Best Broadheads
The results of your hunting experience largely depend upon the kind of equipment you are using. It’s important to use the right type of gear for your type of hunting.
The best type of broadhead to use depends upon the kind of animal you are hunting. Although there are many of them in the market, choosing the right one can be difficult at times.
Thus, we have created this guide to help you find the best broadhead for you. We have not only reviewed the best broadheads on the market, but also written an easy-to-digest guide on what you should be looking for. It wouldn’t be fatherly advice if we just showed you our test results, right?
We’ll start with the reviews of the most popular broadheads. If you scroll down you’ll find our top tips on how to choose the broadhead that suits you the best.
Best overall: Swhacker SWH00207
“They can damage even the hardest parts of the animal”
Most popular: Rage CrossbowX 2
“The blades are made up of stainless steel, which makes them corrode-resistant and razor-sharp”
Best penetration: G5 Outdoor Montec
“The precision and accuracy of the blades are amazing for almost any kind of animal”
Best for beginners: Rage Hypodermic
“To help you practice before ending up in the main hunting ground, there is a practice broadhead added in the package”
Best on a budget: Muzzy Trocar Crossbow
“If kept in the right position the broadhead can fly like field points”
Great for deer: NAP Spitfire
“can cut through almost anything”
Very reliable: Rage Chisel Tip 2
“Their superior-quality build makes them sturdy and durable”
Best overall: Swhacker SWH00207
- Cheap
- Blades are razor sharp
- Separate cutting edges
- Customers have reported issues with the supply
Each broadhead has two stainless steel blades that are 0.32 inches thick and are super-sharp. The broadhead has an ideal weight of 100 grains.
The blades provide two separate cutting edges. The first set is called the wing blades and are smaller than the main blades. The wing blades can smoothly enter the target and damage the first pair of ribs. They are the ones that do the most work and cut through the hard bones, hair, and dirt in a swift movement.
Since they are smaller in size they do not require much energy to penetrate. These blades also bear the load of the ferrule when entering the target’s body.
The second set of blades is the main blades. They open upon reaching the middle of the animal’s body cavity. This keeps the blades super sharp to cut through the internal organs.
The chisel tip of the broadhead is made up of carbon steel. It is quite pointed and sharp. They can damage even the hardest parts of the animal.
Most popular: Rage CrossbowX 2
- Faster flight
- Shock collar technology keeps the blades tightly in place
- Hits deep
- Detachable blades
- Quite cheap
- Causes a narrow slit
- Sometimes the blades doesn’t open properly
The Rage CrossbowX is a great mechanical broadhead. It is quite sturdy and durable. Its ferrule is made up of aluminum, which grants its durability and convenience. It is also free of rust and corrosion so investing in it would ensure a long-lasting hunting partner.
The broadhead is equipped with shock collar technology. This technology is a great addition to this model. This technology is used in training collars for pets. It ensures that the collar does not come off during the hunt. This also saves your broadhead from misplacing.
This broadhead has 2 blades that are 0.35 inches thick. They provide a cutting diameter of 2 inches with their maximum functioning area of 40 yards. It is available in two sizes 100 and 125 grains, so you are not restricted on that matter.
The super sharp tip of the broadhead can easily pierce through almost anything. The tip is triangular, which can be removed when necessary.
Best penetration: G5 Outdoor Montec
- Large and massive wounds
- Razor sharp blades
- Easy cleaning and resharpening of the blades
- Fits in different kinds of bows
- Hardly fly over 40 yards
This is one of the most improved and sought after members of the Montec family. It is quite stronger than the first-ever Montec.
It has three blades that are made up of carbon steel. They are deadly sharp and take no time in killing the animal. These expandable blades create deep and massive wounds to easily get even bigger targets like elk or bear.
It has a wider cutting diameter of 1-1/16 inches that grants this broadhead exceptional lethality. The placement of the blades creates a three-dimensional entrance chopping through the bones like a breeze.
The precision and accuracy of the blades are amazing for almost any kind of animal.
A great advantage of these broadheads is that they are compatible with every kind of bow. Moreover, these broadheads have been tested to ensure maximum success rate.
Best for beginners: Rage Hypodermic
- Amazing accuracy and precision
- Solid and durable ferrule
- Shock collar technology
- Massive wounds
- The blade screws might rust
Rage Hypodermic is the most demanded hybrid broadhead. It is overwhelmingly devastating and deadly based on the massive wound that it creates. It hardly leaves any time for the target to make some last attempts before ending up on the floor dead.
