Testing the Most Costly Searching Bow on the Market

Hoyt has been within the carbon compound recreation because the Carbon Matrix hit the market in 2010. Since then, they’ve been making adjustments and enhancements yearly, and, for 2025, they’ve arguably put their finest foot ahead. The 2025 RX-9 Extremely is the nicest-shooting, most correct carbon Hoyt bow I’ve ever shot. The 33.5-inch bow is mild, holds heading in the right direction like a dream, delivers arrows precisely the place the pin settles, and has nearly no aftershock — a uncommon high quality in a carbon bow.

However brace yourselves. Whereas the RX-9 Extremely provides the newest and best from Hoyt in know-how and efficiency, it comes with a hefty price ticket of $2,149. That value makes it the most costly looking bow in the marketplace. That can assist you determine if the RX-9 is value shopping for, I broke down its new options, shot it at 60 yards, chronographed it, and evaluated its taking pictures expertise.

See It

• Weight: 4.3 kilos (measured)
• Axle to Axle: 33.5 inches
• Draw Size:  26 to 31 inches
• Draw size is adjustable in ¼-inch increments, primarily based on 5 rotating mods
• Brace Peak: 6 3/8 inches
• Pace Score: 340 fps
• Examined pace with 350-grain arrow: 336 fps (30-inch draw and 70-pound bow)
• HBX Gen 4 Cam
• Let-Off: 75, 80, and 85 p.c
• Worth: $2,149

Cam

The all-new HBX Gen 4 cam powers the Hoyt RX-9 Extremely. That is Hoyt’s first-ever, four-track cam, which suggests there are tracks on every cam for the bowstring, the cable, and every leg of the cut up yoke. Within the compound bow world, the four-track cam is taken into account extraordinarily steady, which is why so many bows now characteristic it together with PSE, Darton, and Elite, to call a number of. Mathews employs their very own variation of the 4 monitor, as effectively.

It’s anticipated that four-track cams aren’t liable to leaning. When the cam stays vertical, the entire bow tends to be extra steady as hundreds on cables and the cam keep extra constant via the draw cycle.

For tuning, Hoyt employs a spacer system that requires eradicating the axle to alter spacers of various thicknesses, permitting the cam to shift left or proper. Hoyt expects that with the change to four-track cams, nevertheless, fewer individuals ought to want the spacers for tuning, since cam lean is all however eradicated. Certainly, I used to be capable of tune my RX-9 to perfection merely with minor relaxation changes.

Draw Size Adjustment 

Up to now, Hoyt was well-known for having as many as three cams to cowl totally different components of the overall draw size spectrum for a given bow. That system labored for sustaining effectivity, however it wasn’t the best system for archery professional retailers, since bows with sure cams had been restricted to their respective draw size ranges. The HBX Gen 4 cam is uniform throughout all draw lengths, whereas Hoyt employs 5 totally different modules to permit for draw size adjustments from 26 to 31 inches for the RX-9 Extremely.

Every module permits for some draw-length tweaking, so you’ll be able to actually dial within the size to really feel the way in which you need. The No. 4 module that I used, for instance, has 4 positions to permit for the draw size to be set at 30, 29.75, 29.5, or 29.25 inches. These 0.25-inch refinements could make a bow maintain steadier for an archer.

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Let-Off

Additionally on the module, Hoyt permits the archer to modify between 75, 80, and 85 p.c let-off. Additional, the module finish, which Hoyt calls the “foot,” could be swapped between the 2 cams in order that the foot contacts the cable at full draw in several positions to create a unique really feel on the again wall. The ft produce what Hoyt calls an “additional onerous” cease of their common positions. Certainly, it feels very very similar to a limb cease, though the foot contacts a cable at full draw. Transfer the highest foot to the underside and vice versa, and the foot place adjustments, so the ft produce a “onerous” cease. It’s a stable wall, however it’s a bit softer than the “additional onerous.” Some archers choose that of their shot course of.

Riser and Limbs 

The riser for the RX-9 Extremely seems almost similar to the riser for the RX-8, various solely on the high and backside. The struts that connect with the limb pocket are narrower than they’re on the RX-8. That’s to accommodate the brand new limb pocket that captures the brand new TXL limbs. Hoyt tweaked the geometry the place the pockets meet the riser to attain higher effectivity and efficiency. I’m guessing that’s one of many elements that make photographs from the RX-9 Extremely really feel so lifeless. 

The brand new TXL limbs are shorter than final yr’s limbs, making the bow extra compact and enabling quicker arrow speeds.

