Toured Hoyt Yesterday!

[Bowhuntr64]

So I am here in Salt Lake City at a conference and it turns out one of my buddies was college roommates with the head engineer in charge of Hoyt's compound bows. So we got a personal tour with the guy yesterday! It was amazing. I got to ask every question I could think of and see where all of my Hoyt's were born. We couldn't see his personal work area, as they are designing next year's bows and it is Top Secret

I can't believe how much I learned--dispelling old things I have heard (mostly on Archery Talk) and learning new things.

I also couldn't believe how much hands on work is put into each bow. I had imagined it was much more mechanized than it was. Very impressive. I am proud to be shooting Hoyts and can't wait to get my Spyder when I get back to Denver!

 

[cali_hornhunter]

Dispelling old things you've heard? If you don't mind do you want to elaborate as I am curious

 

[vcb]

Cool. That sounds like a sweet place to tour!

 

[realunlucky]

Nice I live in Utah and only have gotten to see the outside. I do give them all my money though

 

[RosinBag]

Touring Hoyt would be something I would buy a ticket to do....

 

[larryschwartz]

I took a tour of the Easton plant a few years back that was also pretty interesting. Saw how they made the diffwrent types of arrows.

 

[dotman]

Touring Hoyt would be something I would buy a ticket to do....

X2...

 

[OBP]

Dispelling old things you've heard? If you don't mind do you want to elaborate as I am curious

I'm also curious about this?

 

[Bowhuntr64]

Dispelling old things you've heard? If you don't mind do you want to elaborate as I am curious

So many things; I honestly don't know where to start or how to sift out what I am not supposed to talk about. My friend, the Engineer there said he peeks on Archery Talk about once per year and cannot believe all the things people are saying, sounding like pros to everyone who is reading...and all along him knowing what they are saying is complete BS. He is tempted to create an unknown name and get on here to correct things, but then fears people will figure out who he is and it could cause more stir than he has time for.

One comment he made when I asked him what he thought about putting RKT cams on a AM32: "Why would you want to do that? The Alpha Max is the smoothest drawing bow Hoyt has ever made." I have never heard someone say that before, about the AM.

Other perception: Hoyt strings suck; replace them with custom strings immediately. I asked him about this. He said, "well, they were'nt the best in years gone by, but the new ones with 8190 are some of the best strings made; don't replace them."

Rumor: Alpha Shox are a gimmick and they will damage the limbs or limb finish by their constant slapping. Response: "You need to stop listening to Archery Talk; they don't know what they're talking about! The larger RKT cams needed for the Spyders took away 2 fps, due to their weight. The Air Shox added back 2 fps, keeping IBO at 330. They work and they will never and can never damage the limbs.

Another: explaining the difference between Innovation and Evolution. Both are crucial and both are part of the plan in new designs, in varying degrees. Air Shox is "innovation;" new colors or new grips are evolutions.

Another: Compound bows are now capped by physics. If you want a certain speed, you will get a certain harshness of cam. If you want a smooth cam, you will sacrifice a certain speed. These boundaries are uncrossable and are quite absolute. SO, what does the future look like? What is changeable and what is not? I was expecting more to be changeable, while he sees physical limits and tradeoffs bouncing around in the form of different bows.

Another: Perception is magnesium compound that makes up the Charger riser is inferior to and weaker than aluminum. Fact: present magnesium compound is not the ones that were introduced in the past; these risers are stout now! And they are a lot less expensive than most Hoyt bows. "They are basically a Alpha Max with a magnesium riser...but a newer, greater magnesium." They are really pleased with this bow for what you get for the money.

Hoyt now does a "dealer school" where dealers can come out and spend about 4 hrs with my friend, and get thoroughly acquainted with the company and the quality. Then you are much more knowledgeable than anyone else, and also much more loyal to Hoyt because you see how much better the bows are constructed and tested than others.

He also explained the difference between split limbs vs one piece construction. One piece construction is much weaker because you have to cut a U shape in each end for the cam to fit in. Well, that causes some fibers in that piece to be discontinuous. Wherever there is a discontinuous grain of fiber, there is a very, very weak spot. Many limbs crack in the U with very little pressure applied. But with 2 piece limbs, there are no discontinuous fibers in the single length of limbs. No need for the U cut, because the cams can go between the two thinner limbs.

 

[sk1]

good post

 

[realunlucky]

Thanks for the explanation

 

[OBP]

Yeah, thanks bowhuntr, nice write up. Sounds like an awesome tour!

 

[Slim Jim]

That's pretty cool touring Hoyt and getting educated like that.

 

[Evan Williams]

I need to make a phone call over there tomorrow John and thank him!!! Someone else said the same thing I did to you !!!

So many things; I honestly don't know where to start or how to sift out what I am not supposed to talk about. My friend, the Engineer there said he peeks on Archery Talk about once per year and cannot believe all the things people are saying, sounding like pros to everyone who is reading...and all along him knowing what they are saying is complete BS. He is tempted to create an unknown name and get on here to correct things, but then fears people will figure out who he is and it could cause more stir than he has time for.

