Best Hoyt Hunting Bows Released To Date

Hoyt is one of the leaders in the archery industry.  Since 1931 they’ve been making bows and today, they are still producing some of the highest quality hunting bows in the world.

For 2020 alone, Hoyt released three different series of premier level bows. 

Here are the best Hoyt hunting bows released in 2020

• REDWRX RX-4 Carbon Alpha
• REDWRX RX-4 Carbon Turbo
• REDWRX RX-4 Carbon Ultra
• Axius Alpha
• Helix Turbo
• Axius Ultra

As you can see, Hoyt released a lot of premier hunting bows for 2020.  Each bow is designed for different hunters wants and needs.  The Alpha series is designed for hunters that want a short axle to axle bow, the Ultra series is designed for an extremely steady shots and forgiveness, and the Turbo series is designed for speed.

These bows are ranked in no particular order as all six of these bows are top of the line.

Before I get to the first series of bows and their advantages/ disadvantages, there are several of the same features that these new Hoyt bows have.

These are similar features amongst 2020 premium Hoyt bows 

• Carbon or Aluminum risers
• Parallel Split Limb Technology
• ZTR cams (Alpha and Ultra series)
• Integrated rest option (Alpha and Ultra series)
• Adjustable grip (RDWRX Bows)

Carbon vs Aluminum Risers

Hoyt offers two bows in each of their series of hunting bows, carbon and aluminum.  The carbon option is quite a bit more expensive, but it has several benefits.

For one, if you hunt in cold weather the bow isn’t going to steal heat from your hands, like an aluminum bow would do.

It’s also a whole lot lighter in terms of weight;  around half a pound for all RX-4 Carbon bows compared to their counterparts, respectively.

Carbon risers are also quite a bit stronger than a standard aluminum bow.  Thus a longer lasting and more durable bow.  This really isn’t that big of a deal though, the aluminum is still very strong.

The biggest downfall of the carbon riser bows is that the price is around 500 ish dollars more expensive than its aluminum counterpart bow.

Aluminum does have it’s advantages over carbon although…

For one, it dampens the sound and typically has less hand shock after the shot.

Aluminum bows are also more forgiving…  And what I mean by that, is that there is less jump after the shot.  But it’s not by much.  Hoyt has really got the technology down in their carbon risers.

It’s a horse a piece when deciding to get an aluminum or carbon riser Hoyt bow.  Carbon is lighter, stronger, warmer, but expensive.  Aluminum is is heavier, colder, weaker, but cheaper and dampens noise + sound better.   Otherwise, depending on which series of bow you decide to go with, the two hunting bows within that series are very similar.

Parallel Split Limb Technology 

Parallel Split Limb Technology is essentially where Hoyt spread the bottom limbs further apart, and kept the top limbs close together.

Basically what it does is provide great stability in their bows…  This is because bows that are bottom heavy with a wide base hold upright better.  Compared to a top heavy bow that wants to tip forward during the shot.

As a result of the incredible stability and balance, the accuracy and consistency of your shooting will improve.  (hopefully)

The Parallel Split Limb Technology was first implemented in the Hoyt HyperForce bow in 2018, so it’s been around for a while now.  BUT, it still works like a champ, and sometimes, when it isn’t broken – don’t fix it.

ZTR Cams 

The ZTR cams are only featured on the Ultra and Alpha series of bows, the Turbo series has their own cams.

The new ZTR cams are the fourth generation of Hoyts ZT cam series.  They’re the smoothest and most forgiving cams that Hoyt has released yet, but still very fast.  

The draw cycle with a ZTR cam is very smooth, with a gentle drop into the valley.  In the back wall, the ZTR cams are very firm.  There isn’t any sponginess and the bow doesn’t want to jump and shoot.

The  ZT Turbo cams are the opposite and featured on the Turbo series; they’re designed for very fast speeds without forgiveness.

Related Article: Best Mathews Hunting Bows Ever Released 

Integrated Rest Option

Exclusive to the Alpha and Ultra series is the integrated rest option.

There’s not a whole lot of greatness here… basically you can purchase a rest that integrates with the bow and reduces weight of the entire setup.

