Hoyt Spyder Turbo Review

Hoyt unveiled three models in their 2013 Spyder line: the Spyder 30, Spyder 34 and Spyder Turbo. I shot all three of them extensively this spring. We reviewed the Spyder 30 back in December, and even killed a few turkeys with it. The Spyder 34 is virtually identical to the 30 in performance, but longer and heavier. That extra bulk adds a bit of stability at long range, but it does nothing to increase the performance, and, in my opinion, certainly isn't worth losing the Spyder 30's handiness in the woods.

Instead, if I was shopping among these three bows and wanted to go with a longer, heavier bow, the Spyder Turbo would unquestionably be my pick.

The Turbo shares the 34-inch axle-to-axle length of the Spyder 34, and the same outward appearance of both other Spyder models. It's decked out in Realtree Xtra and uses Hoyt's RKT cams, a heck of a good cam that's a carryover from 2012. On paper, the only difference between the Turbo and 34 is the brace height, which is 6 inches on the Turbo; 6 ¾ on the 34. That little bit makes a big difference in speed (10 fps, according to factory specs) and a moderate difference in the draw cycle.

Bow geeks know the signature Hoyt draw cycle is fluid and smooth, but the back wall is often soft. While both the Spyder 30 and 34 retain that fluid stroke that ends with a soft back wall, the Turbo feels more like a speed bow, with stout initial loading that breaks over into a moderate valley. The back wall isn't rock-solid, but more solid than either the 30 or 34.

The Turbo I tested, set at 60 pounds with a 28-inch draw length, shoots a 357-grain finished arrow at 299 feet per second through a Whisker Biscuit rest. It easily breaks 300 when the rest is swapped for a drop-away.

For a fast performance bow, one I'd gladly take to the 3D range and woods alike, the Spyder Turbo is the best of the Spyder line. Compared to the 2012 Vector Turbo, the Spyder Turbo is an inch shorter with a fairly substantial cosmetic overhaul. The laminated wooden grip is a huge improvement (I removed the rubber grip on the Vector Turbo; wouldn't do that with the Spyder), and it has AirShox, the signature vibration dampeners of the Spyder line.

I'm still of the opinion that the Spyder 30 is the most innovative of Hoyt's 2013 lineup, at least for dedicated whitetail hunters. Carrying it to the turkey woods did, in fact, open my eyes to the usefulness of an extremely compact bow in the woods. But, if you are a performance freak, the Turbo is a top choice. And if you just like a longer, heavier bow, there's no reason at all to get the Spyder 34 over the Turbo . That small change in brace height gives a significant speed bump, without any tradeoff in shootability.

MSRP on the Turbo is $999. Learn more about it here.