After putting the new Hoyt Carbon RX-9 Ultra through five months of intense field testing across three countries, I’m ready to review its speed, aim, draw, feel, and dependability.
My test bow has been through thick brush in Canada, mountainous terrain in the Rockies, harsh conditions in Zambia, and has spent plenty of time in tree stands in the American Midwest. I kept everything stock — factory strings and cables right out of the box — because I wanted to test this bow exactly how you’d get it from your local shop.
This isn’t a clean-room evaluation — it’s a real-world assessment of what this bow can do. Let’s get to it!
Speed That Makes a Difference
Compared to the Hoyt Carbon RX-8 Ultra, the Carbon RX-9 Ultra brings speed improvements across all draw lengths, with the biggest gains coming at the most common hunting draw lengths.
Here are the exact numbers compared to the RX-8 Ultra:
- 30-inch draw: 8 fps increase
- 29-inch draw: 19 fps increase
- 28.5-inch draw: 18 fps increase
- 28-inch draw: 16 fps increase
These numbers follow strict ATA testing guidelines: 70-pound draw weight with a 350-grain arrow.
Some manufacturers inflate their speed ratings by pushing draw weights to 83 pounds or stretching draw lengths beyond stated measurements. When they do this, they might test a bow at what they call 30 inches but actually draw it closer to 31 inches, all while shooting it above 80 pounds.
Hoyt keeps it straight. The speeds you see in the specs are the speeds you’ll get in the field. And I can confirm this after 5 months of rigorous use. This is especially exciting for those who, are not long-draw archers. Since I’m always at the long end of the draw spectrum my speeds are even higher because of my long draw.
The HBX Gen 4 Cam System: The Secret Behind the Speed
The new HBX Gen 4 cam system makes these speed gains possible through five specialized modules. Each module is optimized for the draw you have!
Instead of trying to cover too much ground with one design, the engineers at Hoyt designed each module for a specific draw length range. For example, the largest module covers 30.25–31 inches, with quarter-inch adjustments throughout that range. When you’re shooting in that draw range, your module is specifically tuned for those lengths, giving you the best possible speed and feel.
Another thing I love about this system is the foot for the let-off. The cam system maintains a 75–85% let-off while adding new customization options for the back wall. A simple module flip lets you choose between a hard or super-hard back wall — a feature that target archers moving to hunting setups love.
Hoyt has also added a rubber-covered kicker for cam protection when you set the bow down. This pairs perfectly with their Go-Stix 2.0 accessory system, protecting your investment in the field, but allowing you to have a free standing bow, perfect for in the field or in a blind, all while protecting your cam in the mud and crud.
While the HBX comes standard on the Ultra, Hoyt also offers the all-new HBX SD cam for the Carbon RX-9 Short Draw, which is a great asset for shorter-draw archers. It covers 23–27 inches, with draw weights as low as maxing at 40 lbs. This brings customized performance to short draw/low poundage archers who previously had limited options.
Engineering for Accuracy
The RX-9 Ultra’s most impressive achievement might be its handling of torque — that twisting force that can throw off your shot.
Testing shows a 38% reduction in torque compared to last year’s RX-8 Ultra and an 82% reduction compared to competitor bows, thanks to several engineering improvements:
- New pocket design
- Updated limb system
- Split harness system
- Adjustable cam alignment system
The tech riser minimizes riser twist and perfectly aligns the arrow shaft, tiller bolt, and sight pin on my set up. When I look down at my bow, these three points form a perfect line. Combined with the torque reduction, this alignment means your arrows go where you’re aiming, shot after shot.
The bow achieves target-bow stability in a hunting-bow package through optimized string angles and cam positioning. Hoyt’s engineers — most of them target archers themselves — focused on creating a shorter axle-to-axle bow that feels like a longer target bow when you’re at full draw.
When you anchor, everything falls into place naturally, helping you stay steady on target even in awkward shooting positions.