It has exceptional accuracy and precision. Its sturdy and durable ferrule is made up of high-quality steel in the shape of aerodynamic objects that fly smoothly with reduced friction.
If you keep the arrow in the right position along with all the other things in place, there is no chance of missing the target. To help you practice before ending up in the main hunting ground, there is a practice broadhead added in the package.
This broadhead has a hybrid tip which makes it more effective than a mechanical tip. Its tip and the shape of the ferrule ensure deeper penetration that makes the broadhead even more lethal. It is also equipped with the shock collar technology that is perfect to keep the blades in place keeping them from coming loose during the hunt.
Best on a budget: Muzzy Trocar Crossbow
- Massive wound
- Available in two weights
- Solid ferrule
- Super-sharp blades
- Cleaning or replacing the blade can be difficult
Muzzy Trocar is a fixed broadhead that comes with a number of advantages. It comes in two weights, 100 grains, and 125 grains. This gives you the choice of selecting the weight according to your needs.
The product has three blades that are super sharp and deadly. They are 0.035 inches thick and have a helix design, which grants them exceptional accuracy and effectiveness. The ferrule is made up of solid steel that gives it sturdiness and durability.
It has a large cutting surface that guarantees a clean kill in a swift moment without having the victim to suffer for long. The only reason that it can guarantee that is the fact that these broadheads have been tested before launching.
Reading through the reviews you’ll realize that this beast will never disappoint you.
Great for deer: NAP Spitfire
- Blade retention system
- Aerodynamic shaped tip and ferrule
- Comes with three blades instead of two
- Hard tip
- It isn’t suitable for speeds over 400 fps
The Spitfire is quite famous among deer hunters. It has a simple, sturdy yet unique construction. This broadhead has a blade retention system that keeps the blades in place with the help of a retention clip. This saves you from worrying about the rubber rings or the O-rings.
This broadhead has a unique Trophy tip, which is made up of carbon-steel which guarantees exceptional accuracy and impact. The ferrule along with the tip has an aerodynamic shape which helps the broadhead to have a faster and precise flight.
To further add to the accuracy of the flight, there are small grooves on the sides of the tip and the ferrule. These features ensure that once you use the Spitfire, there is no going back.
The ferrule and the retention clip are kept in place with a small screw in the center of the broadhead. When the tip of the broadhead comes in contact with the target, the blades come out of their enclosed position, exposing the cutting edge.
Very reliable: Rage Chisel Tip 2
- Effective chisel tip
- Super-sharp blades
- Shock collar technology
- They might bend upon hitting the ground
This model is the second most popular broadhead by Rage. It lands a lethal attack with its high-quality and super sharp pair of blades. These blades are made up of stainless steel and are 0.35 inches thick.
They also create a satisfying blood trail.
But that’s not the only amazing thing about this broadhead. It also utilizes the shock collar technology, which provides exceptional retention to the blades and keeps the broadhead in place, preventing it from coming loose during the hunt. This contributes to the overall performance of the broadhead.
The tip of the broadhead is quite smooth and efficient that it can rupture almost anything. This increases your chances of getting your prey even if the blades do not work effectively.
All of these broadheads have been used by a number of hunters and have more positive responses than many others. You can further search about them if not yet satisfied or read ahead to dig into the buying guide that will help you choose the right broadhead for yourself.
How to find the best broadheads for you
Being a hunter, it is important to have the right gear to get your prey easily. That is one reason why you should properly plan before going on a hunt. Not all broadheads can be used for every kind of animal.
For example, you cannot use expandable broadheads in bear camps because of their inability to get the animal. In this way, a number of factors are to be considered before buying a broadhead. But before anything, you must know the game that you’ll be hunting.
Discussed ahead are all the important factors that you must look into before getting a broadhead for yourself.
Check for legality
Before going on a hunt in any state of the country it is important to check for its rules and regulations regarding the activity. For instance, Alaska, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, New York, and North Dakota have all banned the use of barbed broadheads.
Some states including Colorado and California only allow the use of hand-held bows. Similarly, there are other instructions too that have to be followed carefully. So make sure to check that. You can find such information on the internet quite easily.
Plan your target
Your broadhead must be according to your target. If you are going to target animals like deer that have smaller chests, then you’ll need a chisel point broadhead that can pass through the target’s body, ensuring a clean kill. Similarly, for larger animals like a bear, you have to opt for a broadhead that can penetrate deeper into your target in a short time.
