I have made a few reviews or comments on different bows and my opinions of them in the past. The one that caught the most traction was my ProForce review. I have since moved from the ProForce to the Prevail and thing my take on it might help someone make a better informed decision if this is the right bow for them. With so many selling/trading on the classifieds I figured this might be a good time to do this.
Before, I owned two different Hoyt ProForce bows. I was coming from Elite Victory series bows and the ProForce was an easy transition. Easy to draw and hold and had a little softer backwall which made pulling through the shot simple without being too spongy. I later changed the mods and stops for the 75% version and really enjoyed them. They shot very well and I absolutely loved them. So, I sold/traded them off. Why? I will explain.
After a tournament I went and stopped at a friends house with a group of guys and hung out talking shop. As we are into deep archery philosophy, we all spoke about what our likes and dislikes were about what we shot. Some of us shoot Bowtech, some Mathews, Hoyt, etc.. I made a comment about how I wish I could test out a Hoyt target bow with more aggressive cams just to see what they were like. Behold, hanging up was a 65% old ProComp that had not been shot in years. It just so happened to be my draw length. So, looking the bow over, I had to shoot a few just to see what all the hype was about. Come to find out, I absolutely fell in love. This bow was everything I thought I hated about bows; Super low let off and no valley. Man was I ever wrong.
I ended up setting up this old rig and couldn't stop shooting it. I decided to give the Prevail a try as it was the newer target bow (Invicta didn't exist yet) and here in the classifieds you can find some really good deals. I ended up with an X3 and a SVX and figured I would test them both. I sold my ProForce and decided to go all in on the Prevails.
So, the Hoyt Prevail 37 X3:
This bow I really wanted to like. It felt more like the ProForce with these softer cams. Don't get me wrong, it is not a bad bow and the cams are rather nice if you want a soft backwall (get a bomar stop....trust me) and honestly seemed to hold more like the ProForce. Between the ProForce and Prevail X3 I give the advantage to the ProForce. The backwall feels better on the ZT cams and the ProForce is faster to boot. Grip is identical and the hold is about the same. I wouldn't NOT suggest he X3 if you like a more relaxed shot or you don't shoot a ton of arrows a week. If you want an easier bow with a softer backwall and a gentle approach then this is your bow. In fact, if you are new to target bows and are more familiar with hunting/softer cams then this is your baby.
THE HOYT PREVAIL 37 SVX:
Now, this is the bow that changed me. First, let me explain how "these overly aggressive cams" and "absolutely no valley" is a crock. These cams are NOT overly aggressive and yes, there is a valley. Admittedly the valley is short and the holding weight is 65%. That said, if you are a target/3D archer who shoots lots of arrows (I shoot almost everyday of the week) this bow is phenomenal. If you are not someone who puts in lots of shooting time beware! This is not a hunting bow. This bow will not make things easy. Yes, it wants to go but not to the point it is ripping out of your hands. This bow also punishes bad form. This bow has feedback. Yes, it wants to jump forward at the shot. And YES! That is a good thing. After growing in the sport I have found that there are stages we go through. For a new archer I would absolutely NOT suggest a Prevail SVX unless they are 100% dedicated to learning and growing in the sport. I imagine most would loose interest and the better option would be a higher let-off bow like the ProForce (or most PSE, Hoyt, and Elite softer cam bows). This bow is for TARGET archers, not hunters or backyard shooters.
With most softer cam bows with generous valleys I find that, even though I try not to, I get lazy from time to time. This causes inconsistent shots. You can't get lazy at 65% and a shallow valley. SVX cams make you focus. This is where draw weight plays a bigger factor. If you are a 60# shooter on a softer bow, on a Prevail I suggest taking a pound or two off till you get use to it. This way you don't struggle with the transition. I found I got use to the SVX rather quick. It only took a few days to really get the bow under control. I then found that bareshaft tuning was a breeze. This bow, like the ProForce and most yoked bows, is really easy to tune up.
Speed: Faster than IBO by up to 10 FPS. Yes, this is a pleasant surprise. At 28" DL I am right at an average of 10 FPS than it should be and with the same arrow it was about 7 FPS faster than my Proforce that had a listed IBO of 325. Prevail list a 321 IBO yet still is faster at this DL. Bonus speed is welcome!
