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If you’re new to bowhunting and you wander into an archery shop, you’ll probably suffer from a severe case of sticker shock. The top-end models from most compound bow brands will start at around $1,000 and go up from there. And that’s for a bare bow, with no accessories.
Relax. Breathe. And keep looking. What you want is the best compound bow for a beginner, and the same companies invariably offer entry-level and intermediate models that are perfectly capable of flinging accurate arrows and killing all the big game you care to hunt, for a fraction of the price. Even better, some of these best beginner compound bows come fully equipped and ready to shoot, eliminating the headache and expense of choosing and buying accessories. Here are seven great options available today.
Diamond Pro Max
Diamond Pro Max
Pros
- Less than $550
- Comes fully outfitted with upgraded accessories
- A bow you can grow with
- Binary Cam System
Cons
- Lower-end accessories
Specs
Axle to Axle Length: 31″
Weight: 3.7 lbs
Brace Height: 7.125″
Draw Length: 16-31″
Draw Weight: 20-70 lbs
Speed: 314
I sent a dozen arrows through the Pro Max at a local pro shop about two months ago while helping a first-time archer in his thirties. The Binary Cam System was a Bowtech staple for years, but eventually replaced by the DeadLock System. Make no mistake, though, this cam system ensures a smooth draw, plenty of power, and is a breeze to tune.
At 3.7 pounds (without accessories), the bow is lightweight, and at 31 inches long, it carries well, making it ideal for sit-and-wait missions in treestands, ground blinds, and natural hides. The 7.125-inch brace height maximizes shooter forgiveness, which is crucial for a new archer, while maintaining solid speed. The caged-aluminum riser is well-built, tougher than nails, and wears a bottom Orbit Dampener to reduce post-shot hand vibration. The limbs are broad and solid, and you can’t beat the bow’s draw-length and draw-weight adjustability.
The Pro Max comes fully outfitted, and while you will want to upgrade the rest and sight at some point, both offer respectable quality and will last long enough for you to know if archery/bowhunting is for you.
Prime Ronan
Prime Ronan
Pros
- Tunable
- Ultra-accurate
- Top -end features
- Excellent draw cycle
Cons
- Expensive for a beginner bow
Specs
Axle to Axle Length: 34″
Weight: 4.5 lbs
Brace Height: 6-1/4″
Draw Length: 26-30.5″
Draw Weight: 50-70 lbs
Speed: 334
At 34 inches axle to axle, the Prime Ronan is well balanced and produces incredible arrow speed. The draw length is adjustable between 26 and 30.5 inches. The Ronan features many of Prime’s top-end technologies, such as the Center Grip Riser and Core Cam System. The Center Grip Riser promotes accuracy by distributing more mass in the lower portion of the riser, thereby improving aiming and stability.
I wish the cams were adjustable, but the Core Cam System is mod-specific. This means if you’re pro shop tells you that your draw length is 28-1/2-inches, you need a 28-1/2-inch mod. Prime makes draw-length specific mods to maximize the bow’s efficiency. The Ronan draws smoothly and produces remarkable downrange accuracy, and Quik Tune Technology allows the cams to be shifted left or right easily.
Bear Legend 30 RTH
Bear Legend 30 RTH
Pros
- Excellent price point
- New sight-mount technology
- Bear Paw grip
- Solid shootability
Cons
- Post-shot hand vibration
Specs
Axle to Axle Length: 30″
Weight: 4.0 lbs
Brace Height: 6.5″
Draw Length: 18-31″
Draw Weight: 14-70 lbs
Speed: 320 fps
Bear’s Legend 30 RTH comes fitted with middle-of-the-road Trophy Ridge accessories. Like Diamond’s Pro Max, I was able to shoot this bow in a pro shop. It feels fast, and I was pleasantly surprised with how the caged riser married with the thick, wide limb pocket to provide enhanced full-draw stability. The compound shoots well, has a smooth draw cycle, and though it produces a tad more post-shot vibration than I like, it’s nothing you won’t get used to.
At 30 inches axle-to-axle, the Legend 30 RTH is ready to tackle spot-and-stalk and sit-and-wait hunt missions. Though not as forgiving as the Pro Max via the shorter brace height and axle-to-axle length, the compound bow shoots well, and I was thrilled to see Bear added a Picatinny-mounted 4-pin sight. I love to see at least one top-end flagship addition to a beginner bow. I also love the fit and feel of the Bear Paw Grip. The grip isn’t too thick, falls into the palm swell area, is perfectly angled, and generally flat-backed. The Bear Legend 30 RTH is one of the very best beginner bows that you can take home.
