Best review man! Great work. The top hats, way you have to change strings, and lack of valley are really huge points for people to understand before they buy.
Shot an RX4. Bought a VXR 28. The hoyt has that abrupt dump into the back wall. I got used to it on my defiant, but just was too much of a deal breaker for a $1600 bow. The VXR is less forgiving than the Vertix (which I own for now) , but if you make a perfect shot it can wreck some arrows. I just wish Mathews could knock some weight off but it does help with stability. But I guess it doesnt bother me too much since I own 2.
Knights of the Apex could you do a review on the rx-4 turbo, I’ve only seen 1 honest review on UA-cam when searching. I would guess many people stray away just because of the price.
@@clarencemaximum8553 You're for sure right. I'll see if I can snag a loaner from my local shop to review. I really like Hoyt's I just think people are going to skip over them for 2020 because the bows are so marginally different from previous years but carry a high price tag. Still great bows but they don't have the same fresh sexyness that Mathews, Prime and even PSE were able to conjure up.
All is true but draw cycle is not pleasant. However, not dominant in speed. Dominant in hand shock category and dead in the hand, holds great on target.
I love my vxr 28 but you hit home with the peep sight I’ll look into the gas strings thanks for that info, but the only real competitor I’ve shot was the prime black 3 i do really appreciate this input
Besides the brace height, there is no difference . I shot the vxr 28. feels like my Triax. There is no more dampening , or lack of vibration. Surly you or anyone else will feel or hear any difference. Blind folded you wont tell a difference, even your eyes open. Only difference you notice is the cut out and if it has those rope sling attachment.
Mathews Triax i could see that being the case. this made me feel better thanks. i love my tx5. even though i took a gamble with the short brace height, i can’t tell the difference. just hold the bow straight. the higher numbers on the slider get a little tougher though. but then again i’m never shooting that far unless it’s the summer.
If you want to get down to the brass tacks, the best bow ever is the one that fits you, that you're comfortable with, and that kills that deer. FWIW, I have a Mathews VXR 31.5. I switched over TO Mathews from Hoyt in 2002 when Mathews put out the Legacy, and haven't switched back. Mathews, IMO, has the best bow.
Good video. Mathews releases the beat bow ever every year. However discerning archers know it started with the MQ 1, the next best was the conquest then Q2XL, Chill X last is the Traverse.
I bought the VXR 28 70lbs it does have a stiff draw but it definitely does have a solid back wall. With the 85% let down I find you can hold it for as long as you want. I find it to be a nice shooting bow. Let’s face it there isn’t any real bad bows out there anymore the competition is to stiff. Ha ha .... It’s just a matter of preference.
Does it want to rip your arm off when you are letting it down without shooting? The current bow I shoot is at 70 lb and 85% let off and is smooth when I do have to let down, but it is also a single cam bow. I partially tore my rotator cuff a few years ago and I am worried about getting a bow with two cams and ripping my arm off if I ever let the bow down.
Kevin Dauffenbach You do understand it is a 70 pound bow so it is going to pull when you let it down like any other 70 pound bow. The let down on the bow doesn’t jump out of your hand but once it starts to move you do have to prepare for the 70 pound weight because there isn’t much of the valley on Matthews bows.
Keep hearing great things about the GAS strings. I have the VXR with the stock Zebra strings and have JUST started getting some peep rotation. If I take that string off and put on the GAS strings, will I honestly get no string stretch or peep rotation? I usually shoot about 75-100 arrows and then add some twists and re-tune my bow. If I put the GAS strings on, can I just go ahead and tune as soon as I get the strings installed and not have to worry about re-tuning after 100 shots or so? Thanks!
In my experiences yes you should be set after you throw them on. You might get some settling from the servings and what not but that works itself out usually in the couple arrows it takes to paper tune. I've taken GAS strings from hundred degree Florida heat and humidity to 30/40 degrees in the north east and had zero peep turn. There's always variables and one offs but the GAS strings I've owned or put on bows they have held up phenomenal. No complaints from guys still running them
You could split hairs between the Prime, the PSE NXT and the Mathews. They are all great it comes down to user preference and I preferred the Prime and the PSE more that's why I bought the PSE.
