Advice if you please

[dth]

This is quite a long one by the way!

So, here's the deal - I am itching to spend money(birthday coming up and all) on archery related equipment as my new hard case will testify. But the thing is I'm just not sure what is really worth buying, and what if anything will make the most noticeable difference.

I love everything about my GM except that it looks like a concrete fence post, I must admit to being a little turned on by the likes of the Aerotec and Matrix from Hoyt , but also by the winact and SF riser. Have tried the Aerotec only, and quite honestly I didn't like it as much as I thought I should - bit buzzy. So I now think that the Matrix is the one for me(although haven't tried the other two mentioned), and although I know you will all rightly advise me to ty them all I just can't go to a shop and try knowing that I WILL be buying online as this is still the cheapest once you know what you want.
but this is where the other problems start;

Will an upgrade from the GM to the Matrix make any real difference to me? I guess the stiffness will make it feel different, and I like the idea of the forward 'jump' of the Matrix. My current 40lb Browning Carbon limbs (old, but still good)draw smoothly and cleanly so I don't feel that changing these will help. But.... the idea of a Matrix and SHC limbs from the Seb Flute stable appeal to me - up the weight to maybe 42 or 44lb so that I'm holding 45 or 48 on the fingers reaping the benefit of the easier draw foam limbs and hopefully up the arrow speed?

Or sod the riser and limbs and get some ACE's for next outdoor season - I love the ACC's I got this year they moved me along more noticebly than anything else (except dedicated practice) maybe the lighter weight of ACE's would get me closer to Bowman?

Or.. second idea keep everything as is - bow is shooting sweetly at the moment (and I seem pretty consistent as well) and save the money?

What's best - new riser ? New limbs? or new arrows ?

Help - for once I seem to have conflicting advice from close chums at the club and from online info!!!
Don't desert me in my hour of need.
I would rather spend the money on my favourite sport that I do all the time than blow it on some old tat!

[Kae]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Kae (who also has money burning a hole in his pocket, and is trying to follow his own advice) (no, this isn't spare money, but xmas money which I refuse to pay bills with, so i'm keeping it, I refuse to pay a bill with it! lol)

[Chase Archer]

You will get conflicting advice wherever you go or whatever group of people you talk to. The good news is you have to go to a store and try out all the different things you have mentioned and then make your mind up at the end.

Only you will know at the end of the session whether you think you need to spend the money or not. A change of riser to a Matrix may help your scores and would no doubt partially sate your desire to spend your money.

I appreciate your reluctance to go to a store to test the equipment knowing you won't be buying at the end of it but you really have to try out all your options just to satisfy your own mind. They may even match theirs or others prices if you catch them on the right day, I know it's happened for me in the past.

Best of luck in your quest.

[Jerry Tee]

How about a set of FMJ navigators and a complete beiter stabalisation system. Ok so the surface finnish on the GM riser is rough but you have to ask your self 'Will the arrows notice on the way past" ?

[MrM]

You may well find that by changing the riser/limbs/arrows may help your score slightly - and as was said earlier you will get loads of different opinions - but one thing to bear in mind - if and when you do buy something new (whatever it does turn out to be) you will have that "feel good" physcological factor which will probably go much further in improving your scores by itself!

[Anna K]

I had a GM, and still would have it if my Dad hadn't wanted it off me. You might be surprised if you shot the Matrix, James wanted one for 6 months, when he finally could afford to change his riser he shot it and decided immediately he didn't like it, but found something he hadn't considered before, so yes, as you said, you must try lots of things! (I shot a revolution recently, thinking I'd hate it and found that it had a really good feel to it!) Also, is it worth saving £20 or so buying something online, where in a good shop they will set it up and tune it for you for nothing? As well as having allowed you to spend time shooting expensive equipment?

Basically after all that waffle, as was said before, if it aint broke, don't fix it. And having a set up that really works for me, it's unbelievably frustrating not having anything to spend money on when I get the itch! To the point I was glad I smashed an arrow last week, forcing me to replace some!

[reckless]

imho i honestly belive that the very best way to get better at archery is to get some one on one professional certifed coaching, and then hours of practice.
alot of the kit we have may help us to a degree but also it can mask the flaws in our form.
Sure haveing top end kit is great and makes us feel good, but if you seriously wish to improve spend your hard cash on a good coach.

[WhitehartFB]

IMO If you don't know what you want don't buy off the Internet, especially if only going on other peoples recomendations however well intentioned and honest. If you want the best from your equipment and are serious about wanting to improve spend the time and money to get it right, afterall if you spend £250 on a riser and don't like it you may be lucky and get £150 on the second hand market but that will still make your chosen riser £100 more expensive than it should have been. Finally unless you know how to set up your new kit or have access to somebody who really knows what they are talking about for free any savings will be lost in poor scores and a lost opportunity to reach your potential or it will take you longer while you re-invent the wheel.

[jet186]

Originally Posted by dth

This is quite a long one by the way!

So, here's the deal - I am itching to spend money(birthday coming up and all) on archery related equipment as my new hard case will testify. But the thing is I'm just not sure what is really worth buying, and what if anything will make the most noticeable difference.

I love everything about my GM except that it looks like a concrete fence post, I must admit to being a little turned on by the likes of the Aerotec and Matrix from Hoyt , but also by the winact and SF riser. Have tried the Aerotec only, and quite honestly I didn't like it as much as I thought I should - bit buzzy. So I now think that the Matrix is the one for me(although haven't tried the other two mentioned), and although I know you will all rightly advise me to ty them all I just can't go to a shop and try knowing that I WILL be buying online as this is still the cheapest once you know what you want.
but this is where the other problems start;

Will an upgrade from the GM to the Matrix make any real difference to me? I guess the stiffness will make it feel different, and I like the idea of the forward 'jump' of the Matrix. My current 40lb Browning Carbon limbs (old, but still good)draw smoothly and cleanly so I don't feel that changing these will help. But.... the idea of a Matrix and SHC limbs from the Seb Flute stable appeal to me - up the weight to maybe 42 or 44lb so that I'm holding 45 or 48 on the fingers reaping the benefit of the easier draw foam limbs and hopefully up the arrow speed?

Or sod the riser and limbs and get some ACE's for next outdoor season - I love the ACC's I got this year they moved me along more noticebly than anything else (except dedicated practice) maybe the lighter weight of ACE's would get me closer to Bowman?

Or.. second idea keep everything as is - bow is shooting sweetly at the moment (and I seem pretty consistent as well) and save the money?

What's best - new riser ? New limbs? or new arrows ?

Help - for once I seem to have conflicting advice from close chums at the club and from online info!!!
Don't desert me in my hour of need.
I would rather spend the money on my favourite sport that I do all the time than blow it on some old tat!

If apart from cosmetic reasons you are happy with your GM riser why spend money? don't fall into the mobile phone trap of feeling under pressure to" upgrade" if after much deliberation you still feel the urge to spend I wouldn't rule out using a retailer, now don't get me wrong i'm one to save a buck I buy an awful lot of stuff via the internet, but they can give you on the spot advice and help that you just can't get from an e-tailer, But imho I think the money may be better invested in a new set of limbs and arrows, if you still feel the need to spend spend spend. hope this helps in some small way regards John

[Little Miss Purple]

Originally Posted by Anna K

You might be surprised if you shot the Matrix, James wanted one for 6 months, when he finally could afford to change his riser he shot it and decided immediately he didn't like it!

If I recall correctly...not dead yet did this too!!

I love my matrix so much I have 2 matching risers!!

Like everything archery....it's all up to the individual person