A deep dive bow review of the brand new 2025 Mathews LIFT X

November is one of my favorite months of the year for a lot of reasons: the bucks are rutting, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, and the release of new flagship bows from Mathews is always a highlight. I’m a fan of archery. I truly enjoy it and a new bow is really one of the best simple pleasures in life. That feeling of pulling a new bow out of the box, sliding the plastic off, and getting to look it over for new technology will never get old. Every company continues to improve and push the boundaries, and while the platform of the new Mathews Lift X is generally the same as the 2024 Lift, there are some improved details that I can appreciate. With that being said, let's take a look at the highlights, and I’ll offer a general review at the end. First, the high notes.

Limb Shift technology

The Limb Shift feature on the new Lift X is just one reason I think bowhunters are going to love the new bow. In previous years, Mathews has used the Top Hat system in conjunction with the Switchweight Cams. The Top Hats are essentially spacers that sit inside the axle and against the bearings of both the top and bottom cams. The Top Hats were offered in different thicknesses and gave you the ability to shift your cams either right or left to further help you in the tuning process. It was a great system. It allowed me to set the centershot of my rest to the desired location left to right and then use the different top hat spacers to shim the cams either left or right into a location so the bow tuned to a perfect bullet hole through paper. The problem with the Top Hats system was that a Top Hat kit was an aftermarket purchase and you had to own or have access to a bow press during the tuning process. Learn more about how to tune a bow with a Top Hat kit here. Additionally, you had to have some working knowledge on how to work on your bow. I spoke with many people who have not been confident in pressing their bow, removing the axles and cams, and then installing new top hats before putting it all back together. The new Limb Shift technology eliminates most of that. You no longer need a press, you don’t have to buy any additional components and, with just a minimal amount of research, anyone can tune centershot at home. 

It’s a pretty simple process: you remove the set screw at the end of the axle on the right side, then use a slightly larger Allen wrench to fit inside the axle before turning that screw either left or right to make micro-adjustments to the limb channel. On the backside top portion of the limb, there is an indicator that allows you to see your adjustments. As stated, not having to use a bow press is a major advantage; the other is that you can now micro-adjust both top and bottom cams/limb channels.

Previously, if you have ever tuned a Mathews bow, you may have gotten your paper tear to where it’s almost a perfect bullet hole through paper and then you would have to make slight adjustments to your rest to work out a small left or right paper tear. With the Limb Shift Technology, you can set your left/right on your rest to 13/16’s where you have the best clearance and centershot for the bow and then make micro adjustments to obtain a perfect tune on the bow. It’s a slick system, which I think is a much needed improvement. I love that I can set the bow up, rest, sight, stabilizers, etc., and then tune the bow without moving it into and out of a press. Every time you press the bow, there’s potential for change. The Limb Shift eliminates the bulk of that. 

* The Lift RS will also be available in 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 and 80 draw weights

ARC7 limbs

The limbs on the new Lift X look the same as they do on last year's Lift and even the previous year's model, the Phase 4. The Lift X utilizes eight slim limbs in total, four sets of two. Between each set of limbs they use a rubber dampener, which reduces vibrations and noise. The new Lift X is similar to the Lift in that it features a top-mounted axle, which cuts a smidgen of weight and makes the limbs a bit more efficient. The most notable thing about the new ARC7 limbs is that they incorporate a multi-step build process to ensure strength and consistency.

The ARC7 limbs are more efficient and, more importantly, durable. It’s really no secret that last year’s Lift had some bad batches of limbs. I had splintering on the edges of five of the limbs on my bow. That was after many months and several thousands of arrows. Mathews promptly replaced the limbs and I was back to shooting with no issues since. I have talked to a lot of people and read many more comments about the limb issue, and I wholly understand that people were frustrated. I would also offer that manufacturing a compound bow is a complex and intricate process and I understand that there is always potential for one part or piece to have issues. In saying all of this, I think Mathews handled it admirably, offering warranty and replacement on Lift limbs, regardless of whether the owner was the original buyer or not. Also, I should note that I had minimal splintering and I continued to shoot the bow for months with no difference in performance. I don’t necessarily advise that, but that was my experience. To address these issues, and even moreso, to continue to advance the performance and durability, Mathews has introduced the ARC7 limbs. I have put a lot of arrows through the new Lift X and have not had any issues. Overall, I have complete confidence in the limbs on the new bow. 

BOND grip 

While I currently do not have any experience with the BOND Grip System, I can pass on information and my understanding of why Mathews made it. When I received my Lift X, the BOND grips were not yet available, but my hope is to obtain each option as well as purchasing a host of other aftermarket grips and doing a full review and comparison of those. I’m being told that Mathews mapped the hand placement of hundreds of archers to construct the new BOND grips. The base of the grip is a rubber polymer with a textured rubber facing grip surface to enhance placement and traction where you need it.

