Going into a specialty shop like Predator's, or any other brick and mortar, can be a bit intimidating. Especially for someone like me who has very little experience or knowledge of the sport. Sure I did a lot of research online and understood some of the lingo but, nothing compares to the real thing. This shop is within walking distance of my home but I often times opted to hit up the big shops in the area. There are two primary ones close by and those who are familiar with the area will know which ones they are. To my suprise and something I will soon come to appreciate was when the associate at the big shop recommended Predator's Archery and more specifically, he said "talk to Curtis or Mike" (the owner/s). Having a budget in mind, and sort of knowing what I wanted, I headed down to the shop one night after work. My first impression as I walked in was "wow, this place is tiny and there is stuff everywhere". However, that feeling disappeared rather quickly as I started to hone in on the products i was interested in....BOWS! And boy do they have a lot of them. Luckily for me, the shop wasn't really busy and I was fortunate enough to have Mike come out and help me. As I proceeded to explain what I was looking for and how much I was interested in spending, what brands I was considering, and that I was a lefty, he scanned the wall. Unfortunately, and fortunately, he only had 3 bows. A Hoyt RX-3, RX-4, and a Mathews VXR 28. Sadly, my top choice was the VXR 31.5. After a quick search of various boxes scattered around the shop, he found an unopend VXR 31.5 and what do you know, it was a left handed model. This is really when the excitement began...for me at least. As Mike began to open the box, I stopped him and was upfront and honestly told him that I was not fully prepared to buy at that moment and didnt want him to waste his time. These things are not cheap! Much to my surprise, he just said "that's not a problem, you will be back!" As I transformed into a kid in a candy store, he took the new bow in the back, measured my draw length, and set the bow up for me to test. Keep in mind, it did not have all the bells and whistles but I was able to shoot. Fast forward a few weeks, I went back into the shop and had an opportunity to speak to Curtis about the same bow. Luckily for me it was still available. As I gave Curtis the history, I told him that I would return in a week or so to purchase the bow. (this was in between the holidays) Where my already amazing experience got even better was when Curtis took the bow, placed a sold tag on it, and began to ask about accessories. After speaking with him for about an hour, I had a full list of components, a bow, and arrows all ready for me to pick up in another week. On pick up day, I had the pleasure of speaking to Sammy. He is, as other reviews have stated, very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. He helped get my bow together, paper tuned it, and helped me with some pointers. I am now the proud owner of a 2020 Mathews VXR and ready to get after it in 2020.
In summary, if you are looking to get into archery, need some gear, or want to fling some arrows down range, Predator's Archery is amazing. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and you can certainly tell that they love what they do. Patience is key here though, and if you have a phobia in tighter spaces, perhaps take a deep breath and try to relax before you head in. There is a lot of stuff chaotically organized. Their customer service is fantastic and I can honestly say that I've never had a more pleasant experience. They specialize in all things archery. They also have a deal where you get 4 lessons with a real professional with every bow purchase. Can't say that for any other local shops that won't even let you touch a bow. They have two ranges on either side of the shop and food is abundantly found at many of the local eateries. This shop reminds me of the mom and pop bicycle shops of old where parts seemed to be scattered all over the place but to the shop owner, it was perfectly in order.
I've recommended this place to two of my close friends and within the last two weeks, they both bought bows. read more