Sooner Speeds

The RX-9 Extremely’s pace ranking is 8 fps increased than the RX-8 Extremely. That’s on the trade normal 30-inch draw size, 70-pound draw weight, taking pictures a 350-grain arrow. At a few of the shorter draw lengths, Hoyt reviews higher pace beneficial properties from the RX-9 Extremely over the RX-8 Extremely. At 29 inches, for instance, Hoyt says the RX-9 shoots arrows 19 fps quicker than this yr’s bow. Firm officers credit score the brand new limbs, new cam, and tweaked riser geometry for the pace beneficial properties.

Accent Mounting 

For accent mounting, Hoyt almost covers the gamut of choices accessible in the present day. There’s a Picatinny rail on the entrance of the bow for mounting a sight. Picatinny-mounted sights are usually lighter and fewer cumbersome than conventional sights, and so they eradicate any a part of the sight extending to the surface of the riser. After all, you’ll be able to connect a sight with normal 10-24 screws as effectively.  

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On the shelf, there’s a Berger gap for bolting on a conventional arrow relaxation. And there’s a dovetail that enables for mounting any IMS suitable relaxation. IMS stands for “built-in mounting system,” which is what’s merely referred to as an “combine model” relaxation. The one characteristic the RX-9 Extremely lacks is the pair of threaded holes within the dovetail for mounting any of the Hamskea COR rests. That’s Hamskea’s proprietary connection system that enables the corporate to supply a relaxation that’s very very similar to the IMS rests, however with out having to pay to make use of the Combine dovetail patent.

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Dampener and Stabilizer Mounting 

The RX-9 Extremely comes with a Brief Cease 2.0 dampener/stabilizer. It is a new, extra slender model of the Brief Cease Hoyt started including to its bows a pair years in the past. It principally assaults vibration generated on the shot, however it does include two one-ounce weights — you’ll be able to add extra — so as to add weight beneath the deal with for stabilization. Hoyt provides a low stabilizer mount, simply above the decrease limb pocket, the place the riser extends farther out towards the goal than the usual stabilizer bushing below the grip. Mounted in that decrease bushing, the Brief Cease 2.0 acts form of like an 8-inch stabilizer would in the usual mounting place. So that you get the advantages of an 8-inch stabilizer with only a fraction of the burden and size.

Bow Stand 

Straight below the decrease stabilizer bushing is a smaller bushing that’s meant for the locking bolt used when the Hoyt Go Stix is hooked up. The Go Stix is a bow stand that may be bolted to the bow so you’ll be able to set your bow down and it’ll stand upright. Since no a part of the Go Stix touches the limbs, you’ll be able to even shoot with it hooked up with none hostile results. The Go Stix is bought individually.

Quiver Mounting 

For quivers, Hoyt has distinctive mounting factors on the riser for its personal one- and two-piece quivers. Different producers make quivers that match Hoyt’s mounting factors as effectively. And, in fact, when you’ve got a sight that attaches to the facet of the bow, you’ll be able to mount a quiver there.

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Testing the Hoyt RX-9 Extremely 

I borrowed a Hoyt RX-9 Extremely from Lancaster Archery Provide for my check. The draw weight was set at 70 kilos, and the No. 4 module was set to a 30-inch draw. 

The primary a part of the check was organising the bow so as to add the remaining, peep sight, and sight. For stabilization, I merely saved the Shot Cease 2.0 simply to see how the bow shot with solely that on it. The construct course of went easily, after which it was time to examine the cam timing. A half twist within the cable hooked up to the underside cam put the cams in good synchronization.

Subsequent up was paper tuning. For that, and for my taking pictures on the vary, I used 300-spine Victory RIP TKO arrows, tipped with 100-grain factors. My first shot via paper yielded a slight nock-low tear. I dropped the remaining down twice, and my third shot produced an ideal bullet gap.

Subsequent was the pace check. Hoyt lists the RX-9 Extremely’s pace ranking at as much as 340 ft per second. As talked about, Archery Commerce Affiliation specs name for the pace to be rated primarily based on the 70-pound draw weight with a 30-inch draw size. Arrow pace is then measured utilizing a 350-grain arrow. I matched all these specs, and my Garmin Xero C1 Professional Chronograph recorded an arrow pace of 336 fps for my bow.

