Buying Guide of the Best Hunting Arrows

A number of things are necessary if a hunter is to have successful hunting expeditions. One of the important factors lies in the right choice of hunting accessories. Shooting the best hunting arrows is thus critical for the success of any how hunter. Better performance, high accuracy levels and reliability are highly boosted by your choice of the best carbon arrows for your expeditions. Before going to the nitty-gritty’s, it’s important to bring the distinction that exists between different arrows.

Arrow Types

a) Fishing & Traditional Use Arrows

These arrows experience more harsh conditions during impact with water hence have to be designed with a lot of durability in mind. These types of arrows have been designed to stop short just after they have been released from the bows. They feature barbed tips made of aluminum. At the nock is connected a line that in turn is connected to a fishing reel that is mounted on the bow. It is this line that is responsible for stopping the arrow and retrieving it from the waters.

b) Hunting & Target Practice Arrows

These arrows are designed to have a higher kinetic energy and produce a greater degree of shock when released from the bow. Hunting arrows are crafted from aluminum and carbon materials. Though the hunting and target arrows may feature the same designs, the factors of consideration when buying them differ.

Factors to Put in Mind When Choosing a Hunting Arrow

Working with poorly designed and constructed arrows or those with incorrect size and weight not only reduces your hunting efficiency but also proves to be a health hazard to you. Below are some key factors of consideration when choosing the best hunting arrows the market has to offer.

Material of Arrow Construction

a) Aluminum Arrows

Benefits

  • Great arrows for newbie archers and for training
  • Inexpensive and easy to find
  • No safety concern on the arrow spine

Drawbacks

  • ​Hard to trim to get the correct length
  • Not durable as they easily bend
  • Premium brands come with few options

b) Carbon Arrows

Benefits

  • Flexible and extremely durable
  • Very reduced diameter thus less wind drift
  • The best of technologies have been used in production

Drawbacks

  • Not a good choice for beginners
  • More expensive
  • Correct arrow spine always a safety concern

c) Fiberglass

Benefits

  • Tough and cheap
  • Easy trimming and assembly
  • No safety concern on the arrow spine
  • Great beginner and children use

Drawbacks

  • Not a good quality arrow
  • Difficult to find high end products as these are majorly always targeting children

From the data above, it is therefore evident that the best hunting arrows are the carbon made arrows.

Arrow Diameter

Between a mid-sized, micro-diameter and the bigger diameters, which one should you go for? When it comes to carbon arrows, there are no big diameters as they normally come in relatively small diameters. You therefore have two sizes to choose from. The best carbon arrows are those that feature the micro-diameter sizing. These arrows are characterized with reduced surface area thus reduced friction behind their broadheads. This feature primarily is responsible for deep penetration. Reduced surface area minimizes the drift on windy environments thus maintaining the arrow’s momentum for long.

Weight (Grains)

Arrows that have a lightweight construction give impressive speed numbers as compared with the heavier arrows. These are considered the best hunting arrows because they travel straighter and faster in the air thus making shooting easier. On the other side, of your shooting range isn’t so long, you may want to consider heavier arrows as these delivers higher penetration power which in turn causes extreme damage on the game you are hunting. This therefore means as you will be considering lightweight designs, don’t go too lightweight. Let the arrows have some sense of density.

​Arrows that weigh between 6 and 8 brains/pound are the best for hunting. This weight is in total and is taken when the vanes, shaft, nock, insert and the filed point have been fixed.

​Target shooting on the other hand would need lighter weight of 5-6 grains/pound.

Straightness

This is one of the most important factors used to gauge arrow quality. If you go for a poor quality arrow, be sure of compromising your chances on accuracy. The majority of the carbon arrows the market has to offer today have a straightness tolerance ranging between 0.001 and 0.004 inches. On the other hand, the tolerance range of the standard arrows lies between 0.005” and 0.006”. It is therefore clear that the best hunting arrows are made of carbon, no wonder they are a little bit more expensive than the standard arrows.

