Traveling to hunt demands equipment consolidation. For example, try flying to a faraway destination with a slew of hunting luggage, or hiking or horseback riding deep into the backcountry through thick alders and aspens with a week’s worth of hunting gear. Bulk must be managed or the journey will be needlessly difficult and unpleasant.
Now, some hunting equipment can be consolidated and streamlined for easier transportation, but some cannot. Most weapons are static and fall into that second category. Some can be disassembled with the proper tools, of course, but one lost bolt could end a hunt before it begins. Plus, after spending weeks and months becoming deadly and confident with a given weapon, disassembly seems rather risky. And so we deal with the packing hassle.
Always on a mission to innovate and solve problems without compromising its heritage, Excalibur has launched the ultimate crossbow for traveling hunters. Whether you are planning a horseback elk hunt, an African adventure entailing multiple flights, or a mile-deep jaunt into remote whitetail country hauling a bulky 3-D decoy, a crossbow should not be a source of difficulty. In other words, meet the new RevX TD.
Test Crossbow Specs
- Make/Model: Excalibur RevX TD
- Finish: Mossy Oak Bottomland
- Mass Weight: 9.6 pounds (accessorized)
- Overall Width: 25.75 inches (uncocked); 21 inches (cocked)
- Overall Length: 33 inches
- Draw Effort: 16 pounds (with crank)
- Power Stroke: 10.5 inches
- Bolt Length and Weight: 16.5 inches; 352 grains including 100-grain tip (measured with Last Chance Archery Pro Grain Scale)
- Manufacturer Listed Velocity: 400 fps
- Test Velocity: 390 fps with 352-grain arrow (found with Caldwell Ballistic Precision chronograph)
- Manufacturer Listed Trigger Pull: 3.5 pounds
- Cocking Device: ChargerX Integrated Crank
- Scope: OverWatch Illuminated Scope
- MSRP: Starting at $1,999.99
- Contact: excaliburcrossbow.com
Zero Tools = Zero Compromise
First things first. You might recognize the name “RevX.” That’s because Excalibur launched the original RevX in 2024. In fact, my wife wrote a report on it in 2024 for Bowhunting World. Click here to read it. Her report gave the crossbow accolades on all fronts. We both shot it and had great experiences, as did other reviewers and consumers. Great crossbow.
Because it was so good, it’s completely logical that the 2026 RevX TD is fundamentally the same crossbow but with a game-changing tweak called Quick-Loc Technology. Remember what I said earlier about weapons being static unless you want to mess with tools and hardware? Well, the RevX TD changes that.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, “TD” stands for takedown. A simple push button unlocks the foot stirrup, and tilting the stirrup unlocks the riser from the stock. Then, the riser and limb assembly can be removed from the stock, and the separate pieces can be stowed in the included compact carrying case for convenient transportation. This is revolutionary technology, folks. While the average whitetail hunter probably won't see takedown design’s benefits, traveling hunters certainly will.
After zeroing the crossbow and shooting it out to some distance — very accurately, might I add — I disassembled and reassembled it several times. My zero and consistency did not change, nor did my confidence. Simply slide the riser and limb assembly onto the stock, lock it into place in seconds, and it shoots just as it did before disassembly.
As I did this, I imagined the confidence I’d have on a fly-in caribou or moose hunt after disassembling the crossbow to cram gear into a bush plane, then reassembling it before hunting. Disassembling the bow for travel is a huge benefit for the space savings, and reassembling it takes seconds, requires no tools, and won’t fudge the zero. That’s confidence.
Proven Technologies and Performance
As awesome as the new takedown feature is, let’s not forget about the crossbow’s other awesome features. The RevX TD’s ChargerX Integrated Crank is one of my favorite integrated and silent cranks. It’s simple to understand, easy to use, and reduces cocking effort to merely 16 pounds. When cocking or de-cocking, the handle won’t spin out of control and inflict harm on the user. It stops automatically, regardless of its position. Cocking and de-cocking instructions are also clearly listed on the stock butt.
