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It’s been refreshing the past couple years to see crossbow makers shift their focus away from the speed-at-all cost race and instead toward models that are stronger, more accurate, easier to handle, and sport better ergonomics. Although several of 500-plus-fps models are still available, many hunters realized that speed can come with diminishing returns. In my crossbow testing experience—which spans more than a decade now—broadhead flight, particularly with fixed-blades, gets pretty tricky at speeds above 450 fps.

Today’s best crossbows are simply better hunting tools than they’ve ever been, even if some of their predecessors shot faster. This year’s field of new crossbows continues on that theme, with all of the major players improving upon existing technologies in lieu of introducing something new and radical. The result is a lineup that includes two of the most accurate crossbows I’ve ever tested, and overall excellence that ran deep into the field. You can see exactly what I did to put 2026’s new models through their paces and how I picked the winners in the “How We Test Crossbows” section below. But you probably want to get straight to the results first, so here they are.

• Best Overall: TenPoint TX Ultra 29.5
• Most Accurate: Ravin R10X Pro
• Best Value: Wicked Ridge Commander 400
• Excalibur RevX TD
• Barnett Hyper Raptor T-Rex
• CenterPoint Sniper G4D

Best Overall: TenPoint TX Ultra 29.5

Specs

• Weight: 10 pounds, 11 ounces
• Trigger Pull: 2 pounds, 8 ounces
• Speed: 445 fps (440-grain arrow)
• Kinetic Energy: 195.6 foot-pounds
• Average 50-Yard Group: 1.125 inches
• Retail Price: Starts at $2,649.99

I’ve tested virtually every high-performance flagship crossbow of the past decade, and any model good enough to win this test is very good indeed. Still, I can usually nitpick a few flaws, particularly given the eye-popping price tag that usually comes with the top models. I’ve tested bows that were crazy fast, but weren’t all that accurate. Others were extremely accurate, but had the handling characteristics of a mini refrigerator.

It’s difficult to bad-mouth the TenPoint TX Ultra 29.5. Although it wasn’t the absolute most accurate crossbow of this year’s test (more on that shortly), it shot better than just about anything I’d ever tested previously, turning in average 50-yard groups of just over an inch. At 30 yards, mechanical broadheads hit in virtually the same hole as field points. Fixed blades were about 3 inches off the mark (really the bow’s only stumble). Still, that’s very good broadhead performance for a crossbow that hits this hard.   

But it wasn’t just the performance that made this crossbow so good; it balances perfectly and handles like a dream—well, at least as crossbows go. It’s only 6.5 inches wide when cocked and less than 30 inches end-to-end. It has a soft-touch coating on the stock that feels good in the hand, and an AR-style safety that’s big, positive, and easy to find. The TriggerTech trigger had a crisp 2-pound, 8-ounce pull that no doubt contributed to the accuracy, as did the rail-less twin riser design. The Accu-Slide Maxx system made the bow simple to cock and de-cock. The accessories, particularly the scope and the travel case, were exceptional. The TX Ultra 29.5 has TenPoint’s limited lifetime warranty and is made in the U.S., which are both high marks in my book. It’s one of the best compound crossbows I’ve ever tested, period, and my favorite one—by a hair—of 2026.  

Related: Check out a full review of the TenPoint TX Ultra 29.5 here.

Most Accurate: Ravin R10X Pro

Specs

• Weight: 9 pounds, 13 ounces
• Trigger Pull: 2 pounds, 6 ounces
• Speed: 422.7 fps (400-grain arrow)
• Kinetic Energy: 169 foot-pounds
• Average 50-Yard Group: 0.85 inches
• Retail Price: $1,849.99

The Ravin R10X Pro is one of the most accurate crossbows I’ve ever personally tested, consistently producing three-shot, 50-yard groups of less than an inch. That, combined with a price tag that’s $800 less than the TenPoint TX Ultra 29.5, put it in serious contention for the winning slot. The TenPoint’s edge boiled down to a better warranty, more power, and, above all, superior handling and ergonomics.

Regardless, the R10X Pro is a tack-driver, and a hell of a crossbow. Ravin took its proven R10, one of the most tested high-performance platforms out there, and improved it with features like a better and silent cocking system, adjustable stock, and a full-length optics rail that’s supported on both ends of the crossbow, an upgrade that I believe significantly boosts accuracy. Broadhead groups were almost as impressive as field points with this bow, with mechanicals hitting in the same hole as field points, and fixed-blades being about an inch off the mark.

The R10X Pro had an excellent 2-pound, 6-ounce trigger and was fairly lightweight at just under 10 pounds. The quiver left much to be desired, and I’m not wild about the system for storing the cocking handle in the stock; it just seems easy to lose. The safety lever is rather small and difficult to access, and lacks the positive “click” of the TenPoint’s AR-style safety. Still, those are minor critiques. Of all the Ravin introductions of the past four or so years, this one is my favorite. It’s a first-rate crossbow that isn’t cheap, but isn’t way overpriced either.

