Mathews Hyperlite Review

Editors' review

Modeled after the popular DXT from Mathews, the Hyperlite is a bowhunter's dream bow. The short ATA and light weight of the Hyperlite make it easily maneuverable during spot and stalk or treestand hunts and will help to keep you from hitting your cam or limbs on the bars of your stand when that huge buck of a liftime is close by. Whether your hunting terrain makes you crawl through bushes, over mountains, or through deep valleys, the Hyperlite will be easy to carry and easy to shoot out of a treestand.

Finish

Though it is not offered in Lost Camo, the Realtree AP Camo finish on the Hyperlite is second to none. Typical for all Mathews bows, you would have to look very closely to see any tooling marks on the riser cutouts. The anodized suppressor arms and cams all hold their color very well, making the entire package a sharp looking bow.

Riser & Limbs

Even though the Hyperlite features a 3.5" reflex riser design, it isn't a touchy bow to shoot. It still holds steady on target and is forgiving. The cutouts in the riser are what help the Hyperlite to be true to its name and only weigh 3.45 lbs. The Hyperlite still features the SE4 Composite SlimLimbs which are lighter and stronger than previously used materials. Mathews testing has proven that they can withstand more cycles that the competitors materials. The SE4 Composite SlimLimbs are connected to the riser through the Spherelock pivoting limb cup system which helps to cut down on total bow weight when compared to what has been used my Mathews in the past. In an effort to ensure that there is even downward pressure across the limbs, the Spherelock system pivots.

Grip

The beautiful walnut SlimFit inline grip on the Hyperlite seems a bit thinner than the Mathews grips of the past, but still may seem a bit bulky to some shooters. A great feature on the grip is the vertical line on the back of the grip marking the best spot to start your centershot. By lining the center of your rest up with this line, you can begin tuning in the most reasonable starting point. Starting out with your centershot aligned with the vertical line in the center of the grip will eliminate a lot of the headaches associated with tuning. Mathews grips are easy to remove and custom torque-free grips are readily available, but you should try it for yourself before deciding you will need one. If you want to keep a Mathews grip by the SlimFit is not your favorite, you can replace it with the Mathews Focus grip which is much thinner and was designed for torque-free applications. The Mathews Focus grip also features the vertical line to help with initial tuning and setup.

Carbon Cable Rod

The first thing you may notice on this bow making it different from other current models is the use of the Carbon Cable Rod instead of a Roller Guard. In an effort to reduce total bow weight, the Carbon Cable Rod was used. There are no ill-effects from this and the draw on the bow is still very smooth.

Eccentric System

To push speeds up to 325 fps, the Mathews Hyperlite features a Mathews Solo Cam that helps make this bow efficient, fast, and accurate. Since the Hyperlite is a single cam bow, initial cam rotation setup is a breeze when compared to timing of dual cam bows. The Hyperlite comes very close to meeting its IBO, right out of the box. Like nearly every other Mathews bow, the cam on the Hyperlite is draw length specific and you will need to purchase a new cam to change the draw length. Don't plan on being able to change the draw length without a bow press either, so keep that in mind if you like to work on your bow yourself. The Hyperlite has the Quick Change Axle system, making it easier to remove the axle once the bow is pressed. The upside of the draw length specific cam is that Mathews claims that they can reach a higher efficiency by not using modular draw length systems. For adjustability, the Hyperlite is available in draw lengths from 23.5" to 30", so its range covers most of all shooters. A perimeter-weighted single cam is featured on the Hyperlite containing a metal interia disc that has been strategically placed on the cam to counteract limb momentum, killing vibration after the shot. Having a letoff of 80% will allow shooters to hold at full draw longer. Higher letoffs are normally wanted by hunters while target shooters most often prefer a lower letoff so that they do not creep before the shot. This bow was meant for hunters, so the 80% letoff is a huge plus.

