When I first used the Inno CXT, the thing that came to mind was “that’s how a bow should shoot!” Solid, light, perfectly balanced and easy to control. A few bows have been able to transcend generations and have remained relevant long after its release. The Inno CXT is one such bow. Once the best Win and Win offered, this classic is as awesome now as it was when it first came out.
The Inno CXT is a 25 inch Carbon ILF riser. Made of Royal Cross Carbon made popular by Win and Win. At the time of its release, the CXT was the pinnacle of recurve technology. It has all the standard ILF bow features and then some. It has standard tiller adjustments which use collet style expanding bolts. The bow uses big opposing set screws for limb alignment making it easy and convenient to line up. It has all 3 standard stabilizer mounts in front but none in the back. It also has mounts for a clicker and sights. It uses the standard Win and Win clicker extension present in most if not all of their recurve bows. The standout feature of the CXT is the customizable weight system below the grip. Combined with the bow’s light weight, this feature allows one to really dial in the weight and balance of the bow even before you add in stabilizers.
The Inno CXT is a thoroughbred Olympic Recurve bow. It is light(relatively speaking), allowing you to focus and extend the weights on the stabilizers. Despite its light weight, it feels solid and rigid with no give at all. Shots feel strong and fast without being aggressive. Properly tuned, the bow is very quiet and the vibrations, as with many carbon risers, are very muted. It feels very controlled to shoot. At the same time, it makes you feel you are in control. The mid height grip is very comfortable. Although it is lower than what I’d prefer, I do love how it’s shaped. It is rounded just right in a way that focuses the bow’s force right on your pressure point. It feels very nice. It’s a pleasant bow to shoot and because of how calm it feels, it can be a great platform for one to practice and perfect a more aggressive shot process. Because it doesn’t feel aggressive, it will force the archer to be aggressive. If that makes sense. This bow meets all expectations but doesn’t feel like it wants to break any of them by itself. It leaves that to the archer.
Low key yet recognizable design. The Inno CXT is one of the most recognizable bows of all time but somehow it does not stick out of all. It’s like the BMW M3. It’s not flashy. But boy can it drive! A car guy’s car. The Inno CXT is clean and sleek. Its simple design is not gonna turn heads but when you see someone using this bow, you know they are serious about archery.
The Inno CXT is awesome. Even today, years after its launch, it can easily go toe to toe with the latest and greatest bows. And like all bows, even the newest ones, it is not perfect. The bow feels like it was specifically designed to transfer all the energy of your pushing the bow on to the riser, out to the limbs, string then to the arrow but nothing more. It doesn’t add any character to the shot. Some bows feel like they want to be shot. Like they want to fly towards the target. The Inno is perfectly happy to let you do the work. It is in no way a “meh” bow. But it won’t blow anyone’s mind either. In a way, it feels like the complete opposite the Nano TFT. While the TFT feels heavy and aggressive. Like it wants to squeeze every bit of energy out of the limbs, this bow wants you to work hard to make your shots aggressive.
The Inno CXT is a legendary bow. No other bow has won more medals for the longest time. You cannot go into a competition without seeing as least a dozen of them. It has been out for quite a few years already, but you still see world level archers use it. Remember that these archers are sponsored and can pick the latest and greatest bows from the best brands. Yet many of the best archers in the world still choose to use the Inno CXT. That says a lot. That says it all. It is the most popular and winningest bow out there. And for good reason.
If you are planning to upgrade from an entry level setup to a mid-level bow, you should seriously consider buying this 2nd hand. For a little over the price of a mid-range bow, you will a top tier, medal winning bow.
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