Editors' review
Hoyt has introduced a brand new series of bows known as the REDWRX line. This line of bows gives shooters the reassurance of knowing the product they purchased is the absolute best of what Hoyt has to offer. The Hyper ZT cam system is a brand new system with high let off options of 80 and 85%, which still produces speeds up to 340 feet per second paired with a 6-inch brace height. Hoyt has lowered the grip, and the newly designed Exact grip takes on a new shape and feel. The stance of the 32-inch axel-to-axel frame is also offset a bit to produce the best balance possible. Hoyt has added a rear stabilizer mounting hole, and new vibration dampeners on the slightly beefed up limbs as well. Every part of the bow seems well thought out and optimized for the highest performance possible from every component of the bow. The bare bow weight is heavy for a carbon bow tipping the scales at 3.9-pounds before accessories or dampening devices are added. Unfortunately, the best Hoyt has to offer also comes at a premium MSRP of $1549 for the bare bow. After accessories, it is very likely a newly outfitted RX-1 will cost of $2000. That price alone is going to limit the number of interested shooters before they even give the bow a test shot.
Finish
Hoyt has upped their game with the color options offered on the RX-1 by offering the best in traditional camo and newer trendy camo lines. Hoyt also offers two signature series options as well. The brand new Cameron Hanes Keep Hammering Edition is new to the Hoyt lineup, which joins the return of the Michael Waddell Bone Collector series as well. Hunters will love the six camo color options, which include Realtree Edge, Under Armor Ridge Reaper Barren, Gore Optifade Sub Alpine, Kuiu Verde 2.0, Blackout, and Buckskin. The Cameron Hanes series is new for 2018, and is a welcomed edition in the hunting world to show honor to one of the best archery ambassadors in the world today. The Keep Hammering bow can be purchased with the Under Armor riser and black limbs or the fully blacked out look. The limbs feature Cam's signature and the Keep Hammering logo, as well as the Cam Hanes slogan, "BE THE ULTIMATE PREDATOR." The Bone Collector edition can also be purchased in blackout or Realtree Edge Riser with black limbs and green accent colors. For shooters interested in target colors The Carbon RX-1 can also be purchased with a flat black riser and target colored limbs. Colors for the target model look includes red, white, blue, orange, green, and purple.
Riser
The RX-1 creates a 32-inch axel-to-axel design, which is a bit different than previous versions of Hoyt bows. However, the overall carbon design is basically unchanged. Shooters will rightfully have a great sense of confidence with the Hoyt version of a carbon bow since they have been doing all carbon risers the longest in the business. The RX-1 carbon riser will have all the benefits of previous models in regards to the strength versus weight ratio and the warm to the touch carbon material. One benefit of previous carbon bows was how lightweight the rigs were. This is not really the case for the 2018 models. 3.9-pounds for the bare bow RX-1 makes this carbon model the same weight as an aluminum bow. The other benefits are great, but many folks purchase carbon rigs for how lightweight they are. If they are no longer lightweight, many shooters no longer have a reason to add this to the top of their list of potential new bows. The grip has been lowered on the RX-1 to make for better, more centered arrow flight. To help keep the bow as balanced as it has always been, with the new lower grip position, Hoyt engineers thickened the bottom limb pocket a half of an inch to give the bow the balanced feel Hoyt shooters are used to having. The technical term is known at Hoyt as Offset Weight Distribution Technique. The end result is a bow that feels amazingly well balanced before adding accessories. Although not much has changed in the riser design, shooters will notice some new features. The new shock rod dampening system on the bottom of the riser where the limb pockets connect help to reduce a great deal of the vibration caused after the arrow is released. The rear mounted string stop system also features a rear mounted stabilizer hole for those wanting to use a stabilizer off the rear of the stabilizer. The design of the cams also allows for a more traditional cable containment system, which is a standard roller and not a flexible system utilized in the past.
Grip
The grip for 2018 is yet another newly redesigned feature on the REDWRK RX-1. The Exact grip from Hoyt has a new width, angle, and shape, which are data driven to create the most repeatable comfortable grip possible. It is a composite grip, which is different than the wooden grip or the rubber 180 grip from previous model years. As with older Hoyt grips, shooters can still remove the grip if desired.
Limbs
Hoyt has also designed brand new split limbs for the RX-1, which are better known as the Quad Flex limbs. The new design gives each limb a larger 3/4-inch thickness, which is a thicker measurement than past models. By design, the beefed up limbs will help with minimizing any type of limb twist, caused by the new Hyper ZT cam design. The new limb pocket system is brand new for the 2018 model year as well. These pockets have exact engineered points from the pocket to the limbs and pockets to the riser keeping everything tight and sturdy during the full draw cycle.