Draw Cycle That Makes 70 feel like a 60!
The RX-9 Ultra pulls like a bow 10 pounds lighter than its rating. At 70 pounds, it feels like you’re drawing 60 — which makes a real difference in both practice and hunting situations.
In practice, you can shoot more arrows without wearing down. In the field, you can draw smoothly when game is close — no jerky movements to spook animals. The smoother draw cycle comes from precisely matching strings and cables to the cam system’s dynamics.
Most interesting about this setup — I’ve kept my factory strings the entire season. I didn’t even replace the center serving. My original nocking points, peep position, peep tie, and cable positions have stayed perfect, and the cam synchronization has maintained itself through thousands of shots.
This matters because changing strings and cables is like starting over on a set up. It affects tune — string diameter, material makeup, and material type all factor into the bow’s performance. Hoyt engineered these strings to suit how their cam system rolls over and produces power.
Durability Testing Beyond Standard Limits
Whenever I’m asked about the biggest difference in the premier brand bows, dependability is one of the first things I talk about. Hoyt truly makes the most dependable bows I’ve ever had and their factory testing stands alone.
Before being released into production the RX-9 Ultra went through brutal testing before leaving the factory. The riser must survive 1,500 dry-fires, an incredible stress test that most bows wouldn’t survive. They’ll replace strings and cables during testing, but the riser itself must maintain structural integrity through all 1,500 shots.
The cam tracks are wider and more robust than previous models. This extra width keeps strings running true even after inevitable bumps and scrapes in the field. My bow shows plenty of dings and scratches from five months of hard use, but the strings are perfectly in their tracks, and my sight tape readings haven’t changed since I first started using it.
Weight Reduction and Balance Systems
Hoyt cut about 0.4 pounds from the bow’s overall weight without sacrificing stability its predecessor the RX 8.
This weight reduction opens up new possibilities for accessory setups. For instance, the new Go-Stix 2.0 and Short Stop 2.0 systems provide multiple balance points. I can run my traditional front stabilizer to protect my sight pins when setting the bow down, but move my counterweight to a lower position using the Short Stop 2.0.
This improves my aim without requiring awkward side rod setups.
Mounting System Innovations
The inline mounting system changes how accessories attach to the bow.
The front picatinny mount allows direct sight attachment. The rest mounts directly to the back of the riser. This direct mounting system keeps everything tight to the riser’s centerline, improving balance and reducing the need for counterweights.
The quiver mounting position now sits inside the limb pocket with perfect clearance top and bottom. There’s no contact or interference as the bow moves through the draw cycle. This internal positioning maintains the bow’s natural balance without requiring additional stabilization.
Performance After Five Months of Testing
After thousands of miles in trucks, on planes, and through rough terrain, here’s what stands up:
- Factory strings maintain perfect tune and serving integrity
- Original cam timing remains synchronized
- No stability issues even after repeated impacts and rough handling
- Zero maintenance required beyond basic string wax
- Perfect arrow flight with factory settings
The factory tune has stayed dead-on through conditions that would challenge any hunting equipment, and shots from my original sight tape still hit exactly where they should.
If you want more technical details about what makes this bow work, Brian Gold joined me on the Nock On Podcast to unpack the engineering choices that went into each component. He covered everything from cam design to riser geometry and explained why each decision improves performance in the field. Give the episode a listen.
The RX-9 Ultra took real-world abuse across three countries and came back asking for more.
- The speed increases show up in chronograph testing.
- The stability improvements make a difference when shooting.
- The draw cycle makes all-day practice sessions possible.
- Most importantly, it handles the rough conditions, bad weather, and hard use that come with serious hunting.
I didn’t think Hoyt could improve the RX-8 series, but the RX-9 Ultra proved me wrong. It brings serious improvements to every area both hunters and target archers care about, all while maintaining the bulletproof reliability Hoyt is known for.
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