Made in Sparta WI! While I didn't choose the same as you, I love the process you went through. I did a similar thing last year (albeit not purchasing all 5!) and went with the Prime. Awesome videos my man!
What will you be doing with the other 4 bows? I called it, the VXR for you. You had me going with that "phone call" though. Great review. Good luck this year! Take care. Love from NH.
I am in the same boat I wanted to buy the VXR but I remember the peep twist that cost me a shot opportunity at an elk. So I went with primeI can’t justify an extra $150ish on new strings just to fix a problem that shouldn’t exist
I know you’re going to cringe when you read this but you should do one of these reviews each year. It really is good information and I feel like the studied opinion of a regular guy with no affiliation is incredibly difficult to find and therefore valuable
These videos could have been about pretty much anything and would have been enjoyable to watch. But, your review and analysis of these bows just made them all the better and enjoyable to watch. Thanks for taking the time and putting for the effort to make such a detailed and informed review!
Purchasd my vxr around August and fell in love with it. Great and amazing shooting bow. Loved your video and the amount of detail and hardwork you put in! Subscribing to your channel. Keep up the great footage!
Hey, that's the bow I bought. For years I have shot mid-level bows (Hoyt Charger and Bear Approach), but this year I wanted to try out a "flagship bow." I looked around for a while and found a shop that carried a lot of the big names. I tried out the Hoyt RX4 and RX3, Prime, and the Bowtech as well as both models of the VRX. Even though I spent a long time shooting all of them, I think I knew the VRX 31.5 was going to be the winner after round 1. I am pretty sure that will be my bow for years. I always enjoy your videos, great content.
I’m not new to hunting but I am new to bow hunting and this will be my first season to bow hunt white tail in west Texas. I’m fortunate I own a hunting ranch but I am doing a lot of research on bows. I have been on the fence but after the watching your video Im set on the VXR 31.5. Thankyou for you time and investment into making this video. Happy hunting.
I did something similar a couple of years ago when I settled on the Mathews Halon 32. I shot a lot of arrows out of eight different bows at dealers though, not at home... Came down to four things for me: 1)How it felt in my hand when I picked the bows up initially 2) How it felt and how steady it held at full draw 3) If I bounced off of the back wall or just settled in and 4) Ultimately how it grouped ( @ 20 yards only).
What a wonderful review packed full of some good information with your honest opinion! I am thinking about getting back into archery as it has been about 38 years since I have shot a compound bow. The great news is that bow technology has come some far that it is unbelievable from many years ago. Sounds like each bow has something for everyone based on one's own personal preference which is solely subjective to that individual. Excited to go shoot these new bows with an open mind for what fits for me! Awesome review that helped me get re-acqainted with the world of archery. Thanks Brandon........
Awesome video! Have you made a video on bow stabilization? I realize it’s a bit different for everyone, but I’m currently looking at figuring out my front/rear stabilizer set up on my VXR 31.5” and would love some guidance. Would love to hear which set up you arrived at for the VXR. Thanks for the great work!
An excellent and thorough review series man. You really 'nocked' it outta the park. (I got jokes) I knew you were gonna go either Mathews or Prime a long ways back, but you kept me interested in understanding why. That's impressive. I've also known for a while that I want one of those two bows myself. I just haven't figured out which one quite yet. Thanks Brandon. Keep it up man!
Your cinematography, writing, sense of humor (nice ad close to the end for skippers), and complete breakdown/walk through of why you picked which one that won "by that much" is phenomenal. I absolutely enjoyed both videos and learned quite a bit. Even though I have had a bow since 06 I am not a veteran archery hunter by no means and sadly have not taken any animals with it. I still am thinking of upgrading to a newer bow (from my 06 PSE Fire Flite 33) as I mentioned in your previous video. My draw length is 29 and I only pull 60 lbs, plus I am cross eye dominate left handed bow shooter. The last part makes it difficult to find the right bow at the right price. So watching these two videos has helped me know more of what I should be looking for even though I am not going to buy 5 bows. Thank you for doing this and good luck this year with all those amazing sounding hunts that you mentioned at the end of this video.
Wow man, HATS OFF TO YOU SIR 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼, im a hoyt man through and through but i have spoke with MANY ppl/archers and no one has ever really made me even raise an eyebrow at another manufacturer...... this was more info i have ever seen anyone produce or TAKE A THE DEVOTED time do it right!!! Thank you very much for such great content, after i use my Hoyt this 2020 season..... u have convinced me that 2021 may have be a the year a mathews meets my hand...
Great review! Before I was between the Axius Ultra and VXR and VXR seems like the way. What was the optimal weight and type of stabilizer you found to be able to hold on your target so well with the VXR? Thank you!
Just wanted to say thanks for the videos. You ask a lot of the same questions that I have. I am trying to figure out what is most important to me and what I want in a bow this year. I am looking at the 34 ATA Elite Remedy, V3 31, and the Prime Nexus 4. sorting out what likes of each is more important to me is hard. I wish the V3 was more adjustable, and I wish I could do like you with full set ups of each and see how each shoots out to 100 yards. Thanks again keep up the great work and I look forward to your future videos.
Having just gotten into archery this year, I shot a lot of bows and chose the VXR as well. Loved the vid, not just because it confirms everything I also thought about the various bows I shot and the one I chose, but also because of the format, style and information you provided. Well done! Please keep the content coming!
Been a Hoyt shooter for the last 15 years. Shot the VRX 31.5 side by side with the Ventum 33 and bought the VRX. As much as I wanted to stay with Hoyt because of loyalty, the Mathews just felt better overall. Thanks for the great and thorough review. Spot on.
Honestly they were really only to tiers for me. I wish I would’ve bought a BowTech this year though… I shot the solution at the shop and really really liked it
I enjoyed your comparison testing of this equipment, especially the drawings. I shoot a longbow, so my experience with compounds is scant, but most of this goes to physics. You mentioned in the draw test that a couple of the bows seemed to feel better on the draw, and they may have had to be drawn slightly farther before getting into real weight. This makes perfect sense to me. If the actual length of the draw is around 20 inches (~"draw length"- brace height), the most compromised position your shoulder will see is around 8-10 inches into that draw. If the force-draw curve of these two bows lets you get another inch or two back from where the other bows are when you get into significant weight, you have a decent mechanical advantage because of your shoulder position. Essentially, your back is pulling on a shortening lever. That's going to feel better to most of us, although it might result in lower performance as well.
Did you measure on a draw board and adjust the draw lengths so they were exactly the same? If not and they were different, this would have a huge effect on how well they aimed.
