# Matthews DXT vs. Hoyt Katera



## duck slayer02

I'm looking for a new bow and I'm stuck between these two. I've always been partial to hoyt, but I shot both and they're both really nice shooting bows. I know that there are a lot of brand loyal guys out there, but which do you think is a better bow? The katera doesn't have adjustable draw lenth, but i'm not sure if the DXT does. I'm 15 and still growing, so I'm looking for one with adjustable draw. All imput is greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys,
David


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## hunt4P&amp;Y

IMO if you are looking for one with a adjustable draw.... and they don't have it don't get either.

However, every bow is adjustable. It isn't to expensive to change them up so you can have a different draw.

If I were to pick between the two, I would go with the DXT. I have shot alot of different bows, as I am also in the market. Best thing to do, grab every bow you are thinking about, close your eyes have them hand you one! That way you aren't looking at brands of being biased. I have even went as far as having them hand me one with my eyes closed, draw "AT ABOUT 5 YARDS" and shoot it. If you pick the same one this way you know you have the bow you want!

It is all about feel, smoothness, let off, having a good ancor point, not a spongy back end. IMO you need to shoot them all!


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## duck slayer02

hunt4P&Y said:


> every bow is adjustable. It isn't to expensive to change them up so you can have a different draw.


When you say its not to expensive to change up, is that just getting different cams of a different draw length? If so, how much, just guessing, would you think it would cost?

David


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## bretts

If you are somewhat of a beginner to archery I would not go with the DXT. IMO the dxt is one of the worst bows mathews has made, along with the reezen. The drenalin or switchback/xt would be a lot more forgiving bow. Don't get caught up on speed! Shoot a forgiving bow that suits you! My mathews shoots 250 fps and I have passed through 90% of the deer i shoot, shoot a few bows and be picky.


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## martin_shooter

earlier this year when i was looking for a new bow i shot the katera, dxt, general, 82nd, 101st and the firecat. between the dxt and the katera: the katera seemed alot quicker. the dxt was a little smoother and quieter. i ended up going with the martin firecat but between the dxt and the katera i would have to go with the katera. better bow i thought


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## bretts

Is the primary thing you guys look for in a bow is what the bow is labeled for FPS?! I don't get it?


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## walkswithwhispers

Duckslayer,

I would look for a bow with an adjustable draw length. You can swap cams for $80 to $150 but you may end up doing it 3 times before you finally grow into the bow. At 15 your muscle memory and stature is going to continue to change dramatically.

I'm a hoyt guy because they're tough as nails and accurate but there's nothing wrong with Matthews, Bowtech, Bear, etc. I believe hoyt's new alpamax series has an adjustable draw length and doesn't require a bow press.

IMO, unless your parents are willing to drop the cash themselves, do you really need an $800 bow? I have a used hoyt that cost me $300 a couple years ago. It's advertised IBO speed is 330 fps. *Just because a bow is expensive and new doesn't mean it's the best bow for you*. Guys have literally been killing animals with wooden bows for a thousand years. No offense to all the other guys on here, but unless you can REALLY afford it, you'd have to be a sucker to buy a new bow. I know, I know, "you don't know what you're getting with a used bow. What if it's been dry fired!" I'll take the chance and save myself $400.


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## walkswithwhispers

One other thing, I have to agree with the IBO thing. I didn't even know my bow was that fast until I got it home and started messing with it. I bought it because it felt good to shoot and the price was right. You really don't need a super fast bow.


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## duck slayer02

I'm buying the whole bow myself. My parents said they won't put money into it because you respect something you worked for more than something that was just anded to you. I've bought all of my guns and bows by working in the summers and other things like that. I just want to get a good bow if i'm going to upgrade


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## bretts

get an outback, switchback, or switchback xt, great bow, holds it's value you definitely won't be disapointed.


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## walkswithwhispers

Damn right you respect it more if you earn it! Good for you and good for your parents.

