# Hoyt Defiant vs. Mathews Halon



## griffwar (Nov 15, 2012)

Too early to tell most people have not shot them, the only thing this will start is the fanboy hate!!


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## bucknheat (Nov 19, 2015)

I was afraid of that. Thanks for the warning! Just a hunter looking for some honest opinions.


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## 4IDARCHER (Jul 1, 2006)

I have shot the regular defiant 30 and the carbon defiant 34 as well as the Halon. I like all 3 quite a bit. I think the halon starts stiffer on the draw but with the 85% mods it ends "easier" and you are holding less weight. The valley I believe goes to the defiant, I think it would be easier to hold at full draw for the longest even though you are holding a bit more weight. I would like to see how the halon stacks up against the defiant turbo. The only videos I have seen where someone has shot both (defiant turbo and Halon) is from the Bowrack in OR. At 29/70 using a 465gr arrow the turbo was getting about 10fps more then the Halon, but I also think the turbo version would be the most aggressive of all.


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## MaddSkillz (Sep 18, 2006)

I haven't shot either but my magic 8-Ball says the Halon is the better bow. 





Note:My magic 8-Ball shoots a Mathews so he's (she's?) not completely without bias.


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## Doebuster (Mar 5, 2006)

I'm a hoyt guy Imo I shot the 30 liked the nitrum better I think the mathews is a better bow this year . The hoyt had quite a bit of vibe (barebow ) the mathews was a lot quieter and really dead at the shot , if I was buying a short bow the Mathews would get the nod . The Mathews was quite a bit faster !


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## griffwar (Nov 15, 2012)

4IDARCHER said:


> I have shot the regular defiant 30 and the carbon defiant 34 as well as the Halon. I like all 3 quite a bit. I think the halon starts stiffer on the draw but with the 85% mods it ends "easier" and you are holding less weight. The valley I believe goes to the defiant, I think it would be easier to hold at full draw for the longest even though you are holding a bit more weight. I would like to see how the halon stacks up against the defiant turbo. The only videos I have seen where someone has shot both (defiant turbo and Halon) is from the Bowrack in OR. At 29/70 using a 465gr arrow the turbo was getting about 10fps more then the Halon, but I also think the turbo version would be the most aggressive of all.


It should be faster it has a higher ibo rating.


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## Doebuster (Mar 5, 2006)

The hoyt turbo draw cycle at 30 inches was terrible ,the new mathews stacked a little at 30 but not near as bad as the hoyt did ! I would pick the mathews over last years turbo , don't know about this years I haven't shot it yet . The new mathews I a smooth shooter , it's a very nice bow if you like the shortys .


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## Viper69 (Feb 4, 2003)

In just not impressed with the new Hoyt's. The halon is pretty nice though. In my opinion the elite impulse beats them both but everyone feels differently


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## bucknheat (Nov 19, 2015)

Thanks for your opinions guys. I shoot a Mathews Z7 now and like it - no complaints. I have been out of the loop for quite some years as far as whose producing the more preferable bows. I'm a hunter not a competition shooter. So the smaller bows (30 to maybe 34) are more preferable. Thanks again!


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## deadduck357 (Dec 29, 2013)

Shot both (Defiant 30 & Halon 6), Halon 6 wins. Won't buy either as both are too short ATA for my tastes but the Halon 6 was better in almost ever respect (to me).


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## atv69 (Mar 16, 2010)

Good info guys I've bought 2 Hoyts in the past but the Halon is getting the nod for me.


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## Doebuster (Mar 5, 2006)

Viper69 said:


> In just not impressed with the new Hoyt's. The halon is pretty nice though. In my opinion the elite impulse beats them both but everyone feels differently


I'm not an elite fan, but the the new impulse 31 and 34 are very nice bows , I would pick them over the hoyt and mathews halon also . The new hoyt is not that nice !


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## bucknheat (Nov 19, 2015)

I appreciate the honesty!


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## thunderhorn25 (Mar 31, 2005)

I shot both today as well as the new Prime...liked all three! I've has hoyt and bear since I switched from a longbow and really like how the hoyt grip fits my hand as ND how they balance...never liked the top heavy feel of most mathews bows. So I started with the Prime, I think it's their best bow to date, faster and way less vibe than they usually have, nice smooth draw too
Then the defiant 30. Little stiff at the start of the draw nice valley. Little vibe on the shot like most of their aluminum bows. Probably on part with my faktor 30. The difference was in the string angle. I can shoot 27 or 27.5 the bow I was shooting was a defiant 30 at 28 and 65lbs...it fit like a glove! Strong angle is much improved imo. Lastly I shot the halo 6. It didn't feel like a 4.5 lb bow in my hands, drew nice, little stiff up front, nice and smooth though. It was the best imo on vibration and noise, super quiet and way dead. Probably can't go wrong with any of them.


