Best Hunting Arrows of 2023

Hunting arrows are often overlooked. Everyone obsesses over compound bows and accessories, as they should, but rarely do they put the same thought or analysis into arrow selection. On a recent visit to a Colorado archery pro shop, I watched a gentleman fret for hours, asking scores of questions and testing various sight and rest options. He wanted to ensure his selections were perfect for his new flagship bow. When it came time to pick his arrows, he changed his tune, going with the cheapest he could find. 

I see the attraction; sights, rests, releases, quivers, and stabilizers boast a racy, eye-grabbing appeal. You can customize them, even their color, to match your bow. That’s great. However, it’s the arrow that travels through the air toward your target. The arrow is the only accessory that actually leaves the bow and interacts with the thing your’e aiming at. If you don’t match the arrow’s spine (stiffness) to your bow’s poundage, you will struggle with accuracy. In addition, if you don’t understand the importance of spine and grain weight, you may be shooting a shaft that is unsafe or one that won’t perform well on the game you’re hunting. 

Here are our picks for the best hunting arrows. 

Best Overall: Gold Tip Airstrike

Best for Elk: Easton 5MM FMJ Autumn Orange 100 Year Limited Edition

Best Long-Range: Easton 4MM Axis Long Range

Best Affordable: Gold Tip Hunter XT

Best Lightweight: Carbon Express Maxima Sable RZ Select

Best for Deer Hunting: Carbon Express Maxima Red

Best for Kids: Victory VForce Junior

Best Technology-Rich: Victory Archery VAP SS

How I Picked The Best Hunting Arrows

During my 20-plus-year bowhunting tenure, I’ve slung plenty of carbon and aluminum downrange. In addition to testing each of these shafts independently with field points and mechanical and fixed-blade broadheads, I have also toted each shaft afield at least once.

During my range testing, arrows were independently weighed using a Hornady digital grain scale, and all were fired through a Caldwell Ballistic Premium Chronograph. Shafts were fired in crosswinds, headwinds, and tailwinds, and each shaft was fired at distances between 20 and 100 yards. 

The Best Hunting Arrows: Reviews & Recommendations

Best Overall: Gold Tip Airstrike

Specs

.204-inch inside diameter with 204 Accu-Touch Nock included

Dyna-Tek Slick Shield coating

Built for speed & long-range accuracy

Pros

Shaft strength 

Accuracy

Easy removal (Dyna-Tek Slick Shield coating) 

Cons

Beefy nock collar to accommodate the .204 Accu-Touch Nock 

Gold Tip’s Airstrike has proven itself to me time and time again. Western bowhunters cheer the arrow’s micro-diameter build and its ability to blend speed with strength. The Dyna-Tek Slick Shield coating makes arrow removal from targets a breeze and helps with downrange penetration.

Whitetail goers tip a hat to its solid build and applaud the arrow’s ability to work at ranges close and far. I like this shaft for western excursions where the distance between the shooter and the target may stretch beyond 60 yards, but it is equally deadly when sitting 20 feet up waiting on a November giant. During my time in the bowhunting woods, I’ve harvested over 25 animals (elk, mule deer, feral hogs, turkey, pronghorn, and whitetail) with this shaft. It’s the type of arrow, the more you shoot it, the more confidence it provides you as an archer and bowhunter. This arrow could have easily been slotted into most any of the other “Best” categories in this article.

Best for Elk: Easton 5MM FMJ Autumn Orange 100 Year Limited Edition

Specs

Hidden Insert Technology (HIT) 

Built like a tank with an aluminum jacket over a carbon core

Deep penetrating, with easy target pull

Pros 

Accuracy and reduced wind drift 

Deep penetration

FOC easily improved with 5MM Brass HIT Break-off inserts

Cons

Aluminum wrap can require intermittent care

To celebrate 100-years of arrow-building perfection, Easton crafted its 5MM FMJ Autumn Orange. A tried-and-true arrow proven in the whitetail woods, sage-dappled plains, and the Rockies, you can’t go wrong when you sling this shaft. Of course, it’s a do-it-all arrow, and we could have easily slugged it as such. I’ve yet to shoot a shaft that more perfectly marries accuracy with deep-penetrating devastation. 

The reduced surface area gives the wind less to push against in flight, and HIT inserts create a seamless point-to-shaft bond. The arrow is available in spine sizes of 250, 300, 340, 400, and 500 in appropriate grain-per-inch (GPI) builds. The all-aluminum jacket wraps around the carbon core to penetrate deep and prevents bonding to foam targets. This great do-all shaft will serve you well on a variety of hunts, and is without question the best hunting arrow I’ve ever used for elk. 

