In most contexts, forty-two years is a considerable amount of time to accomplish anything. That’s how long Excalibur Crossbow has been building recurve crossbows. It has remained in that lane, weathering the tests of time and competition, and earned a considerable following over the last four decades. Some hunters who demand simple, problem-free equipment are so loyal to Excalibur that they won’t even touch another crossbow.
That said, Excalibur recently ventured into uncharted territory, which will probably blindside you as it did me. I mean, did you ever think the words “cams” and “Excalibur” would land in the same sentence? I sure didn’t. Now, if you love Excalibur crossbows for their simplicity and dependability, don’t get your undies in a bundle just yet; Excalibur still makes, and will continue making, premium recurve crossbows. But suppose you’re the type who embraces change. In that case, you’ll want to learn more about the new industry-changing Hybrid X. This hybrid crossbow platform is, by all standards, one of a kind, blending Excalibur’s storied recurve simplicity and dependability with the peak performance only a compound can offer. In other words, it delivers the best of both worlds.
If you like the tune I’m singing, follow me as I review the crossbow that has made history and paved a new path at Excalibur. I think you’ll like what I have to say.
First Impressions
Suppose you stand back and look at the big picture of high-end crossbows. In that case, you’ll probably notice that most manufacturers are pushing the velocity needle as high as possible while diminishing mass weight, width, and overall length. Crossbows have never been more compact, nor have they ever been faster and more powerful than they are today.
While the Hybrid X targets those same attributes, Excalibur plays by its own rules to achieve its fastest and narrowest crossbow yet. How so? Well, it features a platform unlike anything else on the market. Here’s what sets it apart.
For starters, it leverages the longer power stroke of a reverse limb design. Other reverse-limb crossbows exist, but Excalibur is the first to produce one with recurve limbs. On top of that, its cams are slaved to the riser, whereas the standard cam attachment on other crossbows is at the limb tips. Different? You’d better believe it. There are gobs of crossbows available on the market, but again, none that look or operate like the Hybrid X. If you’re looking for something different, you’ve found it.
Pricing and Where to Buy It
Technologically speaking, the Hybrid X is, by all means, a top-of-the-line crossbow designed to compete with the best crossbows available. That said, it comes in at a price point a tier or two below some of the market’s other top contenders, and in today’s day and age, the more hundred-dollar bills you can keep in your wallet, the better. Some competing models retail for up to and well beyond $3,000. At $2,199 MSRP, the Hybrid X outperforms its price tag by a significant margin. Some retailers are offering it for even less, as you’ll see below.
Trigger
As a previous archery retailer for 10 years and an equipment evaluator for the last 12 or so years, I’ve handled and tested dozens of crossbows. Crossbow triggers used to be heavy and rife with travel. But they’ve advanced substantially, and some now compare to fine rifle triggers. Like other recent Excalibur models, the Hybrid X features a premium two-stage rifle-like trigger. It fires the crossbow with only 3 pounds of pressure. This drastically improves long-range accuracy. All Excalibur models I’ve recently tested have proven remarkably accurate out to 80 yards, and the trigger is a big contributor to that.
Rail, Riser, Cams, and Limbs
From top to bottom, the Hybrid X exudes quality. The rail is crafted from machined aluminum and robust enough to withstand the abuse of hardcore hunting and repeated use. Specifically designed for the Hybrid X, the super-sized HO (High Output) recurve limbs are also designed with rugged dependability in mind and drive durability to the next level. Unlike other compound crossbows, Excalibur positioned the InnerDrive Cams on the riser rather than the limb tips. This is how engineers accomplished a recurve/compound crossbreed.
With the InnerDrive Cams being slaved to the riser, their only movement during the shot is their rotation on the axle. Conventional compound crossbows with cams mounted to the limbs make the cams subject to a lot more movement because they move with the limbs during the shot. I’m a big proponent of less movement of a weapon and its components; fewer moving parts equals fewer problems, right? The positioning of the cams also keeps them protected, should the crossbow be accidentally dropped. The ultra-durable bridged riser is likely to make initial contact with the ground. It’s a fantastic design that makes perfect sense from both engineering and performance standpoints. And while it features cams, the Hybrid X is serviceable in the field or at home just like Excalibur’s straight recurve models.
Operationally, the Hybrid X’s InnerDrive Cams are similar to Bowtech Archery’s Binary Cams in that they self-equalize. In other words, they synchronize without any special tuning. Even after replacing a bowstring or cables, all you have to do to synchronize the cams is cock the crossbow and let the cams self-equalize as they were designed to. The combination of the reverse limbs and the InnerDrive Cams yields Excalibur’s fastest crossbow ever. (Note: One previous model had a higher advertised velocity, but that was achieved with a 350-grain bolt rather than a 400-grain bolt as with the Hybrid X’s advertised velocity.)
Nock
The Hybrid X is compatible with V-Flight Pro 18-inch bolts, which feature a grooved metal nock that makes loading easy and safe. The white or odd-colored vane must be positioned down in the rail track for the nock to capture the bowstring, and if the user loads it any other way, CeaseFire Technology inhibits the crossbow from firing. The nock is a user-friendly design that enhances accuracy and safety.
The Kit
The Hybrid X comes rigged with the OverWatch scope. Its reticle has aiming circles for shooting from 20 to 100 yards in 10-yard increments. The magnification is adjustable but must be set and left in a position to match the crossbow’s velocity. If you adjust it in or out, then every aiming circle beneath the 20-yard one will not correspond with your bolt’s impact. So set it and forget it. The OverWatch scope also offers red and green illumination, which is ideal for shooting in dim lighting, common from the New York timber that whitetails call home to the dense rainforests that Roosevelt elk roam along the Pacific coast. I found the windage and elevation adjustments accurate and easy to make. I sighted in the Hybrid X at 20 yards within four shots. The scope made the process a piece of cake.
