Third, I prefer a bow that's quiet at the shot and doesn't have too much hand shock. Whether or not the variation in noise generated by one bow or another makes a difference in spooking game is up for debate. My philosophy is: shoot the quietest bow possible, just in case it "does" make a difference. Each animal is an individual, and you can't predict its reaction, so why take the chance?

A lot of effort goes into making a Hoyt bow quiet -- but it pays off. I found the Vectrix to be both quiet and steady at the shot. The new StealShot String Suppression System significantly reduces both vibration and noise and keeps the string from slapping your forearm. Other features contribute to the quiet Vectrix, including the RizerShox in the TEC riser holes, AlphaShox in the split limbs, and StringShox in the bowstring.

Although I'm not a "speed freak," I do like a fast bow. A flatter trajectory helps when an animal tries to jump the string and can also compensate for slight errors in yardage estimation. I'm fairly good at guessing yardage to 3-D targets, but when it must be done quickly in a real hunting situation, it's easy to be off a few yards, especially when there's no time to use a rangefinder.

The Vectrix XL has an IBO rating of 315 feet per second, which is accomplished by shooting a 350-grain arrow out of a 30-inch, 70-pound bow with just a nocking point on the string. I set my 30-inch Vectrix XL's draw weight at 68 pounds and shot a 410-grain arrow off a string with a loop, peep, and StringShox installed. I was still able to wring 292 fps out of my setup. That's plenty fast for me!

The engine that drives the Vectrix is the Vector Cam & 1/2. Its design is a major contributing factor to two of this bow's greatest qualities -- smoothness and speed.

Hoyt Vector Cam & 1/2