Archery Care is reader supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More.

Best RTH Compound Bows Reviewed for 2023 – Start Hunting From Today

Since archery season is almost around the corner, it's time to upgrade your bow to the latest model. However, almost all quality compound bows found in the market are costly, and the affordable ones are often flimsy.

So, do you really have to choose between quality and cost?

We've held a survey with several archers across the country to bring you this curated list of 6 picks for the best rth compound bow. Each bow has a unique feature and incredible quality, and above all, they are available at an affordable price.

Our researchers made sure to include a bow for every kind of archer, young, adult, beginner, and expert.

Before we go into in-depth reviews, here is a quick summary of our list for the best ready to hunt compound bows:

"If you want it all, then this bow is the one for you. From accuracy to performance, this compound bow is all you can expect from a flagship model for less than $300."

2. Best Youth: Bear Archery Royale

"Trying to get the kiddos into archery? This bow is the perfect way to start. Its precision-enhancing features work to help your child develop accurate shots while also building their confidence on the field."

3. Best Adult: Bear Archery Cruzer G2

"This bow is a beginner's best friend. It comes with everything you need to maximize precision. Plus, it has error-correcting features which prevent unsteady shots."

4. Best Versatile: CREATIVE XP Glass Harrier

"Looking for a pro compound bow at a low cost? The Glass Harrier from CREATIVE XP is the perfect option. Its most praised feature is the aluminum cams which ensure the user's safety and bow's durability at all times."

5. Best Adjustable: Fred Bear Archery Legit

"If you want complete freedom with your compound bow, then you should opt for the Legit RTH bow from Bear Archery. This bow allows you to make all the changes you desire for the perfect target shooting experience."

6. Best for Performance: Maxtrv Diamond Edge

"Smooth draw cycles, steady streamlined shots, and zero vibration. The Diamond Edge 320 gives users an experience that they won't ever forget."

Now that you're all caught up with what to expect let's get into the details of each our Top RTH compound bows.

6 Best RTH Compound Bows - Comprehensive Reviews

Every hunter needs a bow that enhances their existing talents. That is why we've made sure to prioritize functionality and affordability for all our picks so that every kind of archer can have an option.

1. Top Pick: Sanlida Archery Dragon X8 RTH Compound Bow

Sanlida Archery Dragon X8 Compound Bow
Item Specifications:
  • Bow Length (Axle-to-Axle): 30 inches
  • Draw Weight: 70 pounds
  • Hand Orientation: Right Hand
  • Bow Weight: 3.8 pounds
  • Draw Length: 18 inches to 31 inches
  • Brace Height: 6.6 inches
  • Let Off: 70-80 percent

We're starting off our list with our top pick, which is Sanlida Archery's Dragon X8. This bow is currently breaking boundaries in the archer's sphere with its excellent quality, performance, and sleek finish, all within the entry-level price range.

Out of the box, you met with a top-to-bottom black/Vista camo bow with an aluminum riser and Gordon Glass limbs. It also comes with CNC machined cams paired with a rotating module system.

That allows you to make draw length adjustments without a bow press swiftly.

This bow is ideal for hunting, as its compact build enables archers to carry it easily. Plus, with the wide draw weight adjustment ranges, archers of any age can shoot with little to no struggle.

The Dragon X8 gives a smooth, light draw cycle and a firm back wall. It can shoot arrows of up to 310 FPS, making it stealthy and perfect for optimum target precision. Even without the stabilizers, you can barely feel the vibrations of the bow, so you don't have to worry about messing up.

Above all, this bow's best feature is that it comes with everything you need for maximum precision and incredible performance. The package includes a peep sight, a 5-pin sight, a quiver, an arrow rest, a stabilizer, a bow stand, an arrow puller, a wrist sling, a bow case, and 12 arrows.

What Are The Good Sides?

