Best Compound Bows Under $500

The history of the bow and arrow is the history of mankind – Fred Bear 

A wise man once said that the only things that you can rely on in life are your hound and yourself.

Everything else, he went on to add, is temporary, and like dust in the wind, it’ll eventually blow right past you and leave you where you’re standing.

While we have to concede that there’s more than a little truth in what he said, he was wrong.

The only things that you can REALLY rely on in life are your hound, yourself, and a good compound bow.

Finding a dog, that’s the easy part. That’s all down to instinct, trust, mutual affection, and nature takes care of all those things, so you don’t have to worry about them.

Everybody needs the three things that they can rely on, and now that you’ve got your hound, all you need is a compound bow you can trust.

But finding a good compound bow? That’s a little bit more difficult than getting to know your best friend, which is why we decided to make it easy for you.

So we went out there, did all the hard work, and found five of the best compound bows that you can lay your hands on for less than five hundred dollars.

In a hurry? Here’s our top pick.

Diamond Archery Infinite Edge Pro Bow Package

Diamond Archery claims that “we don’t just build bows, we build confidence,” and having tried the Infinite Edge out in the field, we’re more than happy to validate that claim.

While you’re out there in the woods with the Infinite Edge, you feel like you can take on the entire world and win. This isn’t just a compound bow. It’s a way of life. 

Owned by Bowtech, the largest manufacturer of bows in the world, Diamond is one of the sub-divisions that their parent company trusts to take their compound bows to the limit of the cutting edge and, when they get there, go sailing right over the edge.

They’re Bowtech’s Weapon X division and they’re very good at what they do. 

With a draw length of thirteen to thirty-one inches and a draw weight of around seventy pounds, the Infinite Edge can reach speeds of up to three hundred and ten feet per second.

But isn’t just the speed that makes this compound bow special.

Its secret ingredient is its integral stabilizer that improves your accuracy and gives you the confidence to make the shots that previously seemed impossible.

Weighing in at just over three pounds, the Infinite Edge uses an innovative cam design to keep your shots on target and boost your consistency. 

The Infinite Edge is more than just a compound bow, it’s the fulfillment of Diamond Archery’s promise.

Pros:

• With a fully adjustable draw weight of between five and seventy pounds and a draw length of thirteen to thirty-one inches, the Infinite Edge effortlessly bridges the gap between ideal beginners’ compound bow and weapon of choice for the more experienced hunter.
• The integral stabilizer and revolutionary cam system that the Infinite Edge uses really does improve your accuracy and consistency, which helps this compound bow to do exactly what Diamond promises it will. Increase your confidence.
• It’s fast and light, both of which are always welcome when you’re tracking and locating prey. You’ll be able to get a shot off before your target even knows you’re there.

Cons:

• The only downsides have nothing to do with the bow itself. The Diamond package doesn’t include a user manual, making things difficult if you don’t already know what you’re doing. And, according to some disgruntled customers whose bows didn’t exactly arrive in optimal condition, Diamond’s attention to detail when it comes to packing their bows for shipping could do with some work.

Last update on 2024-05-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Bear Archery Cruzer G2 Adult Compound Bow

We’re big fans of Bear Archery, the company founded by the architect of modern bowhunting Fred Bear nearly a century ago, as they have set the benchmark for all things bow-related since their inception.

And the Cruzer G2 continues their legacy and epitomizes everything that the brand has always been.

With a twelve to thirty-inch draw length and a fully adjustable five to seventy-pound draw weight, the Cruzer G2 can reach speeds of up to three hundred and ten feet per second and stop anything dead in its tracks.

The Cruzer 2 is also easy to set up as it relies on an included Allen wrench rather than a bow press for any, and all, necessary adjustments.

The full Cruzer G2 package makes sure that it and you will be ready to hunt in minutes includes a quiver, sight, whisker biscuit (for added arrow stability and accuracy), and a peep sight.

Just take it out of the box, set it up and you’ll be ready into the mountains.

