New Bows for 2021
Have a look at some of the very best compound bows being brought to the market this year.
Made for Her – Hoyt Eclipse
When Hoyt set out to build its latest women’s bow, it started completely from scratch. After making a list of all the qualities they wanted the bow to offer, they got to work and ended up with the Eclipse, a hunting bow that offers a great combination of speed, comfort and shootability in a compact package perfect for smaller-framed shooters. Measuring 29 inches between the axles and weighing just 3.7 pounds, the Eclipse has a 6 3⁄4-inch brace height and an IBO speed rating of 314 fps at 60 pounds and 28 inches, making it one the fastest short-draw bows in the industry. Accommodating draw lengths from 231⁄2 -28 inches, the Eclipse Cam is optimized for maximum efficiency at shorter draw lengths. Hoyt also made the Xact Grip on the Eclipse slimmer to better fit a woman’s hand. Other notable features on the Eclipse include a dovetail rest mount compatible with the Hoyt Ultrarest Integrate MX rest, Zero-Tolerance limb pockets, SL Sidebar Stabilizer Mount for easy stabilizer customization and a host of noise- and vibration-dampening accessories that include Limb Shox limb silencers, StealthShot string stopper and ShockPods riser-mounted dampeners. The bow is available in your choice of eight hunting and target colors.
$899 | hoyt.com
Packed With Innovation – Mathews V3
Mathews developed four brand-new design features for its 2021 V3, melding them with existing technologies to produce the company’s most advanced hunting bow yet. Available in an ultra-agile, 27-inch axle-to-axle version, as well as an ultra-stable, 31-inch axle-to-axle version, the V3 is built using an all-new Extended Bridge Riser that provides excellent rigidity while maximizing length, resulting in an even longer riser to axle-to-axle ratio than last year’s award-winning VXR. The result, Mathews says, is a bow platform that is extremely compact yet incredibly stable. Also new on the V3 is the CenterGuard cable-containment system that places the cables in the true center of the bow, resulting in optimal cam timing to maximize tunability while also increasing vane clearance. All-new limbs featuring past-parallel geometry, paired with a redesigned limb cup, boost system performance and efficiency. Finally, the V3 offers Mathews’ new Nano 740 Harmonic Stabilizer, calibrated to the specific harmonics of the bow for greatly reduced shot noise and vibration. Both V3 models have a 6-inch brace height, are powered by a Crosscentric Cam system with SwitchWeight Technology, offer adjustable letoff of 80 or 85 percent, are compatible with the optional Mathews Silent Connect System bow rope and bow sling accessories and are available in peak draw weights of 60, 65, 70 and 75 pounds. The V3 27 weighs 4.29 pounds, accommodates draw lengths from 25-29 1⁄2 inches and has an IBO speed rating of 336 fps (at a 291⁄2-inch draw). The V3 31 weighs 41⁄2 pounds, accommodates draw lengths from 26-301⁄2 inches and has an IBO speed rating of 342 fps. Mathews is also offering two new bow finish options — First Lite Specter and Under Armour All-Season — on top of its six existing camo and solid color choices.
$1,199 | mathewsinc.com
In a Hurry – PSE Xpedite NXT
PSE has taken the speed of its Xpedite bow and combined it with the company’s acclaimed EVO NXT design to create a hunting rig that offers a tremendous blend of power and comfort. With an IBO speed rating of up to 360 fps, the Xpedite NXT is plenty fast, but it also boasts a 33-inch axle-to-axle design that results in steady aiming and reduced shot vibration. The Xpedite NXT also features PSE’s ComfortGrip System that lets shooters choose between a riser grip for reduced torque or a molded grip overlay for maximum comfort. The Xpedite NXT has a 51⁄2-inch brace height, weighs 43⁄4 pounds, accommodates draw lengths from 241⁄2-30 inches and is available in peak draw weights of 60, 70 or 80 pounds. The bow ships standard with a 90 percent letoff cam module, though an 80 percent option is also available. Finish options include Black, Tan, First Lite Fusion, KUIU Verde, Mossy Oak Break-Up Country, Realtree Edge and Kryptek Altitude.
$1,099.99 | psearchery.com
Fast. Accurate. Comfortable. – Prime Nexus
Prime Archery strives to build the world’s best-aiming bows, and the company says its new Nexus accomplishes that with a perfect combination of speed, accuracy and comfort. Available in three models with IBO speeds up to 345 fps, the Nexus is the fastest Prime bow ever, thanks in large part to a lighter Parallel Cam system and reduced cable splitter weight. In addition to boosting speeds, the lighter components result in a 50 percent reduction in shot vibration compared to last year’s Prime Black Series bows. Another highlight on the Nexus is the new Nanogrip with Aerogel technology. Developed by NASA to protect astronauts from extreme cold in space, Aerogel creates an insulated barrier between the aluminum riser and the shooter’s hand. Wrapping 360 degrees around the riser, Aerogel not only makes the bow more comfortable to shoot but promotes consistent shooting form by eliminating the need to apply bulky wraps or wear gloves. Available models include the Nexus 2, Nexus 4 and Nexus 6, with respective axle-to-axle measurements of 32, 34 and 36 inches and IBO speed ratings of 341, 345 and 331 fps. The Nexus 2 and Nexus 4 have 6-inch brace heights, while the Nexus 6 offers a 6 1⁄2-inch brace height. Mass weight is 4.4 pounds for the Nexus 2, 4.5 pounds for the Nexus 4 and 4.6 pounds for the Nexus 6. As a group, the Nexus series will accommodate draw lengths from 23-311⁄2 inches, with peak draw weights ranging from 30-80 pounds. Nexus finish options include all of Prime’s current solid-color and camo options, along with a new Army Green hunting color and new Midnight Blue and Hammered Grey target colors.
