If you can put a check beside most of our 6 reasons to buy a new bow this year, then 2019 just might be your year to upgrade. Have you been wrestling with the decision to buy a new bow? Are you ready to pull the trigger on a purchase? Read on.
Buying a new bow is exciting business, but it can get expensive, especially if you purchase a high-end model. That being said, this year’s bow lineup offers so many innovative options, many of which are worth a second look.
If 2019’s bows are enticing you, perhaps you need to give the purchase some deeper thought. Whether you’re trying to justify the purchase with yourself, or you need to appease your significant other with solid reasons to buy a new bow, the following list can help you stay put or make the leap. Let’s review.
When shopping for a new bow this year, which make/model will you pick?
Your Current Bow Sucks
If you’ve been bowhunting long enough, you’ve probably owned or currently own a bow that you hated or hate. Maybe it didn’t or doesn’t feel right, or maybe it shot or shoots inconsistently despite excellent shooting form and technique. Whatever the case, you remember or are counting down the days until you can pawn it and buy a new one.
I’ve owned five such bows during my bowhunting career, and struggling through one hunting season with each of them was bad enough. In fact, one was so bad that I bought a different bow the month before archery deer season, which proved to be wise given the circumstances. I simply cannot imagine hunting with a bow I hate — or have no confidence in — for multiple seasons.
If you and your current bow can’t seem to get along, it’s probably time to visit a pro shop and test out a few new models to see if you can find a bow you love and are confident with.
You’ll Shoot More Often
Every bowhunter is wired a bit differently. Some folks are addicted to shooting archery, period. Others leave their bow hung up in the garage until the week before bow season (shame on you!). Still others need excuses to shoot more often.
Being a gear nut, I fall into the third category. I find that I spend more time shooting when I get a new bow. I love the process of setting it up myself — my family used to own a pro shop where I setup hundreds of bows for customers — then tinkering and tuning it until it drives tacks.
If you need an excuse to shoot more often, maybe it’s time to retire ol’ faithful and pick up a new bow.
Author, Darron McDougal, finds that he shoots more often and spends more time tuning and tinkering — things he loves to do — when he gets a new bow. Plus, he loves to break-in his new bows in spring well before deer season.
Turn Your Existing Bow into a Backup
If you’re currently planning a big adventure, say, a moose or elk hunt, buying a new bow is worth considering. A lot can happen in the punishing backcountry, and having a secondary bow that’s all tuned and dialed is smart. Your existing bow can become a backup, which instills great peace of mind if an emergency situation should occur. There are many instances in which back-up bows have saved big-dollar hunts from nosedive outcomes.
There’s no shame in adding a backup bow to your bowhunting game.
Gain Some Efficiency
If you bought a new bow in 2018, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that you’ll gain so much by upgrading to a 2019 model. You won’t.
On the other hand, if your bow is, say, 5 years old or older, you’ll likely gain some efficiency by switching to a 2019 bow. Cam and limb systems have been revamped over the last 5 years to increase velocity without sacrificing a smooth draw cycle. If you care about keeping up with technology and your current bow is at least 5 years old, consider upgrading.
Enjoy a Smoother Draw Cycle
Now, if you purchased a speed bow 5 years ago or less, chances are you won’t gain substantial speed by getting a new bow. But, in general, most speed bows five years old or older still had somewhat-rough to extremely rough draw cycles with shorter valleys.
Selecting a 2019 speed bow will probably get you a few more feet per second than you’re currently shooting, but with an improved draw cycle and longer valley. If that interests you, then give 2019’s speed bows a look.
If you haven’t shot a new bow in the last 10 years, the change in technology will blow your mind. Today’s bows are more efficient and smoother drawing than ever before.
You Don’t Have Other Expensive Hobbies
Some folks own expensive boats. Some dine at expensive restaurants. Others spend fortunes on golf, skiing, entertaining or attending pro-sports games. You name it, people spend money on it.
Then, there are folks like me who have no expensive hobbies. For me, bowhunting isn’t even a hobby; it’s a lifestyle. If that’s true for you, then you can probably justify a new-bow purchase. Bowhunting is a clean, healthy and challenging sport with the added benefit of wild-game meat.
Sure, a new bow costs a lot of money, but it’s far more worthwhile than racking up expensive bar tabs.
6 Reasons to Buy a New Bow – Conclusion
If you answered “yes” to any, most or all of the six reasons I listed above, then it’s possible 2019 is indeed your year. But, I want to leave you with a few words of caution.
If you can’t afford a new bow, don’t be stupid and take out a loan to get one. Don’t risk making a late payment on your mortgage because you stretched yourself too thin by purchasing a new bow. Don’t make your family suffer because you just have to buy the latest and greatest. Make sound financial decisions.
Now, if you love to bowhunt and have enough money to buy a new bow, then why not? The only other thing I can imagine spending it on is an out-of-state hunt. So, unless that is something you’ve been planning to do, go ahead and plan a bow-shopping trip.
Comment below and let us know what bow you plan to purchase next. And before you buy, be sure to check out our Best New Bows for 2019 info here: Best New Bows for 2019
