Best Archery Shop on the Wasatch Front???

[cantclosethedeal]

Being a bit of a ?gear head? when it comes to archery, I have used virtually every archery shop on the Wasatch front at one time or another. The quality of their staff and the condition of their inventory seems to ebb and flow from good to barely adequate. Also, for some reason, service has been very poor at every shop at one time or another.

My question: Who has the best archery shop on the Wasatch Front today????

My 2 cents on the shops I have used (from north to south)

Wild Arrow
Great new location, nice range, Excellent stock of new equipment. (Best inventory on display in the state) Young staff is knowledgeable but lacks experience IMHO.

Salt Lake Archery
Target archery Recurve heaven. Caters to target archers not much to hunting. Good shop not great.

Utah Archery Center
G is the man. I trust his opinion when it comes to set up and recommendations more than anyone I know. All about Hunting. Most of the Wasatch Front maniacs I run into on the hill, I run into here.
That being said, service is consistently poor. Unless you know someone personally working behind the counter, you need interrupt conversations and continue to push just to get a peep installed in under 3 hours. (Slight exaggeration for effect) Bow inventory is good, but everything else must be ordered. Shop is not clean and is somewhat unprofessional.

Humphreys Archery
Two locations in Utah County now that Payson sports went out of business. Great shop in Pleasant Grove. Hoyt, Bowtech, Mathews, Mission. These guys offer a lot of choices. Nice range, Pop up target leagues, decent inventory, good service, good techs.

Jake?s Archery

As most of you know, Jake?s is an archery distributor. When you order a bow from another shop it comes from the manufacturer, virtually everything else comes from here.
Jake?s has a good knowledgeable staff, but surprisingly their in store display is somewhat lacking. Tough to not like these guys.

Did I miss anybody??
Who is at the top of their game RIGHT NOW??

 

[sixgunn]

I must say I think your review is spot on. Great post.

 

[mathewsman]

My vote goes to humphries.

 

[SEENANY]

+1 - Humphries

 

[Ozzman]

I'm a Humphries fan as well.

 

[tabbyhntr]

Uac... G's knowledge and experience more than make up for his cleaning skills. I've never had to wait to get anything done as long as he has the parts. If G had a nicer shop hed get a lot more business.

 

[Hawkeye]

This is a great post. I agree with your assessment of the several shops I have visited. I prefer Humphries.

Hawkeye

Browning A-Bolt 300 Win Mag
Winchester Apex .50 Cal
Mathews Drenalin LD

 

[bowtech11]

Colby is a stud at Humphries! Love that place. Jakes was decent, but still a fan of Humphries. Oh, I gotta give props to Lance H. at the archery shop in the Sportsmans in Riverdale. That guy knows his stuff, and was super helpful.

 

[northslope801]

My vote goes to Humphries

 

[legacy]

I'm also partial to Humphries.

 

[ALPHAMAXSTER]

I roll with G at UAC. I come from over two hours away and he has yet to let me down. I will agree his inventory is a little slim but I know when I leave his shop I will be happy with the way my bow shoots. Cant say anything about the other shops as I have not been there....would love to check them out though.

 

[cantclosethedeal]

Looks like Humphry?s is running away with it. Has anyone been to the new Payson location? What is the shop like??

 

[southslope82]

UTAH ARCHERY CENTER hands down, I live in the basin and its a 3and a half hour drive. Gerald is awesome I have bought a bow and several dozen arrows he has yet to ever let me down. He has always made time for me and does by far the best tuning that I have ever seen he definetley knows what he is doing. He gets them bows like they are on steroids. I am not saying that any of the others are bad but I strongly suggest UAC.

 

[notags2]

Jakes gets my. Has been the place I shop for many years.

 

[powellpounder]

My vote to humphries. Colby and brian has done wonders for me and my wife. She has a hard time visiting the other shops by her self. But I can't keep her out of humphries. the atmosphere they have there is real inviting she tells me.

 

[never_catch]

UAC

~Z~

 

[hikenhunt]

Jake's for sure.

Some of the newer guys at Humphries don't seem to be that great.

 

[Backcountrytines]

I like your review of the shops. I'm sticking with Humphries. They gotta train the young techs but aside from that this shop is head and shoulders above the rest IMO and I've spent my share of time in all of them!

 

[wacmaster]

UAC is by far one of the best pro shop's in the state.

 

[elkstalkin]

You are spot on...

Wilde arrow.. good shop, decent inventory, they try hard but wouldn't trust them to work on my bow..

UAC... G is the man.. He has more knowledge about hunting deer with a bow than anyone I've ran into.. That being said, his shop is a cluster *^%$... It is more of a BRO shop than a PRO shop...
I've bought just about everything from G, sometimes he has it other times you have to wait. The service really is the shits...
If G could get his ##### together, get some better bow tuning equipment and inventory along with some help in there, he would be hard to beat...

