Hoyt Podium X Elite 40 Compound Bow

The Hoyt Podium X Elite 40 is the steady-hold specialist of Hoyt's 2015 target line, a 40-inch competition bow that trades the 37's quickness for a calmer pin and, on the Spiral Pro cam, a genuine 32.5-inch draw at 322 fps. At a $1,599 launch price it asks flagship money and answers with flagship control: an adjustable cable guard that sets cam lean, torque, and vane clearance without a bow press, a four-position modular grip for a dead-center hold, and a tall 8-inch brace on the GTX cam that makes a long target bow unusually forgiving. It arrives with timing and alignment dialed, paper-tunes quickly, and then leaves the fine work to the shooter, giving honest feedback that rewards clean form. In my experience the long riser plus the adjustable grip is what quiets the aim without a fight, and on this bow that is the entire value proposition. It is not a hunting bow and does not pretend to be. An excellent choice for the field, 3D, and long-draw competitor who wants the stillest hold in the line; shorter-draw shooters should look at the Hoyt Podium X Elite 37, and archers who want the lightest classic long-target hold should also consider the Mathews Conquest 4... read full review