One comment he made when I asked him what he thought about putting RKT cams on a AM32: "Why would you want to do that? The Alpha Max is the smoothest drawing bow Hoyt has ever made." I have never heard someone say that before, about the AM.

Other perception: Hoyt strings suck; replace them with custom strings immediately. I asked him about this. He said, "well, they were'nt the best in years gone by, but the new ones with 8190 are some of the best strings made; don't replace them."

Rumor: Alpha Shox are a gimmick and they will damage the limbs or limb finish by their constant slapping. Response: "You need to stop listening to Archery Talk; they don't know what they're talking about! The larger RKT cams needed for the Spyders took away 2 fps, due to their weight. The Air Shox added back 2 fps, keeping IBO at 330. They work and they will never and can never damage the limbs.

Another: explaining the difference between Innovation and Evolution. Both are crucial and both are part of the plan in new designs, in varying degrees. Air Shox is "innovation;" new colors or new grips are evolutions.

Another: Compound bows are now capped by physics. If you want a certain speed, you will get a certain harshness of cam. If you want a smooth cam, you will sacrifice a certain speed. These boundaries are uncrossable and are quite absolute. SO, what does the future look like? What is changeable and what is not? I was expecting more to be changeable, while he sees physical limits and tradeoffs bouncing around in the form of different bows.

Another: Perception is magnesium compound that makes up the Charger riser is inferior to and weaker than aluminum. Fact: present magnesium compound is not the ones that were introduced in the past; these risers are stout now! And they are a lot less expensive than most Hoyt bows. "They are basically a Alpha Max with a magnesium riser...but a newer, greater magnesium." They are really pleased with this bow for what you get for the money.

Hoyt now does a "dealer school" where dealers can come out and spend about 4 hrs with my friend, and get thoroughly acquainted with the company and the quality. Then you are much more knowledgeable than anyone else, and also much more loyal to Hoyt because you see how much better the bows are constructed and tested than others.

He also explained the difference between split limbs vs one piece construction. One piece construction is much weaker because you have to cut a U shape in each end for the cam to fit in. Well, that causes some fibers in that piece to be discontinuous. Wherever there is a discontinuous grain of fiber, there is a very, very weak spot. Many limbs crack in the U with very little pressure applied. But with 2 piece limbs, there are no discontinuous fibers in the single length of limbs. No need for the U cut, because the cams can go between the two thinner limbs.

 

[J-Daddy]

I toured Gold Tip out there a couple years ago...What I learned
Tim has a 100yd range in the back and spends way to much time there
Automated fletching machines are freaking awesome and I want one but don't want to spend 20grand on one
The chick at the front desk is cute
Tim likes to shoot concrete blocks, A LOT!!!!
Taylor has the most boring office in the world
The chick at the front desk is cute
Tim really likes to talk
I got a head ache because Tim really likes to talk
Tim has whitetail hunted once in his life, it last about 30mins and he has a 170" class buck on his wall from that hunt "and I found another reason to be jealous of him"
The chick at the front desk is cute
And, Tim really likes to talk...

 

[wapitibob]

I toured Hoyt and Easton a few years ago. Having worked at Golden Eagle way back when, I knew how it was all done but Hoyt was pretty darn efficient. They also were running the Same Mori's that I had in my shop. I can say their strings are made very well. They know the exact process and equipment WC uses, since Nealy worked at Hoyt for a while, but built their own design knowing what they wanted to achieve as an end product. I have to say, the arrow plant was probably the best.
We stopped at Gillinghams house on the way down and toured his "shop". pretty impressive to see a guys shop walls lined with $10,000 - $18,000 giant checks rather than screwdrivers and wrenches. Next trip down we went by GoldTip for several hours.

 

[Bowhuntr64]

I need to make a phone call over there tomorrow John and thank him!!! Someone else said the same thing I did to you !!!

That's funny Evan. I know exactly what you are talking about. I cracked up when he told me that!

 

[Evan Williams]

i toured gold tip out there a couple years ago...what i learned
tim has a 100yd range in the back and spends way to much time there
automated fletching machines are freaking awesome and i want one but don't want to spend 20grand on one
the chick at the front desk is cute
tim likes to shoot concrete blocks, a lot!!!!
Taylor has the most boring office in the world
the chick at the front desk is cute
tim really likes to talk
i got a head ache because tim really likes to talk
tim has whitetail hunted once in his life, it last about 30mins and he has a 170" class buck on his wall from that hunt "and i found another reason to be jealous of him"
the chick at the front desk is cute
and, tim really likes to talk...

ha ha ha ha ha

ha ha ha ha ha

ha ha ha ha ha

too funny!!!!

 

[Evan Williams]

that's funny evan. I know exactly what you are talking about. I cracked up when he told me that!

as long as i was the first thing on your mind with that comment!!