Pros:

• Weighing just three pounds and capable of firing arrows at up three hundred and ten feet per second, the Cruzer 2 is a lightweight compound bow made to hunt. That you’ll need to make said transition smoothly and quickly.
• Bear has improved the innovative handgrip that the Cruzer 2 uses, so it’s more comfortable and easier to hold, improving your aim and accuracy.
• Its fully adjustable draw weight and draw length mean that it’s suited to all ages, and sizes, of bowhunter. It’s a compound bow that adheres to the old Musketeers motto, “One for all, and all for one.”
• It a Bear Archery compound bow and comes with a signed, sealed, and delivered stamp of approval from one of the world’s leading bow manufacturers.

Cons:

• There are, unfortunately, and much as we hate to say this as we’re big fans of Bear, some quality issues that mainly seem to be centered around the peephole sight, whisker biscuit, and the cable slide. They’re all easily fixable, and your local archery shop will be able to take care of them, but the additional expense that the repairs might entail is a headache that you might not need or want.

Last update on 2024-05-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Southland Archery Supply SAS 25-55 Lb 20-29” Adjustable Quad Limb Compound Bow Package

Often abbreviated to SAS and not confused with the British special forces, Southland Archery Supplies have forged sterling and well-earned reputation in the bowhunting community.

They design affordable, durable, and reliable compound bows that are made to keep you focused and on target. 

With an adjustable draw length of twenty to twenty-nine inches and a draw weight of between twenty-five and fifty-five pounds, this SAS compound bow will reach speeds of up to two hundred and thirty-five feet per second.

It might not sound like a lot, but its more than fast, and powerful, enough to take care of whatever you’re hunting.

The SAS package comes with everything you need to start hunting in one box – the bow, a three-pin sight, Twister arrow rest, and quiver and arrows.

All you need to do it set it up and you’re ready to go.

Pros:

• Weighing in at just four pounds, it’s an introductory level bow that you’ll fall head over heels in love with and never want to change. And you never need to, as it should last as long as you need, and want, it too.
• The site is designed to keep your eye on the target and your arrows to find their prey. It’s fast, accurate, and light, which is exactly what a good compound bow should be.

Cons:

• The thing is, if you’re looking for a compound bow to kick start your hunting career with, then ideally, you’re going to want it to come with instructions that’ll explain, in an easy-to-understand and straightforward way, how to to set your bow up. The SAS doesn’t come with those instructions, and you’re going to have to find out, probably via the internet, how to set it up by yourself.
• And realistically, you’re going to want the arrows that come with your compound bow to last for a trip or two, which the ones that SAS supply don’t and won’t. So you’re going to need to get some extra arrows too.

Last update on 2024-05-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Compound Bow Topoint Archery Package

Don’t worry. You’re not on your own. We hadn’t heard of Topoint Archery either, so we dug a little deeper because we like to know as much as we can about the people responsible for the manufacture of our hunting weapons.

It turns out that Topoint is a Chinese company that has slowly, but surely, made a name for themselves in archery circles, and the hunters and target shooters that know more about compound bows than we ever will all offer a nod approval whenever Topoint’s name is mentioned. 

Able to reach speeds of up to three hundred and twenty feet per second from a draw weight of nineteen to seventy pounds. With an adjustable draw length of nineteen to thirty inches, this Topoint compound bow will get the hunting job done, no matter what it is.

And the package that the compound bow is part of? It’s simply staggering and includes a five-pin sight, rubber stabilizer, bow stand, quiver, peep sight, eighteen (yes, that’s right, EIGHTEEN) practice carbon tipped arrows, and much, much more.

That’s a lot of hunt ready gear for a price that won’t sting your pocketbook too badly.

Pros:

• Comfortable to use, accurate, and easy to set, the Topoint is designed to fit in with any age and ability group. It’s no wonder that the people in the know like it.
• And that speed and all the kit that you get for the price? They’re both incredible.