Arrow Spine

The shaft of the arrow needs to have a great degree of bend resistance if the arrow is to produce bloodshot. It is therefore critical that you investigate how much the shaft would be resistant to bent. The arrow of choice should neither be very limber nor too stiff for your crossbow but stiff enough to penetrate through the game you want to hunt.

It is important to note that most of the manufacturers rarely mention the arrows spine but would instead use the terms such as “suitable for bows up to 50 pound draw weight” etc

Your Draw Length vs. Arrow Length

It is important for you to determine your draw length before you choose an arrow. This may be a new thing to the newbie but not a strange topic to the pros. If you are new in the field, the best way of knowing your draw length is by visiting an archery shop where the experts can help you measure your draw length.

​Draw length is important in helping you choose the best hunting arrows for yourself. The approximate length of your arrows would always average 0.5-inch to 1-inch longer than your draw length. If your draw length is 28-inches, look for an arrow that’s not more than 29-inches.

Differece between Target Arrows and Hunting Arrows

​Reviews of the 5 Best Hunting Arrows

ANTSIR Outdoors Carbon 30-Inch 7.8mm

ANTSIR Outdoors Carbon 30-Inch 7.8mm Shaft Removable Arrows - best hunting arrow

Editor Rating

This is a 40-60 draw weight type of an arrow that would be a great option for intermediaries and beginners. It is compatible with the compound as well as the recurve bows and can be used both for target shooting and hunting. Within its range, this is one of the best carbon arrows you can come across.

Special Features

  • Adjustable Nocks as they are not glue-fixed
  • 30-inch arrows, 12 in the pack
  • Lightweight carbon shaft construction
  • 7.8mm diameter
  • Removable shafts
  • Improved wall thickness enhances durability
  • For draw weight ranging between 40 and 60 pounds
  • Colored plastic fletching and nickel-plates stainless still tip

Pros

  • Great for outdoor shooting and target practicing
  • Very durable accessory
  • Lightweight arrows
  • Versatile

Cons

  • Arrows can get damaged when hit on hard surface
  • Not a great choice for bows and hunters with draw weight above 60 pounds

If you are looking for a durable, strong and lightweight arrow that features carbon construction, then the ANTSIR 30-inch arrows are your best bet.

Carbon Express Maxima RED Fletched Arrows

Carbon Express Maxima RED Fletched Carbon Arrows with Dynamic Spine Control and Blazer Vanes

Editor Rating

Another top accessory that scores as one of the best carbon arrows is this Red Fletched Carbon Express Maxima Arrow. The arrows feature a unique state-of-the-art design to precisely improve the broadheads accuracy and the overall performance. With an additional excellent red-fletched feature, the arrows are able to standout in the market, no wonder they have ended up in the list of the best hunting arrows.

Special Features

  • 6-pack black & red finished hunting arrows
  • 250-size, 0.417-inch spine, 8.11-GPI and a diameter measurement of 0.295”
  • Laser checked for remarkable 1/10,000 of an inch straightness tolerance
  • Hi-tech carbon construction
  • Consistent shots
  • Blazer vane fletching, BullDog Nock Collars and LAUNCHPAD Precision Nocks

Pros

  • Excellent durability
  • Fly straight
  • Easy to spot even in the bushes and tall trees
  • Premium quality
  • Great long-range shooting solution
  • Excellent accuracy and performance
  • Reasonable price
  • Better groupings

Cons

  • Shipping only within the USA
  • Too light factory made inserts

Being one of the best carbon arrows and by default one of the best hunting arrows, the accessories are uniquely feature fletching that have blazer vanes. They also come with Bulldog Nock collars and Lauchpad precision nocks, all of which gives the hi-tech carbon construction a performance, durability and accuracy boost.