If you already have a high quality rest, it probably isn’t isn’t worth it to get the integrated rest to save a couple ounces of weight.  But, if you are crazy about the weight of your bow and want it super lightweight, an integrated rest will reduce the weight slightly…

Adjustable Grip

A new feature in the RDWRX bows is the adjustable grip.  The adjustable grip can be moved laterally from left to right for a different feel and different pressure points on your hand.

Pretty cool, basically it just allows for hunters with unique hand shapes or form to be accommodated for.

Those are the main features that most of the new Hoyt hunting bows have… Let’s get into the actual reviews of the bows.

Hoyt Alpha Series Hunting Bows

The Alpha series consists of two bows, the REDWRX RX-4 Carbon Alpha and the Axius Alpha. 

These two bows are nearly identical from one another; the main and obvious difference between the two is that the RX-4 is made of carbon, and the Axius Alpha is made of aluminum.  The Alpha series is the shortest axle to axle bow Hoyt has ever created that is only 29.5” from one axle to the other.  This series is ideal for tree stand hunters, blind hunters, crawling around in the backcountry, or those who like bows with short axle to axle lengths in general.  

Hoyt REDWRX RX-4 Carbon Alpha

Specs:

• IBO rating of 342 fps 
• Brace height: 6.125”
• Axle to axle: 29.5” 
• Physical weight: 3.9 lbs 
• Let off: 85% 
• Draw length: 25”-28” (cam #2)  – 28”-30” (cam #3)  
• Draw weight: 40, 50, 60, 65, 70, 80

Pros:

• Hoyt’s shortest (very) premium axle to axle bow 
• Very fast and powerful
• Bottom heavy
• Quiet
• Little hand vibration 
• Lightweight

Cons:

• Expensive
• Very similar to last years model
• Has the most jump and hand shock of all the 2020 bows

RX-4 Carbon Alpha Review

The RDWRX RX-4 Carbon Alpha is one of the most popular Hoyt hunting bows for 2020.  It’s designed for bowhunters that are hunting close quarters, or hunters that want to keep it light in the back country.  The overall feel of it is strong, light weight and compact.

Shooting wise, this bow is one of the best bows on the market.  It’s very accurate and precise… and has an overall feel of a great hunting bow.

“Getting the RX-4 Carbon Alpha dialed in took no time at all”

– Travis Turner (Bone Collector) on the RX-4 Alpha

This bow does have a little bit more pop (jump after shot, hand shock) than the other Hoyt bows, but that’s because it’s super light weight and small.  There’s a price to pay for everything… you can always throw a stabilizer or rear stabilizer (this bow does have a rear stabilizer mount on it) to bring the hand shock down, but still get the benefits of a short axle to axle bow.

The draw cycle on this bow is very smooth, and the back wall is very firm.  There’s no give at all to it… and no side to side movement in the cams at full draw.   Unlike the Mathews VXR 28, which has some movement laterally at full draw (VXR 28 is a beast btw).

The balance and feel of the Hoyt RX-4 Alpha is also very steady.  It doesn’t want to tip forward at all, unlike some other short axle to axle bows.  This can be credited to the split limb technology and bottom heavy design.

This bow also does feature the adjustable grip on it too.  Which is a nice little touch on an elite hunting bow, but not super significant.

The biggest problem hunters have had with the RX-4 Alpha, is that it’s very similar to the 2019 RX-3 models.  It does shoot a little bit better, and has a few upgrades and features, but a lot of the bow is still the same.  It shoots very similar to the old bows, and the design of the bows almost look identical.  The price of this bow is also not cheap at all, a major downfall.

Overall: Hoyt RX-4 Carbon Alpha

Overall this bow is one of the better short axle to axle bows on the market.  Yes, it’s very similar to the old Hoyt bows, but it still has great balance, speed, weight, size and overall shooting ability.  If you are shooting an RX-3 from last year, probably not worth it to upgrade.. but if you’re shooting a bow that’s a couple years old, this one is a great option.

Hoyt Axius Alpha 

Hoyt Axius Alpha is very similar to the RX-4 Carbon Alpha.  The main difference here is that it’s made of aluminum instead of carbon.  This puts just under a half a pound of weight onto the bow which significant to some, not so much to others.  If you are asking me, I think that is small marbles for $500.  

