While I’m mostly known for covering the fancier Olympic-style bows
I do get a lot of questions about cheaper entry-level bows.
I understand that many people are driven by two things:
Budget
and user reviews.
Over the past few years we’ve seen a few bows make huge gains in the market.
These trends I like to call the Samick Sage Syndrome
and the Phantom Phenomenon.
As someone who has received both bows to review
and is currently the top search result for both bows on YouTube
I do get asked about which one I would recommend.
So, this video will be a quick comparison between these two bows.
Please note that I strongly encourage you to check out other options.
If there is an archery store in your area, you should check them out
and see what they have in stock, as it will most likely be just as good as either of these
bows.
However, if you’re only looking to buy online and want someone who looks like
they know what they’re talking about to give you an answer, let’s do it.
The first thing we’ll look at is cost.
Because you can buy these bows from different sellers, and on Ebay and Amazon, price can
be a little hard to gauge.
Generally, the Samick Sage will cost a bit more than the Phantom.
The Sage can retail for around US$120
While the Phantom is around US$80
The Phantom does come with an arrow rest
while the Sage is sold just as is, but can be packaged with a rest and nock set
depending on where you get it from.
In any case, the Phantom wins outright purely on cost.
Secondly, appearance.
Admit it, you probably want a cool looking bow
for the lowest possible price.
This one is subjective, but here’s basically what you’re getting.
A more traditional-style wooden bow
Or a modern aluminium frame.
The Sage stands out to me more because this is more of what I expect a bow to look like
and indeed, that is the same style of design shared in other bows.
The Phantom looks more like something Hawkeye would use.
I tilt more towards the Sage, but I also get why you might find the Phantom cooler.
Next is feel.
Which of these bows is more comfortable to use?
The Sage, as I said earlier, is your typical traditional bow.
The contour on the grip is more like the pistol shape found on most bows.
It has a nice chunky grip, so it feels just right if you have larger hands.
The Phantom uses a compound-style grip.
The rubberised grip makes it easy to get a consistent grip on the bow
And you can easily get used to the feeling of the bow grip.
Though, you are gripping a much narrower profile, so it can be a little difficult for beginners.
I lean towards the Sage for feel.
A few other quick comments.
The Sage is a 62” bow, which the Phantom is a 56” bow.
This makes the Sage more stable, and easier to use if you’re a bigger person.
Additionally, the Sage does come in the 64” Samick Journey variant.
A larger person using the Phantom is going to have a harder time with stacking and arrow
pinch.
As an instructor, I’m a proponent of learning pathways and growth.
I find that the Sage is more conventional in design, and learning with the Sage gives
you
more familiarity with any other recurve bow.
The Phantom is a somewhat oblique entry point, because it doesn’t look or feel
like other recurves, though it does share some similarities
with some hunting-style bows such as the Martin Jaguar
because they’re based off compound risers.
Ironically, this means that the Phantom might give you an easier pathway
to compound bows because of the grip.
Finally, if you’ve never held a bow, you might want to know which one is more accurate.
Accuracy is the user, not the bow.
As long as you get decent matching arrows and a good tune, both the Phantom and the
Sage can be shot accurately.
So which would I recommend, and why?
The Sage is leaning more towards traditional archery, for people who appreciate a classic
wood design
and the “lively” feel of a wooden bow.
The Phantom wins out on price alone, maintaining the functionality of a bow in a practical,
strong metal design.
I personally think the Sage looks prettier, but the Phantom is the bow you can toss in
your pack and not care about too much.
On that note, if you’re looking for a compromise, it’s hard to beat the Mandarin Duck Windrunner
at the moment.
It’s a larger bow, but combines with the traditional design seen in the Sage with the
price of the Phantom.
But as I said earlier, check out other options with local sellers to see if you can get something
that suits your wants and needs.