Single-pin, multi-pin, slider, or fixed, it doesnโt matter. Having a quality bow sight needs to be on your radar for the coming hunting season.
The Best Bow Sights for Hunting
- Best Overall: Black Gold Ascent Verdict
- Best Budget: Redline RL3
- Best Single-Pin: CBE Trek Pro Micro 3V
- Best Multi-Pin: Option Archery Canyon Pounder
- Best in Technology: Garmin A1i Pro
There is no shortage of options out there when it comes to bow sights. I get a chuckle these days with how many there are, especially looking back on my first bow sight. These days, it would look more like a paperweight than a bow sight. A rusty relic with no agenda.
Bow sights of today are a stark difference from that old relic I had. The level of craftsmanship, precision, and features are unbelievable. From fiber optic pins to micro adjustments and built-in rangefinders, they are a work of art. It is undeniable that they are a huge part of the success of the modern-day bowhunter.
Instead of sifting your way through the ocean of available bow sights, we at GearJunkie did the sifting for you. Weโve broken down our top picks of bow sights for 2024.
For a side-by-side spec comparison, have a look at our chart, and be sure to read our buyer’s guide to help you decide which bow sight is best for you.
Editor’s Note: This guide received an update on June 12, 2024, adding the reliable CBE Trek Pro Micro 3V and awarding it our top choice for a single-pin sight. We also now cover the HHA Tetra RYZ, a great option for folks who like to shoot at longer ranges.
- Mount type: Standard
- Number of pins: 3 or 5
- Axis adjustments: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd axis (3rd is micro)
Pros
- Simple design
- Great warranty
- Fully customizable
Cons
- No micro adjust
Redline RL3
- Mount type: Standard
- Number of pins: 3 or 5
- Axis adjustments: 1st and 2nd
Pros
- Affordable
- Micro-adjust windage and elevation
- Rheostat light
Cons
- No 3rd axis adjustment
CBE Trek Pro Micro 3V
- Mount type: Dovetail
- Number of pins: 1(3 fiber optics stacked vertically)
- Axis adjustments: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
Pros
- More versatile than standard single-pin
- Micro-adjust windage
- Laser-engraved sight tapes
Cons
- Not cheap
Option Archery Canyon Pounder
- Mount type: Standard extension, direct, bridge-lock, and Picatinny
- Number of pins: 3, 4, or 5
- Axis adjustments: 2nd and 3rd
Pros
- Flips between multi and single pin
- Lots of mounting options
- 2 sight tapes offer more versatility and precision
Cons
- Expensive
Garmin A1i Pro
- Mount type: Dovetail (quick detach)
- Number of pins: 7
- Axis adjustments: Garmin micro-adjustability on all axes
Pros
- Can range while at full draw
- To the yard accuracy
- Can store multiple arrow profiles in unit
Cons
- Very expensive
HHA Tetra RYZ
- Mount Type: Fixed hunter bracket, long and short dovetail, and Hoyt Picatinny
- Number of pins: 2 pins on 1 vertical pin blade
- Axis adjustment: 2nd and 3rd
Pros
- No shortage of mounting options
- Will appeal to those wanting to shoot long-range
- Second pin with dual indicators allows for more versatility on the fly
Cons
- Second pin is fixed, so where it is it is. This will not be a constant yardage between setups
- Mount type: Dovetail
- Number of pins: 1, 3, or 5
- Axis adjustments: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
Pros
- Metal sight tapes
- Very smooth slider
- Can switch scopes easily with the turn of a knob
Cons
- Slider lock comes loose which can allow slider to move by accident
- Mount type: Dovetail
- Number of pins: 1, 3, and 5
- Axis adjustments: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
Pros
- Multiple pin counts are available
- Includes a sight light
- Dual indicators
Cons
- Where the sight housing attaches to dovetail bar tends to come loose with frequent use
- Mount type: Standard
- Number of pins: 1
- Axis adjustments: 2nd and 3rd axis
Pros
- Durable
- Micro-adjust windage and elevation
- Options of dovetail or classic mounting
Cons
- Expensive
- Mount type: Standard
- Number of pins: 3, 5, and 7
- Axis adjustments: 2nd and 3rd
