Hoyt Vectrix

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Normally, I wait until the end of a bow report to talk about how a bow shoots. This time I couldn't wait. I had only one thing on my mind when the new Vectrix slid from the box onto my office floor--would the new cam system and String Suppression System deliver as promised? Here's what I learned.

Shooting The Vectrix

First, I shot the bow in my shop using a 385-grain arrow (just over five grains per pound of draw weight on the 70-pound bow). The arrow was so fast that I was not able to separate the sound of the shot from the sound of the arrow hitting the target, so I had to go outside to get a better feel for noise. However, I had no problem determining that the bow was very light on recoil. It barely moved in my hand despite a relaxed grip and a surprise release.

When I got outside and gained a little distance from the target I was able to evaluate noise. This was a very lightweight arrow for what I would normally recommend for hunting, so it was a worst-case test for the Vectrix. I could hear a soft slap when the string bottomed on the LimbSaver Navcom making up the cradle in the String Suppression system. But I heard nothing else. Also absent was the slap of the string on my jacket sleeve. I liked that part, too. Already one of the quietest bows I have ever tested; with a 450-grain arrow and a slight breeze to rustle the leaves, I took another crack later in the day. The shot would be hard for a whitetail to hear at 20 yards.

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SPECIFICATIONS
MANUFACTURER:	Hoyt
MODEL:	Vectrix
DRAW WEIGHTS:	40 to 80 pounds
DRAW LENGTHS:	25 to 31 inches, in one half-inch increments, modular cam
RISER:	Machined aluminum Tec riser
LIMBS:	XT 500 laminated glass split limbs
MASS WEIGHT:	4.4 pounds
LETOFF:	75-percent letoff, adjustable to 65-percent letoff with draw stop peg
GRIP:	Pro-Fit custom grip, standard mid-wrist wood grip, 7/8-inch throat
BRACE HEIGHT:	Seven inches
AXLE-TO-AXLE LENGTH:	33 inches
FINISH:	Realtree HardwoodsGreen HD
ADVERTISED IBO SPEED:	316 fps
PRICE:	$649 to $749
COMMENTS:	The smart money would have been on Hoyt taking a breather after the waves they created with the Trykon last year, but instead, they came out with eleven new bows. The Vectrix takes advantage of all the lessons learned with the Trykon. It is just as fast, a bit smoother to draw and even quieter--as if we thought that was possible.

StealthShot System

Hoyt has a patent pending on the StealthShot, which their engineers designed to stop the string as soon as it returns to brace. This stops the string from vibrating. Hoyt's testing suggests that the StealthShot reduces string oscillation by 70-percent.

Vectrix vs Trykon

Hoyt is calling the Vectrix their "second generation parallel limb bow". Second because last year's Trykon was the first. (By the way, the Trykon is still in the line). The Trykon was notable for the absence of hand shock and recoil and the Vectrix aimed to continue that goal. After shooting both in side-by-side tests, I couldn't tell any difference in the feel of the shot between the bows.

The Vectrix is lighter than the Trykon by one quarter-pound, but shares the same basic geometry and performance. Both are 33 inches long, have a seven-inch brace height and IBO speeds of 316 fps. Both also feature a very well made zero-creep Fuse custom bowstring and harnesses. I am glad to see this important touch of quality.

Vector Cam System

Despite the perception that the Vectrix (with the new Vector Cam & 1/2 System) is smoother than the Trykon (with its Zephyr Cam & 1/2 System), it is not any slower. This is because the two cam systems store virtually the same amount of energy; they just do it in different ways. The draw weight increases more slowly with the Zephyr. It stores more energy at the end of the draw than the Vector. Conversely, the Vector ramps up quicker at first, but then rolls off easily when you pull into the letoff valley. Said simply: the bow draws nice.

Like the other Cam & 1/2 systems in the Hoyt line, the Vector reduces the nasty affects of harness stretch assuring that the bow stays in tune under a wider range of conditions. Like the Zephyr, the Vector is not adjustable and comes in one half-inch draw length increments. This permits Hoyt engineers to fine-tune the cam for every single draw length assuring flat nock travel and efficient energy storage across the entire draw length range.

The Vectrix also comes in an XL version (three inches longer with an eight-inch brace height) for those who want a more forgiving bow.

CRAFTSMANSHIP	GRIP ERGONOMICS	FINISH	DRAW CYCLE	RECOIL	SHOT NOISE	NOTES
Top-notch, what we've come to expect from Hoyt.	Narrow, low wrist shooter's grip.	Perfect film-dipped camo.	Comes up to weight fast, smooth to the end.	Almost none.	Very quiet, one of the best.	A phenomenal bow with features designed to hunt. Low recoil and smooth draw cycle round out the new Vectrix.