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## kupper22 (Nov 3, 2015)

I just got the opportunity to shoot both on Monday. I should note that I'm currently shooting a nitrum 34 at 65 pound max. The only improvement I saw in the defiant was a little better back wall. I felt my nitrum had a much better draw but that's due in large part to the lighter draw weight. I didn't like how the Mathews felt, to me it felt chunky and block like. When shooting the two bows head to head I felt that the Hoyt felt better and had a slightly better valley but the Mathews got the nod for draw cycle, vibration, and sound. I can't say for sure if it's as dead as the the no cam but it's got to be fairly close. The Mathews has a huge cam and while being visually unappealing to me personally, did allow the bow to feel like a longer ata bow. If I had to buy one I would have to go with the Mathews, I liked how dead in the hand it was. Also note that I shot the halon 6 and the defiant 34. Both bows were set to 28 inch draw and 70 pounds. As everyone says, go shoot them both and pick what you like best, I'm personally disappointed in Hoyt's release this year. My .02


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## Scott99 (Sep 12, 2006)

Well the Halon must be pretty awesome because I did get to shoot the Defiant 30, 34 and Turbo. I was impressed with the 30 and 34. Turbo not so much. The Turbo cam is to jumpy for my taste. I'm comparing all these to my Faktor 34.

Didn't have a chance to shoot the Halon. But based on these reviews I'll make some time to checkm out.


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## ego260 (Dec 26, 2011)

Ive shot the aluminum defiant and the halon. I like them both. I think I would have to shoot them both a lot more to make a decision. My shop doesn't have any carbon in yet though.


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## fletched (May 10, 2006)

bucknheat said:


> I appreciate the honesty!


Where in MO are you located?


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## AZSpaniol (May 6, 2012)

I've shot the Defiant 30, Impulse 31 and 34, and the Halon 6. I liked the Mathews the best. Super quiet and vibe free. The new grip is great and the string angle isn't crazy because of those huge cams. As nice of a bow it is tho, it still isn't as good as my Prodigy.


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## Ryjax (Mar 3, 2014)

I've shot all the defiant aluminum (the carbons haven't hit the shop yet, the Spider FX, the Halon 6 and the impulse 31. 
The defiant series has a super smooth draw, but I felt the z5 cam was a little better. However the back wall is much more solid this year even with the cable stops installed. Honestly the noise and vibration shocked me on these... The nitrum was super quiet and dead, but the defiant series seems to have taken a step back in those departments. The turbo is the fastest I've shot so far, but has a tiny valley. I barely let up and it wanted to go...but it has to get that speed somewhere. The draw is nice but has a slight hump at the end. 
The shocker for me was the FX.. I REALLY like that little bow. It's super smooth, deader and quieter than the defiant aluminum. 
The Halon was super smooth as well, a good back wall and the quietest and deadest of all. I truly believe the Halon would give the HTR a run for which is the quieter/deader in the hand. Plus I like the new grip. I found the Halon w/ 85% mods to be the 2nd fastest behind the Defiant turbo. Honestly I only found them to be 5 fps apart with my hunting arrow. 
The Impulse is a little stiffer than any elite I've ever shot but it's still pretty smooth. The back wall is solid as expected, but the noise and vibration was a little more than I expected. 
Overall they are all nice bows, and I am sure each will fit people differently. For me the Halon 6 took the nod, but I will own a spider fx as well. The spider FX was the shocker... 
I knew I would like the halon because I liked the wake so much. However, I found it to be a little better than expected. It's super smooth, quiet, dead and has a great valley. Throw a good amount of speed on top and you have a phenomenal bow. 
The Defiant Carbon is a must shoot for me as soon as they come in. Also waiting to shoot some of the new obsessions.


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## MELLY-MEL (Dec 22, 2008)

Shot both on several different occasions ......both are great, but for me, Halon Wins. Quieter, nicer draw, zero vibe, and the grip is fantastic. Waiting to see wht bowtech brings out, but if its not not amazing, i will be ordering a halon


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## bornagain (Mar 24, 2005)

I shot both and I think both are great bows as well. I shot the Halon 6 side by side with the Defiant 30 set at the same draw weight and draw length just bare bows. The perception was the Halon 6 felt bulky and much heavier when going back and forth. The draw cycle on the Halon 6 was much stiffer and even stiffer than the Defiant Turbo I shot later that day at another shop. When we chronoed them side by side with my hunting arrow the Halon 6 was only 7fps faster than the Defiant 30 all things being equal. I loved the way the Halon 6 felt at the shot it was awesome. I like the Halon 6 a lot but the weight, the balance and the size of those cams (they are HUGE) really had me leaning towards the Defiant series. I think it comes down to personal preference you can not go wrong with either bow.


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## Macs69 (Jan 2, 2012)

I thought the Halon would be a great hunting bow. I didn't perceive the bow as being heavy, but I've never been bothered by that. The back wall was very nice, and the bow was very quiet.