The draw is a bit stiff, but in my case, that's what you get with a 70# draw. I find the back wall has a very positive and deliberate feel. I like the feel once cams break over. It's solid and immediate, making an extremely steep valley....another thing I like. Everything about the VXR is sharp and tight, up until you release the string, then it's balanced, smooth, and quiet.
What is your opinion on the vxr 28 vs the tx-5 is it worth it to add the vxr to the arsenal?or to go with something else? I have a 25.5 inch draw so I go with bows with alot of speed.
Personally I don't think it's enough of a performance improvement to add it to the arsenal if you already have a TX-5. I'd go with something different but again, just me.
@@KnightsoftheApex cool, no I value your opinion I want to add another bow what would your suggestion be It may be just me but I like how a lot of them feel not very picky or a brand follower just a bow enthusiast. What do you think about pse expidite or pse ntn
@@shortdrawwhitetail1222 Really appreciate that! And I have the NXT 31 so I might be bias but I bought it for a reason. PSE has my favorite cam and grip on the market right now. Whether you go with the NTN or normal NXT will depend whether you prefer the lower stabilizer mount (which I do like) or value the wider rest shelf, tripod sticks, and double berger button hole of the NTN. And color options of course... I'm not very familiar with the Expedite. Prime is also making phenomenal bows and are worth a test too.
How much does those strings cost i have a bowtech and i think i have the zebra strings as well trying to get my feelers out there for some better strings
Bowtech doesn't use Zebra strings unless someone got them as replacement strings. Zebra is a division of Mathews. That said, I have put well over 10,000 shots on each of four sets of Zebra strings without an issue. I have also replaced Zebra that were starting to get fuzzy after that many shots with new Zebra strings, again with no problem. So they work fine for me but others claim they can't get them to settle in. I have about 7000 shots on my current Traverse with custom colored Zebra strings and they still look great. I just checked them yesterday for stretch and my setup still right on for brace height and axle to axle length.
@@ross7684 Thank you for giving me confidence. I'm either going to buy a Hoyt Axius Ultra or a Mathews VxR 31.5 but the string issue scared me but if you say it's working great then it should be good. The VXR has more colour customization for me but the overall design of the Axius is very aggressive like bat wings and I like that design's appearance a lot.
GAS and Hogwire are the ones I have the most experience with that have been absolutely rock solid on every bow I've put them on. There are a lot of good companies big and small but those are the ones I have experience with and can recommend.
They come standard with new Mathews but if you wanted to buy them after market then I would say that depends what you expect to get from them. If you don't mind dropping the cash for a cool accent that will help kill some vibration then for sure, get them. But it's not like the bow vibrates like a tuning fork or sounds like a gunshot without them. String dampeners definitely do help though.
Both great bows, comes down to preference of styles. Personally I like shooting the Hoyt more. The grip, balance, and cam cycle is just very comfortable and intuitive to me. BUT It's a slower, louder bow. That's why I bought the PSE. It feels similar to the Hoyt but is quieter and real world speed is closer to Mathews despite the advertised IBO.
Knights of the Apex spot on matey. As an engineer and a student of physics- their crusade for perfect linear nock travel and enabling the archer to focus on fixing form (instead of tuning), helped me to be a better archer & is starting to bare fruit for the company. When you know the bow is *perfect* you can fix your form at the most fundamental levels. Rotating draw length mods will change the list of archery world “Top Dawgs”. Get ready world, here comes G5!!
The Bow God im torn. Ive shot the 28 and it felt like sex. Cant find a 31.5 left handed to shoot it. Idk if i should go with the 28 since ive shot it or just send it and get the 31.5
Not a chance. Just shot NTN last weekend, thought it was going to jump out of my hand. VXR is even smoother than my Triax. I'd buy a second prime before the NTN.
I know you like your gas strings but why jump on the zebra hating train. I've literally shot thousands of arrows, I've hunted in 100+ temps and rain. Zero peep rotation and super reliable accuracy. It's all about getting the bow set up by a professional the first time.