I believe the three different grip faces can be snapped into place without the need to remove the base or use an adhesive or glue. There will be three options: the Engage, a Taper, and a Contour. The Engage is probably familiar for most people that have handled a Mathews bow in recent years. The Engage will have the textured rubber face with a 14 degree angle. The Taper has a higher angle at 17 degrees, which is a flatter lower surface, tapering to a narrow throat. The Contour grip will offer a 14 degree angle and will have a ridge on both the riser and thumb side of the grip. To me, it resembles the grip on Mathews bows that offered the wood grips on bows that were produced in the early 2000s.

I was told that this grip is extremely comfortable and provides a lower resting edge for the thumb side of the bow. You will also be able to pull the grip completely off the bow and shoot directly off the riser or with the Mathews side plates. Overall, I was glad to see Mathews offering new grip options on the new bows. While I haven’t used them yet, I am eager and optimistic that the Taper will provide me a more consistent and stable grip on the bow. I’ll report back. 

Why should you consider the 2025 Mathews LIFT X hunting bow?

When I received the Lift 33” last year I immediately set it up, tuned it and began shooting everyday. Within a few days, I felt comfortable and confident enough in that bow to take it on an elk hunt just a few weeks later and I killed a nice 6 point bull in Colorado and a buck in Nevada. I loved the draw cycle. For me, it was more consistent throughout than the previous Switchweight Cams. It doesn’t feel like it rolls over a hump and into the valley quite as aggressively as the previous model. I also noted that the back wall was firmer, which I also appreciated. Point being, I love the Lift and, if you loved the Lift too, you’ll love the Lift X. The feeling of drawing, anchoring and releasing an arrow is almost identical. The FPS, the sound and vibration, the minimal aftershock in hand…all identical. 

I know that as I write that, folks reading will question, why should I consider buying one? For me, the secret sauce in the Lift X is the new Limb Shift Technology. It sounds like a minor advancement, but it's a much more user-friendly addition. As I stated before, every time you press the bow, there is potential for minor change in the tune. I love that with the Lift X, I no longer have to press the bow, remove the axle, replace Top Hat spacers, and reassemble it to tune my left/right flight. Adjusting and tuning out the left/right flight of your arrow is super simple with Limb Shift. I also appreciate that it’s micro-adjustable. I’m not constrained by the Top Hat spacer sizes that were offered and you will no longer have to buy a Top Hat kit to tune a bow. The Lift X is a much easier bow to tune and it can be done almost entirely without a press. 

The Lift X is a lot of fun to shoot. It’s a shooter's bow in my opinion. If you are someone who enjoys shooting regularly and bowhunting, I think you’ll love the Lift X. The long lightweight riser is very stable. It’s relatively easy to aim well and execute a shot without having to work at it really hard on every single shot. The Lift X will be offered in two axle-to-axle lengths, a 33” and a 29.5”. The longer 33” version is my preference, based on the fact that my draw length is 30.5” inches. The longer axle length provides me with a better, more comfortable string angle than a shorter version and, generally speaking, a longer bow will be more stable and forgiving. The shorter version is perhaps a better option for folks with shorter draw lengths and hunters who are primarily hunting from a treestand or ground blinds.

That shorter profile is more maneuverable in those tight spaces. Once again, the Lift X utilizes the Switchweight X cams, where the shooter can select draw mods that are offered in a variety of half-inch draw lengths, (Lift X 29.5” to 24.5” to 30” DL, Lift X 33” to 26” to 31.5”), draw weights of 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 and 80 pounds and let-off of 80% or 85%. The Switchweight Cams allow you to adjust your draw weight without having to turn your limb bolts out, in turn making the bow more efficient overall. My preference is the 70 pound, 80% let off mods. Personally, I like a bit more holding weight in the backwall as it feels more stable as I am pulling into that backwall more firmly. I will say that I would have never considered shooting an 80 pound previously, but a coworker's Lift set to 80 pounds was quite a bit easier and more comfortable to draw than I would have thought. There is a high likelihood that I will bump up to 75 pound mods this year, given that it’s smoother and easier to draw than I thought and the added FPS and kinetic energy for hunting would be welcomed. 

The new bows will also be available in three new colors: Shale, KUIU Verde and a Shale to Black fade. I got the new Shale color riser with Mossy Oak bottomlands camo limbs, which produced a good looking combo. For those interested in my take, I think the bows with an Earth colored riser and Green Ambush limbs make a killer looking bow. 

In conclusion, if you are in the market for a new bow, I would highly recommend you make your way to a pro shop that carries Mathews bow and shoot one.