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## simms125 (Jul 6, 2010)

just shot both of these yesterday at the shop and the new htx... i walked out ordering the halon 6 best bow ive ever felt from the draw, wall, and at the shot the thing was lights out a performer. And i was an anti mathews guy im not brand loyal to anyone ive had em all but this bow mathews hit a home run with


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## kowboy17 (Nov 24, 2013)

bucknheat said:


> So guys what is your preference on the Hoyt Defiant series vs. Mathews Halon?


While we are at it, what is better………FORD or CHEVY?


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## WCork (Apr 22, 2010)

Viper69 said:


> In just not impressed with the new Hoyt's. The halon is pretty nice though. In my opinion the elite impulse beats them both but everyone feels differently


I mostly agree with this after shooting both. I really didn't care for any of them but I thought the Hoyt was the worst. After shooting all of the new bows I could...I don't see any reason to change from what I have. The Impulse was probably the winner for me, but it felt like a lot of other Elites to me. 


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## ontarget7 (Dec 30, 2009)

I'm impressed with both line ups. Mathews definitely stepped it up with the Halon series but still give the edge to the Defiant series for overall balance and feel. Not to mention performance when comparing the #2 cam E slot at 28" on the Defiant to the Halon6. The Defiant 30 in the #2 cam with a 6 3/4 brace is only running 4 fps slower than the Halon6. 

The Defiant series hands down the quietest, smoothest drawing, lowest recoil bow that Hoyt has produced. 






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## griffwar (Nov 15, 2012)

ontarget7 said:


> I'm impressed with both line ups. Mathews definitely stepped it up with the Halon series but still give the edge to the Defiant series for overall balance and feel. Not to mention performance when comparing the #2 cam E slot at 28" on the Defiant to the Halon6. The Defiant 30 in the #2 cam with a 6 3/4 brace is only running 4 fps slower than the Halon6.
> 
> The Defiant series hands down the quietest, smoothest drawing, lowest recoil bow that Hoyt has produced.
> 
> ...


Yeah but everybody is not a #2 cam E slot!


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## ontarget7 (Dec 30, 2009)

griffwar said:


> Yeah but everybody is not a #2 cam E slot!


And everybody is not longer draw lengths on the Halon6 [emoji6]

I will be testing the A thru D slot to see how they hold true to speeds. 

The RKT cams held pretty true throughout so we will see how the DXT cams do in the different draw length. 


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## Ryjax (Mar 3, 2014)

ontarget7 said:


> I'm impressed with both line ups. Mathews definitely stepped it up with the Halon series but still give the edge to the Defiant series for overall balance and feel. Not to mention performance when comparing the #2 cam E slot at 28" on the Defiant to the Halon6. The Defiant 30 in the #2 cam with a 6 3/4 brace is only running 4 fps slower than the Halon6.
> 
> The Defiant series hands down the quietest, smoothest drawing, lowest recoil bow that Hoyt has produced.
> 
> ...


I shot the defiant in #2 e slot and I found it to be around 10fps slower than the halon. It may have not been tuned though... I will be interested to see your review of the defiant. 


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## ontarget7 (Dec 30, 2009)

Ryjax said:


> I shot the defiant in #2 e slot and I found it to be around 10fps slower than the halon. It may have not been tuned though... I will be interested to see your review of the defiant.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I have both with me now and definitely not 10 fps. Both in tune with perfect bareshaft results and right at 4 fps difference. 


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## steve101610 (Nov 8, 2012)

I shot the defiant 30 and the halon 6 today. The Hoyt was smoother drawing all the way thru and the halon was a little stiff up front. I have never owned or liked anything that Mathews has made in the past and I have owned a few hours but I might be getting a halon 7 for my hunting bow next year. The way it held and shot for me was fantastic.


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## griffwar (Nov 15, 2012)

Ryjax said:


> I shot the defiant in #2 e slot and I found it to be around 10fps slower than the halon. It may have not been tuned though... I will be interested to see your review of the defiant.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I found the same thing, and yes they where both tuned.


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## dillio67 (Oct 1, 2004)

griffwar said:


> It should be faster it has a higher ibo rating.


Ummm Hoyt doesnt use IBO rating so give that another look!


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## griffwar (Nov 15, 2012)

dillio67 said:


> Ummm Hoyt doesnt use IBO rating so give that another look!


Regardless it has a higher rating! You might give that another look! You do know he was talking about the Defiant Turbo?


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## Kaveman44 (Aug 29, 2015)

no he is talking about the defiant 30


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## griffwar (Nov 15, 2012)

Kaveman44 said:


> no he is talking about the defiant 30


No go to the 1st page and read the post I was referring to.


