Crossbow Review: Excalibur Hybrid X

Fundamentally, Excalibur Crossbow hasn’t budged for 42 years — until now, but we’ll get to that momentarily. Hunters and the hunting industry have always known Excalibur as the premium crafter of simple, effective recurve crossbows. Of course, over the years, limbs have narrowed, velocities have boosted, accuracy has increased, and cranks have become integrated. But, the basic platform has always been similar, keeping in touch with the brand’s motto, “Different for a Reason.” While other crossbow brands have chased radical designs and unfathomable velocities, Excalibur has stuck it out in the recurve lane.

That has all changed. Well, not really. Excalibur still has a robust selection of tried-and-true recurve crossbows and will continue to do great things in that category. But something new has been baking in the Excalibur oven, and now the secret is out. For the first time ever, I present to you — in a million years, I never thought I’d be writing this — an Excalibur crossbow with cams.

Test Crossbow Specs

• Make/Model: Excalibur Hybrid X
• Finish: Mossy Oak Country DNA
• Mass Weight: 8.3 pounds (without accessories); 10.3 pounds (with accessories)   
• Overall Width: 18.5 inches (uncocked); 10.8 inches (cocked)
• Overall Length: 29.6 inches
• Draw Effort: 14 pounds (with integrated crank)
• Power Stroke: 11.5 inches
• Bolt Length and Weight: 18 inches; 449.5 grains with 150-grain tip or 399.5 grains with 100-grain tip (measured with Last Chance Archery Pro Grain Scale)
• Manufacturer Listed Velocity: Up to 435 fps
• Test Velocity: 415 fps with 449.5-grain arrow; 435 with 399.5-grain arrow (found with Caldwell Ballistic Precision chronograph)
• Manufacturer Listed Trigger Pull: 3 pounds
• Cocking Device: ChargerX Integrated Crank
• Scope: OverWatch
• MSRP: $2,199
• Contact: excaliburcrossbow.com 

The Hybrid X

Because Excalibur has always stayed true to its recurve roots, I’m not surprised that its first compound crossbow is unlike anything else on the market and has recurve undertones. Excalibur’s brand manager, Todd Snader, said, “At Excalibur, we don’t compromise. We build the world’s toughest, most reliable crossbows. The Hybrid X is proof of that commitment. This is how we do compound crossbows — with brute reliability, bulletproof strength, and unshakable confidence in the field.”

Appearance-wise, some will say that the reverse-draw design isn’t new. Correct — other manufacturers have beaten Excalibur to that punch. However, the Hybrid X is completely different from other reverse-draw crossbows because the concentric InnerDrive cams attach to the riser, not the limbs. This allows the bow to maintain a recurve limb design but with the addition of cams. That might not seem like a big deal, but wait, there’s more … a lot more. 

Performance Reimagined

If you’re familiar with Excalibur, you’re probably asking, “But why?” Well, this crossbreed checks several boxes. First of all, recurve crossbows are a very niche category. Many hunters love the idea of simplicity, but when they see the wild velocities of today’s radical compound crossbows, many can’t help but gravitate in that direction. The Hybrid X is rigged with cams, so it is positioned to compete with other compound crossbows, but it boasts the DIY serviceability that Excalibur crossbows are known for. Hunters can unstring the Hybrid X and replace the strings and cables in the field or at home.

Next, Excalibur sought to deliver its narrowest crossbow yet, and this unique design accomplished that. Even though Excalibur’s crossbows have become narrower over the years, they’re still considerably wider than the ultra-compact compound designs. The Hybrid X’s cocked width is only 10.8 inches, making it the tightest Excalibur to date and a great option for those who love Excalibur simplicity but demand a more compact profile.

Earlier, I mentioned that the Hybrid X’s InnerDrive Cam System is mounted to the riser rather than the limbs. The cams are parked and rotate in place, where traditional limb-mounted cams rotate and also move with the limbs as they spring during the shot. Fewer movements mean there is less that can go wrong. And the connection point where the cams attach to the riser on an axle is a fortress. Additionally, the limbs protect the cams due to their positioning. When a user accidentally drops the crossbow, the cams won’t likely be susceptible to damage.  

Next, the InnerDrive Cam System operates much like Bowtech’s Binary Cams (Bowtech is owned by the same parent company as Excalibur, which is Pure Archery Group). They are essentially self-equalizing, which mitigates the need for synchronization tuning. When you install a new string and/or cables, simply draw the crossbow and the cams will balance out.    

Excalibur launched its Bulldog many years ago, and at 440 fps, it was the fastest recurve crossbow, but the speed was the product of firing a lightweight 350-grain bolt. The Hybrid X’s reverse-draw compound design pushes the velocity envelope. With a 450-grain bolt, it shoots 415 fps, and with a 400-grain bolt, it shoots 435 fps. In other words, the Hybrid X yields considerably more kinetic energy than the Bulldog 440 due to the heavier bolt. If you read between the lines, I’m saying that it’s Excalibur’s most punishing crossbow to date, and that’s pretty exciting.