Cons:

• The instructions are a little vague, but as they’ve been translated from Chinese into English, we wouldn’t really expect anything else. You’ll be able to read and follow them. It just might take you a while to set the bow up if you do.

Last update on 2024-05-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

CreativeXP Glassharrier Compound Bow Package

CreativeXP is a band that caters to and for hunters. More famous for making night vision goggles, binoculars, trail cameras, and sights than bows, CreativeXP has branched out to accommodate all modern hunter’s requirements.

And if you ask us?  After trying their compound bow, we think that they’re on the right path. 

One hundred percent adjustable, the Glassharrier has a draw weight of thirty to seventy pounds and can reach speeds of up to three hundred and twenty feet per second.

Its draw length of twenty-three and a half to thirty inches means that it’ll rest comfortably in the hands of most adults, regardless of their level of archery ability.

In other words, the Glassharrier has more stopping power than Dick Butkus. 

The Glassharrier is made to be ready straight out of the box and comes with a five-pin sight, a quiver, and five carbon arrows.

Even though they’re a small upstate New York firm, CreativeXP knows exactly what their customers want, and that’s just what they give them, and you, with the Glassharrier.

Its the compound bow that you want, but never knew you needed. 

Pros:

• At just three and a half pounds, the Glassharrier is fast, light, easy to set up, and uses a compound bow that’s designed to find favor with all hunters, regardless of their level of ability and experience.
• Made by hunters for hunters, the Glassharrier is a durable, strong, stable, and incredibly accurate compound bow. CreativeXP knows what hunters want and what they need because they’re hunters, and nobody knows a hunter, as well as a fellow hunter, does.

Cons:

• Truthfully? There are none. It’s an honest to goodness, reliable compound bow that’ll never steer you wrong.

Buyer’s Guide

What Is A Compound Bow? 

Widely used in target shooting and hunting,  a compound bow uses a system of cables and pulleys to bend its limbs to give archers a much higher degree of mechanical assistance than a traditional bow does.

Lighter and more stable than a traditional bow, a composite bow requires less physical strength to use and is usually faster and more accurate than its contemporary equivalent. 

What Is Draw Weight? 

Draw weight is a measure of the pressure and force needed to operate a compound bow successfully.  Measured in pounds, it’s an indicator of the amount of strength that will be required to use a compound bow.

For instance, if a bow is set up for a “fifty-pound draw weight”, it’ll take around fifty pounds of pressure to use it. 

Most composite bows have an adjustable draw weight which can be set to accommodate an archer’s individual preference. 

What Is Draw Length? 

Draw length is a measurement of how far the string of a bow needs to be pulled back in order to fire it properly.

Measured in inches, the draw length of a composite bow is always fully adjustable and, as such, can be set to an individual archer’s requirements. 

The best way to measure your individual draw length is to stand with your arms stretched out on either side of your body at shoulder height.

Take a tape measure and find the distance between the tip of your middle finger on your right hand and the middle finger on your left, and that distance in inches is your individual draw length.

The draw length of any compound bow that uses should correspond to your draw length if you want to maximize the full potential that the compound bow you’re using has.

What Is Feet Per Second? 

Simply put, feet per second is a measurement of speed and indicates how fast an arrow travels after being fired by a compound bow. The faster its FPS rating is,  the more powerful the compound bow is. 

Which Compound Bow Under Five Hundred Dollars Is The Right One For Me? 

That entirely depends on what you want your compound bow for, and what you want it to do.

We’re assuming that you’re a hunter, in which case you’ll need to decide what’s most important to you. Accuracy, power, or weight?

Remember, the faster the FPS (feet per second) rating of a compound bow, the more powerful it is, so ideally, you’ll want a compound bow that combines a high degree of accuracy with a fast FPS. 

If you want our honest opinion, we’d always recommend the compound bow that we use. And that’s the Creative XP Glassharrier.

It’s fast, it’s accurate, and for the amount you’ll pay for it, it’s an incredibly affordable all-purpose, all-weather compound bow.  Happy hunting!