Key Takeaway: Buying a 5 pin bow sight can be a challenge, especially if you don’t know how to choose one or which one to choose. In this guide, we take you through list of ten of the best 5 pin bow sights available in 2024.

The best 5-pin bow sights in 2024 have come a long way since multi-pin bow sights first debuted. Today, archers have a huge variety of choices.  In this article we give you the information you need to make an intelligent decision on which one to buy.

The most important thing is to buy a bow sight that will mount to your bow. Most modern compounds have a universal mount. Older bows may have a proprietary mount. 

Multiple mounting points make it easier to set the sight to your shooting style.

An Important Factor to Remember

The second important factor is to buy a 5-pin sight that fits your shooting style. You can go from a sight with micro adjustments in several places that also allows you to make in-field changes down to a simple 5-pin sight that you set and you are done.

Some sights are also right-hand only. Some easily switch sides and some are dedicated right or left.

Features that A Good Bow Sight Has

The best 5-pin bow sights in 2024 have a these things in common:

1. Easy adjustments: Simple or no tools needed
2. Solid attachments: It is secure on your bow and will not move
3. Fiber optics: The colors make the pin easy to see
4. A small light: You can see the pins even in the dark

I have bow hunted for 30 years and I have several recurves, a 45-year old compound and a modern compound. I shoot a 5-pin sight on the modern bow and nothing on the others.

Budget pick

Trophy Ridge Volt 5 Pin

1. Inexpensive
2. Gross sight W/E adjustments
3. Spirit level
4. Multi-position mount

Our Top Choices

We review the top 5-pin sights on the market today. Here are the best sights. These are chosen based on user experience, customer reviews and the features each one brings.

1. Best Overall: Trophy Ridge Fix

Trophy Ridge makes the most popular multi-pin sights on the market. A quick look at the lineup tells you why. The Fix series is a mid-priced sight that delivers the same features as sights three times as much.

Specifications: 

• The fiber optics are protected in a recessed holder and they loop into the bottom of the sight. They loop around the front side of the sight protected by a clear plastic holder for maximum light gathering capability.
• The small light is on the top for easy access. Shoot this one in the twilight hours with ease.
• The spirit level on the bottom is visible through the top of the sight ring as well.
• The pins are horizontal. I prefer this to a vertical pin because I get to see more above and below my target. A vertical pin can hide limbs and leaves between me and the target. 
• It has 4 mounting positions.
• The sight ring actually comes off the mount if you need to remove it. Line-up marks make sure when you reattach the ring, you are still on target.

Sure, I can look to see if anything is in the way. But if I am tracking a slowly moving target, I do not want to take my eye off the sight picture to scan for obstructions.

The sight ring also has a high visibility tape around the edge. Is this necessary? No. Is it handy? Yes. Small things like this are enough to move a sight from just ok to very good or very good to excellent.

Each pin adjusts independently and the sight ring is adjustable for elevation too. The ring also adjusts for windage.

Features

• 5 Horizontal pins
• Gross windage and elevation adjustments
• Built-in light
• Spirit level
• Skeletonized sight ring
• Multi-point attachment
• Fibers are protected
• Reasonable price

Pros

• Excellent price
• Multi-position
• Micro adjustments for pins
• Pin adjustment tool mounts to sight

Cons

• Optic fibers only are green and orange
• Heavy 11.3 ounces
• Black only
• Front fiber guard can reflect light
• Right hand only

2. Best Budget: Trophy Ridge Volt 5 Pin

If you are on a budget, the Trophy Ridge Volt 5 is wallet friendly. You still get a quality sight, but without a lot of the extras on more expensive sights. As simple as this one is, it is still miles and miles ahead of the pin sights from years ago.

Specifications: 

• The sight ring will switch to either side by loosening the windage adjustment and putting that mount through the other side. That is a major benefit.
• It has 3 mounting positions, which is usually enough. 
• The sight ring has the brilliant green tape around it like its more expensive cousins. It is handy, but not required. It also adds maybe a penny or two to the cost, so why not?