Related: You can read a more detailed review of the Ravin R10X Pro here.

Best Value: Wicked Ridge Commander 400

• Weight: 9 pounds, 9.2 ousces
• Trigger Pull: 4 pounds, 10.5 ounces
• Speed: 387.3 fps (400-grain arrow)
• Kinetic Energy: 158.8 foot-pounds
• Average 50-Yard Group: 1.58 inches
• Retail Price: $599.99

TenPoint’s budget-friendly sister brand produces conventional compound crossbows that have always proven to be rugged, accurate—and kind of boring in my tests, at least compared to the faster, flashier flagships. But when it comes to serious hunting tools, boring can be good. I’ve seen my share of crossbow catastrophes over the years (some operator induced, some not), but never from a Wicked Ridge. In fact, these crossbows are among the few that I would hand to my 12-year-old son (who is a very experienced hunter and has passed Hunter Ed) to take to his deer stand without my immediate supervision.

The Commander 400 certainly wasn’t perfect, chiefly because of a 5-pound trigger that required a good bit of take-up. But it was a lightweight (the lightest of the test), hard-hitting crossbow for the price, with 400-grain arrows clocking in just under 390 fps. It was very accurate, too, producing 50-yard average groups of just over 1.5 inches. Best of all, field points, fixed-blade, and mechanical broadheads all hit in virtually the same hole. Besides that, this crossbow, with the time-tested TenPoint AcuDraw system, was among the easiest-to-cock crossbows I’ve ever tried (the specs say it only requires 5 pounds of effort). The cocking devices of many other crossbows at this price point aren’t even close.

The Commander 400 comes with decent accessories including a good scope, it’s American made, and it sports a limited lifetime warranty—all with a suggested retail of less than $600. Considering that you can buy four of these, with a couple hundred bucks left over for arrows and broadheads, for the price of one of the winning TenPoint packages, the choice for Best Value of 2026 was a no brainer. 

Excalibur RevX TD

• Weight: 9 pounds, 13 ounces with accessories
• Trigger Pull: 2 pounds, 3.4 ounces
• Speed: 389.7 fps (350-grain arrow)
• Kinetic Engery: 136.4 foot-pounds
• Average 50-Yard Group Size: 1.1 inches
• Retail Price: $1,999.99

You can’t shoot high-performance compound crossbows like the Ravin and TenPoint without feeling a little bit in awe of their power and accuracy. But over and again, when I’m actually hunting with a crossbow myself, I opt for the simplicity of an Excalibur recurve. It’s true that these basic designs are never as fast or powerful as compounds, and they’re rarely as accurate. But they’re virtually bomb-proof and easy to maintain.

Excalibur added a takedown (TD) feature to some of its crossbows a few years ago, and this year they’ve incorporated an improved version of that into the RevX, an already popular crossbow that’s been around a couple years, and which has a smooth, integrated ratchet-style cocking system into the stock. (The system is similar to the one pioneered by Ravin and now used, in some version, in most Ravin and Tenpoint flagships). Despite the recurve limbs, which can be a physical struggle to cock with some devices, this crossbow was among the easiest of the test to get loaded and ready. And the TD system works, allowing you to remove the bow from the stock with the push of a button and store it in a compact, soft-sided case. I took down and put together the bow multiple times during my testing and never had the slightest change to the crossbow’s point of impact. It was a great shooter, averaging 1-inch 50-yard groups, and it had the truest broadhead flight of anything in the mix, with fixed and mechanical options both shredding vanes of my field-point arrows. It is worth noting, though, that the shorter, lighter, slower bolts were quite susceptible to wind drift on breezy days.

It had a good trigger (albeit with a little creep), and an excellent scope and accessories. The speed and power gap doomed it from winning the test, but it packs enough punch to kill about anything, and it has a lifetime warranty (including on the limbs, something most crossbow companies cannot claim).

Barnett Hyper Raptor T-Rex

• Weight: 10 pounds, 6 ounces
• Trigger Pull: 2 pounds, 12 ounces
• Speed: 431.9 fps (400-grain arrow)
• Kinetic Energy: 173 foot-pounds
• Average 50-Yard Group: 3.2 inches
• Retail Price: $1,199.99

Barnett’s sweet spot is in producing high-performance crossbows at affordable prices, and their Hyper Raptor lineup in particular has always impressed me. These crossbows are purpose-built to shoot micro-diameter HyperFlite crossbow arrows, which provide the same aerodynamic flight and penetration capabilities of micro-diameter arrows intended for vertical compound bows. The new T-Rex model blends the best attributes of the other Hyper Raptors, including a step-through riser and continuous molded parabolic limbs, and matches them with a new Planetary cocking system, which is Barnett’s version of the ratchet-style system that’s standard on Ravin crossbows and other high-end models. They did a fantastic job incorporating that system into a much more affordable, high-performance model that was the second fastest, hardest-hitting crossbow I tested this year.

