Uh, not to cause turmoil, but Bear has had a very sour rep for many years now. If you want a Bear for nostalgic purposes, buy the oldest one you can find. Shrew has a strong rep for short bows --opposite of Bear, the newer the Shrew, the better the rep. Good price, very slow delivery due to demand. But that's how I'd go (I just ordered one yesterday, in fact.) Overall, my thought is that in order to get a "real" bow, it doesn't have to be new. I'd shop around for a good used model, as a great many are available. Check the TradGang classifieds, or call Milt Beens at Wildcat Canyon Archery (970-247-2894) or any of many other reliable dealers who keep large stocks of great used bows. Good luck. dave