They were as close as I could get them between d loop variation, cable twisting and mod adjustments. I was worried about one being 74lbs and one being 68lbs more than them being off by 1/4" though
Mathews are hard to beat. I am considering a Prime for my next bow. Your video definitely helped me out with the that. Can’t wait to see what bows you choose next year! I’m hoping that you find a sleeper in the mix.
Would be much appreciated if you did another one with the new prime bows and the v3. A lot has changed with prime and the same cant really be said on the mathews side of things. WOuld be interested to see if that changed the final outcome.
The v3 is about 2% better than the vxr. The nexus is about the same. I’m not going to buy a v3 but will most likely be coming home with a nexus 4 or 6. We shall see
@@brandonmcdonald6121 was just wondering if the new aerogel grips would throw you onto the other side. Shop I have been going to called the nexus bows ‘trash’ despite the fact that they don’t sell them.
Excellent series of videos! I appreciate the effort you obviously put into the presentation and cinematography and the detail work that went into the reviews (especially the part to "test" out the customer service of each company... hat tip to Elite for being willing to work with purchasers like that). I'd be interested in seeing a similar series of reviews for entry-level or mid-range bows sometime (I already picked a Bear Cruzer G2 as my first bow, but next year I'm probably going to step up to at least a mid-range bow if not a flagship), but I understand that the amount of work you put into this series might be too time consuming to do similar for multiple tiers of bows. Great work and I hope a silver or gold RUclips button is in your channel's future! (You've earned my subscription)
I appreciate your description of the Mathews’ draw. I have the Tactic and it draws just as you described - must be a Mathews’ thing. I like to ease it over the hump, slide down to the valley, and checkin to the back wall to ready my resistance release. It’s a very delicate process, and as rewarding as a straight shot. Great content!
Nicely done. Worth the wait. Thanks for all the time and effort you put into it. Without a doubt, going through all those tests with 5 bows, plus the school of nock, you’ve honed your shooting skills over the last several months. Has to be a good feeling. Looking forward to more great content. I do have one question.....whatcha shooting in 2021? Lol, we all know every one of those manufacturers will be releasing “the best bow we have ever made” for the 2021 season. Will it be rinse and repeat - a new test of 2021 bows? Or will you stick with the VXR? On second thought, don’t tell us. We will stayed tuned.....
That's the crappy thing about it taking me a half a year to decide is I've already wasted half a year!!!! Haha, it's been really fun and I've learned a lot about what I want to keep working on. Thanks for watching. More to come!
Subbed due to your arrow video(s)! Not gonna lie, I shoot an old 2004 HOYT Ultra Sport that I picked up at a yard sale. I'm a lefty but learned to shoo it right handed. Hopefully I'll upgrade one day. Awesome videos man!
I would love to hear your comparison on the Traverse versus the VXR 31.5? I see where a lot of people like the Traverse better. Also, I really liked how you showed the true string angle at full draw. I have always wanted someone to do that. It would be interesting to see where the Traverse measures in at. I shoot the Black 5 for hunting and competition. I have a 30.5" draw length and that one just seemed to fit me best of the new bows, but it was basically a coin flip with the VXR. Great videos. Thanks for sharing.
It's in the works. I've got more time in July than I do this month so I'll have more videos next month. I'm really curious about the traverse vs vxr as well. I've got the traverse down to 65lbs and the vxr up to 75 so it might take some creativity to actually compare.
Hey Brandon, I really appreciate the detail that you went through for this review. I decided about a month ago that I want to start bow hunting but seeing how I have no experience or anyone to guide me, the internet has become my source for information. The question I have for you is, as someone who doesn't know very much about bows, never shot a bow (besides that one time at 5th grade camp about 22 years ago), and never owned a bow, do you have any advice on how I should go about finding a bow that would be right for me during these weird COVID-19 times?
Find a shop that's close to you, call and ask if they have any used bows for sale. Get the best rig you can that's less than 5 years old. Here's why, odds are it's going to end up in your closet. It's a sad fact that most of us don't shoot forever and you want something that you can sell again and extract some value out of. Shoot for a year and if you love it, youll have a way way better idea of what you want next year.
Chris bee did a shootoff between the two and I think the 28 won for him that day. He's a shorter draw length than I am. I think it's probably going to come down to preference. I tend to like longer bows so the 31.5 vxr was as short as I wanted to go. I'm hoping next year will be a 34-inch vxr
I really enjoyed the journey. Your time, effort, and hard work is very much appreciated. It’s been a real pleasure! Thank you! It would be interesting to me to know how many followers did you have before and after the series.
Someone else said they couldn't see how many subscribers I have. You can't see it? I'll have to look in the settings. Anyway, thanks for coming along. You've always had insightful comments.
Great Review, that's close to the same result that I came up with, shooting every known bow out there. Except with all the bows I shot, it ended up being almost a Tie between VXR31.5, Traverse and Hoyt Axius Ultra. I shot all 3 awesome and they all felt great to me. I flipped a coin and took on consideration technology (Switch weight goes with my, HHA kingpin that has a removable drum for quick draw weight changes) VXR31.5 is what I shoot. Hope it treats you great and good luck with your upcoming hunts. It's hard to find honest reviews that are not sponsored in some way!!
It's been fun to do the videos. I'm glad people in general think the info is helpful. I'm shooting the traverse vs the vxr right now and im glad I have both! I don't know that I'll be able to choose.
Great video! I'm new to archery and it's challenging to keep up with the constant stream of information. What are the broadheads at the 5 minute mark at the corners of the target? Do you use them for all the game you hunt?
@@brandonmcdonald6121 Thanks for replying back. I'm so new that I'm trying as much as I can because I have no frame of reference. It's really weird to be thrust in the middle of all of these arguments and not having a dog in any fight. I'm from one discussion to another going, "That sounds reasonable. I'll give that a try. " But there are so many things to try that I'm wondering if I'll get to it all. I will say this: bowhunting seems to have a great community. I'm glad you're here. Thanks again. I'll look into them.