Dead in hand? NOPE! And I appreciate that. The bow wants to jump forward at the shot break. Not to the point of jumping out of your hand, but definitely forward toward the target. As a target archer this is actually a plus in my book. The feedback lets you know you did your part. When you are janky in the shot, the bow responds likewise. You FEEL it.
Accuracy? All bows are accurate. Consistency is the key and the SVX cam is just that. You have to do the work. I believe the reason all the PRO shooters choose the SVX cam is just that. Consistency. You are gonna pull. You are not gonna get weak. You are not gonna loose focus. Why? Because you have to at this high holding weight. This bow to me takes you to your limit. It is NOT uncomfortable or unreasonable. It is about precision. It makes YOU a better shooter. You are gonna do the work or you are not gonna shoot well. You do have some backwall adjustments with the SVX cam. There are two different locations to put your cable stop. The one closer to the axle will give you a more firm backwall closer to what is expected out of an Elite limb stop. The higher location gives the backwall a wee bit of play. Still very firm but allows for just enough play to pull through the shot. I myself like the super firm lower to the axle stop as I have a relaxed pull and I am not over aggressive in my shot. Make sure you play with the grip options. Might even look into steeper options offered by Ultraview as well.
The grip options are 0,2,4, and 6 degrees. Easy to swap out grips and yes they make a difference. I liked the 6 degree best and just went to the Ultraview 10 degree. This is all just personal preferences and you will have to figure this out on your own.
Cam sizes are accurate. If the cam mod is 28 inches, it will be within an eighth of an inch. Easy to tweak with mild cable adjustments. One thing I will give Hoyt is they don't fudge the DL measurements. Problem is when you are on the line. My cam is 28,28.5, and 29 inch DL with corresponding mods. What if you are a 29.25? Which cam to you buy? Well, either will do but I would suggest going up a cam and backing out the cables a wee bit. Yes, you will loose a few lbs maybe, but you will still be fine. Other way around you can tighten cables or loosen the string. You can also longstring a Prevail which lowers holding weight and lengthens DL (but thats a whole different story).
I will be back to express more opinions in the future. Thank you
Before, I owned two different Hoyt ProForce bows. I was coming from Elite Victory series bows and the ProForce was an easy transition. Easy to draw and hold and had a little softer backwall which made pulling through the shot simple without being too spongy. I later changed the mods and stops for the 75% version and really enjoyed them. They shot very well and I absolutely loved them. So, I sold/traded them off. Why? I will explain.
After a tournament I went and stopped at a friends house with a group of guys and hung out talking shop. As we are into deep archery philosophy, we all spoke about what our likes and dislikes were about what we shot. Some of us shoot Bowtech, some Mathews, Hoyt, etc.. I made a comment about how I wish I could test out a Hoyt target bow with more aggressive cams just to see what they were like. Behold, hanging up was a 65% old ProComp that had not been shot in years. It just so happened to be my draw length. So, looking the bow over, I had to shoot a few just to see what all the hype was about. Come to find out, I absolutely fell in love. This bow was everything I thought I hated about bows; Super low let off and no valley. Man was I ever wrong.
I ended up setting up this old rig and couldn't stop shooting it. I decided to give the Prevail a try as it was the newer target bow (Invicta didn't exist yet) and here in the classifieds you can find some really good deals. I ended up with an X3 and a SVX and figured I would test them both. I sold my ProForce and decided to go all in on the Prevails.
So, the Hoyt Prevail 37 X3:
This bow I really wanted to like. It felt more like the ProForce with these softer cams. Don't get me wrong, it is not a bad bow and the cams are rather nice if you want a soft backwall (get a bomar stop....trust me) and honestly seemed to hold more like the ProForce. Between the ProForce and Prevail X3 I give the advantage to the ProForce. The backwall feels better on the ZT cams and the ProForce is faster to boot. Grip is identical and the hold is about the same. I wouldn't NOT suggest he X3 if you like a more relaxed shot or you don't shoot a ton of arrows a week. If you want an easier bow with a softer backwall and a gentle approach then this is your bow. In fact, if you are new to target bows and are more familiar with hunting/softer cams then this is your baby.