  • Durable build, aluminum riser with Gordon Glass limbs
  • CNC machined cams paired with a rotating module system
  • Adjustable draw lengths from 18-21 inches; no bow press required
  • Shoots arrows of up to 310 FPS, stealthy and optimum target precision
  • The package includes arrows, stabilizer, peep sight, bow case, and more
  • Little to no vibrations even without stabilizer, less chance of error

What Are The Drawbacks?

  • Peep sight keeps moving
  • Draw weight tends to max out at 62 pounds

Our Verdict: This compound bow is for users who are looking for all the features of a flagship model bow without the hefty price tag. The Dragon X8 excels in all aspects with minor errors.

2. Best Youth: Bear Archery Royale Compound Bow

Bear Archery Royale Youth Compound Bow
Item Specifications:
  • Bow Length (Axle-to-Axle): 27 inches
  • Draw Weight: 50 pounds
  • Hand Orientation: Left Hand / Right Hand
  • Bow Weight: 2.7 pounds
  • Draw Length: 12 inches to 27 inches
  • Brace Height: 6 inches
  • Let Off: 75 percent

The Royale is one of the Best Bear Archery's compound bows, which are manufactured for children and smaller framed archers.

Made with a plastic housing site, plastic whisker biscuit, and more, the bow is very lightweight, making it easy for children to use and carry around.

But, the fact that it's made for kids doesn't make it a flimsy bow. It's actually equipped with 5-50 pounds of adjustable draw weight without a bow press, which is a lot of variety for children to play around with.

Everything on the bow is adjustable, which allows young archers to experiment with the bow and customize it to their preference. Plus, they can choose between a variety of color options, including Stoke, Shadow, Strata, Toxic, Wildfire, and Edge.

Precision correcting features such as the peep sight, d-loop, and whisker biscuit give young archers little room for mistakes. Moreover, they can shoot arrows up to an impressive speed of 290 FPS, which is a great starting speed for beginner hunters.

What Sets It Apart?

  • Lightweight plastic build, easy for children to carry around
  • Completely adjustable, archers can customize the bow to their preference
  • Precision correcting features such as peep sight, d-loop, whisker biscuit, etc.
  • Excellent speed of up to 290 FPS, perfect speed for young archers
  • From 5 to 50 pounds of adjustable draw weight, huge variety for kids

What Are The Flaws?

  • The pattern starts to peel after a while

Our Verdict: The Royale compound bow is a treasure for any young archer beginning his/her journey into the sport. This bow enhances your child's existing talents while also building their confidence to test their limits.

3. Best Adult: Bear Archery Cruzer G2 Compound Bow

Bear Archery Cruzer G2 Adult Compound Bow
Item Specifications:
  • Bow Length (Axle-to-Axle): 30 inches
  • Draw Weight: 70 pounds
  • Hand Orientation: Left Hand / Right Hand
  • Bow Weight: 3 pounds
  • Draw Length: 12 inches to 30 inches
  • Brace Height: 6.5 inches
  • Let Off: 70 percent

Bear Archery is home to the best compound bows. One of their most impressive bows is the Cruzer G2, which is by far the best rth compound bow under 500 for beginner bow hunters.

The Cruzer G2 is so lightweight, easy to carry, and adjustable that it will fit comfortably on any archer without hassle. With the included RTH package, archers can enjoy other bow accessories such as a whisker biscuit, a stabilizer, a peep sight, a d-loop, a four-pin sight, and more.

You can choose between a range of color options, including TrueTimber Kanati, Shadow Series, Realtree Edge, Moonshine Wildfire, Moonshine Undertow, Moonshine Muddy Girl, and Moonshine Toxic.

Moreover, the bow is designed to minimize errors as much as possible. The stabilizers work to muffle vibrations and steady your hand. Paired with the advanced grip design, the bow enhances accuracy by eliminating hand torque.

The draw weights vary from 5 to 70 pounds, with an adjustable draw length of 12 to 30 inches. You can shoot arrows at 315 FPS with a smooth draw cycle and 70 percent let-off. This makes the bow perfect for hunting, especially if you are a beginner.

