Author Topic: why i'm unhappy with my mathews (Read 4192 times)

wijim · « **on:** May 17, 2005, 03:42:21 AM »

i think they are a high quality bow with extremely great technology. ill start with that.

but....they cost 700 bucks every year when they got a new model. why?....because they give team matthews shooters extra dough if they win with their product. when you buy their bow you are paying for the ungodly huge ad campaigns and the extra money and bows given to touney pros.

i have shot many many nice bows....from hoyt, martin, darton, bowtech, renegade, bear, browning, pse, and matthews....thats the ones i recall.

i am still using a 15 year old darton maverick....i bought it cuz it was cheap at the time....and i needed a bow. so it is the cheaper line of darton and ancient.

i still use it because i am familiar with it, i am proficient with it, and it kills what i point it at. i dont shoot tournament anymore but when i used to....i stayed right up there with the guys who were shooting their 1500.00 candy apple red target bows with the 3' long stabilizers. but i never ate a target that tasted good so i dont do the league thing anymore.

so i dont see any reason whatsoever to put out another mortgage to buy a bow.

my opinion...lol...ill get off my soapbox now...

daddywpb · « **Reply #1 on:** May 21, 2005, 12:20:20 AM »

I agree. I think Matthews bows are way over priced, and probably becasue of the reasons you have mentioned. I've been shoooting a PSE Whitetail Extreme for years, and it's all the bow I'll ever need. That being said, I'd love to have a Switchback. :grin:

Buckskin · « **Reply #2 on:** June 08, 2005, 10:31:58 AM »

Yeah there expensive. But so are most of the top of the line bows. I shoot a Hoyt X-TEC that cost about $700, and it is the nicest shooting thing I have ever picked up. Fell in love with it from the first shot. I shot all of the contenders and I feel that Mathews is over engineered, too much crap on it to get out of whack. My Buddy bought the new Mathews so and we will be comparing them soon. If you don't want or need the advantages of a new bow then price is a non-issue. You just stick with your 15 year old bow, and don't worry about what others pay for their equipment. I feel that they are worth every penny. I went from feeling confident shooting 40 yards and I stepped that confidence back to 70. Not sure if I will take hunting shot at that distance, but if I had the time to judge the distance and prep for the shot I know I would be able to stick it in the honey hole and have the power to kill it.

wijim · « **Reply #3 on:** June 08, 2005, 11:33:38 AM »

i agree with you buckskin.....

that bein said....i dont concern myself with what bows others use. it's just a rant on matthews because they are the most blatant abusers of making the archery consumer pay for over-exposure, and i hate to see folks duped into thinking they got a bow near as nice as your hoyt. the new switchback incidently sells for 50 bucks higher than your hoyt at 1 store i looked. the switch back looks all fancy etc cuz its limbs are very parallel....but the rest of that bow is similar to their older models (mq series) which are now back down to the 500 and less range. so for an extra 200 bucks you get more parallel limbs...and all the sudden the old matthews dampening system has no more value...lol.

regardless....it really boils down to comfort level on any bow. i guess if a fella feels the grip and pull of a particular model of matthews is the best fit for him...then thats the bow he oughta get. but......the fellers sellin bows at scheels......well they just think you oughta shoot a matthews just because its sooooo advanced. :lol:

btw...jeeeeezzzz i can barely see 70 yards...lol im joking....ive never even practiced at that range. i go out to 50 yards n hit baseball groups....but honestly...the deer ive shot have all been within 20 yards...every one of them.

but lately...im shootin traditional.....so my shots im certain will be within 15 yards. bear next victim. :-)

daddywpb · « **Reply #4 on:** June 08, 2005, 01:27:42 PM »

We are all victims of the mighty advertising dollar, and archery equipment is not the only culprit. The most glaring example, in my opinion, is the Benelli shotguns, the turkey guns in particular. I was at the range next to a guy with a Benelli slug gun that he had just paid $1500 for. If the target had been a garbage can lid, he wouldn't have been hitting it. He wasn't a happy camper. Just because it costs more, doesn't neccisarily mean it's better, even though the Outdoor Channel is saturated with Benelli commercials. Sometimes it's difficult, but you have to learn how to see through the hype. If you have a bow that you have confidence in, and it feels good to you, I would have trouble understanding why you would want to spend $1000 for an additional 100 fps. The deer won't know the difference.