So im just looking at my first mathews coming from elite, what did you do if anything regarding the factory strings, great video by the way , appreciate your efforts
What a great review thank you. Before I bought my helix I shot the VXR. The one thing that stood out was it felt so nice at the back wall. I never thought it would help with accuracy until you mentioned it. I endrd up buying the helix only because I was able to draw with it smoother than the vxr. For some reason I had trouble pulling that cable on the vxr. Watta great review thanks
Great review. I also have a 2020 VXR 31.5 and absolutely love it. It is super smooth, quiet, dead in the hand, and just plain sexy. I got on the Mathews train when I was looking for a new bow in 2019 after bending a cam on my Bear while shooting at a local 3D course. With my longer draw length (31 inches) I ended up with a 2019 Traverse. I wanted to turn that into a dedicated target bow, and have another dedicated hunting bow so that I wouldn't have to swap sights or re-sight for different uses or different arrow setups. Enter the VXR. I am running it at 31" with 73 pounds of DW with 85% let-off. I am using a Mathews 6" stabilizer, the QAD Integrate rest, and an IQ 5 pin sight. My arrows are Gold Tip Hunter XT 300's with the bare shafts cut to 29" , using factory inserts, nocks, and vanes. I am trying a couple of different broadheads this year. I usually use 100 grain NAP Thunderheads, but opted for 125 grain Thunderheads this year to add a little overall weight and improve FOC slightly. They have a total weight of 445 grains with about 12.6% FOC. The Thunderheads 125's are awesome, but did require a couple of adjustments, so I figured I would also try some 125 grain Grim Reaper 1-3/4" Razortip mechanicals just to see if they fly a bit better. So far they do fly nice, and seem ok overall, but I always question the reliability of mechanicals. I will see how they do for a few more weeks, since the season has already begun in Kentucky. If I don't care for them, it will be back to the trusty Thunderheads. Prime is another brand that I really want to shoot. I have heard a ton of positive stuff about them, and really think they are a contender for me as well.
Awesome video Brandon! Very well done with explanations even a non engineer can follow. I just got a VXR 31.5 myself and I’m getting it dialed. Switched from Hoyt to Mathews this year and so far it’s a sweet shooting bow. 2 questions for you. Did you leave stock grip on and did you order aftermarket strings?
You did a super job going through this process. I say this because you started the process with a open, unbiased mind not knowing which bow would win. That’s impressive especially since you were the sole sponsor. With that said, I may not feel the same way next year if Sitka comes out with a bow! You have taken a liken to Sitka... 😅😂🤣
Awesome video. One note on sound. Db’s aren’t linear the way people might think. A 3 dB change will either double the sound or cut the sound half, compared to a normal linear scale that people might be used to, like in watts. So the Prime at 67db, is twice as loud as the VXR and Bowtech that came at 64db.
Brandon Mcdonald I’m an engineer, I’ll save you my long winded nerd out text lol, but RUclips has a bunch of great videos on how power is measured in Watts and how it compares to Dbs.
Good review I'm a PSE shooter and I'm considering going to the Mathews vxr in a review on that particular Bowl the guy said it was Mouse fart quiet is that what you found or is it pretty much the same as the other bows
Another fantastic video Brandon! Thanks for going through all the hard work. Im headed to my bow shop on Wednesday and am going to pick up the vxr. Thanks again!
Great Video as always! Wondering since you shot both if you could share your personal thoughts on the Prime Black Versus Mathews Traverse? -As always thank you for your Videos!
Just wondering what setup did you use sight/rest. Were they all setup the same or you used same rest and the sight on all of them (that would take to long to dial in)...let me know and great work, love your videos. maybe you can make one on your bow setup also:) Cheers from Montreal Canada:)
I had 4 QAD rests and one trophy taker from bows throughout the years. So I was able to outfit all of them. Get them all setup like a shop would with levels in a vise etc then paper tune then a little bare shaft/ walk back group tune. Things get pretty obvious when you get out to 100. Little clicks go a long way to tighten things up.
Just seeing this, but great 2-video series. Thank you for doing this! Question though, since you picked the Mathews, did you end up replacing the string? And if so, what did you replace it with? And sorry if you answered this already on someone else’s post. Didn’t have time to read them all. Lol.
I knew it. I love my vertix. Mathews made 4 bows this past year that are awesome. I noticed that you weren't rockin the new engage limb legs . Gotta get a set , there freakn sweet!
@@brandonmcdonald6121 I ordered one from my local shop. (Which took forever to get. ) But scheels actually had a bunch in stock. If you're looking for one I can get one and have it shipped to you. I love mine . I hate using limb legs and having the bottom cam setting in the dirt. They even work with a side bar. My side bar is at an angle and it works awesome.
Thanks for all the info in the bows I've recently bought the vxr28 and it is the best bow I've ever had and I've shot hoyt for years videos are awesome keep it up and btw any chance to join you on a elk hunt at all ill pay for my whole trip just need where and when been looking for someone to go with and teach me a few things . Greatly appreciate you feed back 🙏. God bless
Excellent reviews of them, I like each piece covered. My question is,what are you going to do with the bows in the end? Sell them, donate them, giveaways?
Donating then to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. I'll make a video of it this week. I thought I'd have time at the end of this video but it was getting too long
@@brandonmcdonald6121 very nice of you to do that for them. An elk hunt has been my dream hunt for almost 30 years now. Gotta do it soon, as I am almost to the half century mark.
Thanks for the awesome content just got in to bow hunting bought a diamond edge 320 what are you doing with the other bows would be awesome if you gave them the your fans. I would love that bow tech.
Wow thanks for the response awesome that you interacted with you fans. Wish I would have picked this up 25 years ago. Keep up the awesome content. God bless brother.
Soooo.... As always when I'm thinking of starting something new, I come to RUclips for expert opinions... Awesome series you're running here... My question is, as a complete noob in the archery world (I'll be bow hunting), da heck do I do about finding what I like in all these almost too many options in customizing a bow that will essentially be my only bow.... Ever... Draw weight, draw length, axle to axle, yada this, yada that... I mean it is absolutely overwhelming at this point what all the factors coming together would mean... Beyond going to a range and shooting a limited inventory at a too short distance, any advice? Is there a bow build for dummies that explains to the layman what all the terms you used are, and all the parts of the bow and what they are meant to do?
Love these videos! What camera do you use to film with? My neighbor just got the VXR the other day and he has a Vertix. The VXR is so much lighter than the vertix and has an amazing hold. It is so steady in the hand as well. We shot it bare bow with a wisker to just try it out and things to settle in. It had the best cycle out of that and an Hoyt Carbon RX another friend had. They all shoot amazing compared to my old single cam bear adjustable bow. I watched your 7 shortcuts and it has helped a lot. Just starting a series of my journey into archery and excited to see what you do with you VXR!!!
Nice! Welcome to the sport. It's easy to get started but hard to get great (I'm still working on that second part). I shoot with a canon eos R. The key is lighting, which one still working on. Use a cell phone a great lights and you'll be Mike's ahead of most people
Brandon Mcdonald I currently have a canon t7 don’t have the best lights made some with some white light bulbs. Still working but thank you for the insight! Gonna try do a video of trying your card game!
lol!! love you vids!! down to earth and honest. i actually ended up on buying the Hoyt Axius Ultra. BUUUUUT am actually going to get the VXR 28 also. keep the vids coming, i look to your vids for info in the future and always good for a laugh! thank you!!
