ALERO:Noun: meaning ‘Wingman’ or ‘Friend.

My first opportunity to try the Alero came the day it arrived at Wales Archery. I had done quite a bit of reading, and watched the promotional videos, and I felt this was the riser I had been waiting some years for Hoyt to produce.

 I quickly ‘bagged’ a red one and took it away to inspect at my leisure.

Built to ‘true’ Earl Hoyt geometry, the riser immediately impressed as simple and functional. Nothing to adjust or ‘fiddle with ’’as one shoots (we all do don’t we?), just a well machined riser with a limb alignment system based on an inverted triangular spacer, locked in position by an Allen screw on either side….simples!

Once assembled with rods, sight and pressure button/rest assembly, I was expecting to have to spend some time sorting out this ‘’cheap’’ riser in order for it to shoot properly….

Not so. J  Centre shot established, a few minutes to ensure an appropriate nocking point height and a quick walk back tune later (about an hours’ work), I could start group tuning.

Now this riser really came into its’ own. Crisp upon release, and surprisingly light in the hand, I found the Alero a delight to shoot. More and more it reminded me of my beloved Radian, which met its demise some 15 years ago. The supplied grip, I admit, may be seen as a bit ‘Marmite’ by some in terms of its’ shape, but it’s slim, low and gives a stable base to brace the bow arm against. 

Keep the faith with the grip, and note the reduction in left-right shots due to the elimination of most of the side to side torque generated by the grip.

In these days of £600 plus risers, and limbs costing the same or more, it was a real pleasure to shoot a riser that ‘did it all’, without causing a banking uncertainty or questions being asked in the kitchen….. I have found in the past that if you are comfortable with your riser, changing limbs through choice or necessity leads to much less angst than having to change the whole set up.

 Also, the Alero ‘is ILF’. This means that you can use a limb manufacturer of your choice and you are not necessarily bound to the Hoyt options. In saying that, the new Hoyt CXT Bamboo limbs work sooo well with this riser :)

The finish reflects the work Hoyt have put into both their machining and anodising research. ‘Only’ available in four colours, it means the price is kept down, and the opportunity to end up with an embarrassing riser (remember the pink Yamaha?) is eradicated.

Overall, inexpensive, smooth, responsive, not too heavy in the hand, and stable as a stable thing.

I can’t say much else about this riser…..I am now going shooting with my friend :)

Tony Nilsen

Pentref Bowmen/Wales Archery.