$999-$1,199 | g5prime.com
Redeem Yourself – Bear Redemption EKO
Bear Archery’s new Redemption EKO is a 31-inch axle-to-axle hunting rig designed to hit the sweet spot between accuracy and in-the-field maneuverability. The bow is powered by Bear’s patented EKO Cam System, producing an IBO speed rating of 342 fps, along with system letoff that can be adjusted to four positions (75, 80, 85 or 90 percent). Bear’s new Vibration Reduction System (VRS) helps reduce shot noise and vibration by 25 percent compared to the previous system, while the riser-integrated Align Lok level aids in aligning second- and third-axis sight levels. The bow also comes with both Bear’s Versagrip and Narogrip for a custom feel with any shooting style. The Redemption EKO weighs 4.1 pounds, has a 6 1⁄4-inch brace height, accommodates draw lengths from 26-30 inches and is available in peak draw weights of 60 or 70 pounds, each with 15 pounds of downward adjustability. Finish options include Realtree Edge, Iron, Olive and more.
$999.99 | beararchery.com
Back With More – Elite EnKore
Leading the way in the 2021 Elite lineup is the aptly named EnKore. Created as a direct follow-up to the popular 2020 Kure, the EnKore features a 33-inch axle-to-axle length and an IBO speed rating of 340 fps, along with Elite’s ASYM Tri-Track Cam System and S.E.T. Technology. With micro-adjustment screws located on each limb pocket, S.E.T. Technology allows shooters to make small adjustments in cam position with the simple turn of an Allen wrench. This makes is possible to fine-tune arrow flight for each shooter’s individual shooting form and accomplish tasks such as paper tuning, walk-back tuning, bare-shaft tuning and broadhead tuning without a bow press or ever leaving the practice range. The EnKore features a new Performance VersaMod System that combines 90 percent system letoff with increased performance — creating a bow that offers a surprising mix of comfort and speed. Letoff is also adjustable between 70 percent and 90 percent by changing the position of the bow’s draw stops. The EnKore has a 6-inch brace height, weighs 4.55 pounds, accommodates draw lengths from 23-30 inches (in quarter-inch increments) and is available in peak draw weights of 40, 50, 60, 65 and 70 pounds. Finish options include Realtree Edge, Realtree Excape and KUIU Verde 2.0 camouflage, OD Brown, OD Green and eight target colors.
$1,099.99 | elitearchery.com
Carbon-Alloy Hybrid – Xpedition X Series
The new X Series from Xpedition Archery breaks new ground in bow design with the industry’s first hybrid riser that combines metal alloy and carbon fiber in a single unit. Xpedition refers to its proprietary riser material as Xloy/Magnite — a blend of alloys infused with carbon, resulting in CNC-machined risers that are stronger than aluminum yet lighter than many of the all-carbon risers on the market. Available in three models — the X30, X33 and X37 — the new risers help keep overall mass weight for these bows to 3.6, 3.7 and 3.9 pounds, respectively. In addition to the new risers, Xpedition says X Series bows boast incredible power via the new Lever Cam, the company’s most efficient cam system yet. IBO speed ratings on the X Series are 352 fps for the X30, 350 fps for the X33 and 334 fps for the X37. Another new feature on the X Series is the ETS (Energy Transfer System) cable-containment system that pre-loads the cables and reduces movement during the draw cycle for better overall performance. The X30 measures 30 inches between the axles and has a 61⁄4 -inch brace height, the X33 measures 321⁄2 inches between the axles and has a 61⁄2-inch brace height while the X37 measures 371⁄2 inches between the axles and has a 71⁄2-inch brace height. Taken as a whole, the X Series will accommodate draw lengths from 251⁄2-32 inches, in half-inch increments, via rotating cam modules. All bows feature adjustable, 80 percent letoff and are available in peak draw weights of 50, 60, 65 or 70 pounds.
$1,399 (X30 and X33) and $1,499 (X37) | xpeditionarchery.com
The Answer To Your Problems – Bowtech Solution SD
Short-draw archers looking for a high-performance bow with all of Bowtech’s latest high-tech innovations will find it in the new Solution SD. Designed for those with draw lengths from 231⁄2-281⁄2 inches, the Solution SD measures 30 inches between the axles, has a 7-inch brace height, weighs 3.9 pounds and has a speed rating of 323 fps. The bow also features DeadLock Cams that allow for custom bow tuning by adjusting the position of the cams on the axles without a bow press, DeadLock limb pockets for a precise limb-to-riser interface, Clutch Grip for consistent hand placement, Powershift Technology that allows for a speed boost simply by switching the cam modules into the “Performance” setting and Orbit dampeners to tame shot noise and vibration. Bowtech says the Solution SD’s cams, which offer rotating modules for easy draw-length adjustments, are optimized to produce maximum power and efficiency at shorter draw lengths while still providing a silky smooth feel. The Solution SD is available in your choice of 10 finish options, including KUIU Verde (shown).
$1,199.99 | bowtecharchery.com