I was 16 years old and brimming with excitement. Sweaty palms, shaking knees and full of anticipation, I went in to make my purchase. Was I about to buy my first car? No sir.
Even more exciting, I was about to buy my first new bow! That fateful day at Cabelas I purchased a ready to shoot package from PSE, a basic velcro release, and a dozen Carbon Express Arrows. At the time I didn’t know much about those arrows, but little did I know that nearly 10 years later I would still be shooting the same brand.
Now obviously over that time span the Carbon Express offerings have changed, but the quality and wide selection of choices is still much the same. I believe it is that consistent quality, with numerous options that has kept me with Carbon Express for so long. Over the years I have shot Carbon Express models such as the Terminators, Mayhems and now the Maximas and with each new arrow I was able to shoot better and evolve as an archer. And as I’ve progressed in my journey as a bowhunter, I have been able to better understand what kind of performance I need in an arrow and what specific brand or model of arrow will fulfill that. That being said, I certainly can see how it can be confusing and even intimidating for someone new to bowhunting or Carbon Express arrows to try and figure out what arrow they should purchase. No matter what brand arrow you choose to shoot, it’s important to look at the specific goals you have in mind for your arrows and choose accordingly. So with that in mind, I wanted to share a few thoughts on why there are so many options from Carbon Express and if you choose to use CX, how you might be able to determine which one is right for you. In this article I speak to Carbon Express arrows, because that’s what I have experience with. But if you have any questions about another brand and need help determining the right arrow, let me know and I’ll do my best to find a good resource for you!
As I mentioned before, I’ve been able to grow up with Carbon Express arrows over the past decade for one simple reason. They have arrows for every situation, price range and need. As I understand it, it’s CX’s goal to provide the most options for the most demanding of bowhunters, to help them do one thing. Shoot better. Whether you specifically want to get the most penetration possible or have the most accurate arrow you can find, there is a Carbon Express arrow made specifically for that. And these arrows aren’t just thrown together with a label that says “great penetration” or whatever. They are designed and manufactured to the most exact standards, to ensure they do exactly what they’re meant to do. So with that in mind, lets look at several of Carbon Express’s premier lines of arrows and explain just what they are made to do.
When it comes to top of the line hunting arrows, few are as well known and renowned as the Maxima series. These are my arrows of choice and for good reason. They’re incredibly fast, yet still strong and forgiving. Within the Maxima line, there are several variations including the Maxima Hunter, KV, Blue Streak and Blue Streak Select. All Maximas have dual spine weight forward technology, which essentially helps with energy transfer and allows your arrow to recover faster, leading to better accuracy. In addition to the dual spine technology you’ve got incredible straightness and weight tolerances that ensure that these arrows are as consistent and finely crafted as possible. Within the Maximas you’ll get the best penetration with the KV, most accuracy with the Blue Streak, tightest straightness specs with the Blue Streak Select and the most speed from a camo arrow with the Maxima Hunter. On the high end here, you’ve definitely got a lot of options, but it’s hard to go wrong with any of these.
As you go down the line you’ll get into the Mayhem series next, which I shot last year with great success. Another line of terrific shooting, well rounded arrows that are designed in fact to be a perfect trifecta of speed, accuracy and penetration. With a technology called K-360 weave, the Mayhems are able to achieve great durability and penetration without sacrificing speed. These are truly a great all around arrow.
If you’re focused strongly on getting the best penetration possible, the Piledriver series is for you. With a heavy grain per inch ratio, these arrows are incredibly durable and pack a lot of kinetic energy! You can plan on getting a lot of pass throughs with these bad boys.
Rounding out the line-up you’ve got the Mach 5, which is the lightest and fastest of the CX arrows and the Mutiny a high velocity, super consistent arrow. Both offer great benefits that fulfill unique needs.
Choosing a brand or specific model of arrow is certainly an important decision as a bowhunter. For me, it was made by chance early in my life, but luck had it that I made a good call. I’ve been able to progress through the CX lineup throughout my life and have been impressed every step of the way. So while I can’t tell you one way or the other in regards to what arrows you should shoot, I can say with complete certainty that if you decide to shoot Carbon Express, they will have an arrow that can fit your specific needs perfectly. When it comes to choosing an arrow, look at your price range and needs and then study your options carefully. There are plenty of good options out there, but for me Carbon Express has been the best!
– Mark Kenyon – WiredToHunt.com
