How fast is this compound bow? This is one of the first questions people ask when they go shopping for a new compound bow. A fast bow has many advantages, especially when it comes to hunting. The significant advantage is that it shoots flatter arrows.
It’s crucial to accurately determine distance, as well as the path of your arrows, to hit your target. Unfortunately, gravity will frequently undermine your effort. That’s where a faster bow comes in handy.
A faster, flatter-shooting bow makes the arrow travel a longer distance before gravity drags it down. The flat-shooting arrow also preserves enough energy to take your target down. That said, let’s find the fastest compound bow, so you can have speed on your side.
Our Top Pick
PSE Archery Evolve 35 is an excellent choice when looking for a powerful and fast compound bow. Boasting a let off of up to 90 percent, the bow can generate arrow speeds of up to 340 FPS. The Evolve 35 has a 6.5-inch brace height and 35-inch axle length. It is a solid bow that delivers excellent accuracy at great speeds.
Top 7 Fastest Compound Bow Reviews
PSE Archery Evolve 35 Compound Bow
For over four decades, PSE has consistently produced perfectly sturdy, powerful, and efficient compound bows—and Evolve 35 is no exception. This bow features a long, sturdy platform and a pair of Quad-Track that deliver an exceptionally smooth draw and IBO speeds between 332 and 340 FPS.
Key Features
- Bow Weight: 4.6 lbs.
- Draw Weight: 50 lbs., 60 lbs.
- Draw Length: 26 -31.5 inches
- Axle Length: 35 inches
- Brace Height: 6.5 inches
- Let-Off: 80 – 90 percent
- Arrow Speed: 332 – 340 FPS
- Available for right-handed users only
This bow features PSE’s BEST grip, creating a functional interface between you and the bow. It is also equipped with Wide-Track 982 limb system and vibration-dampening accessories to improve your shooting efficiency.
Besides the impressive speed, the Evolve 35 has a brace height of 6.5 inches and an axle to axle length of 35 inches. Keep in mind that the shorter the brace height, the higher the speed at which your arrow will travel. A 6.5-inch brace height can deliver sufficient speed to stop your prey in its tracks.
Most bowhunters prefer an axle length between 30 and 33 inches, but that doesn’t mean that a 35 inch is a bad choice. In fact, if you are tall, the Evolve 35 would be a great pick, thanks to its 35-inch axle length. The bow also has a reasonably light draw weight, making it comfortable to handle.
Pros
- Very accurate and consistent
- Smooth to shoot
- Comfortable balance and weight
Cons
- More expensive than most competitors
This bow may not be cheap, but either is its performance. Offering top-of-the-line performance at top speeds, the Evolve 35 easily shoot to the top of our list.
Elite Archery Impulse 34
If you’re looking for a fast bow that can deliver impressive results not only in target shooting but also in the woods, you should try the Elite Archery Impulse 34. With a 6-inch brace height, the Impulse 34 can deliver speeds of up to 340 FPS.
Key Features
- Bow Weight: 4.5 lbs.
- Draw Weight: 30 – 70 lbs.
- Draw Length: 27 – 31 inches
- Axle Length: 34.75 inches
- Brace Height: 6 inches
- Arrow Speed: 297 – 340 FPS
- Let-Off: 75 – 90 percent
With its impressive speed, the Impulse 34 can help you hit and take down your target with ease. The speed also makes it an excellent choice for refining your shooting skills. One of the most remarkable things about this bow is that it comes with many valuable accessories, including a 7.25-inch stabilizer.
The stabilizer will help enhance your accuracy when aiming and shooting at your target. It also comes with a quiver that can hold four arrows. That’s quite convenient if you don’t like the idea of buying a quiver separately.
With a 70-pound maximum draw weight, the Impulse 34 can handle both target practice and hunting effectively. The 27.5-inch draw length makes it a superb choice for an experienced bow hunter. Other remarkable features of this bow are that it comes with a Quick-Shot wrist strap release and a drop away arrow rest to enrich your shooting experience.
Pros
- Faster compared to other bows in its class
- The 6-inch brace height makes it a friendly bow for beginners.
- A wide range of valuable accessories
Cons
- Quite heavy at 4.4 lbs. net weight
The Impulse 34 is fast, but heavy, making it less ideal for users of small stature or long hunts where its weight may be cumbersome.
Bowtech Prodigy
The Bowtech Prodigy lives up to its name when it comes to speed. A prodigy refers to a young person with exceptional abilities. Likewise, at 4.2 pounds, the Bowtech Prodigy delivers speeds of up to 343 FPS, which most bows of the same weight can’t match.
Key Features
- Bow Weight: 4.2 lbs.
- Draw Weight Range: 50 – 70 lbs.