Why Are We Impressed?

  • Very lightweight and easy to carry, adjustable for any archer of all ages
  • Included accessories in the RTH package, with the peep sight, arrows, d-loop, etc.
  • Stabilizers muffle vibrations, and advanced grip design removes hand torque
  • With high-speed fire, users can shoot arrows at 315 FPS with a smooth draw cycle
  • Easy to adjust both the sight and the draw length, perfect for beginners
  • Minimizes errors and enhances accuracy for optimum precision

What Could Be Better?

  • Comparatively Poor string quality
  • Color fades after a while

Our Verdict: The Cruzer G2 is the perfect compound bow for beginners getting into archery. This bow helps new archers find their strong points and sharpen their skills.

4. Best Versatile: CREATIVE XP Glass Harrier RTH Compound Bow

CREATIVE XP Glass Harrier RTH Compound Bow
Item Specifications:
  • Bow Length (Axle-to-Axle): 30 inches
  • Draw Weight: 70 pounds
  • Hand Orientation: Left Hand / Right Hand
  • Bow Weight: 3.6 pounds
  • Draw Length: 23.5 inches to 30.5 inches
  • Brace Height: 7.4 inches
  • Let Off: 75 percent

Next on our list is the Glass Harrier RTH bow from CREATIVE XP. We've named this compound bow the most versatile of our picks because of its brilliant performance, extra accessories, and premium quality.

From the first look, the bow's camo/black exterior will catch your attention before anything else. Its build is an impressive 3.6 pounds with 30 inches axle to axle length. This makes it a firm bow that feels like a flagship model but is also lightweight enough to carry around easily.

This bow is manufactured for any kind of archer, regardless of age, experience, or gender. Everything from the draw weights to the draw lengths is adjustable for the archer to fix the bow to their liking. 

Moreover, you do not need a bow press.

The complete aluminum cams and modules ensure the user's safety and the bow's durability at all times. Unlike other compound bows, this one does not fade in color nor has poor string quality. With every use, this bow just gets sharper.

With the RTH package, you can get a number of performance-enhancing accessories, which include a 5-pin sight, rubber stabilizer, release aid, string stopper, paper targets, string wax, 4 carbon arrows, and a high-quality quiver.

Moreover, you can fire arrows at an incredible speed of up to 320 FPS, which is much faster than most of the target shooting compound bows.

What Are The Good Sides?

  • Comes in camo and black, sleek exterior that is worn and tear-resistant
  • Does not feel tacky, firm but lightweight and easy to carry around
  • Manufactured for all archers, regardless of age, experience, or gender
  • Brilliant string and exterior quality do not become weaker with use
  • Cams and modules ensure user's safety and bow's durability at all times
  • RTH package includes many performance-enhancing accessories 

What Are The Drawbacks?

  • Poor vibration prevention
  • Release trigger strap may break

Our Verdict: This compound bow is great if you want the most precision correcting features. Its aluminum cams are a unique touch that makes the bow a great long-term investment.

5. Best Adjustable: Fred Bear Legit RTH Compound Bow

Fred Bear Legit RTH Toxic Compound Bow
Item Specifications:
  • Bow Length (Axle-to-Axle): 30 inches
  • Draw Weight: 70 pounds
  • Hand Orientation: Left Hand / Right Hand
  • Bow Weight: 3.6 pounds
  • Draw Length: 14 inches to 30 inches
  • Brace Height: 6 inches
  • Let Off: 75 percent
  • Colors: 11 different colors

Another great option from Bear Archery is their Legit RTH compound bow. It comes in a wide variety of colors, including BA's signature patterns such as Wildfire, Muddy, Fred Bear, Inspire, Shadow, Undertow, Toxic, and Realtree Edge.

With a build weighing 3.6 pounds with 30 inches of axle-to-axle length, this bow feels solid in your hands and leaves little room for shakes or vibration. However, it is completely adjustable, so archers of all skill levels and ages can enjoy the quality of this bow. 

