same goes for many of the accessories.. I have sets of sights that are years old, but wouldn't trade them for anything off the shelf today... Bottom line is that if you stay in the sport you will evolve and get better.. If you get to the point that you figure out that you are more capable than your equipment you'll be better than most.. Only upgrade after you have enough experience to know why and what to look for in replacement equipment... If a guy shows up to a shoot with older equipment, don't bet against him.. Chances are he knows his equipment and how to use it... Been there and done that.. Good luck with whatever choice you make and welcome to archery in whatever form you plan to do it.. It's a great sport however you execute it...

 

[Bradenludlow]

I would buy a flagship from a few years ago.. They still shoot great and you'll shoot for at least a few years before you see the need for upgrading.. Don't buy a new flagship thinking that it will allow you to skip some period of honest practice or give you some magic formula for success.. (They won't).. As others have stated focus as much or more on the sight, stab and other things because these will be transferable to whatever bow you upgrade to (eventually).. Also, parts for popular previous flagships will be available for years if needed.. If you decide you don't like archery at all you won't be out a ton of money.. Due to the supposed "evolution" of compound bows there is an unbelievable need for many to have the latest/greatest thing out there.. As this happens (annual new models) bows loose their value quickly (good flagships less than others)... Good flagships from any of the popular manufacturers can be had pretty reasonably if you're patient and do your homework... Same goes for many of the accessories.. I have sets of sights that are years old, but wouldn't trade them for anything off the shelf today... Bottom line is that if you stay in the sport you will evolve and get better.. If you get to the point that you figure out that you are more capable than your equipment you'll be better than most.. Only upgrade after you have enough experience to know why and what to look for in replacement equipment... If a guy shows up to a shoot with older equipment, don't bet against him.. Chances are he knows his equipment and how to use it... Been there and done that.. Good luck with whatever choice you make and welcome to archery in whatever form you plan to do it.. It's a great sport however you execute it...

This is honestly what I have been leaning towards. Definitely understand that buying the best isn’t a substitute for hard work and training. And I understand a lot of the bs is marketing and there is only so much you can do to make bows or anything for that matter better each year. I think I’ll try and get a good second hand bow with some good accessories and start from there. Super keen for the journey. Thanks for your time mate!

 

[Bradenludlow]

I don't think there's "beginner" and "tenured" bows, more so price points. I have friends and family that shoot the most economical new bows very well.

Buy the best rest you can, buy the sight that ticks all your boxes, and then put the rest of your budget towards a new bow, whatever price point that lands you at.

Thanks mate. That makes a lot of sense. Build around a good rest and sight. Cheers.

 

[sndmn11]

This is honestly what I have been leaning towards. Definitely understand that buying the best isn’t a substitute for hard work and training. And I understand a lot of the bs is marketing and there is only so much you can do to make bows or anything for that matter better each year. I think I’ll try and get a good second hand bow with some good accessories and start from there. Super keen for the journey. Thanks for your time mate!

I think being new to archery, it would be very helpful to have the support of a shop and warranty. If a shop has used bows they sell and will support like a new one, or has new old stock, that might be the best of both worlds.

You can't put a price on the effort and time a good experienced shop can provide in many ways.

 

[billysmals]

I agree with many others. There are gimmicky things out there. But as a general rule the "flagship" bow is going to have better components. It depends on the beginner bow really. Does beginner bow mean just cheaper? Or fully set up to hunt as package (Bow + Sight+ rest+ quiver+stabilizer). Some of those are "RTH: Ready to hunt" so you get a pre package of gear, and that is great but there is a reason they can offer all that stuff for the price they do,: they are often built over seas or with cheaper materials. Do they work? Yes. But they may not have the reliability or quality control, and some of the materials will most definitely be cheaper. The strings on those bows are prone to stretch and twist, the riser may flex more d/t softer metals, ect.

I would consider a budget in mind and then buy the best bow+sight+rest ect you can for that money. And I mean overall budget. A bow is just a piece of the puzzle. A high end rest and sight can be $600 combined. Some sights alone are $600 buy itself, does this make it the best, not to me.... Just giving an example and if you have the budget and that sight has the features you want, I say go for it. Best is somewhat subjective.