Features

• 5 pins
• Spirit level
• Gross W/E adjustments
• Fiber optic light

Pros

• Simple design
• Compact
• Right or left hand
• Light, 8.32 ounces

Cons

• RIng will not remove easily
• 2 fiber optic colors
• Fibers wrap around outside of ring with little protection

3. Best Beginner: TRUGLO Carbon Hybrid 5-Pin

This one is the top pic for beginners because of the included arrow rest.

I hear what you longtime archers are saying. That whisker rest slows down the arrow. Yes, it does. But it is also the most secure arrow rest you can get.

Do you remember your first deer? I do. I could not hold anything still because I was shaking so hard. A young’un drawing on his first deer does not have to worry about the arrow bouncing off the rest. It will stay put. That matters a lot.

Specifications: 

• The pins are independently adjustable and are in green, yellow and orange. That too is a good idea as it helps you remember which pin is set to what distance.
• It comes in black or 2 different camo patterns. Kids will want that camo. It has 3 mounting positions.
• The price is reasonable, considering you also get an arrow rest with it. Otherwise, this could just as easily be the bargain sight.

Features

• Arrow rest included
• Easy to use for a beginner

Pros

• Spirit level
• Gross W/E adjustments
• Precision adjustment on pins
• Affordable 
• Has a multi-position mount

Cons

• Heavy, 14 ounces
• Fibers wrap around the outside the ring
• Pins are held in 2 adjustment slots

4. TOPOINT ARCHERY CNC Aluminum 5 Pin

If you are concerned about how to position the bow sight backward or forward on your bow, then the Topoint CNC 5-pin delivers what you want.

The mount attaches to your bow. Then, the sight slides into the mounting bracket on a beveled rail. Within the reach of the rail, your adjustment range is infinite.

Specifications: 

• The sight slides right out and back in so you can remove and replace this one in seconds. Ideally, the rail would have guides or notches, but it does not. Tiny fractions of an inch in the forward-backward setting should have no effect on arrow placement.
• This is effectively a removable sight that returns to zero when you reattach it.
• It is reversible for right or left handers.
• The adjustment knobs offer micro adjustments. For instance, the elevation and the windage knob each have .0015 inch clicks. That is fine tuning indeed. Plus, you can adjust the pins into two slots.
• At 12.7 ounces is not exactly light nor is it heavy. It comes down on the upper end of a middle-weight sight.

The fiber lines are fairly well protected as they curve into a C shape behind the pin adjustments. This is not ideal, but it is also better than some of the others in this list. Ideally, the fibers should be covered by a clear plastic housing.

The light sticks straight up off the top of the sight. Given the skeleton design of the sight, it is hard to say where the light should otherwise be. Still, it sticks out a lot and may get hung on things.

Features

• Easy on, easy off
• Return to zero
• Micro adjustment knobs
• Spirit level
• Skeleton machined

Pros

• Easy adjustments
• Very open sight ring
• Infinite, within the rail, horizontal mounting

Cons

• Light is cumbersome
• 2 slots for pin adjustment
• One vertical mount position

5. Trophy Ridge React Pro 5 Pin

If you refuse to settle for anything less than the very best, then the Trophy Ridge React Pro 5 Pin may be what  you are after. Only the Hogg Father, next in line, offers more but also costs about twice as much.

This 5-pin sight has everything in the Trophy RIdge Fix, our top choice, and brings more to the table as well.

You can get a right or left hand model. The setup is not reversible.

Specifications: 

• The sight ring has a glow in the dark tape around the rim. If you are shooting at night, such as for coyotes and other varmints, it is useful. Otherwise, you do have to shine a light to make the glow work and that could be enough to spook your target.
• It has the standard gross W/E adjustments and brings a second axis (rotation) adjustment. A third adjustment axis allows it to pivot in the horizontal axis. Think of opening a door and how it swings on the hinges.
• The sight also has a spirit level, which makes sure you get a level sight picture even if you tilt your bow like my Dad did.
• The React Pro also lets you sight in two pins and then adjust the whole arrangement at one time. The tool-less adjustment promises accuracy at any distance, within reason of course, once you set two pins.
• Windage and elevation can be changed in the field thanks to the knob adjustments.
• It has 4 mounting positions.

