![]() ![]() Test panel members shot scored groups with their personal release aids, but a variety of back-tension releases were also used for additional subjective evaluations of draw cycle and handlingīest Compound Bow Test: Procedure and Scoring Will Brantley used a caliper to measure a group on the range.IBO-spec, 300-grain bare shaft arrows (for speed testing).28-inch Carbon Express 350-spine D-Stroyer SD arrows / 100-grain field points / 437-grain finished weight.Whisker Biscuit rests (for sound and vibration testing). ![]() When we received the test bows, the first thing we did was set them all up with the equipment and to the specs listed below to make sure the playing field is as level as possible. Best Compound Bow Test: Parameters and Set-Up Danny Hinton sets up one of the bows for testing. Their equipment, analysis, and expertise solidify our objective data. Stress Engineering: The staff at Stress Engineering in Mason, Ohio, has been assisting us for years with objectively testing compound bows for noise and vibration, which requires specialized equipment and professional engineers who can analyze the data. Meador retired from competition archery in 2007, and now hunts most days of the Kentucky archery season. He’s been a bowhunter and competition shooter for 49 years and was formerly ranked among the top five 3D archers in the world. Keith Meador: Meador was this year’s test-panel rookie, but he has the most archery experience of any of us. He can set up and tune a new bow out of the box faster than anyone I’ve ever met. Hinton has been bowhunting for 34 years, and has shot his share of indoor 5-spot and outdoor 3D competition, too. I love bowfishing in the off-season, and have shot some 3D competition too.ĭanny Hinton: Hinton has been on the test panel for a decade and is the perfect blend of former pro-shop owner, engineer, and outspoken hunter who arrows a pile of deer every fall (including a near-Booner last season). I’m a licensed Kentucky outfitter and spend 50-plus days in a tree stand myself every fall. I’ve also taken a wild turkey Grand Slam with a bow. I’ve been bowhunting whitetails for 26 seasons, and have also chased mule deer, elk, antelope, alligators, and hogs with archery tackle. Will Brantley: I’m Field & Stream’s hunting editor and captain of the test. The F&S test panel from left: Will Brantley, Danny Hinton, and Keith Meador. We’ve all shot some competition, too, and one of our panel members ran a pro shop for years. ![]() Collectively, this year’s three-man test panel has more than a century of bowhunting experience and has taken an estimated 400 big-game animals with archery equipment. To get that answer, we enlist expert help. If you’re about to fork over $1,500 or more for a new compound bow and accessories, we see it as our job to bring you a critique that’s unbiased and laser-focused on one simple question: What are the best compound bows for 2023? The F&S Bow Test Panel Though some of our scoring procedures and test methods have changed a bit in the past decade, our commitment to a fair and honest review hasn’t. If you don’t see your favorite brand represented, chances are they declined our invitation to participate. How We Test for the Best Compound Bows The F&S test-panel shooters on the range, evaluating accuracy and forgiveness. And when we did, two thing were unanimous: first, that we had a hell of a crop of bows this year, and, second, that one model in particular was the clear winner for overall best new compound bow of 2023. Nothing was said (aside from the usual smack-talking) about any of the bows until everyone had completed their individual reviews. This year, we updated our procedure with a gag order. In the past, our test panel has discussed those things in the open as the test went on. Still, when you get the chance to shoot all of 2023’s new bows side-by-side, as we do-thousands of arrows over the course of several days-you notice subtleties in performance that reveal which are truly the best compound bows of the year. You’ll see that reflected in this year’s scores and results.įor that very reason, many brands are now working to separate themselves by pouring focus into outstanding accessory systems that complement proven designs or tuning systems that make DIY bow work at home easier. The top-of-the-line bows for 2023 are all so fast, efficient, quiet, and easy to shoot that on paper, the differences between them are negligible. But today’s big players in the compound bow world have hit a performance plateau with their flagships. It used to be fairly easy to separate the best bows from the rest, simply with objective measurements like speed, accuracy, and noise. From first place to dead last, the latest crop of flagship bows is the best I’ve seen in a decade of testing compound bows for Field & Stream.
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