Which arrow for 2018
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: zionwapitiwhacker
25-Dec-17
I'm about to buy some new arrows for my 2018 hunting season and I am considering the following reasonably priced arrows. Easton Bloodline, Gold Tip XT Hunters, Beman ICS Hunters, Cabelas Carbon Stalker Extremes. Out of the one's listed I have used the bloodlines and stalker extremes. They were both decent arrows, but had their pros and cons. For those of you who have been around the block and have experience with these arrows, what would be your pick?
From: TURKEY STALKER
25-Dec-17
I have shot bloodlines the last 3 seasons. I just purchased some new ones. I do like that they no longer come with wrap and fletching. You can personalize them a little more. I have only had 1 break in a hunting situation. It broke in a whitetail shoulder but that is understandable. They only downside I see is they are a little on the light side.
From: zionwapitiwhacker
25-Dec-17
Turkey Stalker, the only thing I didn't like about the bloodlines is that the wrap was not durable at all and it would always come off. Well, like you, I also don't like how light they are. But I plan on buying the bare shafts so the wrap won't be a big deal, and I also plan on putting heavy inserts on them so that will mitigate the problem with them being a light shaft and boost FOC.
From: SixLomaz
25-Dec-17
Well built and tuned, hard hitting, 340 spine Easton Full Metal Jacket for any compound bow from 60lbs to 70lbs, slim and heavy at 11.3 grains per inch. This arrow will cover all your hunting needs with kinetic energy and momentum to spare at the finish line. Use minimum 125 grain broadheads, place low profile vanes 1/2 inch from shaft end with 1* offset and watch them fly to an elegant passthru.
From: midwest
25-Dec-17
I've been shooting GT Hunter and Velocity the last few years. Excellent shafts.
From: PECO
25-Dec-17
Gold Tip out of your choices. You won't be disappointed. FMJ's are a good option, but do not meet your reasonably priced parameter.
From: Russ Koon
25-Dec-17
Big fan of the Beman ICS Hunters. Have usd them for many years now, since GT took their manufacturing to Mexico.
Have ever had a problem with the Bemans. They come with the long Easton inserts, which IMO negates any need for squaring tthe shaft ends after cutting, and reinforces the shaft at a critical point near the busiess end.
I buy them in the bare shafts, and fletch my own. Hard to beat the price.
I always have numbered the fresh ones and shot them carefully and watched for any that were not joining with their older brothers in the groups. Only had one that seemed to be a "cull", in years of doing that with many dozens of new arrows, and it turned out to be just a defective nock.
Tough, reliable, American made product that's priced competitively with the Chinese and Korean ones. What's not to like?
From: Buffalo1
25-Dec-17
Easton FMJ and Easton Axis series are hard to beat. Then have been tried, tested and proven. Hard to beat success.
From: HDE
25-Dec-17
Easton HEXX are what I've been using the past three years. 392 gr arrow with 15% FOC does not have a problem with a pass through.
From: Russ Koon
25-Dec-17
Oh, forgot to add that the Cabela's Stalker Extremes are the same as the Beman ICS. IHave used them both, interchangeably, for years. Current supply is the Cabela's because they had a sale going and I bought three dozen a couple years back and still have about half of them.
From: bigkev42
25-Dec-17
Hard to beat the Black Eagle Spartans.
From: walks with a gimp
25-Dec-17
I've hunted with the FMJ's almost exclusively since they came out and out of the dozen you get, I believe they are more consistently straighter than any all carbon arrow you can buy for hunting. Any carbon arrow I've ever bought, including Easton, I find a few that just are not up to my straightness standards. A few dozen even had 5 of the 12 that didn't make the cut. The FMJ's are expensive but have the weight for momentum and the straightness to deliver conventional broadhead point of aim consistency for easy pass throughs.
From: WV Mountaineer
25-Dec-17
I’ve shot a lot of GT shafts and now I’m using the ICS. I like the ICS about as well as anything I’ve ever shot. They are a decent weight, durable, made in America, and very affordable. God Bless
From: Cornpone
25-Dec-17
I've been shooting Beman ICS Bowhunter (.006) rather than Hunter (.003) for several years. If there's any difference in POI it would take a Hooter Shooter to see it IMO...my variability is apparently greater than that caused by the straightness. Just sayin'.
From: splitlimb13
25-Dec-17
I love gold tip xt's I've been shooting them for a while and have never needed to look at another arrow. The fmj's are popular I just don't like the amount of speed post. Alotta kinetic,but just depends on how far you plan to shoot also. I'm usually chasing muleys and some shots are pretty long so I like the xt .
From: dkbs
25-Dec-17
I'll be shooting the black eagle deep impact. I like micro arrows that have outserts.
