When it comes to hot topics of debate among deer hunters, few subjects elicit such powerful opinions as that of broadhead design and performance. Sure, each broadhead company makes bold statements about why their product is best, so it’s not surprising that choosing a broadhead is a confusing decision for many hunters.
Most bowhunters don’t have the money to spend comparing and field testing a wide variety of broadheads. They also don’t have the required testing materials. And this is why a comprehensive independent test such as the one conducted by the team at Huntstand is beneficial to the masses.
Each year HuntStand conducts its Head-To-Head Broadhead Field Test, which rigorously and scientifically evaluates the most popular new broadheads on the market. The YouTube video below explains the process and then summarizes the results.
Winning the Best Value award among the eight broadheads tested was the 100-grain fixed-blade Wasp SharpShooter. This cut-on-contact broadhead has a self-aligning blade locking system, which utilizes a hardened stainless-steel forward section that aligns the main blade to the ferrule, eliminating misaligned blades and poor arrow flight. The SharpShooter has a 1-inch cutting diameter with .040-inch-thick main blades and .027-inch-thick bleeder blades. All blades are replaceable. MSRP: $43.99/three pack. Contact: www.wasparchery.com
Winning the Silver award was the 100-grain fixed-blade SIK F3, which has three .035-inch-thick razor-sharp stainless-steel blades and a one-piece all steel ferrule. The winged offset blade design produces a 1 3/16-inch cutting diameter. The solid knurled and threaded rear locking collar ensures the blades are locked in place for superior strength. The SIK F3 took first place in Hunstand’s ballistic gel test, penetrating 10.25 inches after first passing through layers of carpet plus a quarter-inch-thick piece of plywood. MSRP: $44.99/three pack. Contact: www.sikbroadheads.com
The HuntStand Editor’s Choice award went to Slick Trick Assailant, a hybrid broadhead. It won first place in three of four test criteria — accuracy, weight consistency, and angled deflection — and came in a close second place in the fourth criteria, penetration. The 100-grain hybrid-style Assailant has a large 2 5/8 inches of total cutting surface. It features the popular ViperTrick series field-proven chisel-style tip, with a 1 3/4-inch expandable head with a 7/8-inch fixed bleeder blade to provide easy-to-follow blood trails. The Assailant's low-profile design delivers precision field-point accuracy, and the head’s stainless-steel construction delivers durability. MSRP $47.99/three pack. Contact: www.slicktrick.net
In HuntStand’s test, the Assailant delivered unmatched field point accuracy and then some, defying the field testers assumptions that no broadhead would beat the field point group of just 1 3/8 inches. During the test, the Slick Trick Assailant posted a 50-yard, three-shot group of only 1 1/8 inches, the smallest in the test. Note: All accuracy tests were conducted with a Spot Hogg shooting machine.
As explained in the video, it appears that the sleeker design of the Assailant solves the longstanding penetration problem of hybrid heads. While many hybrid designs are limited in this capability due to a large blade surface area, the slim but strong design of the Assailant provides both deep penetration and durability.
Check out the 8-minute video for a detailed explanation of HuntStand’s extensive broadhead test.