I am glad you dropped this comment because rarely is an experience in the archery community universal. I'm not the type to rip on something just because I like something else. GAS are good but so are ABB, Hogwire and in the factory side Livewire, and recently Fuse upped their game the past few years. just because those companies make good strings doesn't make Zebra strings bad Zebra just cut corners and that's a fact. Their servings are sloppy, they don't serve their end loops and they stretch. Not just my feedback I've gotten that message in my DM's on Instagram from dozens of shooters from Maine to Australia. If it was just one or two sets of strings that's not a real issue and I wouldn't talk about it but this has been the M.O. on Zebras for a while now.
Hope your rt. I absolutely love this bow. I only have about 50 shots in rt now. Now I'm wondering before I get too involved if I should just swap out the string now and start over before I get peep rotation rt before bow season!?
Lol the Chris Bee joke was hilarious
I have sold my Triax for the VXR 31.5 and I'm verry happy with it. It is a great shooting machine.
Good view points, pros/cons. You just reiterated my leaning towards a Hoyt RX-4, thanks!!
Thanks!
I have the exact same setup sight and accessories. Lol that's crazy I was like let me check if my VXR is where I last left it lol
HA! It's a beast of a rig
Best review man! Great work. The top hats, way you have to change strings, and lack of valley are really huge points for people to understand before they buy.
Appreciate that! Great bows no doubt but it's important to be honest that they aren't this Excalibur some have made them out to be
That pallet wall is dope!
Thanks! Used some pallets that were sitting in the back of my local range
Amen on the peep sight twist. So aggravating.
I have no complaints bout the vxr 28 it's smooth and I shoot it great
The moon 🌙 phases 🤣🤣🤣. Great review wish I had an opportunity to shoot one. Lefty disadvantages.
Thanks Todd!
I had tried one right handed vxr left handed before i bought mine. It's no big deal, us lefties gotta do whatever we can.
That honestly made me laugh out loud.
Shot an RX4. Bought a VXR 28. The hoyt has that abrupt dump into the back wall. I got used to it on my defiant, but just was too much of a deal breaker for a $1600 bow. The VXR is less forgiving than the Vertix (which I own for now) , but if you make a perfect shot it can wreck some arrows. I just wish Mathews could knock some weight off but it does help with stability. But I guess it doesnt bother me too much since I own 2.
Video editing looking good!
Thanks man!
It was a tough choice I went with the Hoyt RX-4 carbon Turbo. I just liked the aggressiveness, it’s a little faster, little lighter, ata +1.5 inches.
Hoyt makes a great bow. I am pretty rough on them sometimes but it's because I hold them in such high regard.
Knights of the Apex could you do a review on the rx-4 turbo, I’ve only seen 1 honest review on UA-cam when searching. I would guess many people stray away just because of the price.
@@clarencemaximum8553 You're for sure right. I'll see if I can snag a loaner from my local shop to review. I really like Hoyt's I just think people are going to skip over them for 2020 because the bows are so marginally different from previous years but carry a high price tag. Still great bows but they don't have the same fresh sexyness that Mathews, Prime and even PSE were able to conjure up.
this information is fantastic. This is a seriously honest review and much appreciated. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
You can get a top hat kit with lots of different sizes from mathews.
That is a great point I completely forgot about that! Appreciate the heads up!
I shot every flagship bow for 2020,The pse NXT 31,33,The Obsession evolution 7,Bowtech Revolt x were the best bows of 2020 in my opinion
All is true but draw cycle is not pleasant. However, not dominant in speed. Dominant in hand shock category and dead in the hand, holds great on target.
I love my vxr 28 but you hit home with the peep sight I’ll look into the gas strings thanks for that info, but the only real competitor I’ve shot was the prime black 3 i do really appreciate this input
They announced the VXR release a couple months after i bought the TX5... i have to tell myself i like it better
Besides the brace height, there is no difference . I shot the vxr 28. feels like my Triax. There is no more dampening , or lack of vibration. Surly you or anyone else will feel or hear any difference. Blind folded you wont tell a difference, even your eyes open. Only difference you notice is the cut out and if it has those rope sling attachment.