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## Kaveman44 (Aug 29, 2015)

i was talking about ontarget7 ,he did a review on the Defiant 30


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## Ryjax (Mar 3, 2014)

ontarget7 said:


> I have both with me now and definitely not 10 fps. Both in tune with perfect bareshaft results and right at 4 fps difference.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Interesting... What grain arrow were you using? For me I used a 350, 400, 444 (my hunting arrow) and 654 (just to see efficiency)
Both at 28.25" (actually both were just under the 1/4" mark) 
Halon 70.9#
Defiant 71.2#

350 - Halon 6 317 defiant 305
400 - Halon 6 298 defiant 287
444 - Halon 6 284 defiant 271
655 - Halon 6 234 Defiant 221 

The kicker in all of it was the Defiant only has D loop while the Halon 6 was fully loaded with peep, serving, Komfort Kiss and Loop. If you have ever weighed a Komfort kiss and clasps you know that thing is almost 20 grains on the string. 
I don't know...maybe the Defiant wasn't tuned properly, but if you run those numbers my Halon is smoking.



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## duckcallin12 (Sep 11, 2014)

shot the halon and im making the switch from matthews to something new


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## ontarget7 (Dec 30, 2009)

Here you go a couple of quick video clips of the comparison, with both shooting a 436 gr arrow

Defiant 30 
28/72 
436 gr arrow
https://vimeo.com/147204005

Mathews Halon6
29/70.5
436 gr arrow
https://vimeo.com/147204188

As you can see for yourself doing the math or running a archery calculator there is 4-5 fps difference between the two. This is why Hoyt is conservative in their rating system and its only taking into account for the #3 cam at 30" draw. 


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## johnno (Apr 11, 2006)

Have yet to shoot the Hoyt - but I have shot the Halon 6 - I have never been a Mathews fan - BUT - the H6 may just convert me. At 70lb the draw was butter smooth and despite being a 30" A to A bow with those big cams it feels more like a 34" A to A bow. It was a 28" draw and it felt smack on. The physical weight of the bow was not an issue and the grip was very comfortable. It was fitted with a WB rest and it was very quiet at the shot. All in all I was VERY impressed with the H6 - I also shot the HXT -now that's another story altogether and it was not in the same ball park as the H6. The new Hoyts should be arriving later this month but the Defiant will have to be super impressive to rival the H6.....cheers....:darkbeer:


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## Ybuck (Apr 21, 2007)

ontarget7 said:


> I'm impressed with both line ups. Mathews definitely stepped it up with the Halon series but still give the edge to the Defiant series for overall balance and feel. Not to mention performance when comparing the #2 cam E slot at 28" on the Defiant to the Halon6. The Defiant 30 in the #2 cam with a 6 3/4 brace is only running 4 fps slower than the Halon6.
> 
> The Defiant series hands down the quietest, smoothest drawing, lowest recoil bow that Hoyt has produced.
> 
> ...


after seeing your reviews on both, i respect your opinion.


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## jmack73 (Jan 17, 2013)

I am a Hoyt fanboy and I owned every new Hoyt for the past four years including the Defiant but I have my hat off to Mathews this year over the Halon 6!

I liked it so much I bought one....


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## bowdup (Oct 25, 2013)

Shot the defiant turbo today and I like the turbo cams alot. Very small valley though. The defiant 34 shot good, but there was just something about the turbo cam I like. Very vibration free.


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## teaguerr (Oct 11, 2015)

I bought a Defiant about 2 weeks ago. Shot the Halon today just out of curiosity...felt good. I am not expert enough however to compare the two. Hell, until 2 weeks ago I had a 1990's PSE. Go to your local pro shop and shoot what feels best


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## Khunter (Feb 25, 2004)

I've shot them both, love the Defiant, super nice, smooth with a solid back wall. 
I thought the Halon was the best though. It held on target better for me and I absolutely love the draw cycle. Wish it was 32-33" but other than that it's just about perfect.


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## Ryjax (Mar 3, 2014)

ontarget7 said:


> Here you go a couple of quick video clips of the comparison, with both shooting a 436 gr arrow
> 
> Defiant 30
> 28/72
> ...


Wow that defiant you are shooting is impressive.... By my calculations that one is coming in just under 340 calculated. 


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## bornagain (Mar 24, 2005)

Ryjax said:


> Interesting... What grain arrow were you using? For me I used a 350, 400, 444 (my hunting arrow) and 654 (just to see efficiency)
> Both at 28.25" (actually both were just under the 1/4" mark)
> Halon 70.9#
> Defiant 71.2#
> ...



My results were similar to Shanes I only saw a 7fps difference between the Halon6 and the Defiant 30 w/#3 cams when set to the same specs both bows just having a loop.


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## Doebuster (Mar 5, 2006)

When we chronoed the halon 6 and defiant 31 the mathews was 13 fps faster than the hoyt both at 62 lbs @30 inches ! The mathews was deader at the shot ( bare bow ) the hoyt felt better balanced but the Mathews was quieter , faster and deader at the shot . Both bows were out of the box with a biscuit and loop . The Hoyt really didn't feel much different than the nitrum ,string angle was better Thats about it , but the Mathews feel is a lot better than there monster series . There both nice bows . But as far as improvement from last year , mathews has a great shooting bow this year ! The finish on the Mathews was better than the Hoyt ( both camo) I'm sure the defiant would look better in black , but the Hoyt camo needs some help . The new hoyt cam looks just like the PSE cam and felt like a pse with a tech riser . I really think hoyt and PSE swapped technologies ,hoyt gave them the carbon tech, and in return hoyt received pse limb and cam technology . This is just a guess and an uneducated opinion of a diehard bowhunter .