Hoyt Torrex
Hoyt Torrex
Pros
- Fast and accurate
- Excellent draw cycle
- Easy to tune
- Light and maneuverable
Cons
- Cable guide and strings/cables need to be better
Specs
Axle to Axle Length: 30-3/4″
Weight: 3.8 lbs
Brace Height: 7″
Draw Length: 26-30″
Draw Weight: 40, 50, 60, 65, and 70 lbs
Speed: 327
Both of my boys shoot a Hoyt Torrex. It’s the best compound bow package you’ll find for under $800. The bow comes outfitted with Fuse accessories, and though one of the priciest bows in our list, it is still $600 under the lowest-priced flagship.
The Torrex is available in several solid and camo options, is draw-length adjustable between 26 and 30 inches in 1/2-inch increments, and is available in 5 peak draw weights with 10 pounds of adjustment down from peak. The bow weighs a mere 3.8 pounds, and its 30-3/4-inch axle-to-axle length pairs well with the weight to make the bow easy to carry and highly maneuverable.
Hoyt’s Cam & 1/2 System is fused—top and bottom—with a harness to ensure they fire simultaneously. The bow is fast yet doesn’t feel like a speed bow when you drop the string. Hoyt got all they could out of a bow with a forgiving 7-inch brace height without affecting accuracy and forgiveness. The Xact Grip feels good in the hand, which is removable if you prefer direct-to-riser contact. But I like the overall shape, and although I typically dislike flared grip sides, the Xact feels incredible.
Shock Pods dampen post-shot noise and vibration, and though the bow is short, it’s highly accurate. The riser and wide limb pockets provide complete draw stability, and the draw cycle is generally smooth. The Hoyt Torrex will do everything you need in the field and more, and it comes outfitted with a Fuse five-pin sight, Whisker Biscuit rest, Fuse stabilizer, and Fuse Maxxis 4-Arrow Quiver.
Elite Basin RTS Package
Elite Basin RTS Package
Pros
- Ready To Shoot package
- Caged riser design
- Highly adjustable draw weight and length
- Split limb dampeners
Cons
- Limb stops, so there is no valley
Specs
Axle to Axle Length: 32.375″
Weight:3.9 lbs
Brace Height: 6.6875″
Draw Length: 16-30″
Draw Weight: 20-70 lbs
Speed: 315
Another bow/accessory package that comes ready for the field is Elite’s Basin, which is one I haven’t sent arrows downrange with yet, but I plan to. One of the things about every other bow in this round-up is an almost-too-short axle-to-axle length. Typically, the shorter a bow’s length, the less stable it is at full draw.
Elite’s Basin measures 32.375 inches between the axles, which is a sweet spot for many archers/bowhunters. In typical Elite fashion, the manufacturer was able to keep the bow’s weight under four pounds and still provide what many who have shot the bow call “excellent full-draw stability and shootability.” The bow offers a wide draw length and draw weight range, allowing shooters to grow with the bow. The tick over 6.5-inch brace height should provide plenty of forgiveness.
The bow’s branded speed rating is decent. I don’t get hung up on speed, and neither should you. All that matters is that the bow gives you shooting confidence and you can put the arrow where you want it to go. The bow’s riser cage design, split limbs with dampeners between them, and all-aluminum cams, mods, and limb pockets will enhance both shootability and durability.
Bowtech Carbon Zion
Bowtech Carbon Zion
Pros
- Durable carbon riser
- Direct-to-riser grip
- Ultra-light
- Compact and accurate
Cons
- Needs a roller guide and not a plastic roller guard
Specs
Axle to Axle Length: 31″
Weight: 3.3 lbs
Brace Height: 6.625″
Draw Length: 25.5-30.5″
Draw Weight: 50, 60, 70 lbs
Speed: 335
One of the things I dislike about the bow-building industry is that the second a manufacturer launches a new flagship, they discontinue its predecessor, even if its predecessor was an excellent bow. Bowtech is an anomaly in this area, for the most part, and I appreciate it. Bowtech launched its Carbon Zion in 2021, and you can still purchase this carbon-riser bow today.
The Carbon Zion is one of my all-time favorite bow builds. I killed countless animals with it. I love the feel of the bow’s direct-to-riser grip, and many of you will too. Plus, toting this 31-inch axle-to-axle, 3.3-pound bow around the woods is a joy, especially when you’re on day nine of a 10-day public land elk hunt and you have a bull screaming two miles away.