Decide the weight
The weight of a broadhead is expressed in grains. Usually, you’ll find it between 75 to 300 grains, but 100 is the most popular these days.
You’ll choose the weight of your broadhead depending upon the required level of penetration. For larger prey, you’ll need more penetration, hence, more grains.
Number of blades
Broadheads come with two, three or four blades, allowing you to choose the level destruction your shots would be creating. More blades provide more cutting surface and are likely to cause severe damage along with creating a better blood trail. They leave minimal chances of the animal running away after the hit. Even if they do, they can’t move much farther and their blood trail makes it easy to chase them.
However, two blades are narrower with the long and thick cutting surface. They can penetrate deeper and have a chance to pass through.
Material used
Most of the broadheads these days are made up of stainless steel. They are quite sharp, cheap and durable. If it wasn’t for their sharpness, there would have been other alternatives introduced a long time ago.
However, stainless steel broadheads have been in use since the medieval era and have benefited a lot of people. The other kind of material used in broadheads is the carbon-steel or titanium. They too are durable and efficient but are quite expensive. You can surely go for them if you are not on a budget.
It is suitable if the ferrule is made of aluminum as it does not put any extra weight on the arrow.
Cutting diameter
Cutting diameters can significantly affect the total outcome of your attempt. Wider blades can penetrate the body of the victim easily even of a larger one, like a bear or an elk. They have more momentum as is required to pass through and are more likely to cut through some of the vitals if not the main point. That too does enough to catch the prey.
The maximum diameter of a blade can be up to 2 inches. However, it is difficult to maintain accuracy with wider blades over a longer distance. That is why it is preferred to not go beyond 1.5 inches even for bigger targets. In the case of mechanical broadheads, you can use up to 2.5inches wide blades without having to worry about its accuracy.
Type of blade
Broadheads are available in the following types.
Fixed Blades Broadheads
Fixed broadheads are the oldest form of broadheads. All of their parts are fixed at their place and their head is usually chisel or a razor tip. Its construction easily penetrates the victim’s body, cutting through its vital parts.
However, fixed broadheads are noted to have sailed off-target several times due to their build. They also have to be sharpened every now and then to maintain their effectiveness. To reduce the chance of missing the shot you can go with a compact fixed broadhead for larger targets.
Replaceable Blades Broadheads
The replaceable blades offer the same effectiveness as fixed blades. However, they are more convenient than fixed blades because they can be easily removed, sharpened and replaced. They are held in place with screws or threaded ferrule for reliable performance. One drawback of these broadheads is that they can be noisy, which can alert your target.
Mechanical Blade Broadheads
Mechanical broadheads are a little advanced in their construction. Their blades are closed until they come in contact with the victim. As soon as they touch the victim their blades open to create a larger cutting diameter. Their enclosed blades give them an exceptional flight and accuracy. They are commonly used for targeting turkeys and whitetail deer.
Other than the advantages, mechanical broadheads also come with some disadvantages. They cannot penetrate deeper into the victim’s body, which makes them inappropriate to use for elk, bear and other bigger targets.
Moreover, no matter how advanced, moving parts cannot be relied upon as they might not expand completely or even break. Although these things are taken care of during the construction of the units, we still can’t be 100% sure.
Broadhead tips
We generally find two types of broadhead tips. They include a chisel and a cut-on-contact. The chisel tip punches through the target’s body before the blades come in action. They are so strong that they can damage the bone of the animal without getting a scratch on their own body. This ensures a perfect shot and reduces the chances of missing the target.
The cut-on-contact tips slice through the hide instead of punching. This maximizes penetration and reduces energy use. This type of tip is quite appropriate for mechanical broadheads because in case the blades fail to work or do not work effectively the tips do the task. In this way, we’ll at least be able to secure the target.
Conclusion
To ensure successful and professional hunting it is essential to have all the right tools and strategies. For that, it is recommended to know all the aspects of the activity and practice it before aiming at a living being because we have to be ethical in this act. Based on this, many manufacturers like Rage provide a free practice broadhead.
If you choose a brand that does not offer an extra broadhead make sure to read others’ experiences with it. Do consider every aspect of the buying guide before purchasing any of these deadly tools and be careful to not end up with something useless. For an added bonus, try to choose broadheads that are more versatile and sturdy like the G5 Outdoor Montec is compatible with a variety of bows. They are easy to resharpen which also makes them more durable.