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## Predator (Jan 18, 2003)

Haven't been a Mathews fan in quite a number of years (since I dumped my Switchback really) but have to admit the Halon was one of the nicest drawing and shooting bows I've shot. If it weren't for the ultra low grip angle and heavy mass weight I might have actually bought one. I think Mathews might have Hoyt's number this year. I still think Xpedition and Obsession have better offerings than both of them but that's another story.


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## ex-wolverine (Dec 31, 2004)

I'm a Hoyt fan , but I agree, the Impulse 34 has my attention...I'm always impressed with how easy Elites, and Obsessions tune and group arrows with little effort 



Viper69 said:


> In just not impressed with the new Hoyt's. The halon is pretty nice though. In my opinion the elite impulse beats them both but everyone feels differently


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## Doebuster (Mar 5, 2006)

ex-wolverine said:


> I'm a Hoyt fan , but I agree, the Impulse 34 has my attention...I'm always impressed with how easy Elites, and Obsessions tune and group arrows with little effort


That new impulse 34 is a nice shooting bow we shot em when we shot the halon and the defiant and the impulses felt good . The 31 was a little stiffer to draw than the 34 , the 34 held really nice and had no vibe , I liked it better than the Hoyt (I'm hoyt guy ) elite did a great job this year also .


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## Predator (Jan 18, 2003)

Only thing is I didn't think the draw cycle on the I34 was nearly as nice as the Halon 6. Better than the I31 although both have a big hump in the cycle but not nearly as nice as the Halon. But I've always said that muscle memory will get you used to all but the most awful draw cycles after a while.


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## boonerbrad (Nov 30, 2006)

What am I missing here? The Halon 6 and the Defiant are not an apples to apples comparison for speed. Why not compare the 6 to the turbo if speed is the desired result? The turbo will be faster for sure. Now if draw cycle and valley are the desired comparisons then that will be up for debate. But speed wise the turbo will out run the 6 very easily.


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## Doebuster (Mar 5, 2006)

The turbo is faster for sure but the shooter pays for it in draw cycle , the speed the halon makes is very good for the smooooth cycle even at my draw length of 30 inches . The nitrum turbo humped and dumped really bad for me at 30 it was really fast but I hated the draw ,and it had a shallow hole , everybody has there own opinions about what they like in a bow . Imo the halon has agreat cycle with high letoff ,great back wall , quiet. Dead in the hand , it has all the characteristics I like in a hunting bow , the Hoyt to me was just another hoyt a good solid bow . The halon imo was better in every department , ( except mass weight) the Hoyt did balance better but the halon held on target vey well for a short ata bow .


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## griffwar (Nov 15, 2012)

Boonerbrad said:


> What am I missing here? The Halon 6 and the Defiant are not an apples to apples comparison for speed. Why not compare the 6 to the turbo if speed is the desired result? The turbo will be faster for sure. Now if draw cycle and valley are the desired comparisons then that will be up for debate. But speed wise the turbo will out run the 6 very easily.


Because someone on here says it's only a few fps behind the Halon which has not been My experience along with a few others who had the same experience as Me.


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## Ryjax (Mar 3, 2014)

Predator said:


> Haven't been a Mathews fan in quite a number of years (since I dumped my Switchback really) but have to admit the Halon was one of the nicest drawing and shooting bows I've shot. If it weren't for the ultra low grip angle and heavy mass weight I might have actually bought one. I think Mathews might have Hoyt's number this year. I still think Xpedition and Obsession have better offerings than both of them but that's another story.


I'm still waiting to shoot the new OBs. I loved my Xcentric and like the X7. For some reason the X7 just wasn't as smooth as the X6s I've owned.
As big of a Mathews fan as I am, my primary bow is still my OB Knightmare GT. The Halon may take its place after I get some more time behind it, but right now it still sits on top for me. 


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## jones405 (Jul 30, 2014)

Obsession gets the win for me ordered a 2016 defcon 6 


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## stockcarkid3 (Mar 10, 2005)

bucknheat said:


> So guys what is your preference on the Hoyt Defiant series vs. Mathews Halon?


im not a fanboy of either but I like many brands of bows and have owned hoyt and Mathews. I now shoot an obsession and maybe I shouldn't even post since I shot the defiant turbo and the halon 6 back to back at and not the regular defiant. There was no comparison in the 2. The halon 6 was dead in the hand and very quite with a good valley and firm solid wall. The defiant had zero valley and if you breathed wrong it would take off and then a lot more vibration than the halon. I was really hoping to like the turbo but def a no go for me.


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## ontarget7 (Dec 30, 2009)

Ryjax said:


> Wow that defiant you are shooting is impressive.... By my calculations that one is coming in just under 340 calculated.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yes indeed, very impressive !