I'll second Brett's opinion about the Switchback or outback. My friends who shoot Matthews agree that the Switchback is Matthews best bow. And they do retain value a little better than a hoyt. You can pick up a used Katera or Switchback for around $600 right now but in 2 years the Switchback might be worth a little more. Maintainance may be a little more costly for the Mathews as I've seen the cams chew up strings pretty good.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y

martin_shooter said:


> earlier this year when i was looking for a new bow i shot the katera, dxt, general, 82nd, 101st and the firecat. between the dxt and the katera: the katera seemed alot quicker. * the dxt was a little smoother and quieter. * i ended up going with the martin firecat but between the dxt and the katera i would have to go with the *katera. better bow i thought*


So what is the reason you think that the Katera is better? IMO a smooth bow, and quiet beats a fast bow every day. I don't know many deer that can jump a 250FPS bow.

I turn my bows down to the spot they shoot the BEST. Every bow has a sweet spot, and most of them aren't when they are maxed. I just spent the whole day shooting all of the bows mentioned above one more time, and against Bretts comment about the DXT being a pile thats what I bought. I have a switchback, and I sold it to my dad.... his new target bow. Anyways I felt the DXT fit me well. I wanted a light bow, quiet and forgiving.

Dimond makes a sweet youth bow. I was checking it out today, I actually shot it! haha It goes from 19" to 29". It comes set up for like $330. I would really check this bow out! IMO it would be a great starter bow!


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## martin_shooter

the dxt isnt a pile. its a great shooting bow but not for me. when i was looking at them the katera was about 100$ cheaper than the matthews. the reason i bought the firecat was because i thought it shot just as good as the katera but was 550$, about 300 off the katera and 400 off the matthews. i didnt like the length of the airbornes. the bows i considered heavily were the dxt, katera, firecat, and general. im kinda glad i dint buy the general because they had a recall on them. another bow thats a pretty sweet shootin machine is the firestorm. its a little long for my liking but it shoots pretty sweet. and the speed of sound if i recall corectly is about 1100 fps give of take a few so i dont think ANYONE is going to come out with a bow that a deer cant feasibly jump the string on. the best part about having a fast bow is that it shoots flatter. i like having one pin out to 35 yards. also, with a faster bow you can shoot a heavier arrow with the same trajectory as a slower bow. more gpi's= more downrange kinetic energy. if your planning on trying to arrow any type of a big game animal penetration is critical. you can say all you want about a sharp broadhead and perfect arrow placement, but anyone whos hunted before knows that everything dosent work out perfectly everytime. the dxt and katera are both great bows dont get me wrong but i personally decided on the firecat because after shooting them that was the one that i liked the best. thats really the only way to buy a bow is to shoot them and decide what you like. so thats my theory on this matter.


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## bowinchester

The most important thing to do is shoot the bows and pick the one that feels the best. Basicly all the bows made by the bigger name companies are going to be pretty good. These companies have been around for many years now and have consistantly put out good bows. Since you are 15 I would say after the feel or the bow adjustment would be by far the most important thing to look at, unless you want to spend another $800 to buy a new bow next yearbecause you grew out of your old one.


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## jfd_82nd

some of the new bow tech bows like the captain, admerial, and gardian you can change the lenght yourself and you can work on your bow without ever needing a press! they also have some speedy bows as well like the 82nd airbourne ( that is what i have these bows are the best in my eyes) my mathews dxt just sits there to me it changes every time i pick it up. the bowtech is what i pick up every time i hit the woods.


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## bretts

I don't think the dxt is a pile by any means, but it is a bow that if your a beginner I wouldn't recommend it. It is very touchy and not the most forgiving bow by any means. It's a great bow but, I was a little disapointed with it. Not saying I wouldn't buy it, because I do prefer a smaller axle to axle bow and it does have a 7" brace height. Mathews new monster has a 5" brace height....should be interesting.