Eccentric System
Hoyt has completely reengineered the cam system for the new REDWRK series as well. The Hyper ZT Cam System boasts speeds up to 340 feet per second with 80% and 85% let off modules. Hoyt claims this new cam system is the most tunable and forgiving cams they have ever produced. Helping out with the tune ability of the new cams is the patent pending Split cable system. This design produces side-to-side balance better than previous Hoyt systems just based on how the cables function. They also eliminate the need for a flexible cable slide system as in years past. The split cable system keeps everything dead center and there is absolutely no nock travel with this design. The end result of all this technology is a Hyper ZT cam, which is the fastest, highest let off cam system Hoyt has ever brought to the hunting world. Hoyt moves forward with the three base cam design, which is modular adjusted within each range by half-inch increments. The number one cam features a draw length of 24.5-28-inches, which is the largest range of the three base cams. The number two cam has a draw length of 27-30-inches, and the number three cam has a draw length of 29-31-inches. Draw length adjustments are all done on the rotating module cam system, without the need for a bow press or even fully removing the module from the cam. There are clear indicator marks on the cam as well for accurate placement of the module for the desired draw length. So all things considered, the draw length offered on the RX-1 ranges from 24.5-inches all the way out to 31-inches. Custom Fuse string and cables are also redesigned to accommodate for the Hyper ZT cam system. The new cable design also features a patent pending system to more effectively install a drop away arrow rest to the cables without any need for using a bow press. With the split cable system, there is a new part on the bottom cam, which is similar to other designs used with split cable systems.
Draw Cycle/Shootability
The Hoyt REDWRX RX-1 is the end result of the best Hoyt has to offer in 2018. The draw cycle and shot experience of any bow is what sells potential buyers, and the RX-1 performs very well. In regards to the draw cycle, it does feel very similar to the previous Defiant cams. However, even with a similar feel, the cams and their new design with the split cables and better nock travel make the system as a whole better. The draw is smooth from start to finish and the 340 feet per second speed is maintainable in part because of the 6-inch brace height. In the past, Hoyt has featured longer brace heights, which rob about 10 feet per second per inch of brace height. Shortening the brace up an inch, and slightly reconfiguring the cams, allowed Hoyt to maximize the let-off and still increase the speed. In short, the Hyper ZT cam system is the fastest, highest let-off cam system available in a Hoyt hunting bow ever. That high let off feels fantastic at the back end as well. The added drop in draw weight can allows shooters to increase draw weight a bit and still able to hold well on target; or it can allow shooters to shoot the same draw weight and simply enjoy the difference in the feel on the back end. After the shot, the bow sits super well and has no major movements or felt vibrations. The new vibration dampening technologies work well, but there is not really a major difference in feel from the Defiant series, which was already pretty vibration free and quiet. The added speed is appreciated, and the 6-inch brace height is pretty common for 2018. The added weight to the carbon model does not feel too heavy, and the bow perfectly balances before adding accessories, which means weight can be added where shooters want it to be. An old advantage, and major selling point for previous carbon bows used to be the lightweight feel without compromising the strength of the riser. This REDWRX RX-1 is the heaviest carbon bow Hoyt has ever produced, which may keep previous owners of carbon models from even considering the bow. Again, it does not feel too heavy in hand, and the weight is still fairly light by today's standards, but it is heavier than previous carbon models. Overall, the bow shoots well, tunes easily, and the technology creates some outstanding arrow flight creating the most accurate rig possible.
Usage Scenarios
The RX-1 is an outstanding hunting bow for 2018 with all the best technology an industry leader like Hoyt has to offer. It comes in the target colors if wanted, but this rig is most comfortable stalking animals. The heavier bare bow weight may help with accuracy, but those in the past purchasing carbon bows for the lightweight advantage may be disappointed with the heavy 3.9-pound bare bow weight. Aside from that, the 340 feet per second speed rating and high let off options of 80% and 85% make it the fastest highest let off bow ever made by Hoyt.
Summary
Hoyt says the REDWRX badge is a new indicator of the best they have to offer. The new RX-1 has gone through a significant amount of research and development, and has withstood Hoyt's 1500 dry fire tests and a million draw cycles. This durability should instill a great amount of confidence in potential buyers they are getting a product that will last as long as they want it to. The new finish options are amazing, and the "Keep Hammering" tribute to one of the largest hunting advocates in the world, Cameron Hanes, is a great move by Hoyt. The new split cable design changes to what some other companies have moved to, and the high let-off is a welcomed change for many bow hunters as well. The 32-inch axel-to-axel measurement is a sweet spot for hunting bows, between being compact and a longer rig more like a target bow. The added weight helps to balance the RX-1, but it makes the carbon bow as heavy as an aluminum bow, which is a huge selling point for carbon in the past. Although the RX-1 is the best Hoyt has to offer for 2018, it comes with a $1549 bare bow price tag. Shooters could easily purchase two more budget friendly, aluminum riser bows for the cost of one carbon, or get a high-end aluminum riser bow and deck it out with all new accessories for the same price. Is the bow worth $1549? The only person able to answer that is the one paying the money, but regardless of how nice the bow is, many people will not even pick one up based on the cost.
