Hoyt Carbon Spyder 30 Review

Hoyt Archery continues to offer top-notch hunting rigs with carbon construction that pushes the limits of technology and performance. The new 2014 Carbon Spyder 30 is Hoyt's shortest carbon riser bow and showcases the all-new Helical Flex-Tuned Hollow Carbon riser. The Carbon Spyder is also available in 34-inch and 33-inch Turbo versions.

In addition to the new riser design, Hoyt outfits the Carbon Spyder with its all-new Z5 Cam & ½ system, XTS Pro Arc limbs, Pro-Lock X-Lite limb pockets, Pro-Fit grip, In-Line Roller Guard and AirShox silencing system.

Carbon Craft

Hoyt has advanced its carbon technology with the all-new Helical Flex-Tuned Hollow Carbon riser design. You can see the difference in the character of the tube shapes as they twist, thin out, flare and transition back and forth from front to back and side to side all in the same tube. The strut that runs behind the handle is one of the most unique bow structures I have ever seen.

Three main tubes run the length of the riser and are complex in their construction, as they intersect and are bridged together in sections to optimize stiffness. Two of the tubes run through the sight window and grip area, where they narrow and flatten out. The third forms the strut.

The carbon material has a high strength-to-weight ratio and, as formed, is designed to significantly reduce vibration, increase stiffness at selected points and reduce overall surface area for a sleek and lightweight rig. The Carbon Spyder 30 is advertised to tip the scales at a mere 3.6 pounds.

Hoyt outfitted its new flagship with the Pro-Fit laminated wood grip, which is a one-piece unit designed to produce a neutral wrist position. A polished surface creates a smooth interface, which encourages your hand into the same position time after time.

Also featured on the riser is the In-Line Roller Guard, which consists of a machined aluminum frame, aluminum rollers and inner-race bearings. Rollers are offset and slightly angled to contain cables in their natural position for reduced torque.

New Engine

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Hoyt's new Z5 Cam & ½ system provides the power that generates advertised IBO speeds of 332 fps on a 6€‰3„4-inch brace height. The Z5 pushes the envelope on the trade-offs between a smooth draw and arrow velocity. As you will see in the pictured draw-force curve, Hoyt successfully transitions at every turn. Each cam rides on a steel axle and high-grade, sealed, inner-race bearings to reduce friction and increase efficiency.

Three base cams cover the draw-length range of 24-30 inches with a series of modules for each specific draw length. Modules do not require the use of a bow press to be switched out. Cam 1 covers from 24-25€‰1„2 inches, Cam 2 from 26-28 inches and Cam 3 from 28-30 inches. System letoff is advertised at 80 percent.

Stealth

Hoyt attacks shock, vibration and noise on several fronts through its Shock Rod Technology, past-parallel limbs, AirShox limb suppression system, Stealth Shot string silencer and Silent Shelf Pad.

Shock Rods consist of small rubber dampeners that look like elongated medicine capsules. Six total dampeners, three on each end of the riser, are seated into strategically placed thru-holes that are designed to receive the rods. Shock Rod Technology is designed to reduce vibration and noise.

Counteracting forces of the past -parallel XTS limbs work to reduce noise from the shot by eliminating any excess vibration. The 5-Layer laminated limbs are contoured and pre-loaded using uniform stress distribution (USD) technology that eliminates potential failure areas. The Pro-Lock X-Lite pivoting limb pocket provides a broad base and precise limb-to-riser interface.

Hoyt's AirShox are mounted to the limb pocket — not directly to the limb — to keep the weight off the limb, which would impact performance. The AirShox remain stationary as the limb pieces pull away at full draw. Upon release, the limbs come in contact with the rubber portion of the AirShox and are quickly tamed.

Impressions

Hoyt hit the sweet spot once again with its new Carbon Spyder. The bow is a top-quality rig across the board. There are no gaps in quality, design or performance. If there is one thing that might hold this bow back it will be the price, which will set you back to the tune of $1,499.

SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Hoyt Archery

Model: Carbon Spyder 30

Cam System: Z5 Cam & ½

Weight: 3.6 pounds (advertised); 3.7 pounds (as tested)

Brace Height: 6€‰3„4 inches

Axle-To-Axle length: 30 inches

Letoff: 80%

Draw Weights: 40, 50, 60, 65, 70 and 80 pounds peak

Draw Lengths: 24-30 inches on three base cams

Riser: Helical Flex-Tuned Hollow Carbon

Limbs: XTS PRO ARC 5-layer lamination, past parallel split limbs

String: FUSE Custom, 60€‰1„8 inches

Cables: FUSE Custom, 36€‰5„8 and 38€‰3„4 inches

Grip: Pro-Fit, one-piece laminated wood

Finish: Realtree Xtra, Realtree Max-1 and Black-Out, with many other options

Advertised IBO Speed: 332 fps

Suggested Retail Price: $1,499

Comments: The complete package, with no gaps in quality, design or performance.