Very nice bud. Absolutely the best production on the tube. Would have loved to see the whole two part series with the black 5 but they’re all great bows. How did you like the VAPs?? If you ever want to an Australian Hunting adventure, let me know and we can take that VXR and try to arrow the ghost of the forest... 🙌🏽S A M B A R D E E R 🙌🏽
Australias on my list! I'd love to come down that way. I do like the vaps. now that I'm finished picking the bow I'm going to really dig in on arrows. Honestly arrows can be more complicated...
Just a snippet about customer service regarding bowtech. I was given an old bowtech patriot when I was 17 by a random hunter. Few years later the limb ended up splitting. So I bring it to our shop and bowtech ended up sending new limbs for free. Now I don’t know what exactly the shop said to make that happen but still thought that was cool. Now I’m onto my second bowtech, the RealmX. Going into my second hunting season with it, already had the limbs replaced. Bottom on split about two months ago. So we’ll see how this season goes but I will very much take this video and all the info you’ve provided into consideration come January. Thanks for taking the time inform us peasants!
I did for the actual shot tests. They might have been different in the videos but I was trying to make it apples to apples. The Bowtech was accurate. No issues there, I just didn't like the way it held after the shot. Congrats on the elk! Got me one too a few days ago.
You went through the ringer on this one. Good info. Bows are like golf clubs. You really need to go through them before deciding on them. I recently bought a new bow and did this exactly. I really wish you would’ve been able to pick up the PSE Evo NXT. You would have gone with it. I did and I’m a Hoyt guy. Lol
VERY WELL DONE VIDEO Brandon!! You put a lot of time and thought into this plus the video/audio is very good. Now to the bows...I own two VXR 28's and last week I just purchased the 31.5. I was a little apprehensive at first because I am a 26.5' draw length and "most" bows at their shortest DL available have pretty poor draw cycle and/or valley. I found this the case last year when I tried the Traverse set at 26.5". This was not the case with the VXR 31.5...I actually prefer the draw cycle ever so slightly over my 28's. You are spot on with how the 31.5 holds...it's a rock!! The people that say they want a longer ata for hunting and that the 31.5 is not long enough...obviously have not shot this bow. With that length of a riser that 31.5 holds like a target bow! It's too bad you can only get 85% and 80% mods for this system because someone honestly could have a great target bow with 75% mods...it holds THAT good!! Plus your "drawing" of the draw cycle was EXACT. I have owned at least one flagship bow from Mathews over the past 15+ years and the both VXR's are at the top of my list of the best. Once again, great job!
You are by far the coolest dude I've encountered on RUclips that does reviews on bows man really enjoyed watching.....and yes Matthews is in my hands this year as well 31.5 is truly hard to beat ..keep up the awesome vids I will surely watch
Thanks for watching! I've had a blast going through this process.
Made in Sparta WI! While I didn't choose the same as you, I love the process you went through. I did a similar thing last year (albeit not purchasing all 5!) and went with the Prime. Awesome videos my man!
What will you be doing with the other 4 bows? I called it, the VXR for you. You had me going with that "phone call" though. Great review. Good luck this year! Take care. Love from NH.
Awesome! Can’t wait to see you review Black 5 haha.
I am in the same boat I wanted to buy the VXR but I remember the peep twist that cost me a shot opportunity at an elk. So I went with primeI can’t justify an extra $150ish on new strings just to fix a problem that shouldn’t exist
Great Vid can’t wait for the next ones to come out
I really appreciate the time you put into this review and overall look at the 2020 bows. Very in depth and well thought out!
Thanks very much for saying so. I had a blast doing it.
First time watching this channel. This was one of the best RUclips reviews of any product I’ve ever seen. Well done!
What an awesome series. Your video editing is top notch and it truly makes your reviews stand out above the rest
Thanks very much. I'm still learning, but it's been rewarding.
This is my favorite bow review video ever. You have set a new standard. Subscribed!
I know you’re going to cringe when you read this but you should do one of these reviews each year. It really is good information and I feel like the studied opinion of a regular guy with no affiliation is incredibly difficult to find and therefore valuable
*Brandon's wallet disliked this post*
Best comparison video in my opinion hands down. Your time and effort is greatly appreciated.
These videos could have been about pretty much anything and would have been enjoyable to watch. But, your review and analysis of these bows just made them all the better and enjoyable to watch. Thanks for taking the time and putting for the effort to make such a detailed and informed review!
Purchasd my vxr around August and fell in love with it. Great and amazing shooting bow.
Loved your video and the amount of detail and hardwork you put in!
Subscribing to your channel. Keep up the great footage!
Thanks for the sub!
Hey, that's the bow I bought. For years I have shot mid-level bows (Hoyt Charger and Bear Approach), but this year I wanted to try out a "flagship bow." I looked around for a while and found a shop that carried a lot of the big names. I tried out the Hoyt RX4 and RX3, Prime, and the Bowtech as well as both models of the VRX. Even though I spent a long time shooting all of them, I think I knew the VRX 31.5 was going to be the winner after round 1. I am pretty sure that will be my bow for years. I always enjoy your videos, great content.
I’m not new to hunting but I am new to bow hunting and this will be my first season to bow hunt white tail in west Texas. I’m fortunate I own a hunting ranch but I am doing a lot of research on bows. I have been on the fence but after the watching your video Im set on the VXR 31.5. Thankyou for you time and investment into making this video. Happy hunting.
Glad I could help! I've got family in Colorado city and Snyder. Let me know if you want some help getting rid of those pesky 200" white tail!
I did something similar a couple of years ago when I settled on the Mathews Halon 32. I shot a lot of arrows out of eight different bows at dealers though, not at home... Came down to four things for me: 1)How it felt in my hand when I picked the bows up initially 2) How it felt and how steady it held at full draw 3) If I bounced off of the back wall or just settled in and 4) Ultimately how it grouped ( @ 20 yards only).
Pretty close to the same for me, I just got to get all the stabilizers worked out and get back to 120 some days.
Curious to see how you like the Black 5. I went with it over the VXR. So close...
I'll let you know when I get it. I shot it at the shop and it's great. Holds a bit better than the three. Draw is still not as good as the vxr.
What a wonderful review packed full of some good information with your honest opinion! I am thinking about getting back into archery as it has been about 38 years since I have shot a compound bow. The great news is that bow technology has come some far that it is unbelievable from many years ago. Sounds like each bow has something for everyone based on one's own personal preference which is solely subjective to that individual. Excited to go shoot these new bows with an open mind for what fits for me! Awesome review that helped me get re-acqainted with the world of archery. Thanks Brandon........
It's going to blow your mind the difference in how things feel. I'm kind of jealous.
