NY911Bowhunter

I was finally able to get my hands on a dozen of Trophy Ridge's NEW arrows! I have had a dozen 400 spined CRUSH shafts on order through their Pro Staff program since they were announced, but due to overwhelming response and demand - they are in short supply! Trophy Ridge is getting them out to their dealers to fufill their orders before the Pro Staff gets them. I can not fault them for that one bit!
So.....I got what I could get my hands on... a dozen BLAST shafts in 350 spine. One step down from the ultra straight Crush shafts, but still boasting a .002 straightness.
My initial reaction after opening the box...Wow! these things are beautiful! A work of art! The are VERY eye pleasing! The finish is a super smooth, high gloss coating over the amazing network of carbon fibers. This look would be right at home on a target stabilizer for sure!
The finish is very, very smooth, almost like glass. I fletched mine up with 3 Bohning Mini Blazers, using AAE Fastset Gel glue. I experienced NO problems with adhesion, but did notice it takes a few minutes more for the glue to dry. I attribute this to be surface of the shaft not allowing any glue to "sink in". I did NOT experience and problems with adhesion during shooting as well.


The inserts, which also feature a shiny gold finish, are very neat! Yes - they cup over the saft and do become a sort of outsert. I also glued them in using AAE FAstset gel. The were squared with a G5 ASD.


I shot these into my The Block target mostly - but did shoot one into a Morell Yellow Jacket to see how they would pull out. They were tough to pull from The Block, but so were the Axis shafts I had....the small diamter generation penetrate for sure!
These arrows hit HARD! Shooting an overspined 350 shaft with a 125 grain tip from my 60 pound Bowtech 101st Airborne @28.5 inches, this is the penetration;

It would have gone further I am sure, but the tip went into the Yellow Jacket broadhead target behind the bag!
Pulling the arrow was no small chore. I tried one had - all good until I got to the insert. It would not come out of the front cover. Two hands nothing... I literally picked up the bag target off of the ground by holding the arrow;

I had to lay the bag down, and yank with all of my might using two hands to get it free. The insert remained on the arrow with no problems.
** I CAN NOT RECCOMEND SHOOTING THESE ARROWS INTO A BAG STYLE TARGET with the supplied inserts **
And to anwer the million dollar question..."Will Axis inserts fit?" NO! They will not! The inside diameter of the TR shafts are smaller than the Axis shafts. I was able to get one small enough by sanding it down and reamming the inside of the shaft. Unforuntaly, the glue set before I could drive it all the way in...BUT...It could probably be done.
TR Armour Tough insert next to the Easton Axis insert; The TR insert weighs 23 grains, the Axis insert 15.

The Axis insert....


I like the Armour Tough inserts, but am concerned about their lack of compatalility with the Bunker Buster broadhead. The ring on the BB appears to be either the same size, or slightly smaller than the OD of the Armour Tough insert. The Bunker Buster is just such an amazing broadhead - it is worth playing with options to be able to use it!
Here is the ring INVERTED, just to show the size comparison.


So after I put together an arrow - total specs being 29 inch shaft with nock (nocks were tight, yet turnable), the TR Armour Tough insert, 3 yellow Mini-Blazers - 309 grains. I dded a 125 grain Bear Slik Tip field point, which brought the total arrow weight to 424 grains. ( I am used to a 302 grain Easton Lightspeed from the 101st.)
Even being overspined and the rest NOT tuned for a smaller diameter shaft (again - set up for the Lightspeeds) these arrows flew great! I was hitting good out to 40 yards, and hitting hard. I did NOT paper tune the bow. I dod not chronograph the arrows.

I need to get the bow tuned for the shafts and spend more time behind it, but so far - so awesome! I am trying the stiffer spine for turkey hunting becasue I HAVE THEM and my bow seems to like a stiffer spine. I attempted to even things out by cutting them longer than usual and running the 125 grain tips. We'll see how that works out.
Now some concerns.
Like I said above - the finish is HIGH gloss! I like the looks of it, but KNOW a quiver full in the woods will reflect like a beacon if the sun hits them! I put my quiver upside down in my backpack wheile in the tree, so I may look into getting a fletch bonnett... I am not concerned with the shine while hunting turkeys in the Double Bull.
The inserts are equally bright in sunlight conditions, but if in a quiver hood, should not be a problem.
I fletched Blazers on purpose for several reasosn. 1. I shoot them. 2. If there was a problem adhering - these slick shafts would show it. Again - I had NO problems. I did not prepare the vanes or shaft in any way. I will be fletching my turkey hunting arrows with regular Blazers soon.

I predict the TR series of arrows will be a runaway hit with hunters, The hard hitting, great penetrating micro diamter shaft will be sailing through critters this fall. Would I reccomend them? Absolutley! These are great, especially for a first year run.
I will be using these for 3D as well once I get dialed in - I really, really like them! The overall quality is fantastic and I expect the Crush series to be even better!~
Please - ask questions - I tried to hit everything I could remember - but fire away!