I feel the Halon6 and the Hoyt Defiant 3O #2 cam is a better comparison even thou the Defiant 30 has a 3/4" brace advantage. The bows are really only about 3-4 fps difference between the two. 


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## cseirup (Nov 30, 2015)

I shot both. Let me preface this with I have only owned Hoyts since I have had a serious hunting bow ( I currently own a Faktor Turbo). However with that being said, I liked the draw and shot of the Halon Better. I grouped well with both but the Mathews felt smoother to me, It also was more dead on the shot. However and this is a stupid thing to care about, I hate the way the Halon looks. I also really liked the HTX. However its pretty dang slow.


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## gymrat70 (Apr 13, 2006)

Shot both using 360 gr arrow:

Defiant Turbo 29"/70 lbs - 328 fps. 
Halon 6 29"/70 lbs - 322 fps

Note: The Halon 6 was equipped with 85% letoff mods. The Turbo had 75% letoff. 75% mods are available for the Halon 6. I think this should put it right with the Turbo on speed BUT you may pay for it with a harsher draw cycle. My local shop has some 75% mods on order so I'm waiting to see. With 85% mods on the Halon it's a wash for me. The Halon draws smoother and holds better. The Turbo has a verrrrrry short valley and wants to take off if you let up on it.


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## centershot (Sep 13, 2002)

Having shot all 3, I just can not get used to that "Top Heavy" feel of the Mathews - If I were to drop a grand on a new bow it would be the Defiant 34.


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## bub77 (Dec 5, 2011)

Predator said:


> Only thing is I didn't think the draw cycle on the I34 was nearly as nice as the Halon 6. Better than the I31 although both have a big hump in the cycle but not nearly as nice as the Halon. But I've always said that muscle memory will get you used to all but the most awful draw cycles after a while.


i agree here, i shot the halon and I34 side by side this past weekend. Both were 70lbs and both 29in draw. i shoot a 27.5 draw so both were long on me but the I34 was WAY more stiff and had a big hump at the back end of the draw cycle compared to the halon which felt much easier to pull and laid into the valley much nicer with no noticeable hump at the back end. Both shot very well with the slight edge still going to the halon.

I wanted to like the Elite better but just didnt(im a elite guy). The halon didnt want to jump out of my hand even with the long DL. 

I was very impressed with the halon.


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## bowman69 (Aug 10, 2004)

I just got back from the local shop... They weren't busy so I decided to get some first hand range time with the defiant, both impulses and the halon6...
Theses are just my opinions...I shot all the bows at 28/70 right off the rack...I did not chron any of them because I didn't want it to alter my perception of the bow itself...
I'm just going to say first off I didn't like the I31 at all... I hadn't shot it before but had the 34 a few times...The I31 is stiff with a serious hump towards the end of the cycle...Its quiet and vide free but the cycle SUCKS!
The Defiant is smooth but just didn't seem to balance as well as the I34 or the Halon...It did have a touch of vibe but I also did not check the timing because I had to change the DL I thinking it was off...Its a solid offering just not a WOW...
The I34 is nice...Smooth up front thru about 2/3 of the cycle, but has a hump at the end...Its not as bad as the 31 but it's still noticeable... Holds on target like a rock and is DEAD after the shot...There is zero movement at all, just sits...
I'm not a fanboy of any one company (currently own an Elite but have owned all of them) but I will say I'm not a fan of Mathews never have been... But the Halon is effing sweet... Smooth as can be... It's a little heavy for what it is but I didn't notice the top heavy feel some have experienced...For a short bow it holds like a 33-34 A2A...I was shooting just a loop and biscuit and had a 2"group going before I busted a nock...The first thing that comes to mind it the Prodigy in the #2 setting...Only complaint is the rounded low wrist grip, it's not bad by any means just not what I prefer...
As far as a pure hunting rig the Halon is the total package...That being said I would choose the I34 if I was making the choice today solely based on the V grip option...wish there was an OB dealer close to compare the M6...


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## bowman69 (Aug 10, 2004)

For got to add... Back wall on the elite well it's a elite...There's not surprise there... The Defiant was the next in the solid category...Followed by the Halon..It wasn't mushy but side by side had a softer feel... Again these are just my experiences with off the rack(out of the box) bows...


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## RossRagan (Jan 6, 2015)

cseirup said:


> I shot both. Let me preface this with I have only owned Hoyts since I have had a serious hunting bow ( I currently own a Faktor Turbo). However with that being said, I liked the draw and shot of the Halon Better. I grouped well with both but the Mathews felt smoother to me, It also was more dead on the shot. However and this is a stupid thing to care about, I hate the way the Halon looks. I also really liked the HTX. However its pretty dang slow.


...there is the "slow HTX" fallacy again...the HTX is actually faster than the Defiant at equal set-ups (draw length and draw weight). Check out the spec's and do the calculations. Defiant at 70# and 29" is 321 fps, the HTX is 326 fps...or am I missing something?


