Hoyt REDWRX Carbon RX-3 Ultra Review

Editors' review

Hoyt has not compromised with the Redwrx lineup of carbon riser bows, and the Ultra adds to the heritage Hoyt has created with carbon risers. The new riser is specifically developed to be better balanced, while incorporating a larger stance for added stability. However, added reports are placing the real world weight of the Ultra over the 4.5-pound mark, which for some shooters may defeat the purpose of having a carbon riser bow. The shot of the RX-3 is sweet, and when marketing says this is the quietest and most dead in hand Hoyt to date, they are not kidding. The 334 feet per second is not necessarily slow, but it does place the Ultra as the slowest carbon for 2019, which also may force shooters to look at a different model in the Hoyt lineup. The largest negative, happens to be the pricetag. All the new updates and changes in the technology Hoyt brought to the market with the RX-3 lineup costs a premium, and the pricetag shows it with an MSRP of $1699. For some diehard bowhunters, the shootability and feel of the RX-3 Ultra are going to far outweigh the massive price tag, but perhaps even more so than in years past, the high price tag is going to scare a lot of shooters away from even testing out what could be one of the best carbon bows ever released. Some shooters will happily open their wallets for the RX-3 Ultra, but others will stay away from it regardless of how well it shoots just because of how much it costs. To put things into perspective, archers could potentially fully rig a new aluminum bow with decently high end accessories, for the same price of the carbon Hoyt.

Finish

The carbon finish on the Hoyt bows have always gotten some bad reviews based on how the finish covers on a carbon riser. The 2019 patterns looks outstanding, and truly offer something for every shooter from the more trendy camo patterns to the standard Realtree option. Thos hitting shops early on have gotten pretty good reviews so far, but for the high dollar tag this bow brings, good is not good enough. For those interested in an RX-3 Ultra, the color schemes are plentiful. For those wanting a traditional hunting bow with a camouflage riser and limbs shooters can opt for Realtree Edge, Under Armour Ridge Reaper Barren, Kuiu Verde 2.0, Gore Optifade Subalpine, and Gore Elevated II. Hoyt also has the collection offerings with the black and camo Bone Collector and Cameron Hanes models available. Shooters may also be interested in the all new Stone color or black out option also. With the Ultra model, there is a possibility of shooters wanting to use the bow for 3D or target shooting as well with the 34-inch axel-to-axel measurement. Hoyt also offers the RX-3 Ultra with a black riser and target color limbs including: blue, green, orange, red, white, and purple.

Riser

The primary reason why the Redwrx line is so expensive, or for that matter, even exists is the hollow tube carbon riser. Carbon is warmer in cold weather and has a stronger strength to weight ratio than aluminum risers. Shooters will notice how different this riser is than previous versions of the carbon riser though with its wider stance at the limbs and outstanding balance at the point of the grip in basically every direction. Hoyt engineered this riser with over 50 individual carbon components strategically placed for rigidity and strength, while maintaining the lightest overall bare bow weight possible. Hoyt engineers spent a great deal of time working to build a bow that is the most silent carbon bow they have ever produced, and their research and development team has supported that claim. So what does this mean? This means the new riser is the strongest, most stable, quietest carbon bow Hoyt has ever made; and honestly, that is saying a lot. The all new parallel track tube design on the RX-3 riser increased the horizontal width of the riser giving it more stiffness and rigidity than previous models. This means the riser is less susceptible to twist and torque the cams place on it, which will lead to increased accuracy. The new design also has three independent tubes, which forces the shock caused by the firing of the arrow away from the grip and ultimately the shooters hand. Hoyt engineers have also designed the riser with more weight forward of the grip area than with previous models. This means the shooter will feel a more balanced bow throughout the entire draw cycle, not just while holding without accessories.The roller guard cable containment system remains stationary like the RX-1 because of the cam design, but still does a great job smoothing out the feel of the draw cycle. The bottom of the riser has a slight kick out away from the strings, which has a new shock pod vibration dampener set up there to also deaden the bow after the shot. This works in combination with the new Stealthshot string stop system as well. Again, one of the major focuses was to eliminate the noise and vibration, and these do a great job at that. In terms of balance, Hoyt has always operated with an offset stabilizer bracket on their carbon bows in order to help with offsetting the weight of the accessories on the other side of the riser. hoyt takes this one step further, and added a back bar mounting hole, which is offset to match the position of the front mounting stabilizer position. The RX-3 Ultra weighs in at 4.1-pounds before any dampeners are added. However, there are reports of the Ultra tipping the scales more than a half-pound heavier than the advertised weight. Now, this is not too shocking, and fairly common for advertised bow mass to be more out of the bow. The potential negative of the overall weight of the Ultra is related to the bow no longer being significantly lighter than aluminum models. One of the previous selling points of the carbon bows was how lightweight they were in comparison to aluminum models. The RX-3 Ultra is no longer a great deal lighter, which could be a deal breaker for some shooters drawn towards a lighter mass bow. With that being said, the difference is ounces, and may not be a huge factor for potential buyers.

Grip

There is a lot to like about the RX-3 Ultra and all the redesigned, latest and greatest technology it has to offer, but the new grip is creating a pretty big buzz for a couple reasons. Number one, the new grip has a new feel and it feels pretty great. The grip is much slimmer feeling than previous model years, and actually feels pretty close to the old side plates. The back of the grip is flat, fits perfectly in hand, and should be extremely repeatable over time. Number two, the grip is fully adjustable laterally for ultimate tunability and creates shot alignment right down the center. The grip loosens and can be slide to eliminate torque, and give shooters a perfect bullet hole through paper without having to move the rest to accommodate for different pressure on the grip from shooter to shooter. This is not a new idea for a moveable grip, but it is the first time implemented on a Hoyt carbon bow, and lots of people are stoked about the adjustability and feel of the new grip. A potential downside of the new grip is the material. This plastic composite grip feels great, but it does give the bow a bit of a cheaper finished look than the previous grips offered on the Hoyt bows. Yes, it feels great, and yes, it will help with the overall tune of the bow, but on a bow getting an MSRP of $1699 it should in no way look cheap.

