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Archery Prices Too High?

Boomstick300

Boomstick300

Active Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2017
Messages
162
Big GP on Bow Junky has a pretty good podcast concerning prices in archery today. Interesting in light of some of the comments concerning prices on products introduced at the ATA.


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The costs of everything in the last 8-10 have gone through the roof. Everyone wants a raise each year, business costs have gone through the roof. I just listened to Big GP, he does a good job of breaking down business costs.

I work in an industry that traditionally has a price increase every year. The educated customer wants a price increase, as they will pass it along. (Now this is business to business.). The problem is wages for the most people who hunt have not kept up with the prices of goods. Since the 70’s there has been an overall decline in working class wages, benefits etc. The overall inflationary rate has outpaced the wages.

A good point that BIG GP makes is that only about 2% of the products in archery are truly the elite/upscale products. The problem I see is that a $600.00 - $1000.00 system to hunt, is a lot of money for the average guy.

There are less hunters today than there were 25 years ago, so moving a lot of inventory by the manufacturer to cover fixed costs & variable costs are not as appealing to the accountants. A lot of companies would figure a percentage of the year to figure costs. Some companies would sell products as a loss leader, just to get there products into a market or market segment. With the costs of manufacturing now, they cannot afford to do this.

My attitude on buying a compound bow is to buy a leftover. Last years or several years old. Now that being said, I have not bought a new-leftover bow since I got my Helium. I have not found any bows that are that much more to drop the kind of $$ to justify buying one.

I bought an Excalibur 330 Blackout last year because I got a deal that I could not refuse.
 
bigjoe said:
The costs of everything in the last 8-10 have gone through the roof. Everyone wants a raise each year, business costs have gone through the roof. I just listened to Big GP, he does a good job of breaking down business costs.

I work in an industry that traditionally has a price increase every year. The educated customer wants a price increase, as they will pass it along. (Now this is business to business.). The problem is wages for the most people who hunt have not kept up with the prices of goods. Since the 70’s there has been an overall decline in working class wages, benefits etc. The overall inflationary rate has outpaced the wages.

A good point that BIG GP makes is that only about 2% of the products in archery are truly the elite/upscale products. The problem I see is that a $600.00 - $1000.00 system to hunt, is a lot of money for the average guy.

There are less hunters today than there were 25 years ago, so moving a lot of inventory by the manufacturer to cover fixed costs & variable costs are not as appealing to the accountants. A lot of companies would figure a percentage of the year to figure costs. Some companies would sell products as a loss leader, just to get there products into a market or market segment. With the costs of manufacturing now, they cannot afford to do this.

My attitude on buying a compound bow is to buy a leftover. Last years or several years old. Now that being said, I have not bought a new-leftover bow since I got my Helium. I have not found any bows that are that much more to drop the kind of $$ to justify buying one.

I bought an Excalibur 330 Blackout last year because I got a deal that I could not refuse.
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Agreed, bought a 2 year old bear arena 30 that just sat on the shelf and was never shot. Their top of the line bow that has a 345 ibo for 1/2 the price of new. Deer don't care if you shoot them with the latest carbon bow :)

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TheYote said:
I walked into an archery shop and 1800 dollars later I walked out with a Mathews Vertix with all the bells and whistles. I must have been high that day lol. I really like it. Fast, smooth snd quiet....I have no regrets
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I paid $1,200 for tricked out Elite five years ago (still shooting it today and for the foreseeable next decade or so). I love that bow, but three weeks after I bought it my friend bought a $300 Bear setup at Cabela's. I shot his bow and wondered what the heck was wrong with me. Either bow no deer would have been safe within 35 yards, ever.
 
elk yinzer said:
I paid $1,200 for tricked out Elite five years ago (still shooting it today and for the foreseeable next decade or so). I love that bow, but three weeks after I bought it my friend bought a $300 Bear setup at Cabela's. I shot his bow and wondered what the heck was wrong with me. Either bow no deer would have been safe within 35 yards, ever.
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Yup, those bear single cams are easy to tune and shoot great. They do shoot like 15 fps slower... We can't have that :)

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bigjoe said:
The costs of everything in the last 8-10 have gone through the roof. Everyone wants a raise each year, business costs have gone through the roof. I just listened to Big GP, he does a good job of breaking down business costs.

I work in an industry that traditionally has a price increase every year. The educated customer wants a price increase, as they will pass it along. (Now this is business to business.). The problem is wages for the most people who hunt have not kept up with the prices of goods. Since the 70’s there has been an overall decline in working class wages, benefits etc. The overall inflationary rate has outpaced the wages.

A good point that BIG GP makes is that only about 2% of the products in archery are truly the elite/upscale products. The problem I see is that a $600.00 - $1000.00 system to hunt, is a lot of money for the average guy.

There are less hunters today than there were 25 years ago, so moving a lot of inventory by the manufacturer to cover fixed costs & variable costs are not as appealing to the accountants. A lot of companies would figure a percentage of the year to figure costs. Some companies would sell products as a loss leader, just to get there products into a market or market segment. With the costs of manufacturing now, they cannot afford to do this.

My attitude on buying a compound bow is to buy a leftover. Last years or several years old. Now that being said, I have not bought a new-leftover bow since I got my Helium. I have not found any bows that are that much more to drop the kind of $$ to justify buying one.