Gold Tip Hunter XT Arrows with 2-Inch Raptor Vanes (1-Dozen)

Gold Tip Hunter XT Arrows with 2-Inch Raptor Vanes - best hunting arrow

Editor Rating

In the Gold Tip XT Hunter is found the best hunting arrows featuring tough & reliable structure. The arrows have been designed to endure any practice or hunting sessions. They feature 2 blazer vanes straight pre-fletching and comes in a range of sizes for different hunters to choose from

Special Features

  • Combines stability, strength and speed
  • In the pack is a dozen of Gold Tip arrows decked with 2” Raptor vanes
  • Chosen bow hunter arrows for great hunters
  • Versatile construction to meet an array of challenges
  • Comes in a range of sizes to choose from
  • Features Gold Tip Smart Carbon construction
  • Weight tolerance of +/- 2 grains
  • Straightness tolerance of +/- .003″
  • 7 grains weight for each arrow

Pros

  • Accuracy and precision
  • Easy pull off from target
  • Tough and sturdy construction
  • Straight flight

Cons

  • The arrow is quite too expensive

The arrows have been engineered for delivery of stability, strength and speed combined. They are versatile enough to meet the demands of any situation or any hunter thus making them to be among the best hunting arrows around.

TenPoint Pro Elite Carbon Crossbow Arrows

TenPoint Pro Elite Carbon Crossbow Arrows (6 Pack), 20

Editor Rating

These are USA made carbon crossbow arrows that weight 425 grains, equipped with fusion shield vanes and are strong enough to deliver even in the toughest of times. In the pack are 6 arrows of different colors with black being the dominant and are specifically designed for Ten Point Crossbows.

Special Features

  • Vanes come in different colors
  • 425-grains with 100-grain practice point
  • Q21-3” Fusion shield cut vanes
  • Pro Elite Carbon construction
  • Neon Yellow Omni-nock
  • Six - filed tips 100 grain each
  • Six superBrite TenPoint carbon Crossbow arrows each measuring 20” 22/64
  • Made in USA

Pros

  • Durable bolts that hold up well
  • Durable never bending arrows
  • Arrow can completely pass through a deer without being damaged
  • Ten point fletch let markings for easy bow loading even under dim lights

Cons

  • Arrow packaging can reach you when it’s damaged and broken.
  • Fletching is a little wavy.
  • Fletching could have been marked on both sides to make loading even easier
  • Higher pricing

It comes as a complete set for practicing and professional hunting.

M.A.K [Hunting Arrows] 30-Inch

M.A.K [Hunting Arrows] 30-Inch 0.309 inch Outer Diameter Carbon Outdoor Archery Practice Target Arrows with Replaceable Hunting Broadhead for Compound & Recuve Bow

Editor Rating

These arrows have been designed with both the beginner and the expert in mind. This is because it comes with target points that can be replaced with the hunting broadheads which are all packaged in the pack. These are among the best carbon arrows for both the recurve bow shooting as well as use with compound bows.

Special Features

  • 30-inch length, 0.309-inch outer diameter, 40-60 pound draw weight
  • 1 white and 2 blue vanes fletching
  • Replaceable hunting arrowheads, nocks and fletching are added in the package
  • Nocks aren’t glue-fixed hence can easily be adjusted for your bow
  • Colored plastic fletching ensures flight is always pointed in your chosen trajectory
  • Nickel plated stainless steel target practice tips
  • Three additional free hunting broadheads
  • Solid and well made arrows with durable precision pure carbon
  • Checked straightness accuracy remarkably to 1/10,000 of an inch

Pros

  • Durable performance
  • Accuracy of shot and loading
  • Straight flight
  • Inexpensive
  • Great quality

Cons

  • The nocks come when they aren’t aligned. However, aligning them isn’t a tall order.

Conclusion

The best bet on this list is the Carbon Express Maxima RED Fletched Carbon Arrows. Even though the arrows are accompanied with a higher price tag, they are worth every single cent spent. The arrows are the straightest, the most durable, the most accurate and the best in performance of all the arrows you can get in the market thus qualifying them as the best hunting arrows in the market. The most important thing to note is that a combination of practice, experience, right choice of crossbow and the choice of the best carbon arrows are what will give you success in your hunting expeditions.

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