Limbs

The limbs on the Ultra continue to be the wide stance split limb design, which store a bunch of energy for the arrow. Maximum draw weights are available in 40, 50, 60, 65, 70, and 80-pounds, which should cover the entire spectrum of interested shooters in a high end hunting bow. Each set of limbs adjusts the traditional ten-pounds below the maximum listed weight for a total draw weight range of 50-pounds. The limbs also have factory installed dampeners, which can be swapped for various colors if shooters choose anything other than the factory black.The connection to the riser is perhaps one of the most important engineered points on any bow, and Hoyt took their limb pockets to a new standard for 2019. They have always used zero tolerance limb pockets, but the wider connection points create an even more stable platform. The more stable everything becomes, the better it will perform and the tougher it will be when standing up to all the abuse a hunter can potentially place on their bow in a hunting season.

Eccentric System

The carbon engine is redesigned for 2019 featuring the ZT Pro cam system. This cam looks a bit larger than previous flagship models, and has a little meaner look as well. The ZT Pro's come in two base models, instead of the three bases like Hoyt has done for many years. One base cam allows for draw lengths in the 27-30-inch range and the other base cam allows for draw lengths from 29-32-inches. There is a rotating module in the cam to get the desired draw length, and is adjustable in half-inch increments throughout the draw range. Shooters also have the ability to choose between 80% and 85% let-off for the exact feel they prefer.

Draw Cycle/Shootability

The Hoyt marketing teams claims the ZT Pro cams are the smoothest, fastest cams they have ever produced, which is saying a lot for a company with such a solid track record of producing great shooting bows. For most shooters giving the RX-3 Ultra a try, that is the experience that are having as well. This bow can flat out shoot, and it feels amazing in hand as well. Every year, shooters ask how can things get better than they are right now, and Hoyt found a way to make that happen again for 2019. The higher let off feels great, the back wall has a little give, but nothing out of the ordinary for a Hoyt cam, and the vibration after the arrow is shot is non-existent. Absolutely nothing after the shot is felt in the shooter's hand before accessories are added, and after they are added it feels even more vibration free. The draw does not hump and dump anywhere, and the let off is very manageable. The valley is long and forgiving, and holding on target is as solid as any other bow on the market. The draw cycle, and the lack of feedback and noise after the shot are arguably the greatest characteristics of the ZT Pro cams. The balance in hand and on target are exceptional as well. The Ultra is a dream to shoot, and will make a lot of customers very happy.

Usage Scenarios

Like other longer axel-to-axel carbon bows, the RX-3 Ultra has the ability to be used for just about every style of compound archery including hunting, 3D, and potentially an indoor spot league. More than likely, the RX-3 Ultra will be most popular as a hunting bow, but the option to be used for just about everything else may help some justify the massive price tag this fully redesigned shooter comes with.

Hoyt REDWRX Carbon RX-3 Ultra vs. Hoyt REDWRX Carbon RX-1 Ultra

Bow	Hoyt REDWRX Carbon RX-3 Ultra	Hoyt REDWRX Carbon RX-1 Ultra
Version	2019	2018
Picture
Brace Height	6.75 "	6 "
AtA Length	34 "	35 "
Draw Length	27 " - 32 "	25.5 " - 32 "
Draw Weight	30 lbs - 80 lbs	30 lbs - 80 lbs
IBO Speed	334 fps	330 fps
Weight	4.1 lbs	4.1 lbs
Let-Off	80% - 85%	85%
Where to buy Best prices online	$700 to $805 Compare prices	$800 Compare prices
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The RX-3 Ultra is a replacement of the former Hoyt REDWRX Carbon RX-1 Ultra, and although the bows are similar in specifications on paper, the similarities end there. The RX-3 is smoother, faster, more stable, more quiet, and more vibration free than the outgoing model. Those purchasing the RX-1 did not make a bad choice, but there are some clear advancements in the RX-3 compared to the RX-1. Perhaps so many worthy advancements the RX-2 was skipped over altogether? Both bows are outstanding bows for those wanting a carbon riser, but when shooting side by side the RX-3 has some very desirable characteristics.

Summary

To earn the RedWrx badge, the RX-3 Ultra had to endure and withstand the 1500 dry fire test and the 1,000,000 draw cycle test at 80-pounds and 30-inches of draw. So, not only does the engineering team do their homework in producing a great shooting bow, it is also put through a rigorous testing cycle to do as much abuse as possible and still have a functioning bow in the end. Those on the market for a target bow have come to the understanding a carbon riser is going to cost more than an aluminum riser. However, aluminum riser bows are staying pretty close to the same price point, and the models are growing relatively quickly. The MSRP of $1699 is expensive for anyone buying their own bows, and many shooters are going to have to ask themselves if a carbon Hoyt is worth it. However, price aside it is hard to find fault with the RX-3 Ultra, and any negatives are nitpicky. The IBO rating could be faster, but the ZT Pro cams have high let-off and the brace height is almost 7-inches. The carbon could be more lightweight than it is, but that could compromise how vibration free and stable the bow is. The Ultra is a shooter, and deserves a test shot for anyone on the market for a new do it all bow. Unfortunately, the price of this rig is going to turn a lot of people away who would absolutely fall in love with the RX-3 Ultra if is was more reasonably priced.