# Hoyt Carbon 550 or ZR330 Limbs



## andyman1970 (Apr 2, 2008)

These limbs have been out for a few weeks now. I'm curious if anyone has had a chance to try them out and offer any opinions. I am in the market for a new set of limbs and these are under consideration. Thanks.


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## andyman1970 (Apr 2, 2008)

TTT - has anyone tried these yet?


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## andyman1970 (Apr 2, 2008)

Wow! 200+ views and no opinions! How unusual for this forum.... :wink:


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Take this with a grain of salt, as I am not a fan of Hoyt's limbs, but I think you could do better.

What exactly are you looking for in a limb? Draw length? Budget?

Guess I'd point you toward a Samick Universal carbon in that price range. Better limb. Or the Athlete carbon/foam if you want a foam core. Still same price range. Or you could go with the KAP (W&W) Windstorm glass or carbon limbs in that price range too. All good options. Guess I'd pick the Samick Universal carbon if it were me.

John.


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## SBills (Jan 14, 2004)

I am picking up a set of 550's for my wife as a Christmas present on Monday. Since I am her bow tech I'll likely be able to give you a little shooter feedback once I set it up after Christmas.

I had a set of older Hoyt carbon wood limbs I thought were really nice. I'm sure these will be as good if not better.


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## andyman1970 (Apr 2, 2008)

All good initial feedback - I realize this is a very new product, but I'm also a tad anxious to get a new set of limbs.


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## SBills (Jan 14, 2004)

I'd only add to this that it seems like the only Hoyt limbs that have come under question is their latest foam carbon limbs in recent years. I don't think I have ever read negative info on their wood glass or wood carbon limbs and I would doubt many companies have made more wood carbon limbs than Hoyt.


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## andyman1970 (Apr 2, 2008)

limbwalker said:


> Take this with a grain of salt, as I am not a fan of Hoyt's limbs, but I think you could do better.
> 
> What exactly are you looking for in a limb? Draw length? Budget?


A very fair question - I'm looking for a Medium 68" intermediate limb pair at 28# at a price at or under $300. Something I can practice my form with and that can last several years - I'm fairly new to recurve so lower weight is also desired.

Looks like the Samick recommendations start at 30# - guess I'll need to look at the KAP Winstorms.


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## zal (May 1, 2007)

Winacts, or PSE pro elites.

With Hoyt you pay a lot from the badge.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

> I'm looking for a Medium 68" intermediate limb pair at 28# at a price at or under $300. Something I can practice my form with and that can last several years


What distances are you planning to shoot?

John.


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## andyman1970 (Apr 2, 2008)

With that poundage, the range will probably vary between 20 yards and 60 yards.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Andyman, for what you're trying to do, and at those distances, you really don't need a carbon limb. 

In fact, 80% of the archers shooting carbon limbs wouldn't know it if I switched their limbs to wood/glass or foam/glass without their knowlege. 

1300's were achieved before carbon limbs IIRC. I was shooting 260+ scores at 90 meters with wood/glass limbs on a 25 year old Hoyt TD-2 with a dacron string before I got my first carbon limbs. 

Of course, if you just WANT carbon limbs, then hey, it's your money. They will hold their resale value better because everyone thinks they need carbon in their limbs...

But I think you might be surprised at how well a good quality glass limb will shoot for you.

John.


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## Borderbows (Apr 4, 2009)

Limbwalker...
You have to question how much carbon is used for draw weight.

For example our premier Carbons in years gone by were glass powered, carbon supported. The carbon would have generated some 2-3lbs of draw force... Nothing really.

The term carbon is used to lift value, but how much is it used is debatable.

Take some well known top limbs, they were black glass, with 2 thin layers of carbon creating very little cross sectional area. therefor little draw weight

I'll explain.


The belly side of the limb is under compression, the tension is created on the back side of the limb. this is how compostis work on a limb, Now the closer to the middle of the limb the less effect it has hance thin limbs are less lbs.. One leading top limb, had one layer under the back side (good use) and the black line of carbon close to centre between the green and white. The nutral axis does nothing for comression or tension so it just adds mass to the limb as the composit has more mass then the core.