Best Long-Range: Easton 4MM Axis Long Range

Specs

Super straight +/- .001 build with nock collar

Smart Carbon Technology

Dyna-Tek Slick Shield coating

Pros

Accuracy 

Speed

Toughness 

Cons

High price

If you’re looking to become the most accurate bowhunter you can be and shoot at long distances, there’s no better arrow than Easton’s 4MM Axis Long Range. This innovative shaft reduces wind drift and cuts through the air like a laser-guided missile. Spine sizes are plentiful, and the Half-out aluminum inserts are easy to install.

This 4MM Easton offering accepts standard 8-32-thread broadheads for the first time via the Half-out insert; no specialty broadheads or components are needed. The arrow promises excellent velocity and a build that holds up to heavy-bone hits. It’s a solid all-around choice, but if you’re looking to chase pronghorn, mule deer, or bighorn sheep out West, this is your shaft.

Best Affordable: Gold Tip Hunter XT

Specs

Tired-and-true performance

.246-inch robust inner diameter

Smart Carbon Technology

Speed and penetration

Pros

Excellent value 

Multiple options 

Cons

Accu-Lite Inserts allow points and broadheads to rattle loose easily

A staple in the Gold Tip line, one could argue the legendary Hunter XT has filled more freezers than any other shaft. For the money, you can’t beat this shaft’s +/- .003-inch straightness rating, bulletproof build, and incredible blend of accuracy and speed.

Engineered to be versatile, the arrow will work for any game species you pursue. The Hunter XT it comes complete with GT Nocks and Accu-Lite Inserts. Spine sizes of 250, 300, 340, 400, and 500 are available. 

Best Lightweight: Carbon Express Maxima Sable RZ Select

Specs

Tri-spine/RED ZONE Technology

Lightweight build with +/- 1.0 grain match weight

+/- .001 real straightness

Pros

Boosted durability with Launchpad nocks and Bulldog nock collars 

Flies fast and flat 

Cons

A too-close-to-call GPI-to-bow-poundage ratio can lead to poor accuracy and lack of strength 

Carbon Express’ Maxima line has given us some remarkable models over the years. For 2022, the story is speed. The Sable RZ Select, available in spine sizes of 350, 400, and 500, was built to increase speed and reduce arrow drop.

The lightweight hunting arrow features TriSpine Technology with 360-degree spine consistency, and the .244-inch inner-diameter hunting arrow is made from 100 percent carbon. A solid choice for short-draw archers looking to boost speed and western hunters expecting longer-range shots.

Best for Deer Hunting: Carbon Express Maxima Red

Specs

Large spin-size range

Stainless-steel nock bushing and inserts

+/- 1-grain weight tolerance

Pros 

Tough as nails build 

Accurate 

Deep penetration

Cons

The Q2i Raptor vanes limit distances to 50 yards or less

Carbon Express’s original Maxima Red is the best whitetail arrow ever created, as far as I’m concerned. Many bowhunters share this opinion, and it is no wonder why. The arrow manages dynamic spine very well. There are just a pair of spine sizes offered to cover draw-weights between 40 and 92 pounds. Of course, this reduces how much thought bowhunters have to put into finding the correct-spined arrow.

But other top-notch features like a straightness of +/-.0025 inches and only sweeten the pot, and make this my go-to arrow for deer. The RED ZONE reduces arrow oscillation in flight and helps broadheads—fixed, mechanical, and hybrid—hit their mark. Packs of 12 are available, as are 6-packs of fletched shafts. 

Best for Kids: Victory VForce Junior

Specs

Multiple spine sizes

Rugged carbon build

Quality nocks and inserts

Pros 

Versatile

Tough

Accurate

Cons 

Must pay attention to bow weight and spine size to ensure combability

Young archers that chase their compound dreams on the tournament trail and bowhunting woods often struggle to find carbon that fits their needs. Not anymore. Dedicated to creating a shaft designed to meet the needs of every archer, Victory has crafted its VForce Junior.

Available in low-poundage spine sizes of 600, 800, and 1,000; these shafts come fitted with Bohning Blazer nocks installed, and aluminum inserts are included. The arrows can be purchased as raw or fletched shafts. Those that go with a from-the-factory fletch can expect two-inch Q2I Raptor vanes. This is a top-end arrow for youth archers with bow poundage that won’t reasonably accommodate a 500-spine arrow.  

Best Technology-Rich: Victory VAP SS

Specs

Stainless-steel layers infused into a 90-degree carbon-fiber weave

High FOC

Micro-diameter with SHOK TL Broadhead Adapter

Pros: 

Tech that works

Increased speed, penetration, and kinetic energy

Cons: 

Expensive

Technology is only beneficial if it has a purpose. When you fill your quiver with Victory’s VAP SS arrows, you can bank on the fact that its technologies will make you more accurate, produce hushed arrow flight, and promote a build that is as tough as they come. The micro-diameter shaft cuts through the air easily, and the stainless-steel infused carbon-fiber weave boosts penetration and overall arrow durability.