Humpries.. I am sold on these guys... I recently had some work done on my bow and I can not believe the service I received..
Colby to the extra time to make sure the cams were in line the bubble on my sight was level.. Best of all I could feel the difference in the way my bow shot.. Its a long drive for me to get down there.. But I'm pretty sure they will be getting more of my money..



Stopped by Jake's a couple of times.. Excellent shop and knowledge just never bought anything there direct.

 

[justr_86]

Clay and Dave at Sportsmans in Midvale have always done an excellent job for me and everyone else I send in to them. A few other guys there are not so great though so clay and Dave are the only 2 that touch anything on my bow or arrows.


NO GUTS, NO STORY!!

 

[Fire_Hawk]

I have limited experience, but I have had TERRIFIC service from the guys at Wilde Arrow.

Jeremiah KNOWS his stuff. Cody is good and getting better. That said, Jeremiah can work on my bow any day of the week and I will feel entirely comfortable.

Just my opinion and .02 worth.

FH

 

[Elkaholic26]

went to wild arrow today and will not go back almost left the stuff on the counter and walked out. If you know the staff they help you as soon as you walk in. I was standing at the counter for 10-20 min. while they talked to buddys and a girl walked up and got helped. I had to walk over to them two tell them I wanted to buy something.. and went back to shoot,their was about 8 people shooting 3 where buddys and would shoot then go talk then come back and shoot, to crowded for that. and would bet not paying like the rest.

 

[WesternWalker]

There's a new shop in West Haven, Wasatch Archery Shop, He works out of his home for now by appointment only. I liked the one on one. He was fast and knowledgable. Was able to get my entire bow and setup there in just one day. Two thumbs up.
The number if anyone was curious is 801-710-4287

 

[JLTD]

I am also going to have to go with humphries.

Just Living The Dream

 

[elkantlers]

I used to go to jake when I made a trip to the big city. I won't go in there again though.

I bought my 14 yo son a used Hoyt Trykon XL. The bow is in excellent condition and came loaded with spott hog sights, trophy taker drop-a-way rest, Fuse quiver and stabilizer. I got the whole setup for $300. I paid 1/2 and he paid 1/2. I took it into the "pro shop" to get some new strings and the "pro" (I use the term loosely) asked me why I bought a Trykon and then he said they were the biggest P.O.S that Hoyt ever made and that I should have bought him a PSE.
I pretty much told him to stick it and left. My son asked if it really was a bad bow and I told him that it most certainly was not. He can shoot it very well and that is all that matters.
I think that guy should have kept his mouth shut especially when talking to a young archer that just bought a bow. Needless to say, I won't be gracing there doorway anytime soon.

P.S I later found out the guy that is a jerk only works on Saturdays. He is a n older guy with gray hair. If you go in there don't let him help you.

 

[swbuckmaster]

realy humphries? I guess you like paying 30% more for anything you purchase! They are without a doubt the most expensive shop in Utah!

Nets are for fish!!

 

[hunter_orange13]

The trykon is actually a pretty good bow! and that is a very good price for one especially with the sight and rest. Good buy!

There is a shop in northern utah, Bear River City. Its called Country Archers or something. The guy is very nice. Its a small shop (also a gas station) and he knows his stuff. He only sells hoyt bows though, but has an alright selection. He also owns Salt Creek 3d.
I think there is also a shop in logan, but i am not sure.

 

[400bullelk]

I just bought a new Maxxis from Jake's. Josh was the bomb. Got everything rolling, love the bow and the service. They really are on it. Sometimes have to wait a little to get helped, but seems to be doing it right.

 

[BullCrazy]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-07-10 AT 09:54AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Apr-07-10 AT 09:53?AM (MST)

I used to go to exclusively to UAC but got frustrated with the selection there, if I need gear I now go to Wilde Arrow first, they almost always have what I need, and the crew up there are really good guys from my experiences. If I need work on my bow I would go to G. There is no question that G knows his bow tuning, if I have a issue I need resolved he can get it done. He used to have a serious problem with guys that just hung out and the shop took on more of a club feel than a archery shop. The dudes really soaked G for his time too, which was more frustrating than him not having gear. I have noticed the last couple times I've been in there it seemed to be better.

The only thing I would say is to make sure you have plenty of time to get something done in Geralds shop, cuz you are going to have to wait awhile, the service from G is done right but sloooow. I agree with a previous post, if G had a tight selection he would be very tough to beat.

Jakes has been good to me also, I didn't feel like they were the most friendly when I first went in there, but they have a pretty good selection and seem knowledgable for the most part.

 

[inline]

Jakes and Utah Archery Center. I haven't been into the Wilde Arrow but I have heard good things.


Take out more than you brought in!