Of all the equipment brought into the field by a bowhunter each day, the most important item is the broadhead. It must maintain structural integrity as it smashes into hide, fat, muscle, bone and ultimately the vitals of a buck, bull or bruin. If a broadhead isn’t sharp enough, less vital tissue is cut, meaning a sparse blood trail. If a broadhead isn’t tough enough, it could break apart when it impacts bone, resulting in minimal penetration.

Regardless of whether a bowhunter prefers a fixed-blade broadhead or mechanical, making an informed decision about brand and model is critical to success in the field. The three highlighted below — one fixed-blade and two mechanicals — are dependable broadheads from companies with a reputation for quality.

 

QAD Exodus Standard

QAD might be better known as an arrow rest company, but it has earned a great reputation for its tough-as-nails broadheads, too. Designed and manufactured in the United States, the QAD Exodus Standard has a 1.25-inch cutting diameter. This is not a misprint: The stainless-steel replaceable blades are .040-inches thick, which is why YouTube is filled with videos of archers torture-testing QAD Exodus broadheads into everything from .75-inch plywood to 55-gallon steel drums.

The broadhead has a machined cut-on-contact tip, and the surgically sharp blades sweep back over the arrow shaft, creating a super short and compact head, while still maintaining a steep angle for deep penetration and a longer cutting surface for maximum tissue damage. According to QAD, this innovative design allows for “unmatched field point flight while maintaining extreme penetration and a wide cutting diameter.”

QAD Exodus Standard broadheads are available in 85, 100 and 125 grains, in two blade options, Full or Swept. The latter has larger blade cutouts to eliminate wind drift. QAD Exodus broadheads are also offered in a 100-grain Deep Six version designed specifically for Deep Six inserts by Easton. Deep Six is the standard thread used in micro-diameter carbon arrows (4mm and 5mm).

MSRP for all Exodus broadhead models and designs discussed here is the same: $39.99 per three pack. www.qadinc.com

 

Rage Hypodermic NC

For many years, the knock by some bowhunters on Rage rear-deploying Slip Cam mechanicals was the need for a plastic shock collar to keep the blades closed in the quiver and on the string before shooting. The engineers for Rage heard the constructive criticism, and the result is the new Rage Hypodermic NC (NC = No Collar). 

This 100-grain,  two-blade broadhead has .035-inch-thick, swept-back, stainless-steel skeletonized blades with a narrow, stainless-steel machined ferrule. Blade retention is reliable due to fingerlike tabs that anchor the blades in place while closed. Upon impact, the force of a target or game animal’s hide on the blade “shoulders” forces the Slip Cam blades downward. In other words, there’s no way for these blades to fail to open on impact with an animal.

With a cutting width of 2 inches and a needlelike tip (hence the model name), the Rage Hypodermic NC has received great reviews from bowhunters who say it results in heavy and short blood trails. These hunters also say this broadhead impacts a target in nearly the same spot as their field points.

MSRP for a three pack of Rage Hypodermic NC broadheads is $54.99. www.feradyne.com

 

Swhacker Levi Morgan Signature Series #269

No other archer has dominated the tournament scene like Levi Morgan. His incredible streak of 12 Male Open Pro Shooter of the Year titles finally ended in 2019. But then he won the title again in 2020! Morgan is also a diehard bowhunter who understands what’s required of his archery gear to harvest big game all over the world.

Engineered by Swhacker to the demanding specifications of Morgan, the new 125-grain Levi Morgan Signature Series #269 mechanical broadhead features a unique arced blade design that reduces blade resistance after entry, retaining greater arrow momentum and delivering increased pass-through performance. In practice, the blades on the #269 slice twice: The winged blades first cut through a layer of hide and fat, then the arched blades deploy (jackknife) internally for maximum damage to vital organs. Due to the #269’s design, the blades must open on impact every time.

According to Swhacker, the broadhead’s reinforced ribbed ferrule, which is built from anodized aircraft aluminum, delivers up to 20 percent greater strength and rigidity. The stainless-steel blades are .032 inches thick. The #269 also includes Swhacker’s popular Blade-Lock Technology, allowing the expandable blades to be locked in the closed position so hunters can practice with the exact broadhead they will be using in the field.

The #269 is 1 inch wide in flight and opens to 2.5 inches on impact. Because the #269 has such a small profile in the closed position, it is generally regarded as one of the most accurate mechanical broadheads on the market today.

MSRP for a three pack of Swhacker Levi Morgan Signature Series #269 broadheads is $44.95. www.swhacker.com

Swhacker FYI: Also new for 2020, the #269 supports Swhacker’s Hunt Ready Plugs system, which is an alternative method to the current shrink bands, to keep blades closed during hunting applications. Hunt Ready Plugs can be used with Swhacker broadhead models #200, #261 and #269. MSRP for a 12 pack of Hunt Ready Plugs is $3.95.

 

Sidebar: Fixed-Blade Broadheads Sales Tip

No two compounds or crossbows are the same when it comes to shooting broadheads, especially fixed-blade designs, due to the increased surface area of the blades. From a distance of 20 yards, one fixed-blade broadhead that impacts a target in the same place as field points from a dialed-in bow might strike 6 inches low (or high, or right or left) from another person’s well-tuned bow.

To sell more fixed-blade broadheads in your store, offer a decent selection of demo heads so customers can test-fire several designs before buying. When a customer finds a broadhead brand/model/size that flies just like field points, he or she will leave your store with one or more packs of new broadheads, as well as the confidence to make lethal shots on game.