August 29, 2017
By Tracy Breen
Thanks to vertical bows, we have the advantage of years of high-tech R&D for what makes great crossbow arrow s.
By Tracy Breen
Crossbows produce an amazing amount of speed and kinetic energy.
As a result, it is important that hunters purchase arrows that can handle the speed their crossbow is producing.
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Click to enlarge (Photos courtesy of the manufacturers)
Some arrows are extremely stiff and designed for extremely fast crossbows.
Others are lighter and designed for women's and kids' crossbows. The best option is to buy a couple brands and test them before deer season opens. Here's a look at 10 of them:
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This arrow is made with multi-laminate white carbon so the entire shaft is bright white. That makes it easy to see the bolt in flight as it hits the mark. Like all Beman bolts, this carbon shaft is made for speed, accuracy and overall toughness.
$41 for 6
Nockturnal has a carbon crossbow bolt that comes fletched and ready to go, complete with Nockturnal lighted nocks. All you need to do is screw in your broadhead and hunt. The nockturnal nocks offer over 20 hours of battery life.
$63 for 3
Many crossbow manufacturers have arrows made to their specs. TenPoint Crossbows offers the Pro Lite carbon bolt. This lightweight bolt is designed to provide a little extra speed and plenty of kinetic energy. The Pro Lite is 370 grains and has a 25-grain aluminum insert that adds a little FOC. On top of that, it comes with their Omni-Nock.
$56 for 6
One of the most accurate bolts on the market is the Aerobolt AB II 200. This bolt has a straightness of .002. The extra stiff Aerobolt has a variable spine and weighs 325 grains when equipped with an AeroPoint, AeroInsert and Hybrid Insert. This heavy bolt is perfect for those wanting extreme accuracy and knockdown power.
$75 for 3
Easton Archery has an arrow that's hard to beat. The FMJ has a high-strength carbon core with 7075 alloy metal jacket so you get the best of both worlds and a little extra knockdown power. These extra tough bolts can bring down the largest of big game.
$53 for 6
These have a couple features that we love, including extra FOC. But what really caught our eye is the blood ring: a bright white ring on the arrow that helps you recognize if the blood on the shaft is lung, gut or other. Clever.
$28 for 1
This is a beefy bolt that provides knock-down power. The Nitro Pro is a carbon shaft that is heavier and has a stiffer spine so it can handle anything today's speed bows can dish out. Nitro Pro claims a straightness of .001.
$50 for 6
Victory Archery offers a one-of-a-kind bolt called the VAP VooDoo. This micro-diameter bolt is built to only touch the rail in two places. Micro-diameter shafts are also known to provide better penetration.
$45 for 3
The Mayhem bolt from Carbon Express is an all-around great bolt that won't break the bank. This carbon bolt offers great spine consistency, which means more downrange accuracy. Arrows come fletched with awesome-looking Dragon Vanes.
$45 for 6
This is a unique arrow that has blades built into the shaft of the arrow that deploy internally after the arrow is inside the animal. The shaft comes with two inset blades. This design reportedly creates a wound channel two times larger than a typical broadhead.
$69 for 3
These guys are the originators of lighted nocks. They also make high-end bolts that come equipped with their extra-bright lighted nocks. Their carbon shafts come with squared ends and Bohning X-Vanes that fly great and look awesome.
$62 for 3
Note: All images courtesy of manufacturers