Bow sight design has come a long way. Here are three bow sights you need to know about and consider adding to your bow’s riser.
by Jace Bauserman
My first bow sight was a TRUGLO five-pin. It didn’t have second or third-axis adjustment, but it’s what I had, and I killed a pile of critters with that sight mounted to my riser.
As with all archery accessories, bow sight design and function have come a long way. From tooless windage and elevation adjust models to various pin-housing designs to dial-to-the-yard capability, today’s bow sights are accessory marvels.
However, those marvels come with a hefty price tag. A kingpin 2025 bow sight—any of the three to come—will cost between $400-$600. Yes, these sights are expensive, but if you put a premium on functionality and accuracy, any of these three will greatly complement your compound bow.
Full transparency, I’ve only tested two of the three sights. The AXCEL model is in here because two bowhunters I highly respect told me multiple times since the sight hit the market that I need to get one in and test it out. I’m in the process of doing that. Also, the to-come is not a sight test. I have individually tested Spot-Hogg’s Boonie PM Triple Stack and Dialed’s Pruf Mover. The link to the Boonie article is included, and the full Dialed review is to come. Still, these are three sights you can add to your riser to up your bow sight game.
Let’s dive in!
Spot-Hogg Boonie PM Triple Stack
Spot-Hogg makes its popular Boonie in multiple models and pin configurations. I don’t think you can beat the $479.99 Boonie PM Triple Stack. It’s my number one bow sight go-to. I love the direct-to-riser clamp. The clamp reduces the sight’s weight by eliminating the mounting bar and mounting screw, and lock-down is absolute and exact. The sight comes with a trio of in-line pins in .010 and .019″ diameter options, which reduces housing clutter. Spot-Hogg also includes a trio of purple indicator needles—one for each pin—that shows the pin’s exact yardage once you’ve selected a tape and done your due diligence. Setting the sight up doesn’t require an engineering degree, and the sight is purposeful and functional.
To Read The Full Review CLICK HERE
Like all Spot-Hogg models, the sight is a tank. The sight is fully adjustable for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd axis, and the yardage wheel is removable for easy sight tape addition. Plus, you can purchase additional yadage wheels to swap between arrow setups quickly. MRT Technology provides many housing-ring indicators to choose from, windage is micro-adjustable, and the rack-and-pinion gearing system is ultra-smooth.
AXCEL Driver
AXCEL makes incredible sights, and the Driver is the manufacturer’s best bowhunting sight yet. I’ve ordered the Driver in a three-pin horizontal housing configuration, and AXCEL offers the sight in multiple mounting configurations. I prefer Picatinny Mounts ($500) to further reduce weight, and I went with this mounting system. Pin size options are .010″, .019″, and .029″, and fiber colors are customizable (Green, Blue, Yellow, Red).
Like all sights mentioned in this article, the Driver is built like a tank. I’ve tested the Landslyde, and it was a rock. The Driver seems even more durable. Its best feature, though, according to my hunting buddies, is that the main driver wheel is oversized and wears a rubber exterior that provides great feel in any weather. I appreciate that AXCEL added a sight scale indicator slot so they can be adjusted up and down for a precise setting, and the metal sight tape receiver is angled toward the shooter, which helps with visibility.
The sight is ultra-light and looks highly compact. I love the not-too-big housing, and like all other AXCEL sight models I have tested over the years, I expect pin brightness to be ideal. The Driver lets you set your elevation stop where you want it so you can always return to your 20-yard (or wherever you zero) mark.
Another win of the Driver is that the scope receiver is perpendicular to the elevation bar. For this reason, you can level first and second axes by only adjusting the first axis, and, of course, the sight has a third-axis setting. I like the metal sight tapes, but AXCEL also includes a lot of standard paper sight tapes.
Dialed Pruf Mover
Dialed is a newcomer to the bow sight ocean, but make no mistake, they are making plenty of waves. I tested the manufacturer’s ARXOS and was pleasantly surprised. I recently returned from a Durango, Colorado, Total Archery Challenge, and saw many Dialed sights on risers.
One immediate notice concerning the new Pruf ($560) is its sleek, sexy, and lightweight build. (Be sure to check back for a full review of this bow sight.) I love the smaller housing with a white ring and three vertical aiming points on a single post. As with all sights in this article, mounting options are many, and so is your housing configuration. Dialed calls them MAGs, and they come in single, three, and five-pin configurations. If you go the five-pin route, the only pin orientation option is vertical. If you go the single-pin route, the only option is vertical. However, if you go with the three-pin option, you have your choice between vertical and horizontal.
Everything on the sight is customizable. I love the top-mounted level bubble; it’s easier to see at full draw, and a top-mounted cover lets you slide it in and out over the fiber-optics to ensure the right amount of ambient light is gathered. I appreciate the angled drive, which provides increased range. The yardage adjustment wheel is big and easy to handle, and I like that the archer can set the tension of the yardage wheel control lever. Windage is micro-adjustable, and all three axes’ settings are single-screw and clearly labeled.
At 10 ounces, the sight is ultra light, and the dual sight tape wheel provides a sight tape inside and a sight tape outside. This boosts ease of setting and visibility, and I love that the inside yardage wheel has three movable black indicators. Pin brightness is excellent. Thus far, the only downfall of the sight I can detect is that when locked down, the locking lever is too close to the micro-adjust windage, but that’s only if you want to be picky. This is one of the very best bow sights in its class.