trky chsr · « **Reply #5 on:** June 08, 2005, 04:24:24 PM »

I bought a new bow last year in January for the first time in 10 years. I was shooting a Darton and really liked it but I wanted an upgrade. I had already made up my mind between Hoyt and Mathews. After shooting several models I honestly could not make up my mind they all felt great and shot great. I ended up buying a Mathews Q2 because it was a last years model and was $100 less than a current Mathews or Hoyt. Both brands in my area are roughly the same price. My bow may be over-engineered but all I know is I've never shot better in my life! Are they over priced? Maybe but they sure shoot!

wijim · « **Reply #6 on:** June 09, 2005, 03:07:23 AM »

daddywpb,
your shotgun anaolgy is hilarious. i have this old (coast to coast model) springfield pump 20 guage and have had it since it was new when i was 13. it is the most plain jane pump a guy could get. i paid 79.00 for it brand new. my cousin asked me if i wanted to go trap shooting a few years back. he shows up with a browning citori...an absolute beautiful gun, swung nice, good weight and balance, and pretty as a picture....just perfect. he shot a 13...i shot a 19 neither of us had shot trap for 10 years.....lol

trkychser,

great hearing your shooting improved. im not rippin on matthews owners....just their company's decisions....and as daddywpb said....it aint just bow manufacturers. thats just the one i put here for the sake of gettin a bit of conversation going.

i know a guy makes a living on deer hunting....bow hunting in general. he is a commercial success with it. on his truck, he has a giant matthews insignia across the entire side (both sides). not a small rear window sticker like lots of us have promoting our sport, but a huge logo. he does not work for matthews, but he does shoot a matthews. here im not ripping on him either.....hes a heck of a nice guy and very very skilled hunter. but i bet if bowtech had given him a bow or several and bought ad space on his truck......he wouldn't be shooting matthews.

Buckskin · « **Reply #7 on:** June 09, 2005, 03:49:59 AM »

After replying to this post yesterday, I pulled out my X-TEC and shot a couple dozen arrows. Mmmmm mmmmm do I like that bow, it felt like I haven't put it down since last fall. I have a Canadian bear hunt coming up in August and have been meaning to get going on it.

wijim · « **Reply #8 on:** June 09, 2005, 04:08:11 AM »

good luck on the canadian bear hunt!

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 09, 2005, 12:50:21 PM »

Just because Mathews comes out with a new bow every years is not a reason to buy a new one. I have not found a reason to change to the new Mathews bows, my Mathews Legacy works just fine for me, and worth every penny I spent. Mathews is not the only bow manufacture that has high priced bows. If you don't like the price don't get one, (simple as that). :-)

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 14, 2005, 02:02:28 AM »

As much as I liked my Mathews Legacy, I went out and got the new Switchback. What an awesome bow.

:-D

Arrroman · « **Reply #11 on:** July 14, 2005, 10:53:32 AM »

Mathews makes a very quiet, stabile, accurate, reliable bow. The fact that they keep on refining their product does not diminish the respect I have for their older model bows. I still hunt with an Icon, its the smoothest bow I own. If I were to get another bow it would be the Ovation.

Good luck hunting! >>>------------>

THE#1hunter · « **Reply #12 on:** August 31, 2005, 01:37:31 PM »

Quote from: Redhawk1

Just because Mathews comes out with a new bow every years is not a reason to buy a new one. I have not found a reason to change to the new Mathews bows, my Mathews Legacy works just fine for me, and worth every penny I spent. Mathews is not the only bow manufacture that has high priced bows. If you don't like the price don't get one, (simple as that). :-)

Without a doubt agree with Redhawk...I have shot many bows..bear,pse, jennings..etc..and the best most reliable bow i have found is my BMX2..its a confidence builder along with anything else..

JeffG · « **Reply #13 on:** August 31, 2005, 04:03:10 PM »

Chasing this year's camo pattern, and next year's bow can tax anyone's wallet. Ya gotta pick and choose.

