I think I'm gonna give them a try this year. I have heard a lot of good things about them until now on this thread. I'm going to test them a lot first.

I got some in and tested them in the backyard with my setup. I am really disappointed. Once you shoot them into the block, theywont stay closed. They are fairly sharp and fly consistently, but one shot and they are done. No worth my money and not much to build confidence in the field. I'm currently torn between the Gator XPs, which perform great and nitrons. I just don't know if I like the small cutting diameter of the nitron. Just my personal opinion. A lot of other people may like them. I just don't have enough faith in their performance to hunt with them.

Kelly

I have a stupid question, but will ask anyway. I always hear someone say that the blades popped open in flight and was just wondering how they know that the blade came open? I've used expandables for years and if they came open in flight I don't know how you would ever know without a camera and super slow motion film.

PJ,

A buddy of mine made a marginal shot a buck a few years ago and rather than run away the deer stood in a tough spot at about 40 yards with a small window to the vitals........with the second shot he misjudged the yardage a bit and shot right under the wounded animal.
With the 3rd shot (and the last time he will carry only 3 arrows he had the little rubber band on his Rocket expandable roll off as he pulled it from his quiver because he was excited.
He decided to try a shot with it anyway as it was his last chance and he wanted another arrow in the vitals. The blades stayed closed at full draw but when shot I think his exact words were that the arrow looked like a "Wiffle Ball" in flight[:-].
Not even close.

I think when things leave the bow in a certain position the flight characteristics are very much different than if something changes with regards to aerodynamics in mid flight.
I was having trouble with a certain brand vane staying on the shafts and had 2 instances where one flew off in mid flight and the arrow actually curved to target like a paper airplane.
The same arrow shot with only 2 vanes flewbasically astrue as the rest, but the midflight change was dramatic.
I don't imagine a single blade flopping down in mid flight of an 1 1/2" cutting diameter mech head would be conducive to good flight either.

I've used for bear, turkeys and pigs and they have worked great! I have had no problems with the blades staying closed and for the person that says he/she is disapointed that you can only shoot them once: first there is a practice head so you don't have to shoot your hunting heads and second you should have extra o-rings if you do want to shoot one to make sure it flies straight.

For those that are saying they open in flight I highly doubt it. I got some early heads from rage to do my spring hunting and I have never had one open.

I talked to the people at Rage and they said they did some extensive testing out of different bows and the hooter shooter to make sure they would not open in flight.

For those that are considering it I highly recomend it. Its done an awesome job for me andI'm sure ifJay gregory and the Drury brothers are going to shoot it they have made sure everthing works great.