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Multiple pin count offerings
- Comes with rheostat light
Cons
- No picatinny mounting option
- Mount type: Standard
- Number of pins: 3, 5, and 7
- Axis adjustments: 2nd, and 3rd
Pros
- Durable
- Micro-adjust windage and elevation
- Self-locking gang micro adjust
Cons
- Bulky
- Mount type: Dovetail or Picatinny
- Number of pins: 1 or 3 pin
- Axis adjustment: 2nd and 3rd axis
Pros
- Lots of color options
- Angled track allows for more yardage
- Level located on top provides more clear sight picture
Cons
- Void wheel doesnโt lock
Bow Sight Comparison Chart
Sight | Price | Mount Type | Number of Pins | Axis Adjustment |
---|---|---|---|---|
Black Gold Ascent Verdict | $279 | Standard | 3 or 5 | 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (3rd is micro) |
Redline RL3 | $99 | Standard | 3 or 5 | 1st and 2nd |
HHA Tetra Single Pin | $279 | Standard | 1 | 2nd and 3rd |
CBE Trek Pro Micro 3V | $350 | Dovetail | 1 (3 fiber optics stacked vertically) | 1st, 2nd, and 3rd |
Option Archery Canyon Pounder | $620 | Standard extension, direct, bridge-lock, and Picatinny | 3, 4, or 5 | 2nd and 3rd |
Garmin A1i Pro | $1,300 | Dovetail (quick detach) | 7 | Garmin micro-adjustability on all axis |
Axcel Landslyde Carbon Pro Slider | $410 | Dovetail | 1, 3, or 5 | 1st, 2nd, and 3rd |
HHA Tetra RYZ | Fixed hunter bracket, long and short dovetail, and Hoyt Picatinny | 2 pins on 1 vertical pin blade | 2nd and 3rd | |
CBE Trek Pro | $360 | Dovetail | 1, 3, or 5 | 2nd and 3rd |
Trophy Ridge React Pro | $279 | Standard | 3, 5, and 7 | 2nd and 3rd |
Spot Hogg Hunter MRT | $274 | Standard | 3, 5, and 7 | 2nd and 3rd |
Dialed Arxos | $500 | Dovetail or Picatinny | 1 or 3 pin | 2nd and 3rd |
How We Tested Bow Sights
Well, we bow hunt โฆ a lot. After spending an immense amount of time in the field each year, what works, what doesnโt, what we need, and what we donโt becomes apparent. Whether in the mountains getting bumped off rocks and rocked by the weather or on the plains crawling through the grass and ingesting an unhealthy amount of dust and debris. From shooting in broad daylight to the fading light of the evening. Our bowsights get put through the wringer.
Rain? Yup. Snow? Definitely. Brutal heat? Weโve cooked them and then some. Our goal is to do the brunt of the research so you donโt have to and can walk into the field with good bow sight and confidence.
How easy is it to operate the bow sight? Does it lose its zero after getting bumped? What about the adjustability? Do the pins starburst in daylight and become non-existent in the evening? These are just some of the things weโre paying attention to when trying out a new bow sight. Along with that, we also consider the expertise and experience of trusted people around us and market demand at various price points.
Bowhunting is something Josh Kirchner thinks about every single day. He’s lucky to spend a good majority of the year with a bow in his hand. From the alpine to the desert, he’s stalked and ambushed big game animals successfully with a bow and arrow year after year. Itโs his passion, and he has a deep appreciation for the level of difficulty that goes into a successful archery hunt. The gear that compromises that success is the gear Josh wonโt waste his time using.
If you’re looking to get your whole kit dialed, check out our comprehensive guide to the best archery release aids, as well as our guide to the best hunting arrows.
Buyerโs Guide: How to Choose a Bow Sight
Single-Pin or Multi-Pin Bow Sight?
Perhaps the biggest question for bowhunters looking for a new sight is whether to get a single-pin or a multi-pin version. Each of them has its own pros and potential cons in the field. Weโre going to break that down for you here. With any luck, youโll know exactly what to set your sights on after the fact.
Multi-Pin Sights
Advantages
As I mentioned above, multi-pin bow sights are, without a doubt, the most common bow sights used among bowhunters. There are several reasons for that. The first is they are a set-it-and-forget-it system. With the exception of using a multi-pin slider, your pins are what they are.