- Draw Length: 25-30.5 inches
- Brace Height: 7 inches
- Axle Length: 32 inches
- Let-Off: 80 percent
- Right- and left-hand options
The Prodigy has 7-inch brace height, which is quite forgiving for all shooters regardless of their skill level. It features Powershift technology, which makes it more versatile compared to its competitors. This technology presents you with three different configurations to choose from.
You can choose either speed, comfort, or intermediate setting that delivers a satisfactory level of comfort and speed. The bow’s 80 percent let-off not only adds to its superb performance but also helps to avert premature shots when you draw the bow fully.
The Prodigy is built with carbon and features aluminum components. That makes it a sturdy and durable compound bow. In fact, it comes with a lifetime warranty.
Pros
- Versatile, thanks to Powershift technology
- Easily adaptable to your shooting style
- Exceptional speed
Cons
- A bit pricey
A little more versatile than other options on our list, the Prodigy is a great choice for those who want adaptability or aren’t sure of their shooting style yet.
PSE DNA SP
Looking for a fast, well-balanced compound bow that is ideal for hunting large game? If so, you should try the PSE DNA SP compound bow.
Key Features
- Bow Weight 3.8 lbs.
- Draw Weight Range: 50 – 70 lbs.
- Draw Length: 20.5 – 30 inches
- Axle Length: 31.25 inches
- Brace Height: 6 inches
- Let-off: 75 percent
- Arrow Speed: 337 – 345 FPS
With speeds of up to 345 FPS, the PSE DNA SP compound bow can help you shoot and take down any big animals effectively and humanely. This bow is one of the lightest you can get on the fast compound bow market. Nonetheless, it’s a powerful bow with a long riser and sturdy limbs.
The 6-inch brace height helps to promote the speed at which arrows are fired at your target. The 24- to 30-inch adjustable draw length range makes the bow suitable for people of different sizes, and the 50- to 70-pound draw weight range can accommodate people with varying levels of strength.
The bow’s fine-tuning delivers a great user experience. Its draw cycle is impressive as well as it’s very smooth for such a fast bow. Despite the high speed, the bow produces minimal vibrations and noise and hence an excellent choice for hunting.
Pros
- Lightweight and sturdy
- Compact design
- Improved draw cycle
- Flex cable slide
Cons
- A little uncomfortable to hold
The PSE DNA SP gets our pick for the best lightweight, fast compound bow, but some users do complain the bare bow is a bit hard on your hands.
Diamond Archery Infinite Edge Pro
If you are just getting started with bow hunting or archery, the Diamond Archery Infinite Edge Pro would be your ideal fast compound bow. The Infinite Edge Pro has features that suit the needs and budget of a beginner archer.
Key Features
- Bow Weight: 3.2 lbs.
- Draw Weight: 05-70 lbs.
- Draw length: 13-31 inches
- Brace Height: 7 inches
- Axle Length: 31 inches
- Let-Off: 80 percent
- Arrow Speed: 310 FPS
- Kinetic Energy: 74.7 ft-lbs.
While the Infinite Edge Pro is ideal for beginners, it has a sturdy construction that can handle the aggressiveness of experienced shooters. Its 5- to 70-pound adjustable draw weight range allows you to adjust the power of your bow accordingly as you advance your skills and strength. The fact that you can raise the draw weight to a maximum of 70 pounds makes it ideal for hunting large animals.
The Infinite Edge Pro can fire arrows at 310 FPS, ensuring you can release your arrows quickly and efficiently. With this great speed, the bow delivers enough kinetic energy to target and take down even the largest game you’re pursuing.
To achieve this, however, you’ll need to use heavy arrows. The bow’s double -cam system makes the draw exceptionally smooth and helps you to be in total control of your aim.
The major downside of the Infinite Edge Pro is that it comes with limited accessories. That could be attributed to its low price. Nonetheless, it is an excellent choice if you are a beginner or intermediate target shooter or bow hunter.
Pros
- Ideal for beginners and intermediate archers
- A great option for the money
- Versatile – can handle archery, target shooting, and hunting
- Parallel limb design helps to minimize noise and vibrations
Cons
- You may need to add advanced accessories
- Can be quite noisy
- May not handle extreme hunting effectively
As budget-friendly speed goes, it’s hard to beat the Infinite Edge Pro—and that’s why it’s our budget buy pick.
Apollo Tactical Compound Bow Package
The Apollo Tactical is a fast, accurate compound bow made from high-quality materials that come in a ready-to-shoot package.
Key Features
- Bow Weight: 4 lbs.
- Draw Weight: 25 – 70 lbs.
- Draw Length Range: 19-30 inches
- Axle Length: 30 inches
- Arrow Speed: 320 FPS
- Let-off: 80 percent
- Right- and left-hand options
The Tactical is made from CNC-milled aluminum for improved strength and accuracy. It features Shadow Matte Black finish, which gives it a sleek and virtually unnoticeable look. The bow can shoot arrows at speeds of up to 320 FPS with exceptional accuracy.
