Has anyone bought a Matthews Bow lately?

Subtlety · 06-18-2006, 06:01 AM

...like the Switchback? My Dad and one of my brothers both shoot an Ultramax and love them to death. They both poo poo the short short bows though and so I thought I would ask for a second opinion.

I really dont know much about archery but I know I want a bow that shoots like theirs does as far as accuracy goes.

Rauly · 06-18-2006, 06:11 AM

My brother bought a Mathews Feathermax about 15 years ago. I now have it and he wishes he had it back. Mathews is one of the finest bows out there.

Rauly

Yeti · 06-18-2006, 07:33 AM

I bought a Switchback in November. This is my first bow so take this for what it is worth. The bow is very accurate. More so than me!

adobe wall · 06-18-2006, 08:30 AM

yeah, I reckon I did.

20 years of killing whitetails with bows over corn piles in clearcuts pretty well had me satisified with a Martin Hatfield takedown recurve with a single sight pin. I tried a few compounds over the years but I found things were constantly going out of tune, shooting themselves loose, exploding, or getting stolen. I'm not a bowhunter- a bow is a tool to me just like my rifles or a rake or a lawnmower. For me the recurve was pretty darn idiot proof- of the 3 dozen or so whitetails I bowkilled about half were with recurves, most with that Hatfield.

Moved out here and it quickly became obvious that I'd have a hard time learning to hunt elk during the rifle seasons with the crowds out and such. I figured I'd bowhunt instead- walked into an archery shop and asked for the following:

A fast bow that was short and quiet and did not require constant fotzing with to keep it in tune. I wanted every piece of gear that went with it- release, arrows, broadheads, sights, etc- and all had to be idiot proof and maintenance free.

I honestly didn't know the make/model of bow for a couple weeks after I had bought it. Didn't really matter to me. Looking at the receipt, it's a Matthews Switchback with a matthews quiver, whisper biscuit rest, Tru Fire Judge release, Toxonics sights. I've got ST EPIC arrows- a couple dozen.

The bow is awesome. Very easy to shoot, smooth, and very quiet. I've got a chrono but haven't shot the bow through it yet. Nothing has required tuning or adjustment other than the sights. Higher brace height keeps it off my arm even with a sweatshirt.

I can't tell you anything about Matthews warranty support or stuff like that. I intend to shoot this bow for at least 10 years and hope that I can get by with doing nothing other than annual string/cable changes.

The frippulatin' bow was expensive, though, especially after I tacked on all the accoutrements.

Just Fish · 06-18-2006, 10:20 AM

I have had 5 mathews bows I have a ultra max and it is a great bow a LX and conquest2 I just bought a switch back and it is a great bow you will not be disapointed.I had a MQ1 I think it was the best bow I have ever shot I just wore it out.Mathews makes great bows.I still hunt with my ultra max.

Subtlety · 06-18-2006, 10:39 AM

should i hold out for an ebay ultramax or should I just get a new one?

I am mostly concerned about the bows shooting not whether it is brand new or the coolest thing. I want, and am more than happy to pay for, performance.

nitrobass · 06-18-2006, 01:23 PM

Buy the newest Switchback...If performance is what you're after then go for the cadillac.

I've had mine for a couple of months and its awesome. I shot a Mathews LX before that, which was nice also. The Switchback is more forgiving - even when I have a bad release the arrow isnt far off target. The new string Mathews puts on their bows is great also.

Subtlety · 06-18-2006, 03:09 PM

sweet thanks

SandyRiverFisher · 06-19-2006, 10:53 AM

The shorty bows are just as accurate as the long ones, provided you have good shooting form. Short ATA/ short brace height bows tend to highlight flaws in your form. If you drop your bow arm, torque the handle, etc, these bows will aggravate your accuracy problems, or so I am told, I have always shot short bows personally. That being said, if your form is good and the bow is set up properly they are as accurate as any bow out there. My 3 week old switchback xt is shooting far better than my old Martin Orion, but they are both very short ATA bows. At 15 - 20 yrds I can ding a nickel sized bull fairly easily. out past forty my groups open up quite a bit, but still I can hit the three inch circle out to fifty, and my groups are about 5-6 inches at sixty. I am confident the long range shots will improve as I iron out my setup on the new bow. My dad shoots a Martin jaguar, and I have seen him shoot four inch groups at sixty, once again a very short ATA bow. From what Ive seen the short bows are at little disadvantage, if any, to the longer bows. IMHO the notion that longer is better is an old school rule of thumb that applies less to the modern high tech equipment. In any case they are all more than "accurate" enouph for hunting, or as Yeti said, far more accurate than we are.

I will say that I dont like the handle on the Mathews bows, and will eventually be changing out the one on mine, and I have had some tuning issues with the fletchings on my arrows clearing the riser, but all in all its a great bow and I wouldn't trade it for anything else.

If I were you Id get the switchback, dial it in, and start shooting at your dad and brothers arrows! My Dad "poo pooed" my Switchback too until I started shooting the vanes off his arrows. I can get away with it though, since I do all his re-fletching!