I'll be the stick in the mud. I would never buy an expensive custom bow without having spent some quality time with one first. I don't mean a few shots. I mean getting the bow tuned, proper arrows, really a good shake down that might take a few days or weeks.
The loaner program they have is a wonderful option, not all bowyers offer it. It's too bad they don't have one in the weight range you like, that would definitely be the way to go imo.
I have read nothing but good reviews of the Stalker bows and they sure look nice in the pictures I've seen. I also have never shot one so don't know anything about them other than they look nice...and that's the point. I have had a lot of custom recurves and longbows over the years, all bought used off the classifieds. What I learned is that there are a lot of nice bows out there, but there are only a few that are better for me. Things like the grip make or break a bow and there is no way to know until you spend some time with one.
If I am going to spend the kind of money a custom goes for and put up with the waiting period most have I want to know to the best of my abilities that it's going to be right for me.
I learned in the classifieds that there are very few (I actually didn't find any) poor performing bows out there. That said, I sold most of the bows I bought used, kept a few, and actually ordered a couple made by the same bowyers as the bows I found I came to favor...and got exactly what I want .
This is just my opinion, Stalker bows have earned a fine reputation for performance and good looks so don't take this as in any way a negative on their bows in particular. All of my comments above are meant in a general sense when it comes to ordering expensive custom bows.
Topic: Convince me to buy a new bow... (Read 414 times)