Specs: 

• IBO rating of 342 fps 
• Brace height: 6.125”
• Axle to axle: 29.5” 
• Physical weight: 4.3 lbs 
• Let off: 85% 
• Draw length: 25”- 28” (cam #2) or 28”- 30” (cam #3)  
• Draw weight: 40, 50, 60, 65, 70, 80 

Pros:

• Hoyt’s shortest axle to axle bow 
• Fast IBO rating 
• Bottom heavy
• Little hand vibration
• Silent 
• Cheapest 2020 premium Hoyt bow

Cons: 

• Aluminum riser (heavier, colder)

The Axius Ultra is the lesser of the two bows in the Alpha series.  It’s still an elite bow, just not as elite as it’s counter part… but a whole lot more affordable for most bow hunters.  This bow has most of the same features at the RX-4 Alpha excluding the adjustable grip and carbon risers.   The performance and accuracy is about the exact same too..  

A major upside of the Axius Alpha over the RX-4 Alpha, is that is absorbs shock a bit better.  Heavier bows in general absorb shock very well, hence why people add stabilizer kits and other dampeners on their bows.  An obvious downfall of the aluminum riser bow is that it’ll be heavier to carry out in the field…

Another downfall of the aluminum riser is that it’s colder in the winter time.  Aluminum sucks heat off human hands very quickly and efficiently, unlike carbon that doesn’t have the same effect.  I personally would rather buy a nice pair of gloves instead, but that’s just me!

Conclusion: Axius Alpha

The Alpha series in general is designed for hunters that want a fast and powerful bow that’s also small and compact.  The Axius Alpha is both of those, but way less expensive than the RX-4 Alpha.  If you buy one or the other, the performance is about the same.  The only main difference is the weight of the bow and the slight changes in the design of the risers (also the price tag).  If you are in the market for a close quarter hunting bow, this one is one of the best available.  As it should be… it’s brand new for 2020.

Hoyt Turbo Series

Next up is the Hoyt Turbo series of bows.  These bows are 31” axle to axle and are the fastest series that Hoyt released this year.  Everything about this bow is designed to create more speed, so if you have bad shoulders or you are not a fan of pulling a strong draw cycle every shot, maybe this bow isn’t for you.  But, if you want a speed bow for big animals such as moose or elk, this bow is going to provide that speed you’ll want.  

Hoyt RX-4 Turbo

Specs: 

• FBO Rating: 350 FPS 
• Axle to Axle: 31”
• Brace height: 5 ⅞” 
• Physical weight: 4 lbs 
• Let off: 85% 
• Draw weight: 40 – 50, 50 – 60, 55 – 65, 60 – 70
• Draw Length: 26” – 28” (cam #2), 28” – 30” (cam #3) 

Pros:

• Hoyt’s quickest bow for 2020
• Little hand shock 
• Bottom heavy
• Smooth draw cycle 

Cons:

• Louder than other models 
• Back wall is very unforgiving (wants to go)
• Cams are difficult to adjust 
• Expensive

Hoyt RDWRX Rx-4 Carbon Turbo Review 

The Carbon RX-4 Turbo is a very fast bow.  It has a longer axle to axle length at 31” which is perfect for a lot of hunters as it fits a lot of draw lengths.  The carbon riser creates a lightweight feel to the bow and also provides extreme durability.  This bow is going to be perfect for hunters who hunt very large animals because of its speed.  Although there is definitely a price to pay for having a speed bow.  

ZT Pro Turbo Cams

Hoyt has a lot of different generations of cams that they create, but the ZT Pro Turbo Cams are the fastest of them all.  This Hoyt bow has an IBO rating of 350 FPS so you’re going to be sending arrows down range at an alarming speed.  

Draw Cycle 

The draw cycle of the Hoyt Carbon RX- 4 Turbo is very smooth (but tough).  There isn’t a large valley to get to the back wall. 

Now in saying that, the back wall on this bow wants to jump forward a lot.  This is because there will be more energy released with a jumpier back wall and it creates more speed.  So, if you want speed out of your bow and are fine with a resistant draw cycle and back wall, this bow is going to provide you with speed.

