Hoyt AlphaElite Review

Editors' review

With its shoot-through-riser design, long AtA length, and generous brace height, the AlphaElite is a very good choice for target and 3D shooters. While it takes a bit longer to position the arrow on the rest (due to the shoot-through-riser design), this is not a problem for many hunters who believe there is not much difference in nocking an arrow through a shoot through versus a contained rest. Moreover, tree-stand hunters should not be concerned at all as an arrow will have been nocked before the shot. We agree with those archers who believe that the Alpha Elite is very good for outdoor target and 3D shooting but can also be taken to the woods to be used for hunting.

Eccentric system

The AlphaElite comes with the new Hoyt Fuel Cam system capable of generating IBO speeds of up to 320 FPS. This new cam system is considered to be an enhanced version of the last year XTR cam. Compared to the XTR Cam & 1/2, the new Fuel cam has one major difference: its draw stop peg is much larger. As a result, the new cam has a very solid back wall (without the popping some archers feel when they come over the peak too quickly).Another major enhancement for the new Fuel cam performance system is an extended draw length range compared to the last year's cam. While the older XTR Cam & 1/2 offers only 2 modular adjustable cams (XTR 2 and XTR 3), the new Fuel cam on the AlphaElite has 3 cams (Fuel cam 1, Fuel cam 2, and Fuel cam 3) covering the overall draw length of 25.5 to 31 inches as illustrated in the below table. Each cam can be adjusted in 1/2 inch increments via a set of interchangeable modules without using a bow press. The let-off on the Fuel cam is 75%.Draw length ranges for Hoyt AlphaElite cams

Cam	Draw lengths
Fuel cam #1	25.5" - 27"
Fuel cam #2	27" - 29"
Fuel cam #3	29" - 31"

Draw cycle / Shootability / Quietness

While the draw cycle on the Alpha Elite is described as a little bit stiff by some archers, it's definitely very smooth and not harsh at all. In addition, the back wall is rock solid. Target shooters say the AlphaElite aims and holds really well (like many Hoyt 'Elite' bows). This rig is also smooth on release and dead in the hand - does not have much hand shock at all. Overall, those archers who had a chance to shoot this bow are extremely pleased with its shootability characteristics. They all note the Alpha Elite is a very good shooting bow.

Hoyt AlphaElite for hunting and competition shooting

As we already stated earlier, despite being a great choice for 3D and outdoor target shooting, the Alpha Elite is also a good choice for hunting. However, some hunters say that bows like Hoyt Carbon Matrix, Hoyt Carbon Element, Hoyt CRX 35, or Hoyt Maxxis 35) would be better for hunting due to shorter AtA length and lower mass weight. When it comes to competition shooting, some shooters would like to stick with longer AtA length rigs such as Hoyt Contender Elite.

Summary

To summarize, the new Hoyt AlphaElite is a very solid and great good shooting bow suitable for different types of archery including 3D shooting, outdoor target shooting, and hunting. As noted by many shooters, the Alpha Elite aims and holds very well and has a very solid back wall. While the draw cycle is a bit stiff it is smooth and not harsh at all. The bow is equipped with an adjustable eccentric system capable of generating IBO speeds of up to 320 fps. With virtually no hand shock, this bow is very quiet on releasing the arrow. While it is not the cheapest bow out there, the AlphaElite is a great shooting rig available in many nice target colors and suitable for 3D / outdoor target shooting and hunting.