The riser is extremely strong with a shoot-through bridge design. This keeps in step with the durability and dependability that Excalibur has long been acclaimed for, and if the crossbow is dropped upside down, the riser will hit first, not the cams. The Hybrid X’s limb-pocket system has tight tolerances, solidly contains the limbs, and is a bridged, shoot-through design. 

While we’re discussing durability, the HO (High Output) Extreme Recurve Compound Limbs are new and engineered specifically for the Hybrid X. They are beefed up and ready for the most grueling hunting environments. Some crossbows with high velocities and narrow limb widths have some durability issues, but the HO Extreme limbs are next-level durable.

Handling and Shooting  

Most compound crossbows have a lot of weight forward, and carrying them afield can be cumbersome. The Hybrid X’s center of balance is just in front of the trigger, which makes it easier to carry and maneuver. The limbs are also positioned relatively even with the rail, whereas many other compound crossbows have limbs positioned higher than the rail, which makes the crossbow laterally tippy. That isn’t an issue with this one. It will also be easier to shoot off-hand after having it shouldered for a minute or more while waiting for a buck or bull to step out and present a shot opportunity. It handles and shoots awesome with superior balance.

The ChargerX Integrated Crank? Well, it’s practically seamless. When not in use, the cocking lever stows conveniently on the bottom of the stock near the butt pad. Ready to cock it? Simply unclip the lever, slide it into the crank mechanism, and then unwind the crank to slide the entire firing mechanism forward until it latches onto the bowstring. Then, enjoy easy cocking with merely 14 pounds of user effort. If you need to pause the cranking process to swat a mosquito, simply let go of the handle, and the crank will not spin out of control. The crank also operates silently, and it allows you to quickly and quietly unwind the crossbow following an unsuccessful hunt. It’s also positioned farther forward so you can hold the back of the stock for leverage with one hand while cranking with the other and not pinch your hand, thumb, or fingers. Great crank.

Loading the V-Flight Pro 18-inch bolts is simple, and the odd vane is noted as the one to position down into the rail’s groove. If someone improperly loads a bolt, the crossbow won’t fire. CeaseFire Technology inhibits the crossbow from firing, even when the safety is off, if a bolt is not loaded or one is improperly loaded.

While shooting the Hybrid X, my sole complaint is it is fairly loud. I found the percussive pop too much for my ears, so I wore foam ear plugs. I’ve done this with several other crossbows, one from Excalibur as well as some from other brands. As you probably know, there are silencing options, which could reduce the noise plus yield an add-on sale. 

The accuracy makes up for the noise. It took only a few shots to get dialed at 20 yards. From there, I set the scope magnification to correspond with the 415 fps reading that my Caldwell chronograph produced when I shot the 450-grain bolt through it. Next, I stepped back to 30 and then 50 yards. The immediate groupings I achieved were stunning. I eventually moved back to 80 yards and found that, in the right hands and with a solid rest, the Hybrid X is about as accurate as any crossbow I’ve tested.

Other things that elevate the shooting experience are the pistol grip, which is rubberized to bolster comfort and control. It makes settling in and squeezing the trigger a piece of cake. I wouldn’t change a thing. By the way, the Hybrid X features the same two-stage rifle-like trigger as other models and breaks cleanly with approximately 3 pounds of pressure.

The Kit

The Hybrid X MSRPs for $2,199, and that price tag comes with all of the goodness that we’ve discussed so far, plus a premium accessory kit. I already noted the sweet cranking system. Next is the OverWatch scope, which is rigged with aiming circles from 20-100 yards, red and green illumination, and 30mm mounting rings. The Rebolt Quiver is perhaps the solidest crossbow quiver I’ve seen, and it is modeled by TightSpot Quiver, another brand under the Pure Archery Group umbrella. Four V-Flight Pro 18-inch bolts boast a +/- .001-inch straightness tolerance and are ultra-durable. For field points, you get four that are 100 grains and four that are 150 grains. Excalibur suggests the heavier ones for the optimal downrange accuracy and penetration, but folks who crave more speed and are hunting deer-sized game and smaller have the option to push the velocity needle without compromising penetration.

History Made

I never thought the day would come when Excalibur launched a crossbow with cams, but now it has, and not just a me-too of some of the market’s other compound crossbows. This one is very different and helped the brand to compete in the compound category without swerving completely out of the lines it has always stayed within. Plus, this crossbreed was the catalyst that helped Excalibur achieve its highest power and its narrowest design ever. History has been made at Excalibur, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this fortress of a brand.

Check out the new Hybrid X at an Excalibur Crossbow dealer near you. I think you’ll be tremendously impressed.

Photos by Becca McDougal