You can adjust the bow’s draw length from 19 inches to 30 inches. The draw weight is also adjustable from 25 pounds to 70 pounds, so you can still use it if you don’t want to shoot at fast speeds.
See it in action here:
The Tactical Compound Bow features a 5-pin fiber optic sight that utilizes UV illumination. This illumination promotes night vision, so you don’t have to stop hunting when darkness falls. Another remarkable feature of this bow is the stabilizer.
The stabilizer is equipped with a dampening feature that helps to minimize vibrations and noise. The bow comes as a complete package, including:
- The Bow
- Risers
- Limbs
- Arrows
- Arrowheads
- Arrow Rests
- Quiver
- Hard carry case
Pros
- Full set – no need to purchase additional accessories
- Highly adjustable
- Minimal vibrations and noise
Cons
- May need to be sighted-in before use
- The carry case isn’t waterproof
Especially if you’re looking to gift someone the hobby of archery, this all-in-one starter pack is a fantastic bargain.
PSE Archery Drive R
Here’s another fast compound bow that comes as a truly complete set. The PSE Archery Drive R package includes a Raven quiver, AMO Pro sight, Spire stabilizer, Phantom drop-away rest, neoprene sling, nock loop, and peep sight. You can get on with shooting without having to purchase anything else.
Key Features
- Bow Weight: 4.6 lbs.
- Draw Weight: 60 lbs.
- Draw Length: 25- 30.5 inches
- Axle Length: 30 inches
- Brace Height: 6.75 inches
- Arrow Speed: 336 FPS
- Let-off: 75 percent
With 30-inch axle-to-axle length and a brace height of about 6 inches, the Drive R is a quite compact compound bow that delivers impressive speed and accuracy. It can reach speeds of up to 336 FPS quite effortlessly.
Besides the fantastic speed, the Archery Drive R also has a 75 percent let-off. With this, you can hold the bow at full draw without much strain. The 60-pound draw weight makes the bow a great choice for a serious bow hunter.
You can adjust the draw length from 25 to 30.5 inches giving you sufficient room for improvement as well as plenty of customization possibilities. The Drive R also utilizes cutting-edge technologies such as the smooth hybrid cam system, and X-Tech split limb technology to deliver an excellent user experience.
Pros
- Well-balanced and user-friendly
- Many valuable accessories included
- Advanced technologies for improved user experience
- Virtually no vibration or noise during the shot
- A silky smooth draw cycle
Cons
- The 4.6 pounds weight is quite heavy for hunting
The Drive R is another package deal, but the bow itself may be a little less well-suited to all users thanks to its weight.
Buying Guide
Speed is an integral component of a compound bow and compound arrows, especial if you’re planning to use it for hunting, but what makes a fast compound bow?
Here are some of the things to look out for when evaluating bows:
Brace Height
The brace height refers to the distance between the string of the bow and the grip’s throat when the bow is at rest. It is expressed in inches. If you reduce the brace height by one inch, the bow will typically deliver about ten additional feet per second of arrow speed. A fast and reliable bow should have a brace height of not more than 6 inches.
Draw Length and String Angle
You should consider the bow’s string because:
- Ultra-short speed bows regularly produce a sharp string angle when fully drawn. Consequently, the bow will usually become somewhat unstable, resulting in hand torque. This issue can undermine your accuracy beyond 50 yards.
- String angle has a direct impact on the interaction between the bowstring and your face. It also affects the distance between your eye and the peep sight. The string angle should place the peep sight at a distance that ensures there’s sufficient field of view with the peep’s hole and your target. You can determine your bow’s string angle by drawing it back at your draw length.
Arrow Weight
You can increase your bow’s arrow speed by using lighter arrows. However, lighter arrows usually hurt shooting efficiency. While these types of arrows get released faster from the bow, they usually lose energy more rapidly.
This results in poor penetration on the target. Lighter arrows are also less stable in flight because their low mass has less inertia. These arrows generate more bow noise as well.
Namely, the reduced mass makes the arrows less efficient at absorbing the bowstring’s force on release. This surplus energy is conveyed back to the bow’s riser and limbs increasing shot recoil, noise, and vibration.
To avoid these problems while getting exceptional speed from your bow, consider choosing mid-weight arrows. Mid-weight arrows are those that weigh at least 9 grains per inch.
With these tips in mind, you can easily get the fastest compound bow that suits your needs and budget. Here’s a look at some of the top-rated options on the market today to get you inspired.
Final Thoughts
When shopping for a compound bow specifically for speed, it can be challenging to get the right pick if you have no idea what to look out for. All the compound bows reviewed above are designed to deliver exceptional speed and power. However, you will need to decide on various other factors such as the axle length that you are comfortable with.
We hope that this guide and fast compound bow reviews help you choose a compound bow that satisfies your need for speed.
