By Alex Comstock
A couple weeks ago, I picked up the Mathews VXR from my local archery shop, Custom Archery & Outdoors. Randy, the owner of the shop set it up for me and tuned it, and within an hour, Randy had transitioned all of my accessories (rest, sight, stabilizer, etc.) from my Triax to the VXR and I was shooting great. It was a seamless transition and now after shooting it almost everyday for over a week, I wanted to give you my first impressions, because I’ve been absolutely blown away by this bow.
In all honesty, I haven’t shot a bow as well as I’ve been shooting in the last week in years. Nothing against the Mathews Triax, my previous bow, but for whatever reason I never felt 100% comfortable with it. When it comes to shooting new bows nowadays, pretty much every bow is great. They all shoot well, are fast and somewhat comparable. But what I’ve found to be especially true is that some bows just fit you better than others. And the VXR fits me incredibly well. Here’s what I’ve particularly liked about it.
“Fit”
I’ve already touched on it, but the VXR just fits me beautifully. I’ve got the 28” axle to axle version, but there is also a 31.5” version. Both have a 6-inch brace height. My 28” version comes in at 4.4lbs, so it’s a pretty light bow. Holding this bow in my hand, it holds and fits so well, which has made a big impression on me.
The Mathews VXR fits me unlike any bow I’ve ever shot.
Stability
Right off the bat, I’ve noticed how stable the VXR is. I’ve noticed in the short time I’ve owned it, that I’m able to anchor my pin and feel at ease more easily than ever. One of the biggest improvements from bows in years prior to the VXR is the extended bridge riser. This technology has been used in Mathews target bows, but this is the first time being used in a hunting bow. It essentially creates a more rigid and stable design. I’m going to go ahead and guess this has made an impact on why I find it to be so stable. And ultimately, when a bow is more stable, you’ll end up more accurate.
Overall
I know this isn’t a comprehensive review by any measures, but for those of you in the market for a new bow and wondering about the VXR, I’d give it an overwhelming thumbs up. I’m highly impressed with it thus far, and at this point it’s my favorite bow that I’ve ever shot.