In addition to the scope, the package includes the ChargerX Integrated Crank (more on that momentarily) and the Rebolt Quiver, which is one of the nicest crossbow quivers I’ve ever tested. Four V-Flight Pro 18-inch bolts, designed for the Hybrid X and featuring impeccable tolerances, are also included. Finally, there are four 100-grain practice points and four 150-grain practice points.
Integrated Cocking and De-cocking
Excalibur’s Hybrid X features the ChargerX Integrated Crank, a streamlined, silent, and user-friendly crank that is easy to use. At the bottom of the stock, near the butt pad, is a convenient place to stow and secure the crank lever when not in use. When you’re ready to cock the crossbow, pull the lever from the stowed position, slide it into the cranking mechanism, and unwind the crank to slide the entire firing mechanism forward, latching it onto the bowstring. Now, begin cranking with only 14 pounds of effort. If you must stop cranking and let go of the cranking lever for any reason, the crank and lever will not unwind and pose a potential risk of injury. It simply holds the bowstring in the same position as when you ceased cranking.
De-cocking is as easy as cocking. Simply remove the bolt from the rail, rotate the cranking lever just a little bit forward in the cocking position, then push the thumb tab just behind the latching mechanism to release it while winding in the de-cocking position. Now, continue winding in the de-cocking position until the crossbow is fully de-cocked. Should you release the lever while de-cocking, the crank will maintain that position and will not spin out of control. It’s a highly safe, silent, user-friendly, and streamlined cranking system that leaves nothing to be desired.
Compared to competing crossbows with built-in cranks, I noticed that the Hybrid X’s ChargerX Integrated Crank is positioned farther forward on the stock so that you can secure the stock butt with your non-cranking hand without interfering with the crank lever.
Safety Features
I already noted that the ChargerX Integrated Crank is highly safe to use, but Excalibur doesn’t stop there. The firing mechanism’s safety switch is conveniently located, featuring a knob on either side, providing an ambidextrous design ideal for both right-handed and left-handed shooters. Next, loading the V-Flight Pro 18-inch bolts is simple, and the odd vane is noted as the one to be positioned down into the rail’s groove. If someone improperly loads a bolt or fails to load one, CeaseFire Technology inhibits the crossbow from firing, even when the safety is off, as I mentioned earlier. Finally, the fore-grip has wings on either side to keep the thumb and fingers well below the bowstring’s path of travel during the shot.
Stock
The Hybrid X’s ventilated stock is designed to minimize weight and maximize durability. It features a well-appointed rubberized cheekpiece for a positive cheek weld, enhancing comfort while aiming. The tactical rear pistol grip provides the user with greater control over the crossbow and features rubberized inlays to enhance hand traction. Similarly, the foregrip is also rubberized to deliver greater comfort and control in varied conditions. The stock, of course, houses the ChargerX Integrated Crank, and again, it features a small stowage compartment for the cocking lever when not in use. Lastly, the stock flaunts an attractive and durable Mossy Oak Country DNA finish.
Range Results
Handling the Hybrid X for the first time just before its launch, I first noticed how differently it balances than most crossbows. While most crossbows have the most weight concentrated toward the very front end, the Hybrid X’s balance point is near the middle of the crossbow. It’s not only easier to carry and maneuver, but it also aims more effortlessly than most of the crossbows I’ve tested. Excalibur’s engineers took it a step further by positioning the HO limbs virtually even with the rail. This eliminates the lateral balance issue most other crossbows have.
Before testing the Hybrid X for accuracy, I first verified its velocity. My chronograph clocked the V-Flight Pro bolt with a 100-grain point at 434 fps. That makes Excalibur’s advertised 435-fps velocity on point. Not all crossbows I’ve tested have produced actual velocities that compare with their advertised velocities, so that was a welcome revelation.
On the range, I shot the Hybrid X from 20-80 yards. I don’t shoot from a bench because I feel it’s too unrealistic for a hunting situation. My testing was conducted using a Primos TriggerStick Gen 3, which steadied my aim but wasn’t as stable as a bench rest. Even so, my 80-yard groups were well within a deer’s lung area on my Rinehart 3D targets. This crossbow is a natural performer.
The only thing that I found worth complaining about is the Hybrid X’s loud pop, which was too loud for my left eardrum, so I wore hearing protection. Some of the market’s most highly-rated crossbows aren’t any quieter, so I can’t say that the Hybrid X falls short of others. The noise wouldn’t influence my decision to buy or not buy the crossbow, but I would suggest installing some vibration- and sound-dampening products to reduce its noise.
Conclusions
The crossbow market is filled with many fundamentally similar compound models. Excalibur has long been in its own lane, producing crossbows that, from the standpoints of speed and compactness, don’t compete with the specs of the fastest and tightest compound crossbows, yet excel in simplicity, dependability, and DIY serviceability. The Hybrid X checks the same boxes as other Excalibur’s straight recurve models but achieves a higher velocity, a superior balance, and the most compact tip-to-tip width of any Excalibur model to date. Again, the hybrid design made this possible.
In a space with many similar models, standing out isn’t easy. But the Hybrid X does it. And not only does it stand out, but it checks all of the important boxes a hunter can ask of it. It’s surgically accurate, built with high-quality components, equipped with premium accessories, and balances like a dream. Suppose you’re in the market for a new crossbow to use this hunting season. In that case, I consider the Hybrid X. After 42 years of building recurve bows, the Hybrid X opens a new chapter in crossbows where high-performance compound technology intersects with simple, dependable recurve technology.
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