Features

• Multi axis leveling
• Spirit level
• 2 fiber diameter choices, .1 and .19

Pros

• Well protected fiber lines
• Easy to adjust
• Most adjustments of any bow sight

Cons

• Heavy, 14 ounces
• May be far more adjustment than you need 
• Expensive

6. Spot Hogg The Hogg Father

If there is such a thing as a tactical sniper bow sight, Spot Hogg’s The Hogg Father is that. It is tactical because it has an adjustment dial, Bull Wheel, that lets you adjust distance to the target in fractions of a yard.

Specifications: 

• The outer bull wheel lets you make adjustments one yard at the time. A lock knob on the bottom holds that position.
• The micro knob then lets you make fractions of a yard adjustment. Want to dial in 44.2 yards? You can do that.
• Tactical continues as the sight ring has a vertical wire. This makes lining up the best shot even easier.
• While most archers will never need this level of precision, owing in part to the Archer’s Paradox, if you are serious about Robin Hooding (that kinda shot gets real expensive real fast), you may want this.
• Do you need this kind of a sight to get rifle-like accuracy? No. You just need immense amounts of practice to get that accurate. Byron Ferguson demonstrates that in the video above.
• The pins adjust with a rack and pinion gear system for vertical alignment. This holds the sights in place more firmly than you can get from the teeter tooter pin systems found in other sights.
• The overall sight has 2nd and 3rd axis adjustments as well, just like the Trophy Ridge React Pro. 
• The elevation bar has a generous amount of adjustment
• The final specification that sets the Hogg Father above even the Ract Pro is the dovetail bar the sight attaches to. You can set the distance 4-7 inches away with infinite adjustment inside that range.

Features

• Dedicated right or left hand
• 3, 5, or 7 pins
• .01, .019 or .029 pin size
• Very bright marking tape on ring
• 1st, 2nd, 3rd axis adjustment
• Spirit level
• Lifetime warranty

Pros

• The most precise pin sight available
• Huge position range
• Fiber optic line size choice
• Vertical sight wire

Cons

• Most expensive sight in list
• Heavy, 18.6 ounces

7. Viper Archery Venom Fixed Plate Microtune

The Venom is a fairly simple 5-pin sight with 1st, 2nd and 3rd axis adjustments, if that can be called simple. It tips the scales at a light 8 ounces.

It shaves weight by doing without a light for fiber optics. This is why the sight does not rank higher. You can add a light which means finding one compatible with the mount.

However, it does offer a huge amount of fiber exposure to gather as much light as possible. While I am not a fan of such exposed fibers, the Venom holds all the lines in a comingled tube running alongside the mount. That is better than individually wrapped lines.

A hole in the middle of the mount and press-in grip hold the lines.

Features

• Spirit level
• Pin sizes 0.010, 0.015, 0.019
• Original buyer lifetime warranty
• No tool needed elevation and windage locks
• Micro adjustment knob
• Choice of green, white or yellow rim caps for the ring

Pros

• Made in the USA
• Lightweight, 8.2 ounces

Cons

• Right hand only
• 2 mounting positions

8. CBE Tactic Micro Bow Sight

This reasonably priced bow sight offers gross W/E adjustments on the mount and micro adjustments in the pins. Let’s look at its specifications. 

Specifications: 

• It is small, especially compared to some of the other sights in this list. 
• The three mounting holes are very close together and only elevation and distance changes wrapped into the same adjustment.
• At 8.1 ounces it is square in the middle on weight. The aluminum frame delivers that.
• It is reversible for right or left handers.
• Since the gross windage bar is hash marked, you can remove the sight, leaving the mount in place. Pay attention to what you are doing and you can reattach sight and keep your zero.
• The fibers are very well protected in a clear plastic case on the back side of the bow.
• Add a whisker rest to this one and it makes a very good beginner sight.

My only reservation is how high the light sticks out over the sight. It is a distraction, until you get used to it. More importantly, it sticks out enough to get hung on stuff.