When my buddy came over and shot his Mathews side by side with my Golden Eagle, I was impressed at how much better the Matthews was overall. Speed, penetration, quiet. He's known to be cheap at times, but he wisely spent the money he had on that bow, and he will keep it for 15 years. I will never own one, but I am not jealous, just impressed.

GEMSBUCK · « **Reply #14 on:** September 06, 2005, 02:17:08 AM »

:-D I have owned several compounds in the last 30 yrs some were high end modles others were middle of the road. I own a Hoyt XTech right now, know what........ over the years I've learned it isn't the bow but the shooter..... while I enjoy shooting my Hoyt with the latest bells and whistles I am just as accurate with my Bear 3 pc takedown 60" recurve under 30 yds.......
I read comments about possibly taking 70 yd shots at game animals and I laugh! Didn't we all get into archery for the challenge of getting close to game to begin with?

Archery is now always was and always should be a <30 yd sport.

Frog123 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 19, 2005, 05:00:53 PM »

I still shoot my Q2 XL. It's not their newest bow and don't feel the need to upgrade right now just b/c Mathews releases a new model every year. I'm sure they spend quite a bit in research and development but 800-900 dollars every year for a new bow is a bit ridiculous.

muzzleblast525 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 19, 2005, 05:10:50 PM »

I got a hankering for a new bow, and seeing how I had been shooting Mathews, I bought the Switchback. Shot it about 10 times, then thought how stupid I was to pay that much money for this bow. Sold it on Ebay, thank goodness I got more than I had in it. Next bow will be a nice one, but not so costly.....

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #17 on:** September 19, 2005, 06:42:58 PM »

Quote from: muzzleblast525

I got a hankering for a new bow, and seeing how I had been shooting Mathews, I bought the Switchback. Shot it about 10 times, then thought how stupid I was to pay that much money for this bow. Sold it on Ebay, thank goodness I got more than I had in it. Next bow will be a nice one, but not so costly.....

Other than the price, what did you find wrong with the Switchback. I just love mine and would not sell it just because I thought I paid to much for it. Didn't you realise how much you were paying at the time of purchase???

willis5 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 25, 2005, 10:01:50 AM »

Quote from: daddywpb

I agree. I think Matthews bows are way over priced, and probably becasue of the reasons you have mentioned. I've been shoooting a PSE Whitetail Extreme for years, and it's all the bow I'll ever need. That being said, I'd love to have a Switchback. :grin:

I love my Switchback. It is worth every penny imho. :wink:

I was one of those guys who said "my 12 year old Browning Summit II is all that I need. I can keep up with any of those competitive shooters (which was b.s.). I don't need an expensive bow when mine does the job."

That is until I bought my Switchback.

pound your nails while my carpenter uses a nail gun. :wink:

K.K. · « **Reply #19 on:** September 26, 2005, 01:47:08 PM »

I bought a Mathews LX two years ago. It wasn't cheap, but comparable to other high-end bows (HOYT, etc). anyway, after shooting a dozen arrows, my buddy, a lefty, wanted to try it. The arrow must not have been nocked correctly. in any case, he essentially dry fired my new bow, split the limbs, and basically blew it up. Mathews had my new bow in my hands in a week..

They have my business. There are many great bows out there, and it is hard to find a bad one. But Mathews is definitely one of the best in my book. Just my thoughts. Good Luck.

ronbow · « **Reply #20 on:** October 03, 2005, 09:55:58 AM »

Well, I just went out on my lunch break and bought a new Mathews Outback cause I'm tired of replacing PSE limbs. My last 3 bows were all PSE and every one broke a limb. However the last one (a Thunderbolt) took 4 years to do it and I did love that bow. The Outback has a lifetime limb guarantee. So we'll see. We''l also see if I can get enuff practice being as the PSE broke right in the middle of Florida bow season !!

Buckskin · « **Reply #21 on:** October 03, 2005, 10:56:41 AM »

Gemsbuck,
Why do you have a compound bow?? You certainly don't need an X-TEC if your not going to shoot over 30.
Archery is not by any means a <30 yard sport. Not by a long shot( no pun intended). And it hasn't been for many years. If your comfortable at 50 plus, pull the pin baby!