Hand Shock/ Noise 

This bow actually doesn’t have a lot of hand shock, despite it’s speed.  It is quite surprising actually… but it is a little bit louder than other Hoyt hunting bows released in 2020.  

That should be expected because this is also their fastest bow that they have out right now.  It definitely makes less noise than I would have expected though, it’s not bad.  Not great either.  It’s in the middle.  

The Cams Are Hard To Adjust

The one thing that I do not like about this bow is that it’s difficult to change the draw length and weight on.  It’s not like the Alpha Series or the Ultra Series where a simple module just needs to be swapped.  This is different where it uses a bolt to adjust and it’s far more challenging to change than other Hoyt Cams.  It’s unfortunate, but not the biggest deal although.  I would suggest getting your draw weight and length right the first time so it’s less of a hassle trying to change it.   

Hoyt Carbon RX-4 Turbo Conclusion

This bow is going to provide some of the best speed for your arrows on the market.  That speed does come with a shorter brace height and jumpy back wall although.  This bow is surely not for the comfort archer, but more so for the archer that is scaling cliffs in the mountains trying to shoot giant animals and such.  It is durable, lightweight and powerful.

Related Article: Best Deer Hunting Compound Bows of 2020

Hoyt Helix Turbo 

Specs: 

• Axle to Axle: 31” 
• Brace height: 5 ⅞” 
• IBO rating: 350 FPS 
• Draw weight: 30 – 40, 40 – 50, 50 – 60, 55 – 65, 60 – 70
• Draw Length: 26” – 28” (#2 cam), 28” – 30” (#3 cam) 
• Physical weight: 4.4 lbs 
• Let off: 85% 

Pros: 

• Very fast and powerful 
• Little hand shock 
• Bottom heavy
• Smooth draw cycle

Cons:

• Louder than other models 
• Back wall is very unforgiving (wants to go)
• Cams are difficult to adjust 

Helix Turbo Review 

The Helix Turbo, like the Carbon Turbo is a very fast bow.  The longer axle to axle length of 31” is a good length for a lot of hunters, unless you are more into smaller compact bows.  This bow is made of aluminum compared to carbon so it’s going to be a little bit heavier and a little bit colder in the winter months.  But for the price difference I think that it’s worth it.  Having carbon risers in a bow is the premier, premier hunting bow, where this bow is only on the premier level.  The performance of these two bows in the Hoyt Turbo series otherwise performed very similarly. 

ZT Pro Turbo Cams

The ZT Pro Turbo cams are featured on the Helix Turbo as well.  These cams are a large reason why this bow is so fast, but it makes the archer pay by having a tougher draw cycle (although smooth) and a jumpy back wall.  The back wall wants to send the arrow flying right away so the archer shooting the bow is going to have to use more resistance to hold the bow at full draw.  Which is fine for some, but others like when the bow has some let off where it feels like you can stay at full draw for longer periods of time.  

Hand Shock/ Sounds

The hand shock on this bow was very minimal.  Like, it was extremely dead in the hand, with a stabilizer I’m sure there is none hand shock at all.  It also has less hand shock than the RX-4 Turbo, mostly I’m sure because of the weight differences.  

Because this bow is designed for speed, it has a little bit more noise than other bows that Hoyt has released.  Not a ton more, but it’s got a little bit more.  The dampening technology that Hoyt put on the Helix Turbo (and their other bows) did a very good job of taking out the noise. 

Like the RX-4 Turbo, the cams are hard to adjust

I don’t like how the adjustment of these cams are.  There really isn’t an easy way to do it, it takes a longer process to change the draw weight and length compared to other Hoyt bows.  I would suggest getting the weight and draw length figured out right away, because it’s tough to change later.   

Still Not a Ton of Technology Advances

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, a lot of Hoyt’s bows are the same.  If you go from model to model, a lot of the same technology is brought over to the next bow.  It is all nice technology however so maybe they are onto something there.  

In the end, the Hoyt Helix Turbo is still one of the fastest available bows today

The Helix Turbo is one of the fastest and most powerful bows that you can buy right now.  If you are fine with a tougher draw cycle and less forgiving bow in exchange for speed and power, get the Helix Turbo.  It’s not going to cost as much as the Carbon Turbo by Hoyt, but is going to perform on a similar level.  It does come with some added weight and it doesn’t have an integrated rest option available.  I think those are minor details in the end.  Bottom line, high quality bow.  

