Broadheads get a lot of buzz each year at the annual Archery Trade Association Show. Sure, retailers and the media come to the show to fill orders and write articles and have face time with industry partners, but most of all, we want to see the cool new stuff. And broadheads are undeniably cool. They’re the sharpest, shiniest, deadliest eye candy at the entire event—and the best of them can also help you make quicker kills next season. So here they are: 14 lethal new expandable, fixed, and hybrid heads from the show floor.
Bowhunters loved Rage’s 2019 Hypodermic NC. I was one of them. For 2020, Rage adds to its NC line with what the manufacturer has dubbed its most lethal broadhead ever. NC stand for no collar, and if you’re one a bowhunters who doesn’t trust collars, clips, or O-rings, the X-Treme NC solves that problems for you. Finger-like tabs fitted on each blades’ Slip Cam pivot point anchor the blades securely and ensure no chance of in-flight deployment. The long, aircraft-grade aluminum ferrule holds a pair of wicked-sharp .039-inch-thick blades that have an swept-back blade angle and a 2.3-inch cutting diameter for pin-point accuracy and easy-to-follow blood trails. The X-Treme NC is available in a 100-grain model. $35 for three; ragebroadheads.com
This new company is making a wake in the broadhead pond, and its latest head, the SEVR Titanium 1.5 should only boost the brand’s profile among the stick-and-string crowd. Designed for maximum penetration on heavy-boned big-game animals, the 1.5 features a specially engineered blade configuration that looks to me like it should be hell on elk, moose, bear, bison, and the like. The swept-back blade angle of the 420-grade stainless-steel .032-inch-thick blades should allow the head drive deeper and be more durable. The ferrule is machined from grade-5 titanium with a precision-ground tip. Cutting diameter is—you guessed it—1.5 inches. $14 for each; sevrbroadheads.com
Muzzy is one of the best in the business at making lethal broadheads that bowhunters can depend on. When they have a good thing going, they stick with it. That’s why the Muzzy One is back for 2020, but with a few new family members. The full Muzzy One series now includes grain options of 85, 100 and 125. This one-piece fixed-blade is machined from a single piece of premium stainless steel, allowing engineers to better control tolerances and deliver a head that is both durable and accurate. The One’s hybrid chisel/cut-on-contact tip does an exceptional job of paving the way for a trio of precision-vented .046-inch-thick blades. Cutting diameters for the One include 1 inch, 1.125 inch, and 1.25 inch. $45 for three; muzzy.com
Bowhunters know G5 for its extremely popular Montec and Striker heads. For 2020, the company has produced its first-ever 4-blade head, dubbed the Striker-X. Built with replaceable LUTZ blades, the 1.25-inch-cut Striker-X is touted to produce 33 percent more cutting power than the 2019 Striker V2. The ferrule is fully machined, and the Anix Blade Locking System keeps the blades secure at all times. The Striker-X is available in 100- and 125-grain models and will be available in crossbow versions. A Ballistic Match Point is also offered for the Striker-X. g5outdoors.com
If a large-cutting diameter is what you’re after in a broadhead, you’ll going to want to give new The Hatchet a test drive. This 2-inch-cut rear-deploying mechanical head is designed to deliver both field-point accuracy and massive wound channels. A carbon-steel chisel tip, coated with black nickel, boosts durability and ensures maximum penetration on this 100-grain two-blade head. $35 for 3; deadringerhunting.com
Hybrid heads have gained traction over the last few years for their best-of-both-words mix of fixed and mechanical blades. Available in 100- or 125-grain models, the DK4 features a one-piece aluminum ferrule and ultra-sharp penetrating steel tip. When locked, the 1¾-inch-cut main blades can pivot in the ferrule so that when they encounter bone, they roll away from it rather than skipping or deflecting. Afterwards, the blades automatically re-center, which is pretty impressive. Trailing behind the main blades is a pair of 1-1/8-inch-cut bleeder blades. $40 for 3; newarchery.com
