As archery season approaches, it is time for archers to decide which broadhead to shoot. It can be a tough decision to make when companies raise the bar each year by designing broadheads that fly well, are tougher than nails, and provide exceptional penetration. Below are five new broadheads worth checking out. Three of them are mechanical broadheads; the other two are conventional broadheads.

G5 Outdoors added some new features in 2008 to the Tekan - a broadhead that was already loaded with features. The tip of the Tekan was redesigned; it now comes with a small, .50” cutting diameter tip which increases penetration and rips through bone and tissue. Tekan fans will notice serrated edges on the blades which help keep the blades open as the broadhead penetrates and increases hemorrhaging and blood loss. G5 didn’t stop there. The Tekan now has an O-ring Retention System that keeps the blades closed during flight and open after the blades deploy and pass through an animal. The new Tekan has a generous a 1 ½” cutting diameter and is available in 100 grains.

Tru-Fire Release Aids is also making a revolutionary mechanical broadhead called the “Switchblade.” The Switchblade has an exclusive tip that rapidly forces the blades open upon impact. The moment the tip of the broadhead hits an animal, the oversized tip is pushed back, forcing the blades to open before touching the animal. This creates an entrance wound similar to one created by a large fixed-blade broadhead. The oversized tip creates a large channel for the blades to travel through as it penetrates deep into the animal.  The Switchblade doesn’t use O-rings or rubber bands, which reduces the probability of blade deployment issues on steep-angled shots. It also makes them user-friendly. The Switchblade offers a 1 3/8” cutting diameter and is available in 100 grains.

Epek Broadheads is a new broadhead company that has a unique broadhead called the X-C3. This mechanical broadhead looks and flies similar to a field tip, due to the fact that each of the three blades is completely concealed in the housing of the broadhead. After the tip is pushed back as it enters an animal, the blades deploy rearward. The offset blade design creates a more accurate flying arrow, thanks to the spiral effect of the arrow as it flies. It also creates a large devastating wound. The X-C3 doubles as a practice head. Turn the setscrew on the ferrule of the broadhead to prevent the blades from deploying. The X-C3 is available in 100- and 125-grain models and has 1.5” cutting diameter.

G5 Outdoors had an instant hit on their hands with the original replaceable 3- blade Striker broadhead. The new version is called the Striker Magnum, which has the same great features of the original Striker; only bigger. Both versions utilize the Anix-blade locking system which locks the replaceable blades under the cut-on-contact tip. The super sharp Lutz blades on the Striker Magnum are .030” thick. Each broadhead is spin tested at the factory. Bowhunters looking for a replaceable, cut-on-contact broadhead that provides a large cutting diameter will be pleased with the large 1.5” cutting diameter of the Striker Magnum. The Striker Magnum is available in 125 grains.

Steel-Force Broadheads had great success with their 100-grain mini head called the Phat Head in 2007. This broadhead is perfect for bowhunters who are shooting fast bows that want a small broadhead that is durable and won’t plane at high speeds. Their new expanded line includes a variety of sizes for every style of big game hunting. The new 125-grain Phat Head has a longer blade - 1 ¾” to provide better penetration. Like the original Phat Head, the new larger versions will still have the extremely strong 080”-thick main blade, .015”-thick bleeder blades, and a 1” cutting diameter. The Phat Head is available in 75-, 100-, 125-, 145- and 190 grains. For 2008, they also launched a Phat head designed especially for turkey hunting called the Phat Head Talon. It is available in 100- and 125-grain models. The serrated edges on the Talon are facing forward, which reduced penetration keeping the arrow in the bird.

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