Mathews Triax i could see that being the case. this made me feel better thanks. i love my tx5. even though i took a gamble with the short brace height, i can’t tell the difference. just hold the bow straight. the higher numbers on the slider get a little tougher though. but then again i’m never shooting that far unless it’s the summer.
If you want to get down to the brass tacks, the best bow ever is the one that fits you, that you're comfortable with, and that kills that deer. FWIW, I have a Mathews VXR 31.5. I switched over TO Mathews from Hoyt in 2002 when Mathews put out the Legacy, and haven't switched back. Mathews, IMO, has the best bow.
Couldn't agree more. Lots of great bows these days the "best" comes down to shooter preference
Good video.
Mathews releases the beat bow ever every year.
However discerning archers know it started with the MQ 1, the next best was the conquest then Q2XL, Chill X last is the Traverse.
I bought the VXR 28 70lbs it does have a stiff draw but it definitely does have a solid back wall. With the 85% let down I find you can hold it for as long as you want. I find it to be a nice shooting bow. Let’s face it there isn’t any real bad bows out there anymore the competition is to stiff. Ha ha .... It’s just a matter of preference.
Could not agree more!
Does it want to rip your arm off when you are letting it down without shooting? The current bow I shoot is at 70 lb and 85% let off and is smooth when I do have to let down, but it is also a single cam bow. I partially tore my rotator cuff a few years ago and I am worried about getting a bow with two cams and ripping my arm off if I ever let the bow down.
Kevin Dauffenbach You do understand it is a 70 pound bow so it is going to pull when you let it down like any other 70 pound bow. The let down on the bow doesn’t jump out of your hand but once it starts to move you do have to prepare for the 70 pound weight because there isn’t much of the valley on Matthews bows.
Awesome video man!
Just this weekend I drew back on a hog and my peep sight was side ways lol. I am running a 2012 Bear with original strings however lol
Great review my dude. Subbed!
Thanks!
I love the VXR, I feel its slightly improved over my Halon 32 but its an amazing bow and if I didn't already love my Halon I would buy a VXR
Mathews has speed now because their 70# Bow feels like 80#. That draw cycle has suffered since they started trying to compete in speed category.
Mann those cams is so big looks like shopping cart wheels
awesome video my man!
Thanks Brotha!
good bow
Don’t upgrade your room set up before you upgrade your mic set up bro. Great review btw.
Good advice. I think the reverb is coming off the cieling
Great Video Keep Up The Awesome Work!!
Man your are too underrated. Great vid
Thanks man! I am ok with my rating right now. I know I have some stuff to work on for sure but enjoying the process. Appreciate all the support!
My Creed XS would be a good comparison!
The Creed was a great bow. The Z7 is another one people still love.
Keep hearing great things about the GAS strings. I have the VXR with the stock Zebra strings and have JUST started getting some peep rotation. If I take that string off and put on the GAS strings, will I honestly get no string stretch or peep rotation? I usually shoot about 75-100 arrows and then add some twists and re-tune my bow. If I put the GAS strings on, can I just go ahead and tune as soon as I get the strings installed and not have to worry about re-tuning after 100 shots or so? Thanks!
In my experiences yes you should be set after you throw them on. You might get some settling from the servings and what not but that works itself out usually in the couple arrows it takes to paper tune. I've taken GAS strings from hundred degree Florida heat and humidity to 30/40 degrees in the north east and had zero peep turn. There's always variables and one offs but the GAS strings I've owned or put on bows they have held up phenomenal. No complaints from guys still running them
Ok so what bow do you feel is better than the vex you have in this review and in what way
You could split hairs between the Prime, the PSE NXT and the Mathews. They are all great it comes down to user preference and I preferred the Prime and the PSE more that's why I bought the PSE.
What’s the string angle at 28.5 draw and beyond?
Great review
Thanks!
