# Hoyt Dorado , good bad and ugly



## JRT51 (Dec 17, 2018)

I have run across a never shot Dorado with two sets of Hoyt Tradtional limbs and all the other goodies that come with it(carry bag , stringer ,etc.) that has piqued my curiosity enough to do some more searching for details. I know ILF limbs can be adapted to it and that there is no tiller or weight adjustment on that riser but , are those elements anything a backyard archer who doesn't hunt and probably only shoots some club shoots and 3D events will ever really have any use for?

Knowing they are no longer in production what is set of limbs and riser like that worth?


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## Jim Casto Jr (Aug 20, 2002)

The Hoyt Dorado riser is a great riser. I hunted with one for several years, had if Warfed so I could use ILF limbs, then moved on the Satori. Unfortunately, the Satori literallly destroyed the value of the Dorado, Buffalo and Tiburon.

If I had to guess, I'd say the riser is probably worth, $200. and the limbs $140 each set... maybe. YMMV of course.


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## JRT51 (Dec 17, 2018)

I understand and therein lies the rub,,,,justifying the cost of a Satori set-up with future value vs a good deal on a Dorado that I most likely will enjoy using but never get anything back for down the line. Not exactly the best criteria to base a purchase on but competing hobbies can make one's wallet thin.:wink:


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## penumbra (Aug 23, 2016)

I much prefer the Dorado to the Satori. I have 2 Dorados and I tried the Satori at Lancaster but could not bring myself to buy it.


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## JRT51 (Dec 17, 2018)

penumbra said:


> I much prefer the Dorado to the Satori. I have 2 Dorados and I tried the Satori at Lancaster but could not bring myself to buy it.


This bow has short limbs and I draw 28.5 , do they stack badly?


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## marcelxl (Dec 5, 2010)

JRT51 said:


> This bow has short limbs and I draw 28.5 , do they stack badly?


They do, right around 28"

I had one for a few years, I loved it right up until I shot something with long limbs and I could never draw it again and off it went.

Nothing wrong with it, superb riser and decent limbs it's just not nice for a long draw.

Lots of accounts of them ILF converted which seems to be the way to go to get over that.


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## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

marcelxl said:


> They do, right around 28"
> 
> I had one for a few years, I loved it right up until I shot something with long limbs and I could never draw it again and off it went.
> 
> ...


Ok... I'm not knowledgeable about bows much, but I do own a Dorado. I have a 31" draw. It probably stacks, I don't know... most every bow I've owned has broken except for the takedowns I've owned... they've all seemed to survive... maybe the Dorado won't in the longrun either, but it moves 700 grain arrows at close to 175 fps at the top of the scale, 160 or 162... at the bottom... arrows ranging all ovr weight wise... they just shoot straight out of this bow. I won't say I "love" my Dorado, but she's like a wife to me... other than bringing me a beer.

for me, it is a quiet bow, quick bow, and fairly smooth... but nothing like a hybrid longbow for sweet... maybe longer limbs I don't know... I don't remember what I paid for it, but I'm happy that I did... which is all I ask of any purchase.

Much Aloha,


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## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

JRT51 said:


> This bow has short limbs and I draw 28.5, do they stack badly?


Ok... Now I know where this question came from... and to answer your question, I can't... I'm not even sure I know what stack is, really... but the bow elsewise should prove to be advantages to you. A metal riser is heavier than wood, but it is a compact bow and I can see how it would suit one of a shorter draw length than I.

Aloha..


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## Brad Lehmann (Sep 4, 2010)

Jim hit the value pretty close. My personal preference is the Buffalo over the Dorado, but for your use, the Dorado should work fine. I don't think the stacking will matter if your draw is truly 28 1/2". You will feel it at full draw, but that can be a good thing.


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## Arrowbender (Nov 7, 2018)

The Hoyt Dorado was my first bow, and made me fall in love with archery. Personally I wouldn't care about resale value as I'd never consider selling it. As Marcelxl said above, superb riser, decent limbs.

Good things: light, zippy, and just plain fun to shoot. My other two recurves (including a much longer ILF one) gather dust by comparison.

Bad things: some people don't like short bows (especially serious target archers) due to perceived stacking, finger pinch, or lack of stability, it's not ILF without conversion, some people don't like light bows (especially serious barebow archers) as they feel heavier bows hold better on target.

Re stacking- you can see it's very subjective based on the previous answers being so different. The standard Hoyt bolt down limbs for the Dorado (confusingly labelled "short" and "extra short") make you a 60 or 58 inch Dorado depending on which are used.

For what it's worth, at 45 lbs and 28 inch draw length, neither type stacks for me. I can't imagine 28.5 being much different. I wouldn't use the shortest version at long draw lengths, though, I can't imagine that being pleasant. Of course, it's not the same feeling as shooting a 70 inch recurve, though.

By comparison, putting those same limbs on the longer and stiffer Gamemaster 2 handle makes for a longer bow but actually stacks more for me.

Also, this is stupid but, take a look at the grip and make sure you like it or not. Near the end Hoyt was shipping the GM2 and maybe the Dorado as well with the lower, flatter grip they were using on their hunting compounds at the time. Decent on a compound but I don't like them at all on a recurve personally, way too low-wrist for me. These are a kind of greyish black in colour. The older, rounder, higher ones that I liked better were usually brown if I'm not mistaken.


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## JRT51 (Dec 17, 2018)

All of those things are now going to be a matter of experience since the price was too good to pass up. Had time last night to get off a few shots with the 35# limbs and felt no stacking although being used to a 62" , I could notice the finger pinch with my fat fingers but it's nothing to worry about. Grip is quite a change from the Predator. I'll get my chrony back from a friend today and do some testing on both the 35# and 50# limbs today. I made an adjustable side plate out of a 8x24 screw and some felt like someone else had posted (Castro?) and that appears to be working well. It's definitely very light and if I can do a swap for the limbs in the future for some 40/45# limbs it could be the beginning of a love affair:wink:

Thanks for all your responses


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## Daniel L (Nov 23, 2013)

I bought a Dorado and a GameMaster 2 when I first started - they are good bows and perfectly serviceable. The Dorado is a nice light shooter - and I would suggest buying the riser bare and sticking on some medium or long ILF Blackmax limbs in a 25-30# weight. Usually most folks sell Dorados with short 50# limbs and that's WAY too much to start with. 

As mentioned above, the market for Dorados has kinda died with the Satori on the upper end, and the $200 Chinese ILF risers on the low end.

I still enjoy shooting my GM2 (sold the Dorado, and got a Titan III for a 19" riser) - they're fun and bolt down simple.


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