What’s the best hunting sight? Axcel DRIVER vs UV2 Slider.

By Kevin Toye | Hunt Source

If you hang around serious bowhunters these days, two sight names keep coming up. The Axcel Driver and the Ultraview UV2 Slider. Like many other products in the archery world archers have been arguing over which one is better. I’ve had the opportunity to run both sights. Whenever I am looking at new gear there are three key factors I look for, function, durability and price and not always in that order.  The Axcel Driver has been on my bow since July, the UV2 Slider came later in the fall. I’ve run both long enough now to give a fair, in the field, review and share if these sights meet my standards.

On paper, these two are very similar. Both come in direct mount, Picatinny, and Mathews Bridgelock versions. Both offer 1 or 3 vertical pin and 3 or 5 horizontal pin housings. In the past year I have switched from a post to a three horizontal pins. It just gives me a clearer sight picture.

First off, if things are tight in your wallet these days, these sights are not for you! When looking at either of these sights the first things on every archer’s mind should be PRICE. When comparing the price of these two sights we start to see some separation. Using Jim Bows Archery’s Canadian pricing, the UV2 Slider runs $849 for direct mount, $924 for Picatinny, and $999 for Bridgelock. The dedicated light cartridge adds another $170. Go all-in with a Bridgelock UV2 and light and you’re at $1,169 before tax and shipping close to $1,300 for a sight. The Axcel Driver comes in cheaper: $749 for direct mount, $724 for Picatinny, and $724 for Bridgelock. With the driver you will need to add an aftermarket light, but even then, it stays noticeably more affordable. Roughly speaking, the Driver is about $100 less for a direct mount and around $200 less for Picatinny or Bridge-Lock. At this level, that difference matters.

In the field simplicity, access and durability can make or break a bow sight. Here, the UV2 really shines. Its elevation wheel is the smoothest, best placed dial I’ve ever used. It turns like it’s on bearings, with no grit or play. A quick-travel lever lets you slide the housing up or down in a hurry, then you lock it and fine tune with the wheel. It’s fast, natural, and made extremely easy for real hunting situations.

Axcel has come a long way from the old Landslyde. The Driver’s wheel is much improved, larger, better textured, and smoother to use. Side by side the UV2 dial is just easier, nicer and for lack of a better word, Better. The same is true for windage dial. On the UV2, you pull a small knob and slide the housing left or right, simple and brilliant. When it comes to durability I have to tip my hat to the Driver. It didn’t take me long to break the quick stop on the UV2. I have put the Driver though extreme hell this past fall and its stood tall.

When it comes to pin adjustment, in my opinion, there is no easy or better system on the market than the Axcel system. True micro adjustability on each pin. Loosen a screw, turn the small knob, and you can walk a pin into perfect position. For sighting in and fine-tuning pin gaps, the Driver is easier and more precise. The UV2 locks you into a fixed middle pin. To run a 20–30–40 setup, you sight the middle at 30 and then move your 20 and 40 around it. It functions, but you can’t independently set all three pins exactly how you want and is overall less precise.

Lighting is another big difference. The UV2’s USB-C rechargeable light cartridge is built specifically for the sight. It’s compact, tough, and makes the pins glow cleanly. No wires hanging, nothing flimsy. If you hunt dark timber or push legal light at dawn and dusk, it’s a huge advantage. The Driver relies on generic screw in lights usually plastic, sticking out, and easy to break when you’re crawling through brush. They work, but they’re not in the same league.

Both sights offer full 1st, 2nd, and 3rd axis adjustment, which is essential in steep country or tree stands. Functionally they’re comparable, but the UV2 wins on visibility with a larger, brighter bubble level that’s easier to read on awkward, long, or angled shots.

Where things get personal for me is sight distance and aging eyes. I’m 47, and like most guys in their 40s, my close vision has dwindled. There’s a sweet spot where sight pins look crisp. Too close to my face and they blur, move them out and they sharpen. The UV2 direct mount puts the housing about four to five inches beyond the riser. The Driver’s side mount is a dovetail which pushes it noticeably farther than the UV2 direct mount. That extra distance keeps my pins sharp at full draw. For my eyes, it’s a game changer.

After a full season with the Driver and solid time behind the UV2, here is my conclusion. The Axcel Driver is staying on my bow for 2026! The micro adjustable pins and longer dovetail solve real problems for me, and it costs less. Overall, I think the UV2 is the more polished sight, better dial, smarter windage, brighter bubble, superb light system and if I still had young eyes and a looser budget, I’d probably call it the best all around hunting sight out there. But durability is in question.  

In the end, you’re not choosing between good and bad. You’re choosing between two of the best hunting sights ever made. The right answer comes down to the user, your hunting style, needs and how much you’re willing to spend.