Looks like they gave you a free bow so now Mathews is the best.
Bruh, you didn't even try and fake like you watched the video.
A bear bows is a top of line bow they really nice bow they shoot really nice that is mine pick
Best Mathews bow, Switchback has entered the chat.
Anyone I know who ever got rid of that bow has regretted it. It is a classic.
I’ve got a z7 I’m thinking of getting rid of and grabbing a vxr would it be worth it?
New bows come out in a few weeks. Wait to decide until then. Worst case scenario the VXR price drops.
Knights of the Apex thanks for the feedback I’ll definitely wait I was thinking of waiting till after this season anyway
Good call. Yeah I would honestly wait until ATA in January before placing an order. Most won't ship until February anyway.
Have you shot the 31.5?
Yup, I would say it's a touch smoother. Longer draw lengths will probably like the 31.5 more. I like the string angle on the 28 but I'm only a 28" DL
Best bow, if you like a stiff draw, and a soft back wall!
The draw is a bit stiff, but in my case, that's what you get with a 70# draw. I find the back wall has a very positive and deliberate feel. I like the feel once cams break over. It's solid and immediate, making an extremely steep valley....another thing I like. Everything about the VXR is sharp and tight, up until you release the string, then it's balanced, smooth, and quiet.
What is your opinion on the vxr 28 vs the tx-5 is it worth it to add the vxr to the arsenal?or to go with something else? I have a 25.5 inch draw so I go with bows with alot of speed.
Personally I don't think it's enough of a performance improvement to add it to the arsenal if you already have a TX-5. I'd go with something different but again, just me.
@@KnightsoftheApex cool, no I value your opinion I want to add another bow what would your suggestion be It may be just me but I like how a lot of them feel not very picky or a brand follower just a bow enthusiast. What do you think about pse expidite or pse ntn
@@shortdrawwhitetail1222 Really appreciate that! And I have the NXT 31 so I might be bias but I bought it for a reason. PSE has my favorite cam and grip on the market right now. Whether you go with the NTN or normal NXT will depend whether you prefer the lower stabilizer mount (which I do like) or value the wider rest shelf, tripod sticks, and double berger button hole of the NTN. And color options of course... I'm not very familiar with the Expedite. Prime is also making phenomenal bows and are worth a test too.
@@KnightsoftheApex great that made my mind up was looking at and leaning toward pse just wondered about durability?
How do I order the bow strings you just talked about, for vxr 31.5..? Thank You.
Through Gas Bowstrings website or you can give them a call.
What size top hat did you swap on the bottom cams?
I just flipped what sides the stock top hats were on
What size dampener is that on the spider claw?
I believe they only have two sizes but it's the smaller one
How much does those strings cost i have a bowtech and i think i have the zebra strings as well trying to get my feelers out there for some better strings
They were $150
Bowtech doesn't use Zebra strings unless someone got them as replacement strings. Zebra is a division of Mathews. That said, I have put well over 10,000 shots on each of four sets of Zebra strings without an issue. I have also replaced Zebra that were starting to get fuzzy after that many shots with new Zebra strings, again with no problem. So they work fine for me but others claim they can't get them to settle in. I have about 7000 shots on my current Traverse with custom colored Zebra strings and they still look great. I just checked them yesterday for stretch and my setup still right on for brace height and axle to axle length.
@@ross7684 Thank you for giving me confidence. I'm either going to buy a Hoyt Axius Ultra or a Mathews VxR 31.5 but the string issue scared me but if you say it's working great then it should be good. The VXR has more colour customization for me but the overall design of the Axius is very aggressive like bat wings and I like that design's appearance a lot.
What are the strings you said to get
GAS and Hogwire are the ones I have the most experience with that have been absolutely rock solid on every bow I've put them on. There are a lot of good companies big and small but those are the ones I have experience with and can recommend.
So which are your top 3 bows?
Prime, PSE, Mathews. Could go any order just comes down to user preference
Are the monkey tails worth buying in your opinion ??
