2024 Hunting Bow Shootout: Best Bow Of The Year

After testing out eight hunting bows over the past several months, it's time for the annual ArcheryTalk Hunting Bow Shootout.

In this video, I break down the bows in a number of different categories, picking a winner or two in each category. Then I pick my favorite bow of the year.

Here are the challengers, in the order they arrived.

Mathews Lift 29.5
Elite Ethos
Hoyt Alpha X 33
Bowtech CORE SR
APA Black Mamba 33
Bear Whitetail Maxx
Xpedition XLite 29
Prime RVX 34

0:00:00 - Introduction
0:01:26 - Draw Cycle
0:02:09 - Speed Test/Chrono Results
0:03:06 - Stability & Accuracy
0:04:02 - Noise & Vibration
0:04:35 - Grip
0:05:18 - Tunability
0:06:26 - Fit & Finish
0:07:25 - Price & Value
0:08:34 - Conclusions

[mmk]

Great review! Really appreciate all the information. Just purchased a Prime RVX32 a few months back after testing a number of the bows you included here. Just felt right for me…but all of these certainly have an argument. What a great time to be an archer. Keep up the great work

[laurenchapple]

My best hunting bow for 2024 is the one I have the most confidence in. Same one I used for the past few years. 😊

[simonaudet]

I really enjoy your videos Lucas!! Unbiased opinions is really important to me! I understand you on the Hoyt, been a Mathews fan for years but had a chance to shoot the Rx8 this year and made the switch! God I love that bow!
Thanks for the review!

[obionewheelkenobi]

Great review man👌 I really enjoy your content. I love the alpha x 33 also

[spencerwright]

That Prime RVX 34 is wildly underrated

[ny-co]

Elite ethos all the way! I bought a lift, fell for the hype. I think if i had all the facts from this video and all the experience i have now, I would have picked the elite. I love the midnight copper too, the tunability, and i love cbe products. Always great content, keep it coming!

[deanbellamy]

Still using my Hoyt carbon spyder 30 and it absolutely flings an arrow… decently smooth on a 60 pound draw anything less is like butter

[blackbeard]

Mathews, Bowtech, Prime, and Elite were noticably quieter than all the other bow. But all sounded very similar amongst each other.

[TyB.-toek]

Mathews V3-27 baddest bow ever made PERIOD!

[jesseo]

Just from that intro, the Mathews, Bowtech, Prime, and Elite sound much more quiet than the others!

[Draethar]

I’m just getting into archery again and I’m probably going to wait to see what the new 2025 bows are but if I had to choose right now based off all of my research and my own personal preferences… I would choose the Hoyt Alpha X 30 or 33 or the Bowtech Core SS or SR. 🤔

[mikechesshir]

The o e that fits you best.what you like what feels the best.

[Abeuss]

Reminds me of trying to buy a new guitar. They all do the same thing.. seems to be the small stuff you get focused on.

[kevinz]

I just bought me the RX8 ultra love it

[ZachC-]

Man, I love prime draw cycle. The EC2 cam is money though.

[CaseO_Outdoors]

Lucas,

What orange color was that string on the bourbon Hoyt 33. I really like that color. I have the Hoyt Alpha x30 in wilderness green and I would love to get that color for my string.

Thanks.

[jonse]

I think the lopsided sales speak for themselves in terms of the overall best hunting bow this year. People generally shoot them all, and it seems like the vast majority chose the Lift. But despite the Lift frenzy, Hoyt has provided a very solid offering this year that deserved more attention than it received.

[rabbitinthehole]

You should do Decibel reading for science lol

[redlegfa]

I have a Revex 4. I shot a Sequel 33 and liked it a lot. What is your comparison/opinion of the two?

[paulheberling]

PSE is hands down becoming my favorite dealer. Say what you will about Dud but the dude is really giving them an edge I think.