Top Compound Bows Ranked
Jan 13th 2020
Even if you have the best technique in the world, a bad bow can compromise anyone’s shooting. If you’re looking for a great compound bow to help you improve your performance through high quality gear, 60X Custom Strings has some recommendations for you. Explore our roundup breaking down five of the top compound bows here.
Bowtech Realm SR6
| Speed | Accuracy | Draw Cycle | Handling | Vibration | Noise | Finish |
| ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
Hitting five out of five stars in nearly every category, the Bowtech Realm SR6 is easily the top compound bow currently available. One of the signature features of this bow is the ability to change the feel of the draw cycle to fit your shooting style from Comfort to Performance settings. In either setting, this bow is an incredibly smooth shooter with a top speed of 349 FPS. In terms of accuracy, shooters average 1.1” groups. There was a little bit of vibration and noise which are the only downsides of this bow.
Elite Ritual 35
| Speed | Accuracy | Draw Cycle | Handling | Vibration | Noise | Finish |
| ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
This long axle to axle bow has proven that longer models can still finish among the top compound bows in the world. Because of its length, the Elite bow is a slightly different type of compound bow than most people are used to. It reached this second place ranking due to its handling and accuracy, settling on the target better than any other bow and averaging 1.12” groups. It falls behind in terms of speed — with a top speed of 336.7 FPS — as well as above average noise and vibration.
Hoyt Helix
| Speed | Accuracy | Draw Cycle | Handling | Vibration | Noise | Finish |
| ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
As one of the quietest bows around, the Hoyt Helix makes waves because of its silence and lack of vibration. Excellent handling, finish, and accuracy make it a standout as well. The main downside to this bow is the discomfort inherent in the draw cycle. It’s a little more demanding on the front end than the other top compound bows we’ve tested.
What it lacks in the draw cycle ranking, it makes up for in speed, as it is one of only a handful of bows that can break 340 FPS. One feature that was particularly interesting was the split-cable system that removes the need for a flexible cable guard.
PSE Evoke 31
| Speed | Accuracy | Draw Cycle | Handling | Vibration | Noise | Finish |
| ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
This is an update from 2018’s PSE Evolve bow with the same cam system for a 90% let-off as well as updated caged riser to enhance strength and amazing handling. One of the faster bows in our rankings at 339.7 FPS, it’s accuracy and vibration brought it lower than a few of the slower bows. Our experts managed 1.48” groups with the Evoke and both noise and vibration are excessive.
Prime Logic CT3
| Speed | Accuracy | Draw Cycle | Handling | Vibration | Noise | Finish |
| ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
While it’s not as fast as many other bows, the Prime Logic CT3 rounds out our rankings of the top compound bows. The lowest in terms of accuracy (1.6” groups) and speed (326.4 FPS), this bow makes up for these shortcomings with better handling and suppression of noise and vibration than most. It settled on the target very nicely and shoots with minimal vibration.
Choose Your Bow
If you’ve fallen in love with one of these top compound bows and want to improve their performance with aftermarket accessories, 60X Custom strings offers a range of accessories and custom bowstrings to upgrade your setup. Explore the different types of compound bow accessories we have to offer today.