They come standard with new Mathews but if you wanted to buy them after market then I would say that depends what you expect to get from them. If you don't mind dropping the cash for a cool accent that will help kill some vibration then for sure, get them. But it's not like the bow vibrates like a tuning fork or sounds like a gunshot without them. String dampeners definitely do help though.
Where can I pick up that grip?
Rattler Grips
Good vid
I shoot this year the PSE Mach 1.
The Mathews is cool but the PSE rocks. But 500 $ more....
Greetings from Germany.
Greetings!
What grip is that?
Rattler Grip. I talk about it in the video and here is a link in the description
What grip do you have on that VXR?
Rattler Grips Engage Grip
Knights of the Apex Thank you
Hilarious!!!!! Salad wasn’t ambush green 😉
I love mathews but ordered a Mach 1
Still shooting a traverse
Trading for my vxr today though
Thanks! I need to get some more time with the Mach 1
What stabilizer is that
Mathews flatline
Is that a 10 inch ?
@@renosnutzz8592 I believe that's an 8"
#1
This vs Hoyt axius alpha
Both great bows, comes down to preference of styles. Personally I like shooting the Hoyt more. The grip, balance, and cam cycle is just very comfortable and intuitive to me. BUT It's a slower, louder bow. That's why I bought the PSE. It feels similar to the Hoyt but is quieter and real world speed is closer to Mathews despite the advertised IBO.
Knights of the Apex thanks for the quick and honest reply!
Nope-
Black 5 is the industry benchmark.
...I own more Mathews bows than prime.
I wish more people had that opinion. Prime makes a great bow and deserves more credit
Knights of the Apex spot on matey.
As an engineer and a student of physics- their crusade for perfect linear nock travel and enabling the archer to focus on fixing form (instead of tuning), helped me to be a better archer & is starting to bare fruit for the company.
When you know the bow is *perfect* you can fix your form at the most fundamental levels.
Rotating draw length mods will change the list of archery world “Top Dawgs”.
Get ready world, here comes G5!!
The 31.5 is a much better bow. Facts
The Bow God im torn. Ive shot the 28 and it felt like sex. Cant find a 31.5 left handed to shoot it. Idk if i should go with the 28 since ive shot it or just send it and get the 31.5
Deffinetly not a noticeable difference unless your over 6'0.... vxr 28 is perfect for people with up to a 29" draw...
The PSE NTN is the better bow this year. I hate to say it. I’ve owned every Mathews to date. The Vertix is even better than the VXR
Not a chance. Just shot NTN last weekend, thought it was going to jump out of my hand. VXR is even smoother than my Triax. I'd buy a second prime before the NTN.
@@andrewspracklen1720 you shouldn't listen to this guy the moment he says the vertix is better, lol
I know you like your gas strings but why jump on the zebra hating train. I've literally shot thousands of arrows, I've hunted in 100+ temps and rain. Zero peep rotation and super reliable accuracy. It's all about getting the bow set up by a professional the first time.
I am glad you dropped this comment because rarely is an experience in the archery community universal. I'm not the type to rip on something just because I like something else. GAS are good but so are ABB, Hogwire and in the factory side Livewire, and recently Fuse upped their game the past few years. just because those companies make good strings doesn't make Zebra strings bad Zebra just cut corners and that's a fact. Their servings are sloppy, they don't serve their end loops and they stretch. Not just my feedback I've gotten that message in my DM's on Instagram from dozens of shooters from Maine to Australia. If it was just one or two sets of strings that's not a real issue and I wouldn't talk about it but this has been the M.O. on Zebras for a while now.
@@KnightsoftheApex maybe i just got lucky. Not hating on your videos, I like them. Maybe I'll try gas when I buy another set. Keep the hard work.
@@andrewspracklen1720 Appreciate that! And no worries I don't take the challenge personally. I think discussions like this are great
Hope your rt. I absolutely love this bow. I only have about 50 shots in rt now. Now I'm wondering before I get too involved if I should just swap out the string now and start over before I get peep rotation rt before bow season!?
What wrist sling is that?
amzn.to/2OMAcI0 Here you go!