Draw Cycle / Shootability

If you have ever shot the DXT, then you will know about what to expect with the Hyperlite, but you may be a little bit surprised. The Hyperlite has a slightly stiffer draw than the DXT but it ramps up nicely to the break over point, then drops into the valley before hitting a very hard wall. You probably will not notice harsh bump in the draw cycle that is seen in other bows. After release, you will notice how quiet and vibration free the shot is, thanks to the vibration dampening systems developed by Mathews. The addition of a Mathews Dead End stop is recommended as it will help quiet the shot even more than the way that they Hyperlite comes stock. As far as shootability goes, for such a short ATA bow, it shoots nicely. Having a 7" brace height helps keep this bow shootable for any level archer. The parallel limbs allow for a long riser (in comparison to ATA), so it shoots like a longer ATA bow with the same riser length. If you are at the upper end of the draw length range, around 29" or 30", then this may not be the bow for you. The string angle at those draw lengths will make it tough to get used to but you will have to try it out for yourself to know if your shooting style is compatible.

Silencing Package

The Hyperlite features the least amount of silencing features on any of the current Mathews bows. Only having two harmonic dampers, both located in the riser, means that you may need to add a Dead End String Stop to get the bow as quiet as you would like. Right out of the box it is very quiet but a bow can never be quiet enough. To go along with the two harmonic dampers, there are suppressor arms at the end of the limbs that help dampen out string vibration after the shot, thus reducing noise.

Comparison: Hyperlite vs DXT

Bow	Mathews Hyperlite	Mathews DXT
Version	2011	2010
Picture
Brace Height	7 "	7 "
AtA Length	29.75 "	29.75 "
Draw Length	23.5 " - 30 "	24 " - 30 "
Draw Weight	40 lbs - 70 lbs	40 lbs - 70 lbs
IBO Speed	325 fps	326 fps
Weight	3.45 lbs	3.75 lbs
Let-Off	80%	80%
Where to buy Best prices online	Not available now. Please check later.	$79.99 to $500 Compare prices
	compare more bows

When comparing the Hyperlite to the DXT, the biggest difference is the weight. The Hyperlite weighs in .3 lbs lighter at 3.45 lbs. The overall look and initial feel of the bows are the same, except for the use of the cable slide on the Hyperlite. On the draw, the smoothness is the same, but the Hyperlite seems a bit stiffer to draw. A nice valley and hard wall can be felt in both. On the shot, they feel identical but the DXT features a few more harmonic dampers (4 more to be exact) and is a bit quieter. The Hyperlite retails for $60 less than the Mathews DXT but the DXT has been discontinued.

Usage Scenarios

The Hyperlite was, no doubt, built for hunters as they demand more maneuverability in a bow. The weight is a huge selling point for any hunter that will be on spot and stalk hunts, or for anyone who has a long hike before getting to their stand. Offering good stability on the shot, the Hyperlite would not be a bad choice for 3D shooters that have to walk through a long course, carrying around their bow. Of course there are some drawbacks to the short ATA that a 3D or target shooter would not have to deal with in a long ATA bow. The stability is good enough for a hunter looking to get his shot into the kill zone of an animal, but for a 3D archer looking to hit a specific spot or cut a line on a target, a longer ATA bow may be more suitable.

Value

The value on this bow is definitely there. MSRP for the Hyperlite is $799 but it most certainly sells for much less than that. When compared to other bows in its class, the quality, smoothness, and resale value of the Hyperlite make it a front runner.

Summary

All in all, the Hyperlite would make a great bow for any hunter who does not insist on having the fastest bow. It is no slouch, coming in at 325 fps, but other bows can shoot around 350 fps, making it seem slow to someone who is used to shooting higher speeds. If you have ever shot the DXT but want a new bow, then the Hyperlite might be a good choice since the DXT is no longer manufactured. Young archers and females will benefit from the 3.45 lb weight, without having to shoot a youth bow or one designed for females. It may not be a great recommendation for someone who is still growing, since a new cam will have to be installed to change the draw length. Being reasonably quiet on the shot and having a very short ATA makes it a great choice for a treestand hunter looking for a maneuverable bow. Blind hunters would also be interested in this short ATA bow as it is very easy to move around inside such a small enclosure. If you are a hunter, you should check this bow out as it will allow you to save some money and you may be surprised at how well a light, short ATA bow can shoot.