The bow’s draw cycle is silk, and the Synchronized Binary Cams work with the riser and limbs to maximize downrange accuracy. For a bow this light and this short, it holds on target like a rock, and the 6.625-inch brace height adds forgiveness. The Carbon Zion is also fast, achieving a top speed of 335 fps when the bow is set to Performance mode rather than Comfort mode. Do yourself a favor and have your pro shop set the bow’s PowerShift Technology to Comfort mode. You don’t get much more speed in Performance mode, and the bow is less fun to shoot. You will have to purchase accessory items, but you can stay middle of the road on those items and have this bow ready for the woods for less than $1K.
PSE Brute ATK RTS
PSE Brute ATK RTS
Pros
- Ready to hunt
- Very durable
- Easy to tune
- Extremely accurate
Cons
- Needs to come with limb dampeners
Specs
Axle to Axle Length: 32″
Weight: 4.1 lbs
Brace Height: 6-3/4″
Draw Length: 23-30-1/2″
Draw Weight: 40-60 and 50-70 lbs
Speed: 328
The PSE Brute ATK RTS is another ready-for-the-woods compound bow outfitted with accessories. The ATK riser is bulletproof, rigid, and seamlessly melds into the limb pockets to ensure an exact, no-slop riser-to-limb build. This bow is quiet and produces minimal post-shot hand vibration. I do recommend adding LimbSaver dampeners between the split limbs.
The AF binary cam system ensures a generally smooth draw cycle, and PSE’s patented Precision Buss Tuning System makes the bow easy to tune. The AF binary cams hit speeds up to 328 fps and have a set let-off of 80 percent. I like the stainless-steel cable rod, and the cable guide reduces cable wear and tear. The more extended brace height is forgiving, and at just over 4.1 pounds, the bow is light and easy to carry.
The grip is a bit wide for my liking, but it can be easily removed and replaced with tennis racket tape. Regarding accuracy, if you get the Brute ATK tuned and place your pin where it needs to be, it will deliver the arrow with speed and precision, making it an excellent in-the-field companion.
What are the advantages of a beginner compound bow?
Beyond the obvious cost savings, the main advantage of a youth compound bow or a beginner model for a teen or adult is enhanced adjustability. These models typically offer a wide range of draw weights and draw lengths that can be easily adjusted as the shooter grows physically or wants a little extra speed as their archery muscles strengthen. Also, the “kit”nature of a kid’s compound bow or beginner model really sets it apart.
Most new bowhunters don’t know how to set a bow up, with all the accessories, by themselves. So it’s a big deal that these models often come all decked out with a rest, sight, quiver, and peep sight designed for that bow. That stuff gets expensive if you buy it all separately. On the other hand, if you buy a package bow, you can take it out of the box and hunt with it for the rest of your life if you want.
What are the disadvantages of a beginner compound bow?
So what are you giving up to save all that money? In most cases, performance. That youth compound bow or beginner model will not be as fast as a company’s flagship, and it might be slightly louder or vibrate a touch more. Companies are not going to throw their best cam or highest quality components into a bow that’s half the price of their top model.
So yeah, you’re not going to have a bow as quick and quiet as the guy who spends two grand—not any more than a Chevy driver is going to have as nice a car as the dude who buys a Lexus. But you’ll have a perfectly suitable bow that’s going to give you plenty of enjoyment and totally acceptable performance. In fact, some beginner bows are only slightly slower than flagship models. You may want to trade up after shooting your entry-level bow for a while, but you certainly won’t have to shoot and hunt effectively.
FAQs
Q: What bow should a beginner use?
Many beginners learn on a recurve bow because of the simpler design, and for many, it seems easier to use. Compound bows can be good because they are very customizable and tend to have more power. Beginners can still have success with compound bows and should try both to see which one they prefer to learn on at that point.
Q: What’s a good beginner bow for hunting?
Any of the bows listed above are good for beginners. All of the bows have pros and cons and will suit different people’s needs at different stages of their learning.
Q: How much should you spend on your first compound bow?
That depends on your budget and how long you plan to use the bow. If you are looking for a beginner bow, there are options for around $500 or less, but you are likely to outgrow these rather quickly. Other options are to borrow suitable bows from friends until you decide which one is right for you, or buy a used one to get a higher-end bow at a lower price.
Q: Is a lighter or heavier bow better?
A lighter bow exaggerates form flaws while shooting, and heavier bows are often steadier. Any accessories added to a light or ultralight bow are more likely to upset the bow’s balance, and it may be more challenging to manage as a beginner.
Q: What is a good draw weight for beginners?
The draw weight is generally correlated to the archer’s weight. So a small child may have a draw weight between 15-35 lbs, but an adult will be around 40-75 lbs depending on their size and gender.
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