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Hoyt "Archineer" enjoys sweet AlphaMax success!

Read all about AlphaMax from one of its designers


The Hoyt engineers are commonly known as "Archineers". Why? Because their love of archery and bowhunting is equaled only by their dedication to engineering the world's absolute best bows.

Meet Darin Cooper. Hoyt Senior Engineer. Bowhunting fanantic. Technical guru. Like all of Hoyt's Archineers, he really knows his way around a bow. For him to get excited about a new bow design like AlphaMax speaks volumes about the quality, toughness and performance of the bow. Here Darin shares his thoughts on the all-new AlphaMax, and the details of his first hunt with Hoyt's new premiere bow.


HOYT: How long have you worked in Hoyt's Engineering Department? Can you recall a time when there was this much excitement over the release of a new bow?
DARIN: I've worked as an engineer for Hoyt since 1999. AlphaMax has no doubt set a new benchmark for us in terms of excitement! We’ve developed some fantastic product lines over the years - including the introduction of the Cam & ½ System and, of course, the Trykon - but AlphaMax is another huge leap forward in bow design. There are definitely a lot of smiles around the Hoyt factory!


HOYT: Can you give our readers an overview of all the exciting new technologies AlphaMax offers?
DARIN: There are so many great features that make this bow a sure winner. It’s hard to know where to start, but the new ZT LOCK pocket system is at the heart of the design. ZT LOCK is the most secure and best aligning pocket in the industry. The new XTS split limbs are literally clamped into the pocket and against the riser - ensuring positive alignment even under the most torturous hunting circumstances. A gorilla would have a hard time knocking this bow out of tune!


HOYT: At only 3.9 lbs., AlphaMax still withstands Hoyt's rigorous testing standards of 1,500 dry-fires for the TEC LITE riser and 1,000 dry-fires for the XTS Limb. How can a bow so light be so incredibly tough?
DARIN: The new TEC LITE riser was redesigned from the ground up to enhance stiffness, reduce vibration, and minimize weight. Thanks to the TEC design and the structural enhancements associated with the ZT LOCK pocket, AlphaMax shoots and feels even better than its predecessors. At Hoyt we pride ourselves on the toughness of our bows. Going into 2009, our primary goal was to lighten the overall bow - but we knew that sacrificing durability was absolutely out of the question. Over the years we've developed proprietary structural standards and loading that we can analyze using lots of computing horsepower. Finite element analysis allows us to tweak the strength and stiffness of the riser before we ever cut a chip of aluminum. All that technology combined with our ZT LOCK pocket system allowed us to really push the envelope in lightweight design this year and still meet our intense dry-fire standards.


HOYT: You designed the dynamic new XTR Cam & 1/2 Performance System specifically for the AlphaMax. Why should bowhunters be excited about the new XTR System?
DARIN: XTR Cam & ½ is the next generation in the Cam & ½ legacy. We were able to incorporate modular adjustment so bowhunters can easily customize the draw length without using a bow-press. Dealers will also benefit from this enhancement and be able to custom-fit almost anyone that walks into their shop. XTR combines Cam & ½ dependability and consistency with great performance in a smooth drawing, easy-tuning package so bowhunters get the same rock-solid performance that wins more tournaments than any other cam system.


HOYT: You were one of the first hunters to test drive - and fill some tags - with the new AlphaMax. How did it perform in the field? How did it exceed your expectations? 
DARIN: I have test driven a lot of prototypes over the years and without question AlphaMax is the cream of the crop. We finished the first production bows the day I left for a mule deer/whitetail combo hunt in Alberta, Canada. I literally tossed the parts to build my bow into my bowcase and got on a plane – betting all the marbles this baby would perform.

I had one day to build and set the bow up after I arrived and thankfully the weather cooperated. I slapped on Hoyt’s prong rest, a sight, and a FUSE Satori two-piece quiver to compliment my FUSE Sidekick stabilizer. After only three shots the bow was punching perfect holes through the paper at Whitetail Ridge Archery in Debolt, Alberta. Shop owner Donnie Zenner was our host for the hunt.

I took the AlphaMax outside and it proceeded to amaze me with nock-busting accuracy all the way out to 80 yards! I’ve had a lot of great-shooting Hoyts, but I think AlphaMax aims and groups better than all of them! The bow was remarkably quiet and felt absolutely dead in my hand. It's amazing that a bow this light feels and shoots better than much heavier bows I had hunted with previously. The accuracy right out of the box was confidence inspiring, to say the least!

The AlphaMax was shooting so well, I knew that my tune was spot on. After dropping a few field tipped FMJ’s right in the dot at 80 yards, I pulled the arrows and decided to screw on some blades. Knowing they would probably shoot pretty close to my field points – I decided to launch the first broadhead out of the bow right there at 80 yards. Much to my surprise, I pounded the first two broadheads in the 4" dot side by side, nearly slicing a vane off! I decided that was enough proof, so I shot a field-point so I wouldn’t damage any of my arrows. The plan backfired because my field point perfectly robin-hooded my first broadhead-tipped arrow. That was a first for me and to say my expectations were exceeded would be an understatement! With that kind of spot-on accuracy at 80 yards, I was confident that a shot on a buck at 40 yards or less would be no problem.

I had an incredible hunt with Donnie and was able take a beautiful, heavy-horned velvet mule deer that was 27-inches wide on the first day of season. Thank goodness AlphaMax is an incredibly quiet bow because I couldn’t get a good range on my mule deer. My first shot went right underneath the buck’s chest but he never heard the bow go off and he actually spooked closer to me, allowing me to drill him at under 30 yards! Later in the hunt, I absolutely smoked my first-ever whitetail buck – a respectable velvet-horned 10-point that ran less than 50 yards before expiring.

I can honestly say I would recommend AlphaMax series bows to any bowhunter regardless of what they are currently shooting. You’ll be a more successful hunter and you’ll never look back!

 

NOTE: Both of Darin’s hunts will be featured on a new DVD from DD Bowhunting due out next spring. For information on the DVD, check out the Double-D Bowhunting website:  www.ddbowhunting.com   

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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