I am looking to get another bow. My buddy bought an Elite bow and really likes it. I am looking for new or used bows. What are you thoughts on Elite Bows?

They are good bows. But not the only good bows. You have to pick a price range and go shoot some bows.

I shoot an elite Enkore.

Shot a Mathews and a bow tech before that.

I liked the Mathews Halon a lot but could not shoot it at any distance. The Enkore I am much more accurate with past 40 yards.

The Enkore is the smoothest bow I’ve ever shot, and the speed is there. Normally it’s one or the other but this bow is silky smooth and fast.

As mentioned, there are many good bows out there and every companies flagship bow should be a good one but I I found the elite to be the ultimate hunting bow for what I do.

Upper end Elites are my pick above Mathews, Hoyts, Bowtech.

The bows of theirs you see at Bass Pro in most stores are no better feeling/shooting than many others including store bows and mid range Bear or PSE bows.

The best way to pick a bow is shoot as many as you can and let the bow tell you which is right for you. Shoot a dozen different bows and your top may not be mine or might be but a few will stand out to you

The entry level/intermediate price elites are also very nice. Maybe not as fast as some other entry level bows, but they are built well. No plastic in the limb pockets or anything like that.

They are solid but several of us that tried them in the store when they started carrying those all had the same opinion as to the feel of the shots. They are nice bows and for the $ very solid bows for sure.

All I say is a bow can be an investment you can shoot for years unless one that has to have the latest and greatest bow and retired it only because parts were no longer available. every year or two while others shoot a lot of different ones and shoot them for years, my one flagship bow purchase I shot for about 15 years and retired it only because parts were not available for me t repair it.

I now shoot an entry level bow that I have had for 6+ years and it works for my needs, quite, fast enough and smooth shooter that serves my needs fine shooting out to 30 to 35 yards max on deer. But I much prefer a 10 to 25 yard shot and will pass up shots if it isn't right.

To add to what Kmon wrote, you need to be honest about what kind of hunting your doing with the bow. If your a whitetail only guy, then just about any mid level bow will offer you the blend of performance and shoot ability needed to be successful at whitetail ranges. Buddy of mine bought a Bear package bow from bass pro the other day and he was driving tacks with it after we put on a QAD rest. At 15-25 yard whitetail ranges is just fine. I won’t shoot at a whitetail much over 30 yards so it being able to shoot accurately much further is lost when I’m deer hunting.

I hate change so I buy a bow with the intention to keep it for awhile, and will spend more to get the flagship. I also bowhunt in a variety of conditions: I need my bow to be just as deadly shooting an animal at 80 yards as I do shooting one at 20.

But as far as “ needs”….even an entry level bow today is smoother and faster then a flagship bow from 15 years ago, so they are more than capable of killing deer and other game if you do your part.

I am just getting started. Looking back at everything else I have bought this year, I wish I would of bought a nicer bow for sure. But I got a super deal on a for now bow and jumped on it.

Now I have spent a bunch of money on different arrows and a whole bunch of time tinkering and tuning my arrows and arrow rest for a for now bow. And I will almost certainly need a new string at the end of deer season.

It’s a sweet shooting rig I have now and I love it but who knows how long it will last? With a 228 ATA bow maxed out with plastic limb pockets.

Did you get rid of that whisker biscuit?

I'll never buy another one.

I put a large replacement in there and it shoots really good. The standard Gold Tip hunters and velocities, won’t shoot well in a medium biscuit.

It’s dialed in and my arrows are tuned, I’m not changing a thing until after deer season. By then I will have a drop away from my Christmas stocking

I'm shooting an Elite I've had sense 2015. I shot several top end bows from most of the players and the smoothest was the same bow my son just bought also back then a Mathews with those round wheels. I wanted something different than him so the next best bow that felt the best was the elite. But it didn't matter the brand to me its what felt the best when I shot it. I was secretly hoping Hoyt would have felt the best but I eliminated them pretty fast. Prime and elite felt good to me....I chose the elite.

Bows are like boots and packs....different strokes for different folks.

I've got 43000 arrows through my ember and it still shoots well for me. Moved to a basin for western hunting and I shoot it well. Is it as good as my target bow? No, but I'm a little rough on stuff in the woods and I don't have to worry about a more expensive bow. My target bow is an Elite as well. One day I'll shoot a top end Matthews and compare them but I hit what I'm aiming at with the Elites so no real urgency in changing.

I had a GTo for along time. Good bow.

My envision shoots nice.

Love elite. Have an older one and bought a used bowtech this year. Large amount of buyers remorse. Wish I’d stayed with elite.

Edit: I will say the older bows (mines an 05 ish) have a softer back wall, do not like it. But I’m told They’ve gotten better.

One of the great things about an elite is their warranty. I was the 2nd owner of that bow. Was shooting it pretty steady getting ready for elk season. So it’s hot august sun. Had a wire spool and I’d got shoot a few reps then go inside and help momma with the 2 kiddos under 3. So I’d leave the bow sitting on top of the case on the wire spool. That sun laid on that bow and it was hot to the touch. Picked it up to draw and boom. Those limbs gave out.

Elites warranty says that they do not care how old it is or how many owners it’s had. They will stand behind their products. Limbs were replaced for free through an authorized dealer.

The bow I bought this summer is a bowtech 360 rpm, 1st two bow shops i walk into say “you know those limbs are gonna blow up” after some conversations those limbs are gonna give out on me. That’s a guarantee and bowtech knows it. But if you’re not the registered owner……. Ie the original owner….. tough tittie.

I know Prime will give you new strings every couple of years. Does Elite do this also?