I've been on the Mathews ban wagon for going on 6 years now and I shoot a halon 6 but I'm on a field staff that we are getting discounts on Athens archery bows. I'm more less testing the waters if anyone has any first hand experience with Athens bows. If they aren't in the same league as Mathews what would be this years now to have? I love the speed and draw of my halon but it's by far the heaviest bow I've ever owned. I had a few hoyts for a short period of time last year and I still liked my halon. Anyone seen or shot anything that will compare or be better in the smoothness and speed of my halon?

HALON is going to be hard to beat

I am not really a fan of the Halon, yes have shot them a few times. With Athens Archery dealer locator showing the nearest dealer over 250 miles away I doubt it would be high on my list.

I have never heard of the Athens Bow until now.
No dealer within 300 miles of me.
I would say to talk with some archery pro shops near you that perhaps went to the ATA show and see what they thought of the bow.

my buddy shot for Athens a while ago. He really liked the bow, but not having dealers close, it made it hard to get items and get work done.

I think the Elite Option (and Impulse for that matter) is as smooth as the Halon. A buddy thinks the new Hoyt is Different stokes for different folks.

I moved to Elite after shooting Mathews for a while.. nothing bad to say about their stuff.. just like the Elite better this time around.

Y'all in the same boat as me. Closest dealer is 230 miles from me. I've talked to my buddy that owns a shop that goes to the ata every year and he said he was impressed but he said it's no obsession which that could be biased since he sells obsession bows. I want to keep the smoothness speed and quietness of my halon but shed a few lbs if possible. This thing gets heavy on long walks but that is the only compliant I have. I shot some elite bows and they are prob the smoothest bow I've ever shot but it seemed slow compared to my halon and I know speed ain't everything but I still like to be up there

If you like speed, then go with PSE. Look at the Carbon Air. Its light and fast.

I decided to go PSE a few years back and haven't thought about looking back. In fact, I bought a Dream Season EVO in 2011 and I still own it. I cant get a new bow. This bow is too good.

I've tried to avoid commenting on this but I've had enough to drink that I'm gonna. If you aren't on Mathew's staff you owe it to yourself to shoot as many brands and models as you can stay d. When. You get the right one you'll know. Buy it. If it's a Mathew's great. If not then welcome to the world of doing what's right for you.

Not downing on PSE but the resale is not there for them. I've shot the carbon air and it's a nice bow but I wouldn't say it's a bow I'd shoot for the next 3-4 seasons. Your right passthru I just haven't had the time to get to the shop and i really wanted to hear the thoughts on the Athens bows and obsession bows cause I can get a pretty hefty discount but a buddy pointed out to me that I don't keep my bows long enough to take a chance on something that no one around here would buy so I plan on going to the shop and shooting all the new bows before I post my halon up for sale. Who knows halon may be the bow for me still

I shot Mathews for years. But the jumpy cams of the single cam models didn't fit well with repaired shoulders. Then came the no cam. But it's too slow for my tastes in a compound. I could probably go back to a Mathews now I have healed up well and shoot a lower poundage but I think I've found a new obsession in traditional equipment. I'll keep, and still shoot, my carbon spyder but I'm liking the freedom of the instinctive and simple equipment. However I still have a poundage limit due to the shoulders.

This. IMO, unless someone is giving you free bows, archery is not the place to be brand loyal. The big brands all offer similar price points and customer service, so it really should come down to a blind test when choosing a new bow.

Halon is hard to beat, but if you want lighter, get the new avail (girls bow) bot u can get higher # limbs on it and it is small and light. but halon or halon 32 are about as good as it gets right now