Another benefit of the ChargerX Integrated Crank is that it ensures consistent string alignment, thus increasing accuracy and consistency. The system is streamlined and fully contained within the stock to keep out debris, and the crank handle conveniently stows securely in the stock for quick and easy access. I have zero complaints.
Rigged with Excalibur’s Premium Trigger, users will be delighted by the 3.5-pound trigger pull. It pulls smoothly and breaks cleanly, which can help reduce shot anticipation and flinching. And accessing it is very comfortable, thanks to the perfectly appointed and ergonomic pistol grip. All of the features are carefully mapped out to provide a smooth experience. As well, you get the peace of mind that the CeaseFire Anti Dry-Fire System won’t allow the crossbow to fire when a bolt isn’t loaded.
The included OverWatch Illuminated Scope provides 20- to 100-yard accuracy in 10-yard increments. Each dot is marked with the corresponding yardage for fast in-the-field reference. Red and green illumination is ideal in low lighting.
The RevX TD shoots very quietly, and it’s no surprise since it has R.E.D.S. Suppressors and the Sound Deadening System to thwart noises and vibrations. The only problem is the Ex-act Fit Suppressors flew off after only 10 shots. Unfortunately, this has been my experience every time I’ve tested recent Excalibur crossbows. And I carefully prepped the limbs, as I always do. I can't be the only one who’s having this happen. I’d like to see Excalibur deliver a better solution.
The Rebolt Quiver mounts solidly and holds arrows securely, which cleans up shot noise. It doesn’t get in the way, and accessing arrows from the quiver after cocking is fast and convenient. I’d rate the quiver better than most that come as part of an accessory package. Four ProFlight 16.5-inch arrows with 100-grain tips round out the package.
As mentioned earlier, the RevX TD shoots lights-out accurately. My test in the cold, Wisconsin winter weather was conducted at distances ranging from 20 to 60 yards while resting the crossbow on a Primos TriggerStick. Let’s just say that you don’t want to shoot a lot of groups unless you want to risk wrecking your arrows, because this thing puts them in there, shot after shot. I also found it to be more accurate than most while shooting it offhand, which I attribute to its impeccable balance.
A Few More Things
The RevX TD flaunts Excalibur’s rigid High-Output Limbs, which make the crossbow incredibly dependable. If you visit the RevX TD product page on Excalibur’s website and watch the promo video, you’ll see that the crossbow lives up to rigorous torture testing. I’ve put my hands on lots of Excalibur crossbows over the years — and sold a pile of them when my family owned a pro shop from 2002-2010 — and I’ve never seen or even heard of a broken limb. If someone asked me to sum up Excalibur in two words, I’d say “simply dependable.”
What I love about Excalibur crossbows is that you get what you see. A recurve platform is more dependable due to its fewer moving parts; fewer parts generally mean that less can go wrong. For some, the downside is that these true recurve crossbows don't compare to the top compound crossbows in terms of velocity. That being said, Excalibur crossbows have proven lethal on the planet’s largest game animals, including an elephant.
While we’re discussing velocity, I’m always curious to see how the actual velocity measures up to the manufacturer’s listed velocity, which is 400 fps for the RevX TD. My three-shot average was 390 fps, 10 fps shy of the listed velocity. I also found that the speed ring on the OverWatch scope didn’t quite correspond with the velocity. When I set it to 390 fps, my arrows impacted low, so I reduced the magnification on the speed ring until my hold points match arrow impact. Not a big deal, but it took some testing to get it dialed in.
That’s about all there is to it. Whether you are weaving through crowds after grabbing your luggage from the baggage claim, picking through the brush to reach a remote elk paradise, or shipping your crossbow to an outfitter before your hunt, the Excalibur RevX TD is set to streamline the travel experience without compromising performance.
In-the-field photos by Becca and Darron McDougal