Plus, it is lightweight and can be carried around by anyone, regardless of experience. 

Like most of our options, this bow also does not require a bow press to make adjustments. The adjustments include the draw length range and draw weight options. You can easily make these adjustments using an Allen wrench.

There are also a number of performance-enhancing accessories included with this bow. All of them are part of the RTH package, which includes a 5-spot quiver, a d-loop, a whisker biscuit, a 4-pin sight, a no tie peep sight, and a contraband bowstring.

What Sets It Apart?

  • The updated dual cam system gives a smooth and seamless draw cycle
  • Make draw length and draw weight adjustments with only an Allen wrench
  • Lightweight and easy to carry for all archers, despite age or experience
  • Firm build leaves no room for hand torque and vibrations
  • Includes a number of Trophy Ridge accessories with the RTH package

What Are The Flaws?

  • Poor string quality

Our Verdict: This compound bow is the perfect choice for archers who want the most freedom in their target shooting experience. Anyone from beginners to experts can benefit from the Legit RTH.

6. Best for Performance: Maxtrv Diamond Edge Compound Bow

Maxtrv Diamond Edge Compound Bow
Item Specifications:
  • Bow Length (Axle-to-Axle): 32 inches
  • Draw Weight: 70 pounds
  • Hand Orientation: Right Hand
  • Bow Weight: 3.6 pounds
  • Draw Length: 15 inches to 31 inches
  • Brace Height: 7.25 inches
  • Let Off: 85 percent

To conclude, our list's last pick is Diamond Archery's Diamond Edge 320 compound bow. This bow is ideal for target shooting, hunting, and archery target practice. Its versatility is brought out by its unfaltering performance. 

Whether you're a beginner or expert, you will be impressed by the Edge 320's let-off and FPS. 85% is an incredible let-off for a compound bow worth less than $500, which also makes it one of DA's most high-performing bows at an affordable price.

Also, 320 FPS is incredibly fast, which makes it great for all sorts of shooting activities, from archery to hunting.

The adjustable draw weight of 7 to 70 pounds makes it low enough for children to target practice and high enough for professional bowhunters to hunt down deer. Moreover, the draw cycle is smooth, and the bow conveniently prevents hand torque.

Lastly, the bow comes with 6 carbon arrows, an apex 3 pin sight, a 5 arrow quiver, a d-loop, a release, a hostage arrow rest, a 5-inch stabilizer, and a comfort wrist sling. The bow itself is available in only two shades - camouflage and mossy oak.

What Are The Good Sides?

  • Offers an uninterrupted draw cycle that provides for flat nock travel
  • The binary cam system provides users with added accuracy with each shot
  • 320 FPS, great for all sorts of shooting activities from archery to hunting
  • Adjustable draw weight, low enough for children and high enough for experts
  • Impressive let-off of 85%, brilliant considering the low price

What Are The Drawbacks?

  • No markings on sight for windage adjustments

Our Verdict: This bow is the best for smooth draw cycles, error-free shots, and little to no vibration. We highly recommend this for archers struggling with precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What bow is best for survival?

We believe the CREATIVE XP Glass Harrier RTH Compound Bow is the best bow for survival on our list. It is incredibly fast and precise, which makes it excellent for a high-tension environment.

How long do compound bows last?

A good quality compound bow can last up to 25 to 30 years with careful maintenance.

Do compound bows lose power over time?

Yes, some bows can be made of low-quality material or have poor, strong quality. These bows tend to wear out fast and shoot arrows at a lower speed or less accurately.

Does dry firing a compound bow ruin it?

Yes, the dry firing of a compound bow can severely damage the bow. In fact, bow technicians have described these dry fires as explosions.

Wrapping Up

According to consumer consensus, the best rth compound bow is the Sanlida Archery Dragon X8 RTH Compound Bow. It excels in all the major qualities, including performance, speed, accuracy, and stealth. This bow is by far the best overall pick we've come across that has little to no flaws.