No, that’s not fairly 340 fps. However in my expertise, getting 336 fps out of a bow rated at 340 fps is fairly good nowadays. Additionally, my bowstring had a peep and a D-loop on it. Something you placed on the middle third of the bowstring will scale back arrow pace. The peep and D-loop simply may have accounted for the 4 fps distinction between the pace I recorded and Hoyt’s marketed ranking.

Out of curiosity, I additionally shot my 440-grain Victory RIP TKO over the Garmin to see how briskly it flew out of the RX-9 Extremely. That arrow clocked in at 304.8 fps.

This bow is constructed with Western hunters and different long-range archery fans in thoughts. Sixty yards is the farthest bale on the archery vary on the membership I belong to, so I spent my time there with the RX-9 Extremely. Right here’s what I discovered. First, the arrow flight was flawless. With vibrant pink fletchings on my arrows, I can see after they wiggle after leaving the bow. They didn’t wiggle popping out of the RX-9 Extremely. They appeared like lasers heading down vary.

They usually discovered their mark with constant ease. I’m not a professional archer and I do know my capabilities. I really feel assured that I can hit what I’m aiming at, however my kind could be inconsistent. That’s after I get fliers. I’ve been taking pictures lengthy sufficient, nevertheless, to name my fliers the second they go away the bow.

I get pissed off with some bows after I really feel like I made an ideal shot, however the arrow doesn’t hit the place I assumed it ought to hit. That wasn’t a problem with the RX-9 Extremely. The arrows went the place I anticipated them. And what impressed me most — what makes me say that is the perfect Hoyt carbon bow I’ve ever shot — is that I didn’t should work onerous to be constantly correct. 

If the bow fired when my pin was close to the 3-inch dot, the arrow hit the dot. Once I got here to anchor and settled my pin on the dot, it stayed on it or comparatively near it with out a lot effort on my half. With some bows, it’s a wrestle to maintain the pin on my aiming level at 60 yards. I’ve to work onerous to maintain it the place I would like it. Taking pictures the RX-9 Extremely was not like that.

I’ll say the draw cycle is stout. That’s, this isn’t a bow the place the 70-pound draw felt like 60. It felt like 70 kilos. However so long as I saved transferring via the draw cycle, the string got here again and the cams rolled over easily. Once I slowed down the draw midway via, the bow tried to get my shoulders to break down towards each other.

Relating to bows and arrow pace, a favourite saying of mine is “pace ain’t free.” Bows able to speeds within the 340-fps vary aren’t going to be the smoothest to attract. That doesn’t imply they have to be harsh or have trash draw cycles. It simply means they’re not going to be the bows that really feel lighter than the draw weight. The draw cycle has to have some beef to it to get these arrows transferring. Some bows on the high of the pace chain do certainly have harsh draw cycles. However the RX-9 Extremely isn’t certainly one of them. Simply hold your draw transferring, and the string will come again nice.

The place the RX-9’s draw cycle shines is at full draw. When you get the string again, it sits properly in opposition to the wall. This isn’t one of many bows that doesn’t allow you to chill out at full draw. The valley between the cam rollover and the wall is deep sufficient that you would be able to settle in and purpose.

The post-shot really feel is the place the RX-9 Extremely will get an A+. Carbon bows traditionally have a thump on the shot. Via the years, bow producers have been lowering the quantity of thump the archer feels. I’ll admit it’s to the purpose now the place the thump of in the present day’s carbon bows is principally irrelevant. It doesn’t have an effect on the shot, nor does it have an effect on the shooter anticipating the shot.

While you shoot a bow that has minimal, if any, thump or vibration on the shot, nevertheless, you discover it. I’ve been taking pictures Hoyt carbon bows for years. The primary time I launched the string on the RX-9 Extremely, I mentioned, “Whoa,” out loud. The dearth of thump was noticeable. Once more, I wasn’t anxious concerning the thump affecting my shot, however when there is no such thing as a thump, it simply makes the taking pictures expertise a bit nicer. I’ve come to count on that dead-in-the-hand really feel from in the present day’s aluminum bows, however it undoubtedly caught my consideration with the carbon RX-9.

Ultimate Ideas on the Hoyt RX-9

The 2025 Hoyt Carbon RX-9 Extremely is a long-range bowhunting machine and It’s the perfect carbon Hoyt bow I’ve ever shot. Is it value shelling out the money for the most costly carbon bow in the marketplace? That’s one thing it’s important to determine for your self. What’s sure is that, in case you are available in the market for a brand new carbon bow, your time can be effectively spent to examine this bow out. It raises the bar for the carbon expertise.