A limb works by cross sectional area of a beam structure. so if the glass is at the outer edges of the beam then they will be more dominant, while the small cross setional area will give less lbs.


So it does add this element of confusion as to what carbon does for you as an archer. And while the term carbon is banded about with joy, and little is known about how and where its used, then there is no wonder knowone would spot a difference. most carbon limbs are mostly glass powered.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Sid, great explanation.



> The term carbon is used to lift value, but how much is it used is debatable.


Again, most archers race toward carbon limbs without even knowing why. And for better or worse, they do hold their resale value for this reason. Archers who don't know better may think they are undergunned with "mere" wood/glass limbs, but that is pretty silly for most of the shooting we do. Especially indoors.

IIRC, I was getting somewhere in the neighborhood of 220 fps. out of a very old TD-2 shooting ACC's with light point weight. I think I was drawing 50# to 32.5" though. Regardless, they shot just fine at 90 meters. 

One of the things about this sport that really frustrates me (not accusing you of this Andy, but I see it all the time) is the race toward very expensive equipment. I see young archers with poor instruction and even adult archers with NO instruction routinely spending more than $1K for a single bow and arrows because they have been led to believe that without it, they won't be competitive. Or they prefer to believe that. Take your pick.

I would never make it in the archery industry. I'd be a crappy salesman because I'd constantly be trying to convince the buyer that they don't need to spend so much money to get what they need. I believe that runs counter to today's marketing hype... 

John.


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## andyman1970 (Apr 2, 2008)

No offense taken whatsoever. I am admittedly new to archery and full of questions. I also don't feel compelled to spend large sums of money hoping I "all of a sudden shoot much better". 

I'm really tempted to invest in either the Samick Athletes or the KAP Winstorms, unless someone can give some direction otherwise.


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## SBills (Jan 14, 2004)

Pics of the 550's on my wife's Nexus. They mounted easy and straight and seem very smooth. You'll have to wait a few days to finish out the Christmas parties before I can tell you how they feel/shoot.


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## andyman1970 (Apr 2, 2008)

^^
Lookin' good! Let us know how they shoot.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Interesting weight in that riser Scott. Sneaky... 

John.


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## SBills (Jan 14, 2004)

limbwalker said:


> Interesting weight in that riser Scott. Sneaky...
> 
> John.


Good eyes John. :shade:


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## zal (May 1, 2007)

Only thing I've heard from those limbs is that they feel like winacts, and the speed seems to be about same too. So should be ok.


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## jmvargas (Oct 21, 2004)

FWIW winacts have won olympic medals....i believe it's also the longest running limbs in the win & win line....pse pro-elites are also rebranded winacts....

if the 550s are as good as the winacts, they're pretty good...


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## SBills (Jan 14, 2004)

OK we finally got a chance to go to the range last night and shoot some. I shot the bow some and then she warmed up and shot a 300 FITA indoor round. 

First the subjective stuff. The limbs feel really smooth. Little recoil at the shot and very quiet. She said they felt "nice". 

The less subjective stuff. She has not shot an arrow in 6 months and proceeded to shoot a PB 253 barebow last night in her first 30 scored arrows.

The limbs definitely were not hurting her. I might be in trouble on our league this year. :mg:


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## Rick Harrelson (Aug 2, 2008)

I am curious which limbs were purchased. I too am looking for a new set of limbs. I can understand the point about the resale value, however, I may be pursuaded to purchase a set of glass/wood limbs. 

Rick Harrelson


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## andyman1970 (Apr 2, 2008)

I purchased a set of gently used Hoyt Carbon 300s from a fellow AT'er.


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## dzemomona12 (Jun 16, 2011)

andyman1970 said:


> I purchased a set of gently used Hoyt Carbon 300s from a fellow AT'er.


Do you know for any good online shop? Thanks.


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