Posted: 1/12/2009 6:44:23 PM EDT
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My son shoots a Mission Menace, and I've decided to get a bow so that we can shoot together. I will probably try shooting hogs or varmints, but mostly the bow is an excuse to spend time target shooting with my boy. Our local shop is a full-line Mathews and Mission dealer, and I like the people a lot, so no other brands will be considered. I looked at several bows and narrowed down to two candidates to test-shoot later this week.
Mission Eliminator @ approx $420 or Mathews Hyperlite @ approx $700. Money isn't a huge issue, but I do like to maximize bang-for-bucks. Anyone have experience with either? Opinions? |
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I have no experience with Mission.
I shot PSE for 15 or so years, then martin for another 12. 3 years ago I switched over to a Matthews Switchback XT and I'm sold. Best bow I've ever put in my hands. Best thing you can do is shoot both of them, since price isn't an issue, put that out of you mind and select the one that you feel most confident/comfortable with and shoot better. Probably doesn't help you one lick, but my $0.02 and experience with Matthews |
That sounds like a great reason to get into archery. 
I have to agree with New4John, shoot both and let whatever feels better guide you. It isn't always the more expensive bow. I think you'll be happy with either one. Don't hesitate to look at some others like the S2 or Drenalin/Drenalin LD. The Hyperlite has a good brace height and a smooth cam, so it should be a nice forgiving bow to learn on. The Mission you're looking at has a very similar brace height, axle to axle length, and cam, so it will just end up on what feels better to you. A Mathews will have a better resale value, but you obviously pay more up front. The Mission line of bows aren't as aesthetically pleasing, but they are very high quality. Make sure they get you fitted for the proper draw length, most shops like to set people up a little too long. If you have any questions, be sure to post them. There's a lot of knowledgeable guys around here to help. Good luck |
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Update: I went to the bow shop today with enough cash to pick up the Mathews Hyperlite, and came home with........NOT SO QUICK!
The shop owner bet me that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the two bows, so off to the range we went. I shot both, liked both, but probably because of my very limited experience, couldn't say that one was really better than the other, with two exceptions. 1. The Hyperlite's release seems smoother. I don't know how to describe it other than when the cams roll over during a controlled slow release (not firing the arrow), the Mission hesitates just a tad and then quickly releases forward, while the Mathews smoothly releases the instant your hand begins to move forward. When actually shooting, no difference in release was noted. The shop owner agreed with me that the advantage was to the Hyperlite, but also agreed that this was a minor issue. 2. The Mathews Hyperlite weighs a bit less than the Mission Eliminator. The difference is noticeable when just holding/comparing the bows, but not so much while shooting. I shot the bows back-to-back at their range. The pro would hand me a bow, and I would shoot without studying it, or thinking about which one I had in my hand. After a few shots, I could tell which one I had in my hand because the Mathews has a wood grip and the Mission has a hard rubber one. I honestly could not discern any shooting advantage either way, so I brought home a Mission Eliminator (and some of my cash). We rigged the Eliminator with an Ultra Rest, Extreme 850 sight, arrows, and a Stinger release, all for about the base price of the Hyperlite. I also picked up a couple of accessories for my son, so he was excited too! Thanks for your offers of help, I'll probably need it.
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The difference you were feeling was in the valley of the cam. The more aggresive the cam is, the harsher the valley will feel. A softer valley is generally more forgiving.
The valley is basically where the bow transitions to and from full let-off. A narrow valley will feel like it wants to jerk forward, these are found on more aggressive bows/cams. Softer/longer valleys are great for new shooters. |
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Quoted:
The difference you were feeling was in the valley of the cam. The more aggresive the cam is, the harsher the valley will feel. A softer valley is generally more forgiving. The valley is basically where the bow transitions to and from full let-off. A narrow valley will feel like it wants to jerk forward, these are found on more aggressive bows/cams. Softer/longer valleys are great for new shooters. Thanks for the explanation, and I do remember the pro using the term "valley" now. I would have spent the extra money if there was that much difference in drawing the two bows, but I just didn't notice any. I have no idea how to post pictures. Is there a tutorial somewhere on ARFcom? |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
The difference you were feeling was in the valley of the cam. The more aggresive the cam is, the harsher the valley will feel. A softer valley is generally more forgiving. The valley is basically where the bow transitions to and from full let-off. A narrow valley will feel like it wants to jerk forward, these are found on more aggressive bows/cams. Softer/longer valleys are great for new shooters. Thanks for the explanation, and I do remember the pro using the term "valley" now. I would have spent the extra money if there was that much difference in drawing the two bows, but I just didn't notice any. I have no idea how to post pictures. Is there a tutorial somewhere on ARFcom? Do you have a Photobucket account, or other image hosting site? If you don't, and don't want to set one up, you can email them to me and I'll post them for you. [email protected] |
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Glad you're happy and not swayed by literature.[/img] I don't know about that, the Mission literature is pretty convincing, too, just not as strong as the "real" Mathews kool-aid! 
I spent some time shooting the new bow today, and am really happy with my choice. I began at 10 yards like the shop recommended, and was shooting tight groups, so I moved to 20 yards. At 20 yards, the groups opened up a little, but I began to get it all coordinated. After a few consecutive good shots, I quit for the day(while I was ahead). Tomorrow, my son and I will shoot together. I'll try to get some photos up in the next few days. |
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I had the same situation, I had decided on the mission eliminator for $399.99, but the pro shop had an 08' DXT for $550 (had $150 paid by a customer for layaway and never returned to pickup the bow) so I did the math and decided the extra $150 was worth the Matthews DXT.
It's sighted in at 20 yards and at 29" DL and 70# DW it hit's hard. Had a couple of deeeeeep penetrations on my bag target. I love it and I can't wait to get it out to 40 yards and beyond. |
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A friend of mine let me shoot his Mission Eliminator today. I don't own a bow but have shot them before. After today I am selling my 870 that I never shoot and I am buying this bow. I was very impressed with it. That's great to hear. 
Make sure you get the draw length set right for you, if it's not the right draw already. If you have questions when you get it, post away. There are some really good archers around here who like to help where they can. By the way, you won't be disappointed with that bow. |