Best Crossbow Broadheads Of 2021 | Field Test

Thanks for joining us for the 2021 HuntStand Crossbow Broadhead Test presented by Burris Optics. We've done compound tests in the past but this is the first crossbow test. We're here on the farm, what better place to test these broadheads out than where we're going to use them this fall. This year we tested five different offerings available for 2021. First the Raven Steel, second the Sever Robusto, the TenPoint Evo X Center Punch, the Rage Extreme NC Crossbow, and the G5 Striker X. We put each broadhead through seven different tests and evaluations and gave them a score of one to ten, with ten being the best and one being the worst. The first test was weight consistency within each pack. The next was accuracy measuring three shot groups. The third was ballistic gel penetration, which mimics a body cavity shot. The fourth was an entrance wound size measurement, which was used with the ballistic gel. The fifth was the angled plywood penetration test. We used three quarter inch plywood, which mimics quartering and shoulder shots. The next was a destruction test, which is obviously not realistic in a hunting scenario, but it does mimic extreme stress. And then finally affordability, where we looked at the price per broadhead, as well as the price per pack, and then the price compared to the average between the five different options. Each of these broadheads were competing for one of three different awards. First the Editor's Choice Award, which is what we would choose if we were limited to one this fall. The next was the Silver Award, which is basically a second place finisher. And then the Best Value Award. This broadhead did well in each test, but it's also the best bang for your buck. For this test, we used the Centerpoint RAF 430 crossbow, shooting 20 inch bolts with a straightness of .001, and we topped it off with the Burris Oracle X range finding scope. You can learn more about it in a link below. It was a close contest for our Best Value Award. Several heads came close, but there was a definite winner. This year, the Best Value Award goes to the Striker X, a fixed four bladed broadhead from G5. Looking at the features, it has ultra sharp Lutz blades. It's 100% steel. It comes 100% spin tested. It offers 33% more cutting surface over the Striker V2. It has a 1.25 inch cutting diameter, and it's available in 100 and 125 grain options. Blade replacement kits are available, and it comes in a pack of three. The Striker X performed well in each test, but it dominated in two different categories. It placed first in the gel penetration test. It received 17.75 inches of penetration in the ballistic gel, which was 1.25 inches better than second place in that category. It also took first in the angled plywood penetration test. There was no deflection. With two shots, it got 13.9375 inches of penetration, and this was 2.875 inches better than second place in that category. And finally, it placed second in the affordability category. It's $42.95 for a three pack, which breaks down to $14.31 per broadhead, and that was $8.03 cheaper than the average three pack offering in the broadhead test field. Overall, if you're wanting a reliable, affordable fixed blade, don't overlook the Striker X from G5. It was a tight battle between our top two broadheads. They crossed the finish line within just three points of one another. But this year, the 2021 Silver Award goes to the Raven Steel, which is a two-bladed mechanical broadhead. Observing its features, it's approved for crossbows shooting up to 500 feet per second. It's crafted with a single piece of ferrule and internal spring clip, and it's constructed with 416 steel. There are no lock rings or O-rings, and it has two rear-deploying blades. It offers a two-inch cutting diameter. It's offered in 100 grains, comes in a three pack, and breaks down to 21.66 per head. The Raven Steel performed really well, taking first, second, or third place in all but one of our seven tests. Analyzing test performance, it placed first in weight consistency. Two heads weighed exactly the same. The third was within 0.2 grains of the other two, and it was the closest to its advertised weight. Also, it placed first in the accuracy test with a three-quarter inch, three-shot group, which was better than the one-and-a-half inch field point control group. It also was 0.1875 inches better than second place. And during testing, two Ravens hit the exact same hole. Next, it placed first in the entrance wound test, producing a one-and-a-quarter inch cut on the gel surface. It fully deployed within the gel as well. It even placed second in the destruction test, and third in the gel penetration and angled plywood penetration test, too. The Raven Steel has a small in-flight profile, but it has a devastating two-inch cut upon arrival. It's a reliable head that won't fail you when you take it to field this fall. And now for our Editor's Choice Award. Despite tough competition with the Raven Steel, one broadhead came out on top. This year, the 2021 Editor's Choice Award goes to the Sever Robusto 2.0, which is a two-bladed mechanical broadhead. As for its features, it offers a patented locking and pivoting blade technology. It has a fluted, hardened steel barrel design. It's crafted with 420-grade, 0.032-inch stainless steel blades, and it's sold individually at $13.99 per head, which was $9.01 cheaper than the average broadhead in the test field. The Sever Robusto performed really well and placed first, second, or third in all seven tests. It was the only broadhead in the field to do so. Drilling down on test performance, it placed first in the destruction test, which was a dryer that had four layers of metal. It was in best shape after that test. It was the only broadhead that remained 100% operable. It tied for the least number of chips in the blades. The tip was barely blunted after the test, and the ferrule and blades were still in good shape. It placed first in the affordability analysis. The Sever Robusto is purchased individually, and it's only $13.99 per broadhead, which is $0.32 cheaper than the second-place finisher. It's also sold direct to consumer. It placed second in the weight consistency category. Two hit the exact same weight. The third was within 0.2 grains of the first two, and it was the second closest to the advertised weight. It even placed second in the ballistic gel penetration test, entrance hole size test, and angled plywood penetration test as well. After testing five different broadheads, running them through seven different tests, and analyzing the data, there was no doubt the Sever Robusto 2.0 was the winner of the 2021 Editor's Choice Award. That concludes the 2021 HuntStand Crossbow Broadhead Test presented by Burris Optics. Congrats again to our three winners, the G5 Striker X for winning the Best Value Award, the Raven Steel for securing the Silver Award, and the Sever Robusto 2.0 for winning the Editor's Choice Award. Each of the other broadheads performed really well too. Make sure you're checking back in the coming days for more detailed information on these three broadheads, including the Rage Extreme NC and 10-Point Evo X Center Punch. And don't forget to check out the new Burris Optics Oracle X Rangefinding Crossbow Scope. It's an incredible product that takes the guesswork out of yardages and shot distances. You can learn more about it in the description below. Thanks for watching. We'll see y'all again next summer.