Awesome video! Have you made a video on bow stabilization? I realize it’s a bit different for everyone, but I’m currently looking at figuring out my front/rear stabilizer set up on my VXR 31.5” and would love some guidance. Would love to hear which set up you arrived at for the VXR. Thanks for the great work!
Literally working on it now. It's linked to the last video I did with the cutter stabilizer giveaway
An excellent and thorough review series man. You really 'nocked' it outta the park. (I got jokes)
I knew you were gonna go either Mathews or Prime a long ways back, but you kept me interested in understanding why. That's impressive. I've also known for a while that I want one of those two bows myself. I just haven't figured out which one quite yet. Thanks Brandon. Keep it up man!
Thanks for watching..it was a fun journey. I'd be glad to have either bow. Prime or vxr were so close it was nuts...
Your cinematography, writing, sense of humor (nice ad close to the end for skippers), and complete breakdown/walk through of why you picked which one that won "by that much" is phenomenal. I absolutely enjoyed both videos and learned quite a bit. Even though I have had a bow since 06 I am not a veteran archery hunter by no means and sadly have not taken any animals with it. I still am thinking of upgrading to a newer bow (from my 06 PSE Fire Flite 33) as I mentioned in your previous video. My draw length is 29 and I only pull 60 lbs, plus I am cross eye dominate left handed bow shooter. The last part makes it difficult to find the right bow at the right price. So watching these two videos has helped me know more of what I should be looking for even though I am not going to buy 5 bows. Thank you for doing this and good luck this year with all those amazing sounding hunts that you mentioned at the end of this video.
Thanks for all your time you put in on these videos. Great honest reviews that are no biased due to sponsors are hard to find.
Wow man, HATS OFF TO YOU SIR 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼, im a hoyt man through and through but i have spoke with MANY ppl/archers and no one has ever really made me even raise an eyebrow at another manufacturer...... this was more info i have ever seen anyone produce or TAKE A THE DEVOTED time do it right!!! Thank you very much for such great content, after i use my Hoyt this 2020 season..... u have convinced me that 2021 may have be a the year a mathews meets my hand...
At least give them all a good once over. It's worth trying them all out! Thanks for watching. I had fun making this one.
Love your style man! Keep up the great content the detail and testing methodology is the best I have seen! Love my vxr28! Cheers!
Great video series, keep them coming. Your production quality and content are great, I hope your channel blows up!
Thanks man!
Great review! Before I was between the Axius Ultra and VXR and VXR seems like the way. What was the optimal weight and type of stabilizer you found to be able to hold on your target so well with the VXR? Thank you!
Thank you for the entertaining insight to the 5 bows. Great information and you made it fun to watch
Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it.
Just wanted to say thanks for the videos. You ask a lot of the same questions that I have. I am trying to figure out what is most important to me and what I want in a bow this year. I am looking at the 34 ATA Elite Remedy, V3 31, and the Prime Nexus 4. sorting out what likes of each is more important to me is hard. I wish the V3 was more adjustable, and I wish I could do like you with full set ups of each and see how each shoots out to 100 yards. Thanks again keep up the great work and I look forward to your future videos.
opps my name is Larry sent from wrong account, lol
Great review, Brandon. What stabilizer weights and length did you end up liking with your VXR?
Very awesome videos. Thanks for doing what many of us want to but can’t afford!!!
Having just gotten into archery this year, I shot a lot of bows and chose the VXR as well. Loved the vid, not just because it confirms everything I also thought about the various bows I shot and the one I chose, but also because of the format, style and information you provided. Well done! Please keep the content coming!
Thanks for watching. Biggest thing for you is to just get the reps in as much as you can. It's easy to let the bow sit...
Been a Hoyt shooter for the last 15 years. Shot the VRX 31.5 side by side with the Ventum 33 and bought the VRX. As much as I wanted to stay with Hoyt because of loyalty, the Mathews just felt better overall. Thanks for the great and thorough review. Spot on.
Awesome review, thanks for putting the time in, could you give the runner up list in order?
Honestly they were really only to tiers for me. I wish I would’ve bought a BowTech this year though… I shot the solution at the shop and really really liked it
I just play around with bows basically but I really enjoy your videos. You are literally a man of “many hats” haha
I enjoyed your comparison testing of this equipment, especially the drawings. I shoot a longbow, so my experience with compounds is scant, but most of this goes to physics. You mentioned in the draw test that a couple of the bows seemed to feel better on the draw, and they may have had to be drawn slightly farther before getting into real weight. This makes perfect sense to me. If the actual length of the draw is around 20 inches (~"draw length"- brace height), the most compromised position your shoulder will see is around 8-10 inches into that draw. If the force-draw curve of these two bows lets you get another inch or two back from where the other bows are when you get into significant weight, you have a decent mechanical advantage because of your shoulder position. Essentially, your back is pulling on a shortening lever. That's going to feel better to most of us, although it might result in lower performance as well.
Why couldn't you have somehow written this before I shot the video so I could sum it up like this!
Did you measure on a draw board and adjust the draw lengths so they were exactly the same? If not and they were different, this would have a huge effect on how well they aimed.
They were as close as I could get them between d loop variation, cable twisting and mod adjustments. I was worried about one being 74lbs and one being 68lbs more than them being off by 1/4" though
Mathews are hard to beat. I am considering a Prime for my next bow. Your video definitely helped me out with the that. Can’t wait to see what bows you choose next year! I’m hoping that you find a sleeper in the mix.
Next year... Yikes. Took me half a damn year to figure this year out! Thanks for watching
Would be much appreciated if you did another one with the new prime bows and the v3. A lot has changed with prime and the same cant really be said on the mathews side of things. WOuld be interested to see if that changed the final outcome.
The v3 is about 2% better than the vxr. The nexus is about the same. I’m not going to buy a v3 but will most likely be coming home with a nexus 4 or 6. We shall see
@@brandonmcdonald6121 was just wondering if the new aerogel grips would throw you onto the other side. Shop I have been going to called the nexus bows ‘trash’ despite the fact that they don’t sell them.
Thank you for putting in the time and effort to produce such good content.
Excellent series of videos! I appreciate the effort you obviously put into the presentation and cinematography and the detail work that went into the reviews (especially the part to "test" out the customer service of each company... hat tip to Elite for being willing to work with purchasers like that). I'd be interested in seeing a similar series of reviews for entry-level or mid-range bows sometime (I already picked a Bear Cruzer G2 as my first bow, but next year I'm probably going to step up to at least a mid-range bow if not a flagship), but I understand that the amount of work you put into this series might be too time consuming to do similar for multiple tiers of bows.