THE HOYT PREVAIL 37 SVX:
Now, this is the bow that changed me. First, let me explain how "these overly aggressive cams" and "absolutely no valley" is a crock. These cams are NOT overly aggressive and yes, there is a valley. Admittedly the valley is short and the holding weight is 65%. That said, if you are a target/3D archer who shoots lots of arrows (I shoot almost everyday of the week) this bow is phenomenal. If you are not someone who puts in lots of shooting time beware! This is not a hunting bow. This bow will not make things easy. Yes, it wants to go but not to the point it is ripping out of your hands. This bow also punishes bad form. This bow has feedback. Yes, it wants to jump forward at the shot. And YES! That is a good thing. After growing in the sport I have found that there are stages we go through. For a new archer I would absolutely NOT suggest a Prevail SVX unless they are 100% dedicated to learning and growing in the sport. I imagine most would loose interest and the better option would be a higher let-off bow like the ProForce (or most PSE, Hoyt, and Elite softer cam bows). This bow is for TARGET archers, not hunters or backyard shooters.
With most softer cam bows with generous valleys I find that, even though I try not to, I get lazy from time to time. This causes inconsistent shots. You can't get lazy at 65% and a shallow valley. SVX cams make you focus. This is where draw weight plays a bigger factor. If you are a 60# shooter on a softer bow, on a Prevail I suggest taking a pound or two off till you get use to it. This way you don't struggle with the transition. I found I got use to the SVX rather quick. It only took a few days to really get the bow under control. I then found that bareshaft tuning was a breeze. This bow, like the ProForce and most yoked bows, is really easy to tune up.
Speed: Faster than IBO by up to 10 FPS. Yes, this is a pleasant surprise. At 28" DL I am right at an average of 10 FPS than it should be and with the same arrow it was about 7 FPS faster than my Proforce that had a listed IBO of 325. Prevail list a 321 IBO yet still is faster at this DL. Bonus speed is welcome!
Dead in hand? NOPE! And I appreciate that. The bow wants to jump forward at the shot break. Not to the point of jumping out of your hand, but definitely forward toward the target. As a target archer this is actually a plus in my book. The feedback lets you know you did your part. When you are janky in the shot, the bow responds likewise. You FEEL it.
Accuracy? All bows are accurate. Consistency is the key and the SVX cam is just that. You have to do the work. I believe the reason all the PRO shooters choose the SVX cam is just that. Consistency. You are gonna pull. You are not gonna get weak. You are not gonna loose focus. Why? Because you have to at this high holding weight. This bow to me takes you to your limit. It is NOT uncomfortable or unreasonable. It is about precision. It makes YOU a better shooter. You are gonna do the work or you are not gonna shoot well. You do have some backwall adjustments with the SVX cam. There are two different locations to put your cable stop. The one closer to the axle will give you a more firm backwall closer to what is expected out of an Elite limb stop. The higher location gives the backwall a wee bit of play. Still very firm but allows for just enough play to pull through the shot. I myself like the super firm lower to the axle stop as I have a relaxed pull and I am not over aggressive in my shot. Make sure you play with the grip options. Might even look into steeper options offered by Ultraview as well.
The grip options are 0,2,4, and 6 degrees. Easy to swap out grips and yes they make a difference. I liked the 6 degree best and just went to the Ultraview 10 degree. This is all just personal preferences and you will have to figure this out on your own.
Cam sizes are accurate. If the cam mod is 28 inches, it will be within an eighth of an inch. Easy to tweak with mild cable adjustments. One thing I will give Hoyt is they don't fudge the DL measurements. Problem is when you are on the line. My cam is 28,28.5, and 29 inch DL with corresponding mods. What if you are a 29.25? Which cam to you buy? Well, either will do but I would suggest going up a cam and backing out the cables a wee bit. Yes, you will loose a few lbs maybe, but you will still be fine. Other way around you can tighten cables or loosen the string. You can also longstring a Prevail which lowers holding weight and lengthens DL (but thats a whole different story).
I will be back to express more opinions in the future. Thank you