There are some really great "mid level" bows that aren't "flagship" for $450-600 new. They aren't "fancy" ot have all the colors or gizmo's, but they have the same basic reliable components that will perform. PSE/Hoyt/Elite make some great bows in that range. Mission is a more budget friendly brand as well. But this comes back to what your overall budget is. This doesn't even begin to address the arrows equation...and the money you want to spend on them.

Or as others have suggested look for a "flagship," something 2-3 years old. Depending on the bow that can be $400-600. Consider what brand it is though and ask if they will still support/ make parts for that bow. It does no good to buy a 2-3 year old bow that the manufacturer won't support anymore in case something breaks. Your dealer should be able to tell you which brands offer support. When I talked with my dealer a few years ago, I was surprised to learn that Mathews will still make parts for bows sold 20 years ago. I'm not sure if this is the norm, but I thought it was interesting.

I agree with the person who suggested having a shop back you. Some shops will offer used bows and then you know they are at least working well and often come with a month of free shooting or help. My old shop did that. They had a rack of trade ins.

 

[Bradenludlow]

I agree with many others. There are gimmicky things out there. But as a general rule the "flagship" bow is going to have better components. It depends on the beginner bow really. Does beginner bow mean just cheaper? Or fully set up to hunt as package (Bow + Sight+ rest+ quiver+stabilizer). Some of those are "RTH: Ready to hunt" so you get a pre package of gear, and that is great but there is a reason they can offer all that stuff for the price they do,: they are often built over seas or with cheaper materials. Do they work? Yes. But they may not have the reliability or quality control, and some of the materials will most definitely be cheaper. The strings on those bows are prone to stretch and twist, the riser may flex more d/t softer metals, ect.

I would consider a budget in mind and then buy the best bow+sight+rest ect you can for that money. And I mean overall budget. A bow is just a piece of the puzzle. A high end rest and sight can be $600 combined. Some sights alone are $600 buy itself, does this make it the best, not to me.... Just giving an example and if you have the budget and that sight has the features you want, I say go for it. Best is somewhat subjective.

There are some really great "mid level" bows that aren't "flagship" for $450-600 new. They aren't "fancy" ot have all the colors or gizmo's, but they have the same basic reliable components that will perform. PSE/Hoyt/Elite make some great bows in that range. Mission is a more budget friendly brand as well. But this comes back to what your overall budget is. This doesn't even begin to address the arrows equation...and the money you want to spend on them.

Or as others have suggested look for a "flagship," something 2-3 years old. Depending on the bow that can be $400-600. Consider what brand it is though and ask if they will still support/ make parts for that bow. It does no good to buy a 2-3 year old bow that the manufacturer won't support anymore in case something breaks. Your dealer should be able to tell you which brands offer support. When I talked with my dealer a few years ago, I was surprised to learn that Mathews will still make parts for bows sold 20 years ago. I'm not sure if this is the norm, but I thought it was interesting.

I agree with the person who suggested having a shop back you. Some shops will offer used bows and then you know they are at least working well and often come with a month of free shooting or help. My old shop did that. They had a rack of trade ins.

This is such a great reply. I had been looking at RTH packages and stuff but I think I’m going to just build a setup. Get the major things like you said as good as I can afford and go from there. I have been looking at the mid range Hoyt, elite and PSE as well as mathews so you saying that makes me feel like I’m looking in the right direction. I would go to a shop for that backing but I’m in a small town in Australia and don’t have a shop within 3 hours of where I live so it makes it hard. This community is so great!

 

[rickjames80]

Like most have said, it really depends on your budget. I started out with a hand me down setup that worked just fine for a few years. I'm now shooting an older Hoyt that I bought used and I have no plans on upgrading. You definitely don't need a flagship. The laws of diminishing returns start to apply at a certain point.
As a beginner you don't know what you like or don't like. I didn't know anything about draw cycle, brace height or back wall when I first started.
So there's a couple of ways to go about it. Either get features that you want/need (speed and weight for example) and find bows that fit or start with a budget in mind. Either way shoot as many as possible. You might not be able to tell why one costs more, or you will know right away that the extra $$ will be well worth it.