Related Article: Best Hunting Rangefinders Of 2020

Hoyt Ultra Series

The final series of hunting bow that Hoyt released for 2020 is their Ultra series.  This is the longest axle to axle bow that Hoyt put out for this year, and is also the most steady and forgiving.

Specs: 

• Axle to Axle: 34” 
• Brace height: 6.75” 
• IBO rating: 334 FPS 
• Draw weight: 30 – 40, 40 – 50, 50 – 60, 55 – 65, 60 – 70
• Draw Length: 27” – 30” (#2 cam), 30” – 32” (#3 cam) 
• Physical weight: 4.1 lbs 
• Let off: 85% 

Pros:

• Steady/ balanced
• Forgiving
• Consistent
• Smooth

Cons:

• Tall
• Heavier than other Hoyt carbon bows
• Expensive

Hoyt RDWRX RX-4 Carbon Ultra Review

The Hoyt RX-4 Carbon Ultra is the most forgiving bow of the latest drops by Hoyt.  It’s very tall and has a steep string angle for very consistent shooting and steady shots.  The cams are the same cams that are featured on the Hoyt Axius series, so the draw cycle and back wall are very similar.

Steady/ Balanced

When you make a bow with a 34″ axle to axle length, it’s going to be very steady.  That is just how bows are, the extra long lengths spread the stability way out.  As a result, the Carbon Ultra is one of the most steady and balanced bows Hoyt has ever released.  There’s an obvious down fall of carrying a 17 foot ladder out into the woods (jokes), but holding a pin on your target will be very easy with this one.

Smooth

As I said above, the Hoyt RX-4 Carbon Ultra features the same ZTR cams as the Alpha series.  These upgraded cams are very smooth and quick, for a forgiving draw cycle and release.  The sound and the hand shock are actually less than the other models of Hoyt bows, because of its size.  This was intentional, Hoyt wanted to fit the needs of every bowhunter under the sun with their 2020 lineup.

Forgiving

Big upside to the size of this bow, is that the arrows fly off the rest like butter.  Nothing to it… feels like nothing happened.  Probably one of the best hunting bows for optimal forgiveness after the shot.

Hoyt did say that these bows are designed for hunting purposes, but who knows – this one might be best for target archery.

Just kidding ya’ll… this bow is a great hunting bow.  It’s just not the greatest size for it, much better for targets.

Negatives

A big and obvious issue with this bow is that it’s very tall.  It’s quite honestly more of an archery competition bow, rather than a hunting bow.  Although, it’s still designed to be a hunting bow.

The price of this bow isn’t very cheap either.  It’s the same as the other two carbon bows from Hoyt this year, and it doesn’t hit easy on the pocket book.

Hoyt RDWRX RX-4 Carbon Ultra Conclusion

At the end of the day, you know what you are getting in this bow.  Comfort, forgiveness, accuracy and consistency, all at the cost of carrying a tall bow out into the timber.  It’s made of carbon so it’s very light weight and strong, but the price point is also a bit higher than it’s counter part.  Bottom line, this bow shoots almost like a competition bow, but hunts like a hunting bow.  You are getting the both of best worlds in this one.

Hoyt Axius Ultra

The final bow on the list is the Hoyt Axius Ultra.  Similar to the RX-4 Ultra, it’s very tall and forgiving.  The only downfall of this bow compared to its counterpart is that it’s a bit heavier now too.

Specs:

• Axle to Axle: 34” 
• Brace height: 6.75” 
• IBO rating: 334 FPS 
• Draw weight: 30 – 40, 40 – 50, 50 – 60, 55 – 65, 60 – 70
• Draw Length: 27” – 30” (#2 cam), 30” – 32” (#3 cam) 
• Physical weight: 4.6 lbs 
• Let off: 85% 

Pros:

• Steady/ balanced
• Forgiving
• Consistent
• Smooth

Cons:

• Tall
• Heaviest of all the 2020 Hoyt bows

Related Article: Best Bowhunting Rangefinders of 2020 

Conclusion: Hoyt Hunting Bows

Thank you for reading!  Hope it helped!