Great work and I hope a silver or gold RUclips button is in your channel's future! (You've earned my subscription)
one of your videos you shot very well with Traverse. If you should choose one which will it be VXR or Traverse?
GREAT vids!!
Get both! I have a Traverse and looooovvveee it. But I may add a VXR for myself for xmas.
I'm going to do a shoot off between the two. Stay tuned. Honestly they're both kick-ass bows
Love your content. Awesome quality, editing & information. Keep up the good work! 👍🏼
Thanks very much for watching
I appreciate your description of the Mathews’ draw. I have the Tactic and it draws just as you described - must be a Mathews’ thing. I like to ease it over the hump, slide down to the valley, and checkin to the back wall to ready my resistance release. It’s a very delicate process, and as rewarding as a straight shot. Great content!
If you slow draw you can feel it so much better, like you're describing. I tend to get lazy and yank it back!
Nicely done. Worth the wait. Thanks for all the time and effort you put into it. Without a doubt, going through all those tests with 5 bows, plus the school of nock, you’ve honed your shooting skills over the last several months. Has to be a good feeling. Looking forward to more great content. I do have one question.....whatcha shooting in 2021? Lol, we all know every one of those manufacturers will be releasing “the best bow we have ever made” for the 2021 season. Will it be rinse and repeat - a new test of 2021 bows? Or will you stick with the VXR? On second thought, don’t tell us. We will stayed tuned.....
That's the crappy thing about it taking me a half a year to decide is I've already wasted half a year!!!! Haha, it's been really fun and I've learned a lot about what I want to keep working on. Thanks for watching. More to come!
Subbed due to your arrow video(s)! Not gonna lie, I shoot an old 2004 HOYT Ultra Sport that I picked up at a yard sale. I'm a lefty but learned to shoo it right handed. Hopefully I'll upgrade one day. Awesome videos man!
I would love to hear your comparison on the Traverse versus the VXR 31.5? I see where a lot of people like the Traverse better. Also, I really liked how you showed the true string angle at full draw. I have always wanted someone to do that. It would be interesting to see where the Traverse measures in at.
I shoot the Black 5 for hunting and competition. I have a 30.5" draw length and that one just seemed to fit me best of the new bows, but it was basically a coin flip with the VXR.
Great videos. Thanks for sharing.
It's in the works. I've got more time in July than I do this month so I'll have more videos next month. I'm really curious about the traverse vs vxr as well. I've got the traverse down to 65lbs and the vxr up to 75 so it might take some creativity to actually compare.
Love it. Great video and thanks for the laughs.
Had fun with that series
Nice video Brandon! Maybe we can link up for a video at some point.
That would be awesome!
@@brandonmcdonald6121 You doing TAC Utah or Colorado?
Neither... I was signed up for Texas and Tennessee but both were canceled.
@@brandonmcdonald6121 I was signed up for Texas as well... Maybe next year!
Hey Brandon, I really appreciate the detail that you went through for this review. I decided about a month ago that I want to start bow hunting but seeing how I have no experience or anyone to guide me, the internet has become my source for information. The question I have for you is, as someone who doesn't know very much about bows, never shot a bow (besides that one time at 5th grade camp about 22 years ago), and never owned a bow, do you have any advice on how I should go about finding a bow that would be right for me during these weird COVID-19 times?
Find a shop that's close to you, call and ask if they have any used bows for sale. Get the best rig you can that's less than 5 years old. Here's why, odds are it's going to end up in your closet. It's a sad fact that most of us don't shoot forever and you want something that you can sell again and extract some value out of. Shoot for a year and if you love it, youll have a way way better idea of what you want next year.
Do you have any thoughts on the shorter VXR versus the 31.5? Especially for a shorter draw length individual like myself who is at 27.5 draw length.
Chris bee did a shootoff between the two and I think the 28 won for him that day. He's a shorter draw length than I am. I think it's probably going to come down to preference. I tend to like longer bows so the 31.5 vxr was as short as I wanted to go. I'm hoping next year will be a 34-inch vxr
What release did you use I couldn’t catch the audio on Kifarucast.
Stan thumb releases. I've got a few I go between but my favorite is the Stan Perfex longneck.
Brandon Mcdonald thx
I really enjoyed the journey. Your time, effort, and hard work is very much appreciated. It’s been a real pleasure! Thank you! It would be interesting to me to know how many followers did you have before and after the series.
Someone else said they couldn't see how many subscribers I have. You can't see it? I'll have to look in the settings.
Anyway, thanks for coming along. You've always had insightful comments.
Great Review, that's close to the same result that I came up with, shooting every known bow out there.
Except with all the bows I shot, it ended up being almost a Tie between VXR31.5, Traverse and Hoyt Axius Ultra. I shot all 3 awesome and they all felt great to me. I flipped a coin and took on consideration technology (Switch weight goes with my, HHA kingpin that has a removable drum for quick draw weight changes) VXR31.5 is what I shoot. Hope it treats you great and good luck with your upcoming hunts. It's hard to find honest reviews that are not sponsored in some way!!
It's been fun to do the videos. I'm glad people in general think the info is helpful. I'm shooting the traverse vs the vxr right now and im glad I have both! I don't know that I'll be able to choose.
Great video! I'm new to archery and it's challenging to keep up with the constant stream of information. What are the broadheads at the 5 minute mark at the corners of the target? Do you use them for all the game you hunt?
Iron will. If you want a fixed blade, they're awesome.
@@brandonmcdonald6121 Thanks for replying back. I'm so new that I'm trying as much as I can because I have no frame of reference. It's really weird to be thrust in the middle of all of these arguments and not having a dog in any fight. I'm from one discussion to another going, "That sounds reasonable. I'll give that a try. " But there are so many things to try that I'm wondering if I'll get to it all. I will say this: bowhunting seems to have a great community. I'm glad you're here. Thanks again. I'll look into them.
So im just looking at my first mathews coming from elite, what did you do if anything regarding the factory strings, great video by the way , appreciate your efforts
What a great review thank you. Before I bought my helix I shot the VXR. The one thing that stood out was it felt so nice at the back wall. I never thought it would help with accuracy until you mentioned it. I endrd up buying the helix only because I was able to draw with it smoother than the vxr. For some reason I had trouble pulling that cable on the vxr. Watta great review thanks
Glad you found your bow. At the end of the day that's all that matters
Great review. I also have a 2020 VXR 31.5 and absolutely love it. It is super smooth, quiet, dead in the hand, and just plain sexy.
I got on the Mathews train when I was looking for a new bow in 2019 after bending a cam on my Bear while shooting at a local 3D course. With my longer draw length (31 inches) I ended up with a 2019 Traverse. I wanted to turn that into a dedicated target bow, and have another dedicated hunting bow so that I wouldn't have to swap sights or re-sight for different uses or different arrow setups.