The T-Rex’s scope was very good with a nice, clear reticle; fit and finish were also good, and the ergonomics and handling overall weren’t bad, but not comparable to the TenPoint TX 29.5. Although the trigger was nice, the length of pull from the pistol grip to the trigger itself was too long (and I have long fingers). The accuracy from this crossbow was a bit disappointing. Broadheads generally shot with field points at 30 yards, but my 50-yard field point groups were consistently 3-plus inches. That’s plenty good enough for hunting, but at the bottom of this year’s accuracy standard.

CenterPoint Sniper G4D

• Weight: 10 pounds, 9 ounces
• Trigger Pull: 3 pounds, 2.5 ounces
• Speed: 400.3 fps (400-grain arrow)
• Kinetic Energy: 160.2 foot-pounds
• Average 50-Yard Groups: 2.56 Inches
• Retail Price: $499.99

On the one hand, this was the least expensive crossbow in the test, and it worked as advertised with no malfunctions or issues whatsoever. It was reasonably accurate with field points (though 5 inches-plus off the mark with both types of broadheads). And it was compact, at just 6.75 inches wide when cocked. But this crossbow is cheap for a reason, and I didn’t care for it. It had a long, fairly heavy trigger (though not as heavy as the Wicked Ridge) and was equipped with terrible accessories, including what was perhaps the worst crossbow scope I’ve ever used; the glass was blurry, and the huge circles in the yardage reticle made precise aiming at any distance difficult. The detachable cocking device did work, but it was bulky and unwieldy, with hooks attached to four braided lines that had to be played out to reach the string, and which were difficult to remove once the bow was cocked. There are too many other excellent crossbow cocking options on the market today to use something like this. I would much prefer a standard rope. If you’re shopping on a budget—which plenty of us are these days—the Wicked Ridge Commander 400 is only $100 more and is a much better option. 

How We Tested Crossbows

The F&S crossbow test is an invitational, where all major brands are invited to submit the new model of their choice. Crossbows were tested using the manufacturer-provided accessories. Because of that, there are some extensive differences in arrow weight that can greatly affect speed and energy. All arrow weights are listed, and we’ve included kinetic energy figures in addition to velocity readings, both of which were crunched using a Garmin Xero chronograph.

After sighting the bows in, I tested field-point accuracy at 50 yards. Group sizes listed above are the average of five, three-arrow groups. In addition, I evaluated broadhead flight at 30 yards with both fixed (100-grain Muzzy One) and mechanical (100-grain Slick Trick Raptor Trick) broadheads. I didn’t measure broadhead group size, but instead evaluated consistency of flight, and measured how far “off” from the field point zero the broadheads landed on target. As an avid crossbow hunter myself, if a broadhead hits within an inch or so of my field points and only requires a minor scope adjustment, I’m very happy. Although I personally prefer fixed-blade broadheads, mechanicals do consistently shoot better from crossbows in my experience. 

I measured trigger-pull weights with a Lyman trigger scale and evaluated trigger quality subjectively. I used the same scale to weigh each crossbow, with its respective scope and accessories attached. I did all my accuracy testing from a seated position with a BOG DeathGrip tripod. During the testing, I also evaluated the quality of the accessories, fit and finish, handling, and cocking effort. The Best Overall award is just what it sounds like. The Best Value award doesn’t go to the cheapest crossbow, but to the one that gives the most bang for the buck.

FAQs

Q: How long will a crossbow last?

Assuming you take care of it, there’s no reason you can’t expect a lifetime of use from your crossbow. Sure, you’ll need to replace cables and strings from time to time. But unless you’re shooting thousands and thousands of arrows each year, xbows are meant to take serious abuse and the limbs and other related stress-points have been tested to survive more shots than the average bowhunter will likely take.

Q: Can I kill a deer at 100 yards with the best crossbow?

Today’s crossbows are stupid accurate. It is possible to deliver an arrow with consistency on target at distances up to 100 yards, especially using the best crossbow scopes. However, broadhead flight can get a little squirrelly beyond 50 yards or so, especially if there’s wind. Perhaps a better question is: Is it ethical to try and kill a deer at 100 yards with a crossbow? A lot of things can happen in the time it takes an arrow to travel 100 yards, even from a crossbow pushing 500 fps. There’s a reason you don’t see many videos of people attempting shots like that. If you can’t kill a deer with a xbow at lesser distances, you may need to re-evaluate your stand or blind setup to give you closer shots.

Q: Do I need to buy the most expensive option to get the best performance?

Not necessarily. While you often do get what you pay for, there are some great affordable crossbows out there that perform nearly as their more expensive counterparts.

Why Trust Us

For more than 125 years, Field & Stream has been providing readers with honest and authentic coverage of outdoor gear. Our writers and editors eat, sleep, and breathe the outdoors, and that passion comes through in our product reviews. You can count on F&S to keep you up to date on the best new gear. And when we write about a product—whether it’s a bass lure or a backpack—we cover the good and the bad, so you know exactly what to expect before you decide to make a purchase.

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