From: dmann
25-Dec-17
Been using the gold tip xt hunters for 10 years, tough, shoot good, no reason to change. Only thing I do different now is add screw in weights to my inserts.
From: wolverine
25-Dec-17
X2 bigdog21
From: JW
25-Dec-17
Black Eagle Deep Impact here as well. Great tolerances, buck the wind and penetrate like crazy. I run deep six inserts in mine.
From: SixLomaz
25-Dec-17
The idea is to stick with small diameter, heavy per inch, straight arrows tuned to fly like heat seeking missiles with your broadhead of choice.
From: 101 airborne
25-Dec-17
Goldtip and Easton Axis are nails.
From: Too Many Bows Bob
25-Dec-17
FMJ's.
TMBB
From: vmang
26-Dec-17
Easton FMJ's for me to. They are expensive but worth the extra cost. I shoot 51lbs draw and got a pass thru on all 3 deer i took this year. They fly real well with fixed broadheads also.
From: 12yards
26-Dec-17
I've been shooting Beman ICS Hunters and Cabelas Stalker Extremes for the last 10 years. Also shot the GT XT Hunters the last couple years. I don't see much difference, but I think the Bemans (and Stalkers) might be a little tougher to be honest. I honestly would love to hear what you think the downside of the Stalker Extremes is.
From: kakiat kid
26-Dec-17
I'm an Easton FMJ's user myself
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
26-Dec-17
I'll give another vote for the FMJ's.
From: Bowboy
26-Dec-17
Yep FMJs for me also. Great all around arrow.
From: PECO
27-Dec-17
I'm curious if the OP is now ready to double his budget and get FMJ's?
From: 'Ike' (Phone)
27-Dec-17
Been shooting the CarbonTech Whitetails forever...When I finally (if I do!) run out of them, I’m pretty sure it’ll be one of the Easton line...
From: trkyslr
27-Dec-17
Gold Tips here.. shot the xt hunters and kinetic kaos the last few years with great results.
From: Dikndirt
27-Dec-17
I have been using easton acc., Like them alot, down to my last three dozen though and they are becoming hard too find.
From: COHOYTHUNTER
27-Dec-17
Last season I started using GT Kenetic Kaos 300 spine. I've never been a big fan of full carbon arrows, I used to shoot Easton ACC pro Hunters until they became extinct.. I do like Gold Tips cause you can add weight to the insert to increase FOC and not have to use a crazy big broadhead that might have flight issues.. anyway, the Kaos performed great, proved to be hard hitting..
From: Ucsdryder
27-Dec-17
I’ve heard stories of the FMJ bending on a fall in the back country and then someone having a quiver full of bent arrows. Has this actually happened to anybody?
From: Butcher
27-Dec-17
Shot fmj for last 7 years, never had a problem bending until this year, not sure what difference if any but going with axis 260 this year with 75 gr brass and 125 head.
From: kota-man
27-Dec-17
Easton Carbon Injexions for me...Longtime ACC user though and always seem to migrate back to ACC's.
From: GF
28-Dec-17
How about 2018s?
From: bb
28-Dec-17
I have been using the Victory V Force arrows for about 5 years now. I like them better than any I have previously used.
From: Nick Muche
28-Dec-17
Gold Tip platinum pierce or maybe the velocity pro. Will see which one is flying better out of the new bow.
From: Snag
28-Dec-17
I like Douglas fir shafts. Love making them into arrows too.
From: bb
28-Dec-17
Those are pretty. Looks like a lot of work, I would hate to break one.
From: Snag
28-Dec-17
....shoot ‘em....we can make more!
From: Ermine
28-Dec-17
I’m sticking with the Goldtip Pierce arrows again. Love this arrow. Hard hitting and very accurate
From: Bowbender8
29-Dec-17
I bought a 3 dozen Beman 'Field' 340s about 13 years ago and hunted with the set every year including 2017. Tipped with a variety of broadheads, they weighed about 415 grain ready to fly. I had at least 3 different fletching sets installed over time. But for 2018 I'm going to shoot Easton ACC Pro Hunters, 200 spine. I just bought a Darton 3800, and the Bemans will be way to floppy. I've used the ACCs for FITA and field archery. I've got about 2.5 dozen bought just after they were discontinued. THey will be over 500 grains ready to fly.
From: GLP
29-Dec-17
Have used all that the OP mentioned . All good arrows. Am now using Victory Vforce 350s. For the money they are hard to beat. Used axis before and footed the front, they worked great but was expensive. Figured out I was overthinking it .
From: RJ Hunt
29-Dec-17
I started using the Black Eagle Rampage .001 shafts this year after using carbon express exclusively. I am vary happy with the black eagle arrows. Can’t go wrong