Enter the VXR. I am running it at 31" with 73 pounds of DW with 85% let-off. I am using a Mathews 6" stabilizer, the QAD Integrate rest, and an IQ 5 pin sight.
My arrows are Gold Tip Hunter XT 300's with the bare shafts cut to 29" , using factory inserts, nocks, and vanes. I am trying a couple of different broadheads this year. I usually use 100 grain NAP Thunderheads, but opted for 125 grain Thunderheads this year to add a little overall weight and improve FOC slightly. They have a total weight of 445 grains with about 12.6% FOC. The Thunderheads 125's are awesome, but did require a couple of adjustments, so I figured I would also try some 125 grain Grim Reaper 1-3/4" Razortip mechanicals just to see if they fly a bit better. So far they do fly nice, and seem ok overall, but I always question the reliability of mechanicals. I will see how they do for a few more weeks, since the season has already begun in Kentucky. If I don't care for them, it will be back to the trusty Thunderheads.
Prime is another brand that I really want to shoot. I have heard a ton of positive stuff about them, and really think they are a contender for me as well.
Good comment I think people like seeing what other setups look like.
Thanks for the amazing detail in each review, now it's time to hit the archery shop and see which feels right for me. Will also be subscribing
Get something good!
Awesome video Brandon! Very well done with explanations even a non engineer can follow. I just got a VXR 31.5 myself and I’m getting it dialed. Switched from Hoyt to Mathews this year and so far it’s a sweet shooting bow. 2 questions for you. Did you leave stock grip on and did you order aftermarket strings?
I put winners choice strings on it pretty quickly... I've got the engage grip on my traverse and am going to leave it just to keep my mind guessing.
Brandon Mcdonald what string material do you like?
Great job. I really enjoyed this - thank you. Also: i also loved your previous work as guitarist for Rage Against the Machine.
Haha! I get that on occasion. That's funny.
You did a super job going through this process. I say this because you started the process with a open, unbiased mind not knowing which bow would win. That’s impressive especially since you were the sole sponsor. With that said, I may not feel the same way next year if Sitka comes out with a bow! You have taken a liken to Sitka... 😅😂🤣
Awesome video. One note on sound. Db’s aren’t linear the way people might think. A 3 dB change will either double the sound or cut the sound half, compared to a normal linear scale that people might be used to, like in watts. So the Prime at 67db, is twice as loud as the VXR and Bowtech that came at 64db.
Interesting. I want to get a meter and understand this more.
Brandon Mcdonald I’m an engineer, I’ll save you my long winded nerd out text lol, but RUclips has a bunch of great videos on how power is measured in Watts and how it compares to Dbs.
Your review is very in depth and your editing is awesome! Thank you for all your hard work🙏
Thanks for watching
U did great bud! I finally got to watch it all and I can definitely appreciate the subjectivity and objectivity of your analysis!
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching
Good review I'm a PSE shooter and I'm considering going to the Mathews vxr in a review on that particular Bowl the guy said it was Mouse fart quiet is that what you found or is it pretty much the same as the other bows
It's the quietest bow I've shot
@@brandonmcdonald6121thanks
Thanks for putting the time and work. Great content. Keep up the good work.!!
Had a blast. Thanks for watching.
Brandon Mcdonald you are a home town boy, I gotta support you. Continue to rock.
Another fantastic video Brandon! Thanks for going through all the hard work. Im headed to my bow shop on Wednesday and am going to pick up the vxr. Thanks again!
It's a great bow. You won't be disappointed
You did a great job Brandon. I’ve enjoyed your creative process! Keep up the good work!
That was a fun one to make. Thanks for watching
Great video...enjoyed the information you provided...thanks for all the hard work!
Thanks for watching
Great Video as always! Wondering since you shot both if you could share your personal thoughts on the Prime Black Versus Mathews Traverse?
-As always thank you for your Videos!
Just wondering what setup did you use sight/rest. Were they all setup the same or you used same rest and the sight on all of them (that would take to long to dial in)...let me know and great work, love your videos. maybe you can make one on your bow setup also:)
Cheers from Montreal Canada:)
I had 4 QAD rests and one trophy taker from bows throughout the years. So I was able to outfit all of them. Get them all setup like a shop would with levels in a vise etc then paper tune then a little bare shaft/ walk back group tune. Things get pretty obvious when you get out to 100. Little clicks go a long way to tighten things up.
@@brandonmcdonald6121 What about sights?
Just seeing this, but great 2-video series. Thank you for doing this! Question though, since you picked the Mathews, did you end up replacing the string? And if so, what did you replace it with? And sorry if you answered this already on someone else’s post. Didn’t have time to read them all. Lol.
I knew it. I love my vertix. Mathews made 4 bows this past year that are awesome. I noticed that you weren't rockin the new engage limb legs . Gotta get a set , there freakn sweet!
I can't find them anywhere! I asked my shop to call me when they get a set in. I'm tired of hauling around a stand
@@brandonmcdonald6121 I ordered one from my local shop. (Which took forever to get. ) But scheels actually had a bunch in stock. If you're looking for one I can get one and have it shipped to you. I love mine . I hate using limb legs and having the bottom cam setting in the dirt. They even work with a side bar. My side bar is at an angle and it works awesome.
Thanks for all the info in the bows I've recently bought the vxr28 and it is the best bow I've ever had and I've shot hoyt for years videos are awesome keep it up and btw any chance to join you on a elk hunt at all ill pay for my whole trip just need where and when been looking for someone to go with and teach me a few things . Greatly appreciate you feed back 🙏.
God bless
Excellent reviews of them, I like each piece covered. My question is,what are you going to do with the bows in the end? Sell them, donate them, giveaways?
Donating then to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. I'll make a video of it this week. I thought I'd have time at the end of this video but it was getting too long
@@brandonmcdonald6121 very nice of you to do that for them. An elk hunt has been my dream hunt for almost 30 years now. Gotta do it soon, as I am almost to the half century mark.
Thanks for the awesome content just got in to bow hunting bought a diamond edge 320 what are you doing with the other bows would be awesome if you gave them the your fans. I would love that bow tech.
Welcome to the sport! The video was getting so long, I'm actually going to donate the other bows to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
Wow thanks for the response awesome that you interacted with you fans.
Wish I would have picked this up 25 years ago.
Keep up the awesome content.
God bless brother.
Soooo.... As always when I'm thinking of starting something new, I come to RUclips for expert opinions... Awesome series you're running here... My question is, as a complete noob in the archery world (I'll be bow hunting), da heck do I do about finding what I like in all these almost too many options in customizing a bow that will essentially be my only bow.... Ever... Draw weight, draw length, axle to axle, yada this, yada that... I mean it is absolutely overwhelming at this point what all the factors coming together would mean... Beyond going to a range and shooting a limited inventory at a too short distance, any advice?