This leads me to another benefit: Quick yardage pin acquisition is easier with a multi-pin. When a hunter draws their bow back, they know what their pins are, and there is no โhold on, let me dial,โ especially after an animal decides to move.
Lastly, multi-pin bow sights also shed light on arrow trajectory. For instance, if you are aiming with your 40-yard pin, but while doing that, your 20-yard pin is sitting on a branch at the halfway point, youโve likely got a deflection in your future and need to adjust.
Disadvantages
On the flip side, multi-pin sights donโt offer the best of sight pictures. Thereโs just a lot going on in there, which can muddy your view.
With that in mind, having a plethora of pins inside the housing also has a way of confusing folks. I canโt tell you how many people Iโve heard say โused the wrong pinโ after a miss.
Furthermore, these are a set-it-and-forget-it system, but unless youโre using a slider, you wonโt be stretching the distance too much in practice. There is great value in practicing long-range shooting, as it makes one even more accurate at the shorter ranges.
Single-Pin Sights
Advantages
While single pins might not be as prevalent in the mountains as multi-pins, there is 100% value in running one pin versus multiple for bowhunting. The first that comes to mind is more of a clear-sight picture. There is no clutter and no such thing as using the wrong pin accidentally in those high-intensity bowhunting situations. Youโve got one pin to worry about, and thatโs it.
And with that one pin, youโre going to get exact yardage accuracy. A single-pin sight operates off of a sight tape, so the hunter can dial exact yardage and not have to worry about pin gapping (example: aiming between 30-40 pin for a 35-yard shot).
Single pins are also incredibly easy to sight in. Unlike having to go through sighting in each and every pin on a multi-pin, single pins only require one to sight in two different yardages โ a close shot and a farther shot. From that info, youโll be able to get your sight tape, and itโs off to the races from there.
Disadvantages
Itโs not all roses and sugar plums with single-pin sights. And really, this all comes down to one disadvantage that affects a few different things. The disadvantage is time. Single-pin sights are a time sucker because they take longer to adjust for yardage.
So, when that elk decides to move at the last minute while youโre at full draw, youโll either have to let down and readjust or try to compensate and risk your precision. Itโs a sticky situation either way.
This can also cause one to take an even longer amount of time coming to full draw. When things heat up quickly, you need to act quickly, and a single pin doesnโt lend to that in the least. Even if youโve got all of the ranges memorized in front of you, youโll still have to adjust your sight to wherever that animal steps out.
And when you do have to adjust your sight, this is more movement youโre throwing into the mix. Bowhunting is a game of inches, and the less movement, the better on our part. Having to move and adjust your sight is a hunter risking getting busted, as well as risking precious time doing so.
Final Thoughts
Choosing between a single-pin and multi-pin bow sight all comes down to comfort and personal preference with a sprinkle of your own hunting style. I know folks that just prefer not to monkey around with remembering which pin to use in the heat of the moment, so they shoot a single.
A popular tactic for ambush hunting from a tree or ground blind. And then I know folks that are diehard spot and stalk hunters, and they feel they need those multiple pins in order to act quickly when that opportunity finally arises.
Whatever it is, pick one, run with it, and know how to use it โ because the most important thing of all is being able to put the arrow where it needs to go, right behind the pin.
FAQ
The one that fits your style the best. With that said we stand behind our top pick of the Black Gold Ascent Verdict.
60 yards with most bow sights is very attainable. However, there are many that can now reach out past 100 yards
Having the brightest pins is not always favorable. You want pins that are just right. Sights like the Garmin Xero A1i allow you to change pin brightness digitally. And then sights like the Black Gold Ascent Verdict have features (photochromatic shell) that will naturally manage how much light the pin fibers are collecting.
You should sight your bow at the distances you are comfortable shooting as well as the distances that reflect your hunting environment. A common multi-pin configuration though would start at 20 yards and escalate 10 yards at a time from there. 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 would be an example of a 5-pin sight configuration.
The distance that is too far to shoot a deer with a bow is the distance at which you begin to lose confidence and accuracy. This is going to vary from hunter to hunter. For some, it might be 40 yards. For others, it might be 70 yards. Environmental factors also come into play here like how much the wind is gusting and rain, as well as how alert the deer is.