 

[JeffRaines]

So glad to see this thread isn't filled with the old "go shoot them all and pick the one that speaks to you" or whatever. It works for experienced archers who know what they like and don't like. For a beginner who's never picked one up before and has zero frame of reference, its far more likely they'll fall prey to the power of suggestion than be able to tell much difference between one bow to the next.

If youre open to it, I'd pick up a couple year old flagship used. They can usually be had for about the same price as a mid-range bow. Spend the rest on the nicest accessories(rest, sight, quiver). One pro to this - if you ever decide to upgrade and want to sell you'll take less of a depreciation hit.

Alternatively, the "beginner" bows honestly aren't bad at all these days. You could legitimately hunt with one(with a few upgrades) for a decade and not have a real "need" to upgrade. The $1200 bows don't kill anything more dead than a $300 bow. I'd still suggest buying a bare bow and then buying nice accessories because those can go with you when you do decide to upgrade. The accessories that come in the packages are usually garbage that you'll quickly upgrade(and there's not much, if any, market for selling said accessories to recoup money), so save yourself a little money and trouble and just buy the nice stuff up front.

 

[stoopiddumbman]

I borrowed a bow for a few months from a friend, found some things I didn't like right away. Tried some new bows that were in my budget at a couple different pro-shops, one just felt right and solved some of the things I disliked about the entry level cabelas Bear bow that I borrowed. I bought a new mid-range bow package and upgraded the rest right away. I want to upgrade the sight soon for durability reasons (has some plastic components). The string has not stretched out of tune or affected draw weight yet so I haven't seen a reason to replace it. So far it has been beat on pretty mercilessly in the field for 2 years and has been reliable and does exactly what I need it to. I don't shoot 300 arrows per day, a more expensive bow might be better for someone doing that. I practice a few shots every day or 2 with broadheads. As long as it remains reliable I will be very happy and have no reason to upgrade.

 

[TBeach30]

So I’m new to archery/ hunting and have a question regarding buying my own bow. Is it worth buying a flagship bow from the get go? Or buying a beginner set up. Or looking for a bow that was the flagship model a few years ago? I feel like if I get the beginner set up I’m just going to want to upgrade soon after and that will annoy me doubling up on the money but I don’t know. Any advice would be appreciated.

Go to a bow shop and just shoot a whole bunch of bows all different brands and kinds one will speak to you if it’s how it feel or looks or something. Budget is a big factor to if you need to save up to get the bow you want take the time cause that bow will last a long time. So make sure you get the one you like.

 

[bnewt3]

Trying to add to this but not hijack.
To those with experience, if you were to start out with the knowledge you have but none of the experience and skills, what would your "first-time" bowhunter budget be today? Would you listen to the Archery shop alot more than you did? Would you listen less? What things did you think mattered but didn't and which things mattered that you didn't pay attention to enough?

 

[ArcherAdam]

For me it seems that many beginners bows have previous flagship technology. Could be worth saving a buck or 2. If it was good then, it is good now.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[FuddRucker]

I'd recommend trying to find and buy a previous years "new" model. Shops will run sales to move inventory and make room for new bows. When I was getting back into it, I got a good deal on a Prime that was probably two years old from Lancaster. Added a basic trophy ridge sight and whisker biscuit and they helped set up the peep and d-loop and it was good to go.

Now I have a bow for the foreseeable future with no interest in upgrading to this year's model. The only thing that might need an upgrade is the sight eventually.

Don't feel like you need to drop a stack on a brand new 2024 bow. You can get a lot of bow for a reasonable price these days.

 

[OutdoorAg]

Used flagship is the best deal in archery

 

[Point Man]

This Elite Basin of mine shoots just as well as my PSE Fortis 33 and Bowtech SR350 and it's more then half the price of either.

 

[bnewt3]

For a beginner who's never picked one up before and has zero frame of reference, its far more likely they'll fall prey to the power of suggestion than be able to tell much difference between one bow to the next.

Yes, this is what i'm running into. IDK WTF im feeling, what I should feel, what I shouldn't feel. I get there is so much personal preference in this, otherwise there would be 1 brand. But sorting through everything when you know nothing is really tough.