Is there a bow build for dummies that explains to the layman what all the terms you used are, and all the parts of the bow and what they are meant to do?
Just gotta say, I love your videos man. Don't know what it is about 'em....Good luck shooting an elk this year!
This is an awesome awesome awesome video!!! Your hard work in editing and and testing really shows off!
Very much appreciate the compliment. Thank for watching
8:48 Just what are you trying to tell us Bowtech owners? Okay, that was funny 😂
Wicked production quality! Love the content!
Thank for watching!
Great vids...i didn't skip ahead.
I wish you would have had the pse nxt 33 in there as well...
Im really curious hiw it and the Kure compare
Dang, that's a good video and a great review. You more than earned my sub.
Thanks for the compliment!
Hey Brandon,
Never apologize for the length of your videos. Keep'm coming. Also good choice with the Mathews :). My VXR holds on target sooooo well
Totally agree about the hold. Thanks for watching!
Love these videos! What camera do you use to film with? My neighbor just got the VXR the other day and he has a Vertix. The VXR is so much lighter than the vertix and has an amazing hold. It is so steady in the hand as well. We shot it bare bow with a wisker to just try it out and things to settle in. It had the best cycle out of that and an Hoyt Carbon RX another friend had. They all shoot amazing compared to my old single cam bear adjustable bow. I watched your 7 shortcuts and it has helped a lot. Just starting a series of my journey into archery and excited to see what you do with you VXR!!!
Nice! Welcome to the sport. It's easy to get started but hard to get great (I'm still working on that second part). I shoot with a canon eos R. The key is lighting, which one still working on. Use a cell phone a great lights and you'll be Mike's ahead of most people
Brandon Mcdonald I currently have a canon t7 don’t have the best lights made some with some white light bulbs. Still working but thank you for the insight! Gonna try do a video of trying your card game!
Really love this video review series! Thank you for putting in the work as I am sure this took a very long time.
It was fun. It did take a long time, but it was worth it
Extremely well done! Excellent video/editing quality
Thanks very much
Great honest review. I appreciate all your work and attention to details.
Thanks for watching.
Man this content is gold! Keep it up man!
Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching
Cool video. I went with the vxr this year as well. Absolutely love it!!
Good choice! Thanks for watching
Your videos are inspired and such a great watch, keep it up you legend
Thanks for watching
This was an amazing presentation. You’ve earned another subscriber and fan.
Those were really fun to make. Thanks for watching and subscribing.
lol!! love you vids!! down to earth and honest. i actually ended up on buying the Hoyt Axius Ultra. BUUUUUT am actually going to get the VXR 28 also. keep the vids coming, i look to your vids for info in the future and always good for a laugh! thank you!!
Thanks for laying it all out there and documenting everything. I can appreciate someone who doesn’t try to be anything except what they are!
That's all I got! Just me
Very nice bud. Absolutely the best production on the tube.
Would have loved to see the whole two part series with the black 5 but they’re all great bows.
How did you like the VAPs??
If you ever want to an Australian Hunting adventure, let me know and we can take that VXR and try to arrow the ghost of the forest...
🙌🏽S A M B A R D E E R 🙌🏽
Australias on my list! I'd love to come down that way. I do like the vaps. now that I'm finished picking the bow I'm going to really dig in on arrows. Honestly arrows can be more complicated...
Great videos!! Thank you for taking the time to do this.
Thanks for watching
Great video! Looking forward to your thoughts on the black 5. Currently deciding between it and VXR or Traverse for my first flagship bow.
That's a powerhouse threesome right there. I've been shooting my traverse set to 65lbs the last couple of days. It's great...
Just a snippet about customer service regarding bowtech. I was given an old bowtech patriot when I was 17 by a random hunter. Few years later the limb ended up splitting. So I bring it to our shop and bowtech ended up sending new limbs for free. Now I don’t know what exactly the shop said to make that happen but still thought that was cool. Now I’m onto my second bowtech, the RealmX. Going into my second hunting season with it, already had the limbs replaced. Bottom on split about two months ago. So we’ll see how this season goes but I will very much take this video and all the info you’ve provided into consideration come January. Thanks for taking the time inform us peasants!
Haha, well us peasants have to stick together.
I bought the bowtech and smoked a bull elk last week! You should review with the same sight, rest on all the bows!! Thanks!
I did for the actual shot tests. They might have been different in the videos but I was trying to make it apples to apples. The Bowtech was accurate. No issues there, I just didn't like the way it held after the shot. Congrats on the elk! Got me one too a few days ago.
Awesome Video! I appreciate all the detail you went into!
Thank for watching
You went through the ringer on this one. Good info. Bows are like golf clubs. You really need to go through them before deciding on them. I recently bought a new bow and did this exactly. I really wish you would’ve been able to pick up the PSE Evo NXT. You would have gone with it. I did and I’m a Hoyt guy. Lol
I shot one this week at a shop in Kentucky and it's pretty badass. I'd have picked it before the bowtech and Hoyt, for sure.
Thank you for taking the time to do this review.
Awesome videos!
Looking forward to more of your upcoming videos.
On to arrows and broadheads next. Gonna be a long summer of testing
VERY WELL DONE VIDEO Brandon!! You put a lot of time and thought into this plus the video/audio is very good. Now to the bows...I own two VXR 28's and last week I just purchased the 31.5. I was a little apprehensive at first because I am a 26.5' draw length and "most" bows at their shortest DL available have pretty poor draw cycle and/or valley. I found this the case last year when I tried the Traverse set at 26.5". This was not the case with the VXR 31.5...I actually prefer the draw cycle ever so slightly over my 28's. You are spot on with how the 31.5 holds...it's a rock!! The people that say they want a longer ata for hunting and that the 31.5 is not long enough...obviously have not shot this bow. With that length of a riser that 31.5 holds like a target bow! It's too bad you can only get 85% and 80% mods for this system because someone honestly could have a great target bow with 75% mods...it holds THAT good!! Plus your "drawing" of the draw cycle was EXACT. I have owned at least one flagship bow from Mathews over the past 15+ years and the both VXR's are at the top of my list of the best. Once again, great job!
It's crazy what draw length does to the experience. Glad you are able to enjoy the vxr as well. Thanks for watching
You are by far the coolest dude I've encountered on RUclips that does reviews on bows man really enjoyed watching.....and yes Matthews is in my hands this year as well 31.5 is truly hard to beat ..keep up the awesome vids I will surely watch