The build gives the shooter a higher FOC and bone-shattering momentum, and the SHOK TL Adapter accepts standard 5/16-inch broadheads with an 8-32 thread. This patent-pending system sports an impact-protection sleeve that strengthens the arrow tip from fracturing. 

What to Consider When Choosing Hunting Arrows

Though they appear simple, arrow shafts have a number of important nuances that require your consideration. Take the following into account every time you purchase a set of arrows.

Spine

When it comes to arrow selection, the first thing you need to do is match the arrow’s spine to your bow’s poundage. The task isn’t difficult. Most arrow manufacturers have charts on their website to guide you, and you can always ask a pro shop professional. 

In layman’s terms, the spine is the stiffness of the arrow. If you’re pulling a 70-pound bow and shooting a 500-spine arrow, the arrow’s build is too thin and too light to handle the energy transferred into it. Not only is this dangerous (the arrow can explode), but your precision will suffer greatly. The arrow will never stabilize in flight, and you might as well be throwing darts blindfolded.

It’s also possible to be over-spined. If you’re shooting a bow with a 40-pound draw-weight and an arrow branded with a 250-spine rating, you’ll experience slow flight speed, inconsistent accuracy, reduced kinetic energy downrange, and extreme arrow drop. Remember, the larger the number, the less stiff the spine.  

Weight

It’s also important to understand that spine size is not overall arrow weight. For instance, if you’re shooting a 400-spine arrow, that doesn’t mean your total arrow weight is 400 grains. Total arrow weight is measured in grains per inch, commonly abbreviated as GPI. The stiffer the spine, the more grains per inch the arrow will weigh, but grains per inch and spine are different.

The relationship between speed and weight is ultra-important. If you’re shooting an arrow that’s too heavy for your bow’s poundage, your arrow will seem like it’s moving in slow motion as it travels toward the target. On the flip side, if you’re shooting an arrow that’s flirting with the minimum GPI rating for the poundage you’re pulling, you’ll get remarkable speed, but your arrow will never fully stabilize in flight.

Diameter

While diameter will play a bit into our next subheading, I do feel it deserves its own space. For years, there were standard diameter arrows and nothing else. Today, many manufacturer’s craft shafts in different diameters. Take Easton, for instance. This legendary arrow builder is well-known for its 6.5, 6, 5, and 4mm lines. Why is this important? First, thinner diameter arrows, if spine and weight are matched correctly with your bow, will penetrate better. The shaft’s slimmer build tracks perfectly behind the broadhead’s wound channel and dives deeper into game. In addition, arrows with a smaller diameter tend to fly better in the wind, especially at distances beyond 50 yards. The reason for this is simple: Reduced surface area gives the wind less area to press against. 

What are you hunting? 

Next, think about what you hunt. A pile of arrow designs will work as well in the elk mountains as they do in the whitetail hardwoods, but many boast features that make them a species-specific standout. For instance, some shafts sport boosted F.O.C. (Front of Center) features to increase accuracy and penetration, which is important when hunting tough, thick-skinned critters.

To simplify things, ask yourself what you plan to use your arrow of choice for. If the answer is spring turkey and close-range whitetails out of a tree stand or ground blind, you can get away with an economical arrow with few bells and whistles. If you’re a western bowhunter, or are infatuated with the long-range practice game, I can promise you get what you pay for. Top-end micro-diameter arrows with more weight in the arrow’s front half reduce side-to-side drift caused by crosswinds. And the pencil-thin diameter penetrates deep.

FAQs

Best Hunting Arrows: Final Thoughts

Best Overall: Gold Tip Airstrike

Best for Elk: Easton 5MM FMJ Autumn Orange 100 Year Limited Edition

Best Long-Range: Easton 4MM Axis Long Range

Best Affordable: Gold Tip Hunter XT

Best Lightweight: Carbon Express Maxima Sable RZ Select

Best for Deer Hunting: Carbon Express Maxima Red

Best for Kids: Victory VForce Junior

Best Technology-Rich: Victory Archery VAP SS

I believe, next to your bow, which must fit you perfectly, having the best hunting arrow selection is the most critical piece of the fill-the-freezer puzzle. My biggest suggestion is to prove to yourself what arrow should rest between the nocking points inside your D-loop. The more you test and tinker and do your research—the more likely you are to find a shaft that fills you with confidence and puts field points and broadheads in the 10-ring.

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