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## walkswithwhispers

Wow!! 5"!?!? My Hoyt is 5 and 3/4" and that's hard enough to shoot. I have a feeling that there are going to be a lot of idiots buying that bow thinking that it's just the bow for them because it's really fast and a mathews.

Also, faster bows do mean a flatter trajectory but then there's much greater turbulance, so it evens out. "fast doesn't = accurate". also, you can gain penetration by shooting a heavier broadhead. This year I cranked my hoyt up to 70 lbs and picked up lighter arrows and knocked 25 grains off my broadhead. I gained about 20 fps but when I did the math the kenetic energy was identical for each setup. So that nullifies the "faster arrow = better penetration" arguement. penetration has to do with the right amount of energy (which can be gained by adding either speed OR weight) and the amount of resistance faced by the broadhead (2 fixed blades works best).

Now, all that stuff being considered, I do shoot a speed bow that is definitely not for beginners. 70 lbs, 29" draw, 5 3/4" brace height, 304 fps on the chronograph (even though I know there are guys that get 330+ out of the same bow). I shoot it because it's what I can afford and it suits me reasonably well.


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## triggerhapp3y

I am partial to hoyt bows and no one can contend with the dependability of hoyt's limbs. And "bretts" you seem to be all about the brand name Mathew's? My dad is best friends with the brother/ceo of the owner of mathews and he told me that the only difference between hoyt and mathews is mathews' bows are lighter and hoyt's limbs are stronger and more dependable. he told me to stay with my hoyt 38 ultra and i love my bow but i thik im going to upgrade to a newer one next season.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y

triggerhapp3y said:


> I am partial to hoyt bows and no one can contend with the dependability of hoyt's limbs. And "bretts" you seem to be all about the brand name Mathew's? My dad is best friends with the brother/ceo of the owner of mathews and he told me that the only difference between hoyt and mathews is mathews' bows are lighter and hoyt's limbs are stronger and more dependable. he told me to stay with my hoyt 38 ultra and i love my bow but i thik im going to upgrade to a newer one next season.


I think there is a few more differences then that between the two. They are built completely different.

Mathews new bows.

Rezen= slamming a screen door..

Monster= walking a tight rope...

Hyperlight= Loud, and shaky...

Sould be an interesting year.

I got mine all set up today. Shooting 279 FPS, at 417 grains. Should hit like a sledge hammer!


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## walkswithwhispers

hunt4p&y,

279? I don't think your bow is fast enough to kill anything. Don't go wounding any deer in Fargo. That could make us look bad.

:lol:


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## walkswithwhispers

I just took a peek at Matthews new bows on their website. I was wondering when they were going to begin to switch to 2 cams. Looks like they're finally at it. I wonder if they call that thing the monster because it will wreck your arm. uffda.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y

walkswithwhispers said:


> hunt4p&y,
> 
> 279? I don't think your bow is fast enough to kill anything. Don't go wounding any deer in Fargo. That could make us look bad.
> 
> :lol:


I know they will jump it for sure!


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## bretts

triggerhapp3y said:


> I am partial to hoyt bows and no one can contend with the dependability of hoyt's limbs. And "bretts" you seem to be all about the brand name Mathew's? My dad is best friends with the brother/ceo of the owner of mathews and he told me that the only difference between hoyt and mathews is mathews' bows are lighter and hoyt's limbs are stronger and more dependable. he told me to stay with my hoyt 38 ultra and i love my bow but i thik im going to upgrade to a newer one next season.


--Im not all about the brand name mathews, I criticize their bows just as much as any, if you'd read posts from the past. IMO they make the best solo cam bow. There are way more differences between a hoyt and mathews than what dad's grandmas uncles best friend stated. The wall, the weight, the cams, limbs, risers, feel of the bow, etc etc. They are both great company's with great bows, I prefer mathews.