I’ve been a fan of Ramcat’s Airfoil Scoop System for quite a while, and testing has proven that the system boosts accuracy. The company has now incorporated Airfoil Scoop into the design of its new Diamondback Hybrid. Engineered for accuracy and devastating impact, the new head produces a 7/8-inch cut via the Daimondback-style fixed blades. A pair of .032-inch-thick stainless-steel mechanical blades add a huge 2-inch cutting diameter to ensure a shorter blood trail. Promised by Ramcat to work with any bow at any speed, this 100-grain head utilizes a reusable O-ring system. $40 for 3, ramcatbroadheads.com
The first broadhead I ever spilled blood with was a Rocket, and while the manufacturer has experienced some ups and downs over its tenure, 2020 is looking up. The big news with the Siphon and Siphon XB 100-grain mechanical heads is new Internal Blade Locking Technology, which ellimnates the need for bands, clips, or O-rings. The Siphon produces a 1¾-inch cut that’s lead by a stainless-steel tip and followed by a trio of .035-inch thick blades. The Siphon XB is much the same but designed specifically for crossbows. $40 per 3; rocketbroadheads.com
As more states legalize the use of crossbows during regular archery seasons, the number of horizontal bow-toters grows. With this in mind, SIK now offers its SK2 mechanical in a crossbow-specific model. Dubbed the SK2 CB, this head features a 2-inch offset entry-wound cut and a whopping cutting surface of 3.625 inches. Using SIK’s patented FliteLoc Technology, the SK2 CB is guaranteed not to deploy until impact. Once it hits, the FliteLoc clip, which holds the blades closed during flight, releases, allowing the offset blades to create a huge wound channel. $50 for 3; sikbroadheads.com
This year TRU GLO has expanded its lineup of Titanium X broadheads to include a pair of new mechanical models. Both the two- and three-blade Titanium X Backflip heads feature a reverse-opening blade design that flips back as the titanium Tri-Cut tip pushes through the animal’s hide. Each model sports a grade-5 titanium ferrule and surgical-sharp .031-inch-thick blades. The two-blade Backflip creates a 1¾-inch cut while the three-blade carves a 1½-inch wound channel. $45 for 3; truglo.com
Viper Archery engineers gave the Spectre a streamlined ferrule machined from 7075 aluminum to boost accuracy and fitted it with hardened-carbon-steel four-face chisel tip. The .047-inch-thick blades have a whopping 2.25-inch cutting diameter and are contained by Spectre’s patent-pending magnetized design, eliminating the need for O-rings or collars. The head is available in 100- and 125-grain versions and each pack comes with a practice head. $45 for three; viperarcheryproducts.com
I love my Havalon knife, and I’ve been very impressed with Wasp’s 100-grain Havalon HV head after taking three animals with it. For 2020, the company has unveiled a 125-grain version of the head. Designed for those looking to boost arrow FOC weight and deliver a little more wallop, this head should make for an excellent big-game getter. The Havalon HV features Wasp’s Stainless Smart Tip and a trio of .035-inch-thick stainless-steel blades. Each pack comes with six extra blades. $45 for three; wasparchery.com
As the name implies, the Wide is 30 percent wider than previous Iron Will offerings, and is available in grains of 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, and 225. The trad crowd, as well as those that like to test and tinker with different grain-weight heads, will be drawn to this new broadhead. Designed primarily for shots under 50 yards on medium-sized game, the .062-inch thick blades are virtually indestructible. ironwilloutfitters.com
Designed with the help of champion 3D archer and well-known bowhunter Levi Morgan, Swhacker’s new Signature Series #269 mechanical has a unique arced blade design that reduces resistance after entry for increased momentum, better penetration, and more pass-throughs. The ferrule is ribbed to deliver 20 percent more strength, and Swhacker’s Blade-Lock Technology allows the shooter to lock the blades in the closed position so they can practice with the head before they hunt. swhacker.com