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## MELLY-MEL (Dec 22, 2008)

Shot both bows again today head to head........for me Halon wins. Time to finally declare it the one and order it tomorrow


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## Mathias (Mar 21, 2005)

I shot the Defiant 34 and Halon 6, and other today. Between the two the Halon is the clear winner in my hands. A very nice shooting bow. The overall look combined with the new camo is stellar.


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## Desertcj (Jun 21, 2012)

Has everyone already dismissed the Halon 5 before trying it? Obviously, there is a lot of concern about the number "5"....lol. From what is being reported, it should smoke a Defiant Turbo in speed...


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## griffwar (Nov 15, 2012)

Desertcj said:


> Has everyone already dismissed the Halon 5 before trying it? Obviously, there is a lot of concern about the number "5"....lol. From what is being reported, it should smoke a Defiant Turbo in speed...


Not Me I ordered one! 5 inch brace don't scare Me had two XLR8'S 2 MR5'S and a WAKE!


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## norsemen (Feb 22, 2011)

I'm just shaking because I haven't shot either and want to so bad. This may be the year Mathews has something for me. I've got my eyes on the Halon 6, and no one has the #2 cams in the Defiant Turbo yet, so I haven't gone out shootin' at the shops. Really don't want to shoot until I can shoot side by side. Us 27.5" draw length people get thought of second to last. Last being lefties.


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## johnno (Apr 11, 2006)

Desertcj said:


> Has everyone already dismissed the Halon 5 before trying it? Obviously, there is a lot of concern about the number "5"....lol. From what is being reported, it should smoke a Defiant Turbo in speed...


My thoughts exactly - BTW the 5" brace height should be of no concern if your form is half way decent, shot many a 5" brace bow with no problems and my form is well ah.. - so has anyone shot a H5 - and can provide a review?


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## hunter11 (Dec 16, 2007)

Predator said:


> Haven't been a Mathews fan in quite a number of years (since I dumped my Switchback really) but have to admit the Halon was one of the nicest drawing and shooting bows I've shot. If it weren't for the ultra low grip angle and heavy mass weight I might have actually bought one. I think Mathews might have Hoyt's number this year. I still think Xpedition and Obsession have better offerings than both of them but that's another story.


Yep.....this right here....


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## cyclepath (Jul 1, 2009)

I've never been a Hoyt or Mathews fan but I must say this years offerings were decent but nothing earth shattering for me. The hoyt was pretty nice although I have no clue which cam was on it. Draw was alright but as with all hoyts the wall was spongy. There were also some vibs after the shot and was not as quiet as I expected but not loud either. The grip was very nice and to me the best feature on the bow. It was comfortable and very repeatable. The halon was the best Mathews I've shot since the heli-m. Draw was extremely nice considering the size of the cams. It does stack a little but nothing to make the draw bad. With both the Mathews and hoyt both having cable stops the walls are not the greatest so if you are looking for a more solid wall neither bow will impress you. The Mathews was extremely quiet and vib free after the shot. The grip was terrible on the halon however for extra bucks you can get a wood grip. All in all both bows have their good and bad points and I'm sure people will take offense to my findings but this is my opinion on both bows. Hoyt and Mathews fans will enjoy these bows.


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## michbreezy (Dec 4, 2015)

Shot both the defiant and the halon, walked out with the halon 6. Never thought I'd be shooting a Mathews! Draw was incredibly smooth!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## XCUTTER (Mar 26, 2009)

Shot them both on Saturday.

Both great bows. I did not like the string angle of the Halon 6 compared to the Defiant. Both felt great at the shot. The draw cycle of the defiant is smoother in my opinion and holds better on target for me. The draw cycle of the Halon seemed very stiff especially at the beginning. The Wake actually felt smoother to me than the Halon. The Halon seemed to have the most dead in hand feel after the shot between the two bows. I don't think anyone could go wrong with either bow though. The Hoyt is my pick of the two. Just my 2 cents.

Has anyone shot the carbon defiant's yet? My local shops don't have any yet. I know everyone says it's only .2 pounds difference but at the shot they feel completely different in my opinion.


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## rfurman24 (Jan 26, 2013)