I bought an Excalibur 330 Blackout last year because I got a deal that I could not refuse.
Click to expand...
I bought a used bowtech rpm 360 last year off of archery talk. I took a chance that it would be fine and it was. A good bow and I really like it. Since I am married with kids, I don't spend the $ I use to when I was single. At some point I wouldn't mind looking into a carbon riser due to all the cold weather hunting I do... Aluminum just gets cold.

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I may seem like a cheapo here but my Diamond i bought new cost me 399 at academy. Killed 2 good bucks with it this year and will use for years to come. You can get good equip cheaper if you look around and read alot of reviews. I just think bows have gotten out of hand for what the offer over the base model stuff.
 
Prices only reflect what people are willing to pay if you look at the flagship bows In last couple years they are selling like hot cakes. I agree they are getting expensive tho.
 
One of but not the main reason I got into traditional archery years ago is what you guys are talking about up there with compounds. I got a new compound or two every year to get the updates. I have been through probably a couple hundred stick bows through the years. I have no idea how much money I have spent but it’s more than I would like to admit so my secondary reason did not pan out. But everything I have bought about 10 years ago is now almost double in cost.
 
Yep. People are wiling to pay to get latest technology. Bows wouldn't cost that much if they did not sell. That said if you are willing to live 3 or 4 years behind the latest and greatest you can shoot nice bows for a fraction of the cost.

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Most people have to have the latest and greatest when what they have is plenty good. Manufacturers know this so they lead people to believe that the new technology incorporated into their product is so much better than anything ever put out that we as consumers can’t help but bite. No one wants obsolete gear.

I was one of those gear heads. Now I have 8 compounds and 5 trad bows when in reality one trad bow will out last all the compounds together using technology demmed obsolete by modern “standards “. Yes I paid a lot for my newest longbow from a very well known bowyer but in theory I should be able to use this one bow for the rest of my archery career and never feel the need to upgrade. It shoots where I look and feels great in hand plus is stunningly beautiful. Nothing else needed.
 
As GP explains: It’s more complicated than just if you build it they will buy it. He attributes the increased price for aluminum, employee pay roll and deductions employers are responsible for have sharply increased, distributors and their percentage for profit vs manufacture and dealer and finally, us the customer. Sharp increase online sales and sharp decrease in dealer sales and the I want it it now market that is unwilling to wait a few days/weeks and go elsewhere because the dealer can’t possible hold inventory that could satisfy everyone. In any event there was much more and the facts and figures were interesting and put some good reasoning to the standard comment that “prices are out of control”


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I shoot a Bear Attitude that I got used but like new from a coworker for $250 a few years ago fully set up with a full quiver of arrows. He got it for his wife & she never used it. Draw weight was set at 50lbs. I jacked my shoulder up that year & got it because I needed a lighter draw weight & sold my Bear Truth II. I’ve taken two does with it so far with zero issues. Could’ve shot more with it but I put the bow up a soon a muzzle loader season opens & the muzzleloader up when rifle opens unless I go hunt somewhere that’s bow only. Just personal preference but I’d never invest more in a bow than I would in a rifle setup. Just don’t use it enough to justify it.
 
N1ChBryant said:
I may seem like a cheapo here but my Diamond i bought new cost me 399 at academy. Killed 2 good bucks with it this year and will use for years to come. You can get good equip cheaper if you look around and read alot of reviews. I just think bows have gotten out of hand for what the offer over the base model stuff.
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I think it's all relative to what makes you happy. My first bow was a Switchback XT, but it doesn't hold a candle to my Triax. Technology has seen to that. I shot my biggest buck last Nov from an old Assault, but now I'm trying saddle hunting. Bows, guns, cars, clothing... Use what you've got or buy new. Whatever makes you happy! I know guys that still use flip phones cause "they don't need all that app stuff". But they'll be the first to borrow a jacket when it's starts raining (and you checked the radar before leaving). Enjoy everyday, especially in the woods!! And thanks for all the great help on saddles, rigging, and hunting. Looking forward to next season HANGING!!!
 
I shot a Bowtech Old Glory for almost fifteen years. I just purchased a leftover Bowtech Realm X for what I paid for my Old GLory in 2005. Still a lot of money though. Great used bows can be had cheap, and some of the lower end bows like Mission and Diamond put out a great product for not a lot of money. But then there are the accessories; they will add to more than your bow. When it is all said and done, it is a fairly inexpensive sport if you use the stuff often. You don't have to fill it with gas, you do not have to pay to go use it somewhere, and you really do not need anyone to fix it for you if you are willing to spend a little time tinkering. Just think about skiing, motorboats, four wheelers, snowmobiling and the countless other sports. It is not just purchase once and done. You have to keep feeding these sports with your hard earned money.
 
In 2012 I bought a new Bowtech Insanity CX and paid dearly for it. I've got bad shoulders and not getting any younger, so last year based on the hype of several high-end bows I was thinking about getting a new bow to maybe shoot a lighter draw weight with same speed etc., but I couldn't find one that was better than mine to draw. I was in the bow shop for over three hours and shot seven different bows that I couldn't justify buying. So sometimes good is good enough.
 
BRAVEHEART said:
In 2012 I bought a new Bowtech Insanity CX and paid dearly for it. I've got bad shoulders and not getting any younger, so last year based on the hype of several high-end bows I was thinking about getting a new bow to maybe shoot a lighter draw weight with same speed etc., but I couldn't find one that was better than mine to draw. I was in the bow shop for over three hours and shot seven different bows that I couldn't justify buying. So sometimes good is good enough.
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I went through the same as you. I ended up getting a bowtech boss set on the comfort setting. Smooth as butter and easy on the shoulders.
 
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