[dnv23]

A little back story...

The first time I shot the Elite Ritual back in JAN 2018 at the ATA show I was really impressed and ended up ordering one 2 days later before we left the ATA. I had never owned an Elite bow before and had never really liked their bows all that much. It wasn't because of they way they shot, I just never really gave them a chance.

It didn't take me long at all to get used to the Ritual as it had the exact specs I am used to, a nice draw cycle and the grip is still my favorite of all time. It was just one of those bows that fits me like a glove and I had maybe my best year ever in the woods that year.

In 2019 I sold it because I thought I would like the Ritual 35 better. It was a little smoother to draw and felt very similar in every erea. Well, I never clicked with the R35 like I did with the original 33" Ritual.

Fast forward to this year and I bought my first Hoyt in the Axius Ultra, fully expecting to hunt with it this fall. The Axius Ultra is a great shooting bow but it was a little heavier than I like with my accessories and I wasn't that comfortable shooting it with my thumb trigger that I use for hunting. The Hoyt is now my 3D/Target bow and I shoot it better than any bow I've had when using my hinge.

I like a cable stop and hinge release for target archery but for hunting I prefer limb stops and a thumb trigger release. The Ritual is my favorite limb stop bow ever made so I decided to look for one in the classifieds. First time I looked there was a black Ritual in my specs for a great price so I jumped on it. I replaced the strings, put brand new cams on it and re-shimmed the cams to fit my form. It turned out great, I had bareshafts and broadheads flying perfectly in no time.

The Ritual is everything I remembered and then some. Here are a few pics from when I got the bow to the finished product and some broadhead and fieldpoint groups.

 

[Discipline12 $]

It is a nice feeling when you know you just “click” with a bow.
We all have different hands and bodies and form, so everyone is different with there all time favorite bow.
The search for “that” bow is fun.
That bow for me is the bowtech reckoning.
Before that it was the xpedition Denali and Mathews chill x.

With that being said I would really like to try a ritual. Came close to buying one a couple different times just to try but I’ve been through a ton of bows in the last few years and I just don’t see myself shooting anything better than the reckoning.

 

[Benjamin59]

Great looking setup!!! But your rest and sight are on the wrong side just a FYI lolol

 

[azscorpion]

The best shooter I ever had was the original Ritual 33....should have never sold it. I am a 30 inch draw and the newest 33 back wall did not seem as solid so I ended up selling it.

Elite, Athens, Obsession are all GREAT underrated bow brands.

 

[Alaska at heart]

While some on AT contend that they can shoot any bow equally well, I too find that certain bows just "fit" and point naturally. My favorites have been the Obsessions Phoenix XL's.....the grip and geometry just help me hold on target better than anything else. Last year I tried out an Xpedition Perfexion which on paper is the same bow as the Phoenix XL....but faster with a stiffer draw cycle. After owning a really nice Perfexion for about 6 months, I sold it this winter because it just didn't shoot the same. I came across a really nice PSE Evoke 35SE in February 20 that once again had all the right specs. Been shooting it for 6 months and just am not as consistent as I am with the Phoenix XL's. So it was listed in the AT classifieds yesterday afternoon.....not a thing wrong with it and tuned to BS great.....but not for me.

I would like to test shooting a Ritual 35 and see how it feels....a friend has one and really likes his as well.

 

[Commfishmtk]

I went through a ton of bows over the past year from pretty much every manufacturer except Hoyt I have finally clicked with the new evo nxt 33. Bow just shoots and holds great for me. I finally feel perfectly confident in my equipment. Now if I can just find a 60lb to go with my 70 I will be set!

 

[BucksnBass525]

Hey Doug I know what you mean, the R33 is one sweet shooter. Like you I think the grip may still be the best in the business.
Buddy just bought one new in the box for $500, absolutely loves it. Probably the best deal on AT right now is the Rituals.

Congrats.

 

[Dbolick]

elite ritual for the win!! i have a 35 and love it love it love it. solid bow

 

[Perry24]

I didn't get along with the R35, but loved the grip. I keep looking for a Vias R33 with 60# limbs, but no one is selling one.

 

[dnv23]

Hey Doug I know what you mean, the R33 is one sweet shooter. Like you I think the grip may still be the best in the business.
Buddy just bought one new in the box for $500, absolutely loves it. Probably the best deal on AT right now is the Rituals.

Congrats.

Thanks buddy, I agree, I got mine for a great price.

Very anxious to get in the woods this fall. I've got a lot of confidence in this bow.

 

[dnv23]

I didn't get along with the R35, but loved the grip. I keep looking for a Vias R33 with 60# limbs, but no one is selling one.

The R33 has a little different feel than the R35. It stacks at the end of the draw cycle a little more than the R35 but not bad and it still transitions into the valley pretty smooth.

My R33s have had a little less valley with the stops maxed out than my R35 did. I feel like the R33 doesn't allow you to get as lazy at full draw like the R35 did. I don't know if it's the extra brace height or the geometry of the R33 but I do know I shoot it better than the R35 I had.

Good luck finding one in Vias, that's probably the least popular camo option they sold. It does look great in that pattern though.

 

[Perry24]

The R33 has a little different feel than the R35. It stacks at the end of the draw cycle a little more than the R35 but not bad and it still transitions into the valley pretty smooth.

My R33s have had a little less valley with the stops maxed out than my R35 did. I feel like the R33 doesn't allow you to get as lazy at full draw like the R35 did. I don't know if it's the extra brace height or the geometry of the R33 but I do know I shoot it better than the R35 I had.

Good luck finding one in Vias, that's probably the least popular camo option they sold. It does look great in that pattern though.

Thanks. There's an R35 in Vias for sale here, but with 70# limbs. I need to get down to 55#.

 

[hoyt_hunter17]

I didn't get along with the R35, but loved the grip. I keep looking for a Vias R33 with 60# limbs, but no one is selling one.

Hey man I think I saw a couple new ones on Ebay for like $589.

 

[kyogie]

Great build! I'm in the market for a new bow (used to shoot a Bear Arena), definetly need to look at Ritual now....

 

[dnv23]

Great build! I'm in the market for a new bow (used to shoot a Bear Arena), definetly need to look at Ritual now....

I think the Ritual would be a good upgrade from the Bear Arena. The Bear isn't a bad bow and I'm sure it shoots a good arrow but the Ritual is a much nicer bow to shoot imo.

The Ritual gets good speed and is very efficient with heavier arrows. Great grip, nice draw cycle and forgiving specs for a hunting bow these days.