Bear Legit MAXX RTH

Bear Legit MAXX or Bear Cruzer (G3/G4) for a beginner — are they basically the same bow?

Close cousins, not the same bow — both are Bear's mega-adjustable, press-free starter bows, and for a beginner they're more alike than different. The Legit MAXX is the current-production model with a smoother cam and the full accessory package; the Cruzer (G3/G4) is lighter and adjusts to a lower draw-weight floor (10 lb) for smaller youth shooters. For a teen-to-adult, the Legit MAXX's smoother draw is the pick; for fitting a small child, the Cruzer's lower floor matters. Either is a fine first bow.

Is the Bear Legit MAXX a good first compound bow for hunting and general practice on a ~$500 budget?

Yes — it's repeatedly called a strong value and even 'the best package under $500,' with user-adjustable draw length and poundage without a bow press and a full kit (Whisker Biscuit V, 4-pin sight, quiver, stabilizer, peep) included. The honest caveats: the 6.25" brace height is the least forgiving here, and like most package bows it may need a pro-shop tune and a string upgrade. For ~$500 hunting and practice, it's a smart buy.

Bear Legit MAXX vs the cheaper Sanlida Dragon X8 — which is the safer entry-level buy?

The Bear is the safer entry buy — when shoppers pit the Legit MAXX against the Sanlida Dragon X8, the room steers them to the Bear because it's more likely to work correctly out of the box, with dealer support behind it. The Sanlida is cheaper and a remarkable value, but ships with QC variability and no dealer network. If you want lowest-risk-out-of-the-box, the Bear; if you want maximum value and can handle DIY tuning, the Sanlida.

Bear Legit MAXX vs PSE Stinger ATK vs Diamond Edge XT for a first bow that lasts a few seasons?

All three are legitimate first bows that last a few seasons; they differ in character. The Legit MAXX wins on adjustability range and included kit, the PSE Stinger ATK on a longer 32" axle-to-axle that aims steadier, and the Diamond Edge XT on a slightly lower price. None is a speed demon. For a household where the bow must fit several people, the Legit MAXX; for the steadiest aim, the Stinger ATK. Any of the three serves a new hunter well.

What arrow spine, length and point/insert weight should I set up for a Bear Legit MAXX for deer hunting?

At a typical 60-70 lb / 28-29" hunting setup, a 350 spine is the safe default for the Legit MAXX, with a 400 working at the lower-poundage, shorter-draw end — and because it's not a fast bow, spine selection is forgiving. Run ~100-125 gr up front (a 100 gr point or a heavier insert/point combo for more FOC) and cut the arrow to your draw plus an inch or so for clearance. Bare-shaft or paper tune to confirm, but a 350 shaft with 100-125 gr up front covers most deer setups on this bow.

My new Legit MAXX's string sits noticeably left of the cams and I can't get consistent groups — is that cam lean normal or does it need fixing?

Cam lean out of the box is common on these and usually fixable, not a defect — a new owner with the string sitting well left of the cams and poor groups needed a bow press, cam-lean/cable correction and paper tuning at a real pro shop, after which it shot fine. Don't try to force groups around it; take it to a shop (or press it yourself) to correct the lean and paper tune. Budget that tune into the purchase.

Does lowering the draw length on the Legit MAXX also lower the peak draw weight?

Yes — on these rotating-module bows, lowering the draw length typically lowers peak draw weight somewhat, because the two interact. So if you shorten the draw, re-check your poundage on a scale and re-tune. Set draw length first, then dial weight to where you want it, and confirm both before you sight in. It's normal behavior for this style of adjustable bow, not a malfunction.

Across forums the Legit MAXX is repeatedly framed as a great sub-$500 starter package, with owners and onlookers calling it a strong value and one poster flatly calling it the best package under $500. Bear as a brand is described as forgiving and well-supported for new archers.

Owners and recommenders single out the user-adjustable draw length and poundage without a bow press, and the fact that you don't buy extra modules to change weight/length. This makes it an easy pick for households and for shorter or growing shooters whose final draw isn't settled.

When pitted against a Sanlida Dragon X8, the room steers buyers to the Bear because it's more likely to work correctly out of the box. But a self-identified Legit MAXX owner advised a newcomer to consider a single-cam Bear instead, reasoning a single cam is less trouble to keep tuned and timed than the MAXX's dual cams.

A new owner found the string pulled well left of the cams and couldn't group at 10 yards; responders confirmed it needed a bow press, cam-lean/cable correction and paper tuning at a real pro shop. Notably the same owner's brother's identical model shot better, pointing to unit-to-unit QC variability.

Common Bear advice that carries to the Legit line: budget for a quality custom string/cable set soon, since the stock setup (including cheesy speed-nock string silencers) underperforms; longtime Bear owners also flag the cheap factory cable slides as an easy upgrade.

Newer owners report positive range experiences: one with a couple hundred arrows said seasoned club members found it quieter than expected and easy to adjust, and was comfortably smoking targets at 40 yards; another beginner set at 50 lb shot a full session day one with no issue.