Features

• Fairly short, 7.25 inches
• Aluminum frame
• Reversible
• Spirit level

Pros

• Well-protected fibers
• 8.1 ounces
• Gross W/E adjustments
• Reasonable price

Cons

• Light sticks out a lot
• 2 slots for pin adjustment

9. Southland Archery Supply SAS 5-Pin

The SAS 5-pin is a 7-ounce sight . It has 2 mounting positions that are only for distance. You can get rid of  the light and this one ties for the lightest 5-pin in the list. 

Specifications: 

• The frame is aluminum and the ring is polymer.
• It is reversible for right or left handers. It has a gross w/e adjustment and 2 slots for pins. 
• It comes in camo or black.
• The fibers are very short and wrap around the pins. The light sticks out on the side of the ring.
• This one did not make our best budget because it lacks a few features found on the Trophy Ridge Volt 5 which is just a few more dollars.

Still, if you want a bare-bones  5-pin sight, this is a good choice.

Features

• Spirit level
• Gross W/E adjustments
• Easy access light

Pros

• Very light
• Reversible
• Simple

Cons

• Polymer sight housing
• Limited mounting options
• Light sticks out at odd angle

10. TRUGLO Carbon Xtreme 5-Pin

If weight is your concern, the TruGlo Carbon Extreme is the one for you. At a scant 4.2 ounces, this is about 1/4 the weight of the heaviest sight in our list. This is also the last recommended bow sight for 2024.

Specifications: 

• The sight is also reversible. Take the sight ring off. Be careful with the fiber optics when you remove the rubber holder. Switch sides and put the optics holder back in place.
• The optics are not well protected asn they literally run along the outside of the sight through a thin individual line sheath. This makes them easy to break. This also makes them easy to replace.
• The whole sight ring adjusts for windage. It does not adjust for elevation. The pins adjust in two slots on the side.
• It comes in black, camo or pink camo.

Features

• Simple construction
• Reversible
• Spirit level

Pros

• Easy to replace fiber lines
• Very light
• 3 color choices

Cons

• Fiber lines not well protected
• Only gross windage adjustment
• No light for the fiber

Buying Guide: How to Pick a Sight

When you are picking a bow sight, you need to know what kind of shooting you are doing. By that I mean the distances you are shooting and what you are shooting.

If you hunt big game, like moose or bear, you need a bow that will sling a heavy arrow. You also need a bow sight with a lot of adjustment range because that heavy arrow is going to drop more than a light one.

You should consider distances as well. Some of my hunting buddies have their bottom pin sighted at 100 yards and the top pin at 30.

I am not that good. My bottom pin is 45 yards. Yes, my bow is capable of longer shots, but I am not comfortable with reaching out more.

If you are shooting those distances, get a bow sight where each pin has its own adjustment channel. In a 5-pin sight, this means 5 slots. The Trophy Ridge Fix and TR Pro React offer this.

The tradeoff for maximum adjustment like that is more weight. 

Sighting in

When you are sighting your sight in at the range, make sure you have the tools you need. A set of allen wrenches is good.

Remember, chase the arrow. If you are hitting low and left, adjust the pin down and to the left. If you hit high, raise the pin.

Just like shooting a gun, take a few shots before you say the pin is set for that distance.

So what distances should you use? That too is an individual decision and it has to be based on you, the bow and arrow drop.

Over 5 yards or so, a carbon arrow from a modern compound is going to drop just a little. Over 10 yards, it will drop a bit more. If you shoot aluminum or wood arrows, that drop is a lot more.

I set my 5 pins starting at 10 yards and then go 15, 25, 35 and 45 yards Why 10 to start? Because small targets like rabbits, armadillos, foxes, raccoons and such have a much smaller vital zone than a deer. I once shot a rattlesnake with my bow.

FAQs

Conclusion

If you shoot a modern compound bow, use a sight. As hunters we should do everything we can to make ethical kills. Getting as precise as possible with each shot does that.

If you only shoot targets or in competitions, then a good bow sight will help you be as accurate as possible.
Accuracy is what shooting anything is all about.

Keeping all this in mind is why the Trophy Ridge Fix is my top choice in 2024.