I find it funny reading through this thread and it just goes to show you you have to shoot the bows yourself and see which you prefer. I am a Mathews fan. I went to the bow shop to really see if I wanted to sell my Heli-M and buy a Halon or HTX. While I was there I decided to shoot the Elite Impulse 31, the Hoyt Defiant Turbo, and the Bowtech Prodigy. After drawing the bows numerous times and shooting a few the HTX was the first to go back on the shelf shortly followed by the Halon 6. I also did not like the Bowtech. All bows were 28" set at 65lbs except the Elite which was 27.5" which is what I shoot. I hate "valleys". To me the two Mathews bows have valleys that are too noticeable for my tastes. The Bowtech was the same. My favorite thing about my Heli-M is it just seems to pull until you hit the wall. To me the I31 and the Defiant Turbo did the same. Both of the Later did feel like they took more effort to get started but not horrible. Both the I31 and the Defiant Turbo had quit a bit more vibration than I would have imagined in a bow these days. To those who have never shot an Elite the back wall is absolutely amazing. The Hoyt back wall was not great but not the worst. For me personally the Heli-M is the smoothest bow I have ever pulled back and the I31 and Hoyt DT are tied for 2nd. As I was no longer interested in any of the bows in the shop due to draw cycle I only chronod the I31, the DT and my Heli-M. The only reason I am wanting to get rid of my Heli-M is for a little more speed. With a 380 grain arrow the Heli-M was 260 FPS, the I31 was 282, and the DT was 292. The bow shop ordered a Hoyt DT with the 26-28" cams so I can compare the I31 to the DT at the same DL. If all else were the same I would get the Elite but if the DT can stay in the 290s with the correct cam I will most likely get it.


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## aledub (Nov 10, 2015)

Well I shoot a Hoyt right now, I have a 2013 virtually new Mathews Heli-M coming in the mail, and a Defiant that won't be here until March so I'm not really a fanboy of either (or maybe both lol). I chose the Defiant after a long struggle. What did it for me? string angle and comfort at full draw. Otherwise it was a coin toss.


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## headhunter68 (Mar 26, 2010)

With the Cam on the Halon being the size of a basketball I fear lean is going to become an issue at some point.


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## hoyt fo life555 (Jan 31, 2005)

We have shot both hoyts and Mathews over the years. They are both good bow companies. But the thing that gets me is to get any thing replaced under warranty you have to go through there "dealers" and they can charge you what ever they want, even if its warranty they may, as does the local shop here charge you a labor charge( example they charged me 200.00 in labor to switch out a cam that was covered by Mathews under" warranty"). Will not let you get the part and replace it your self. And they don't have a transferable warranty. We have switched to obsession, and elite and could not be happier. We have had a couple small warranty issues, and they both have gone above and beyond what we expected to make sure it was right.


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## griffwar (Nov 15, 2012)

hoyt fo life555 said:


> We have shot both hoyts and Mathews over the years. They are both good bow companies. But the thing that gets me is to get any thing replaced under warranty you have to go through there "dealers" and they can charge you what ever they want, even if its warranty they may, as does the local shop here charge you a labor charge( example they charged me 200.00 in labor to switch out a cam that was covered by Mathews under" warranty"). Will not let you get the part and replace it your self. And they don't have a transferable warranty. We have switched to obsession, and elite and could not be happier. We have had a couple small warranty issues, and they both have gone above and beyond what we expected to make sure it was right.


I would get rid of that shop quick!! I wonder if ten years down the road if Elite or Obsession will have limbs are cams for there bows?? I know one thing Mathews does from the first bow they produced.


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## mm1615 (Nov 16, 2010)

hoyt fo life555 said:


> We have shot both hoyts and Mathews over the years. They are both good bow companies. But the thing that gets me is to get any thing replaced under warranty you have to go through there "dealers" and they can charge you what ever they want, even if its warranty they may, as does the local shop here charge you a labor charge( example they charged me 200.00 in labor to switch out a cam that was covered by Mathews under" warranty"). Will not let you get the part and replace it your self. And they don't have a transferable warranty. We have switched to obsession, and elite and could not be happier. We have had a couple small warranty issues, and they both have gone above and beyond what we expected to make sure it was right.


What does you switching to those companies have to do with this topic?


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## waydownsouth (Jun 18, 2012)

I shot the Defiant 30 and 34 along with the Halon and the impulse31 last week, side by side and for me the Defiant34 was the winner with the Mathews Halon a close second, the Hoyt just drew a little smoother and had a slightly firmer backwall. The Impulse was a let down in my opinion, I hated the hard hump right before the wall but thats just my opinion.


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## glesteriv (Jan 31, 2017)

I preferred the carbon defiant 34 over the Halon 6, but I preferred the Halon 6 over the aluminum Defiant 34. i got the carbon defiant 34 and have no regrets.


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## Hogie76 (Jul 24, 2016)

I like both and think they are both great bows. I liked my Halon 6 a little more than the defiant of 2016. The 2017 pro defiant is nice though as well as the carbon defiant.


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## HbDane (Sep 13, 2013)

I love the Halon 5........and I love the Carbon Defiant Turbo


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## DJO (Dec 5, 2008)

I have had two of each. Halon 6, Halon 7, Defiant and Defiant Turbo (arrives Friday) I currently have a Halon 7 and the incoming Defiant Turbo. They are very close and any preference will come down to grip preference, draw cycle and feel. I like them both and would be happy to hunt with either. For me, I shot slightly tighter groups with the Defiant at long distances. 40 yards and in, no difference. 

I am shocked on how smooth the Defiant Turbo is for the speed it produces. Small valley but the smoothest 350 fps bow I have ever seen. If you want a fast bow with an easy draw, the Defiant Turbo is worth a look.


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