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## martin_shooter

WHAT matthews is coming out with a new cam system!!!! i didnt believe so i looked! im actually kinda surprised, but not shocked. should be interesting to see how the first batch shoot and tune. might have to go check em out! whats hoyt coming out with this year?


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## barebackjack

Look for a nice used switchback, BEST bow Mathews has ever turned out. Ive never been a fan of the drenalin, I liked the DXT better, and the new reezon or whatever sucks donkey c*ck.

Hoyt sucks. :lol:

Seriously, had a guy on the practice range this summer with a new Hoyt, had every "noise suppression" gizmo on the market on that thing, noisy as h*ll! I thought he had a bunch of loose screws on the thing, he didnt.


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## barebackjack

triggerhapp3y said:


> I am partial to hoyt bows and no one can contend with the dependability of hoyt's limbs.


Wanna bet?


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## bretts

--I also was not impressed with the reezon, although I wouldn't ever switch to a heavy hoyt. Im actually getting annoyed with the way companies have been going with their direction on bows. speed, speed,speed. IMO the switchback, and outback are/were mathews best bows made thus far. All I want is a smooth bow, good wall, quiet, compact, and decently fast. You guys can have all the speed you want....still gotta put that arrow in a spot where it counts! :lol:


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## walkswithwhispers

I have to agree that for the money, hoyt's can be kinda noisy. I think the string dampeners that mathew's has are a better idea than the toilet plunger that hoyt tacked on its bows. However, the plunger keeps the string from coming forward and smacking you in the arm on a 6" brace height. If you start to get sloppy with a short brace height the string will wake you up in a hurry!

:lol:


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## duckslyr

duck slayer02 said:


> hunt4P&Y said:
> 
> 
> 
> every bow is adjustable. It isn't to expensive to change them up so you can have a different draw.
> 
> 
> 
> When you say its not to expensive to change up, is that just getting different cams of a different draw length? If so, how much, just guessing, would you think it would cost?
> 
> David
Click to expand...

I just got a new cam for my matthews for $110 installed. as a new archer i would sugest geting a single cam bow since the dual cams need constant tuning to stay timed perfectly. also just remember that speed isnt everything. get a bow with a 7 inch or greater brace height. that will be way more forgiving and make you shoot alot better.


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## bowhunter199

stick with hoyt. matthews is overrated


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## duck slayer02

I ended up going with the katera, and wow. this thing rocks! Its wayy better than my old bow..I liked the DXT, but I just liked the feel of the tec riser more, I've always been partial to Hoyts. Thanks for all your help and opinoins guys.

David


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## walkswithwhispers

Good for you! I shot a Katera at Scheels again the other day because it had been marked down to $529 new!! I hope you got a deal. I'm partial to the tech riser as well. I don't know what it is. You'll find that the support brace behind the grip makes a great carrying handle when you're afield. Also, I know that Hoyt's are heavier but honestly the extra weight will really help steady your shots, especially when your IBO is at 330 fps. Every ounce you add helps to keep that thing from bucking like a wild bull. I have an older hoyt that's lighter and has an IBO rating of 330 and it REALLY bucks. (my actual fps is a little over 300)

Happy stickin'!!

:beer:


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## duck slayer02

I actually got it for $450. I was going to wait a little longer before I bought one, but I couldnt pass it up..

David


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## GooseBuster3

Just bought a Hoyt Alpha Max..... I thought it was worth the money for sure!!


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## ImpalaSSpeed96

I have the bowtech blackhawk and its been good to me. I understand the unforgiving part though. It took me quite a while to learn how to shoot a 7 inch brace height and 27 inch axle to axle bow. My buddy bought the DXT this year though and I think I would like to make the switch. I have always loved how the Matthews bow's shot, but they've always been to big for me. Same reason I won't look at Hoyt anymore...

Glad you got one to rock your world lol!


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## barebackjack

I wish I had known this earlier, but apparently Scheels was selling DXT's right after new years for DIRT CHEAP!


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