If your not comfortable, and I mean hitting a grapefruit sized target nearly evertime, let him walk.

Shane in WI · « **Reply #22 on:** February 07, 2006, 01:36:10 PM »

I bought a Mathews Q2 5 years ago and couldn't hit the same spot twice. The so called excellent warrenty support wasn't worth a darn and the dealer wouldn't help with anything. Finally convinced him to trade it in even up for the Hoyt UltraTec. With in 2 hours including my setup, I was shooting that bow 10 times better than that mathews ever shot in the 2 1/2 weeks I owned and shot it. Don't know if I had a lemon or what, but there sure were problems with that bow. I wouldn't even shoot one again much less own one. In fact I ordered a new Hoyt Trykon this afternoon.

wijim · « **Reply #23 on:** March 07, 2006, 08:24:10 AM »

ive since changed my tune on matthews. i dont own one and probably wont buy one....i bought a new martin recently and love it. but 2 weeks ago i was hog hunting with a good friend and he got three complete pass-throughs that day......with very little effort. his target shooting was horrible before we went. but on game he was unbelievable and the hog i shot....i got a passthrough on both lungs......it went a loooong way. it was still on the hoof 400 yards away. he got to it first and put another one through the lungs....at my request via radio. it took off again......it went a long ways all said n done but it was running dead the whole time for the most part. his hog...took 2 arrows through both lungs as well....it died quicker than mine. but i will no longer complain about matthews.....he's pushing arrows about 30 fps faster than i am. im at 280...hes at 310 with heavier arrows and 10 more #s draw. i just plain dont like the high price though.....thats all.....but all mfgs have high $ bows that aren't shot any better than my new bow.

Daks · « **Reply #24 on:** March 07, 2006, 11:19:06 AM »

A lot depends on the animal as to how fast it dies. The bow didn't make the animal die any faster. Shot placement and sharp broadheads is more important than a faster bow.

longwinters · « **Reply #25 on:** March 07, 2006, 11:38:20 AM »

I have a Mathews Conquest. Bought it about 5 years ago used. Best bow I ever had . . . and I have had lots of em. When I shot a lot of tournys and leagues I averaged a new bow every 18 months and shot thousands of arrows a year. I just hunt anymore, but see no need for any other bow. So for me the Mathews was cheap.

Long

wijim · « **Reply #26 on:** March 07, 2006, 11:41:52 AM »

Quote from: Daks

A lot depends on the animal as to how fast it dies. The bow didn't make the animal die any faster. Shot placement and sharp broadheads is more important than a faster bow.

correct....but i been a mathews basher for a long time because of the proce to quality ratio......and im admitting i am wrong by bashing matthews. if its the right fit its the right one to get. speed is esthetic at best. kinetic energy is the ticket for penetration

mspaci · « **Reply #27 on:** November 08, 2006, 09:18:34 AM »

Archery is not a 50 yard sport, & anyone who says otherwise is only fooling themselves. Too much can go wrong out that far. On the 3-D range is one thing but the woods is something entirely different. You just do not have the power for consistant kills out there. That being said my longest kill was 55 yards when I was very young & foolish. Now its a 30 yard sport where I kill 100% of the time. No long tracks or lost deer. Period. I had the same problem w/ Mathews asa the gentleman spoke & will never own another. Mike

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #28 on:** November 08, 2006, 03:54:17 PM »

I shoot a matthews legacy also. I tried several bows before I bought it and found it to work best for me, regardless of what the trend was at the time. I don't think it matters what kind of bow you shoot, if it works it works wether it cost 700 bucks or 50.

I used to shoot an entry level pse, don't remember the model but I shot it for years and was fairly proficient with it. It was really starting to show it's age and I decided to buy a new one. As I said i tried different bows and instantly felt totally comfortable with the matthews. I just use it for hunting and don't plan on buying a new bow for a long time, but next time I will look at the newest matthews first. In my opinion it was worth every cent.

257 roberts · « **Reply #29 on:** November 09, 2006, 01:09:11 AM »

I felt the way you did TILL I got a XT now I'm a Mathews groupie.