Hoyt Vantage X8 Compound Bow

The Hoyt Vantage X8 is the forgiveness-first half of the 2008 Vantage debut: a 41-inch, 8-inch-brace target bow on XT2000 limbs and the optimized Cam & 1/2 Plus, offered at roughly $919 US retail that year. It gives up a nominal 5 fps to its XT1000 twin the X7 and, in return, hangs steadier on the aim, quiets the shot, and opens the string angle wide enough to keep finger pinch off the table - three things owners of the era single out, several rating its aim as good as or better than the storied UltraElite. Real-world speed lands where a target setup lands, around 286 fps from a moderate 60-pound, 29-inch draw. Selectable 65 or 75 percent let-off lets a competitor tune hold weight to their own process, and the machined-aluminum TEC riser with its RizerShox and AlphaShox suite keeps the platform rigid and calm. What I keep coming back to with a bow like this is that its whole reason for being is the steady hold, and the X8 delivers it. It is an excellent bow for the spot, field, and 3D archer - especially the finger shooter - who prizes a dead-steady aim over chronograph headroom. Buyers who want a shorter, quicker target rig with a celebrated draw should also look at the Elite GT500, and those cross-shopping same-era long target compounds should compare the Mathews Conquest 4... read full review