Mar-den/ Vortex/ minimax broadhead test preview
 

I have recently completed testing a bunch of differnt Mar-den heads. Mar-den makes the Vortex and Mini-max line of heads as well as the " Swinger" . The heads vary in wieght and material construction, but they all share some common features. First they all have a legal cutting diameter of 7/8" when closed, they are all of the swing open type mechanical style. I honestly found all of them to preform very well. The exposed blade tips really aid in penetration, and considering these heads range in size from 1 1/2" up to 2 1/2" in cutting diameter I was amazed at how well they all penetrated. The smaller heads open fairly quickly while the large ones do take some time. To be fair though a head with a 2 1/2" cut is not going to swing open as fast as smaller heads. Mar-den uses a rubber O-ring to hold the blades closed in flight. When the head strikes the tarket the O-ring rolls back allowing the head to open. Since I had so many heads to test I thought I would put out this preview to get get some of the details out. That way I won' t have to repeat them in every test report. This is a broadhead line that shot right over my head. I never showed much intrest in them, and now I can say that was a mistake. This is the most consistant and impressive line of mechanical heads that I have tested, the blades are sharp, strong, and the heads shoot and penetrate very well, especialy considering the overall size of some of them.
When I think cut on contact heads I think Magnus. When I think replaceable blade heads I think Muzzy. Now when I think Mechanical heads I think Mar-den/Vortex. Yes other manufacutures make some excellent mechanical heads but from a standpoint of product consistancy and preformance I think Mar-den is ahead of the game. I just wonder what took me so long to try them out? I should begin posting the test results in the next few days. I will try to spread them out a little so as not to confuse everyone and keep people for getting sick of hearing about them. To be honest It' s hard for me to keep all the differnt models and names straight, but I think you will from the tests the heads speak for themselves.

RE: Mar-den/ Vortex/ minimax broadhead test preview
 

Thats a pretty good opening statement for these heads[8D]

I looked at these heads also - and though they seem to be made very well - the possibility of a kickout with those big blade tips has kept me clear.

Any comments on that??

OH...and thanks again:)

RE: Mar-den/ Vortex/ minimax broadhead test preview
 

Rack,
I can assure you, the Mini Maxes have no problem on angled shots. Can' t swear by that on the longer 2 blade models, but I' d bet money they will work just fine with a well tune bow. I think the Mini Max is the best mech on the market, bar none.

RE: Mar-den/ Vortex/ minimax broadhead test preview
 

Where might I buy/see these Mar-den/Vortex broadheads? How do they compare to NAP Spitfires in price?

RE: Mar-den/ Vortex/ minimax broadhead test preview
 

The guys I hunt with in Pa swear by the vortex minimax 75 grain heads . Last year my buddy shot 2 deer while I was hunting with him ,neither went more than 30 yards . Both were passthrus and stuck in the ground a good ways . His arrow weight was 380 grains and hes shooting around 280 fps . They put quiet a big hole in a deer . The one thing you need to look out for on them is to make sure the blades swing smoothly other than that they work great . 5 shot as allways thanks for your time and effort . A couple other points are that I have never seen them break a blade off but sometimes they do bend slightly .

RE: Mar-den/ Vortex/ minimax broadhead test preview
 

The vortex was the first mechanical to become popular down here.I used the 125gr 2 3/4" model for 3 seasons.I killed 10-12 deer with them.The wound these heads made was impressive.No deer I shot with them ran more than 40 yds.I rarely got complete pass thrus with this head.The big blades would hang on the off shoulder.I just was' nt shooting enough KE.The big ones will pull out on a hard quartering shot.Had that happen once.The only thing I did not like about the heads was the blade angle.Fully open the blades were at almost a 90 deg angle.If they were swept back a little more it would help penetration.The guys I know still shoting them are pushing major KE.The blades have an allen head screw and were easy to change.The big heads however had a long ferrule and it was prone to bend on hard impact.All in all not a bad head if you have the KE.

CB

RE: Mar-den/ Vortex/ minimax broadhead test preview
 

Cajun,
You might want to try the Mini Maxes. My buddy got to shoot several deer with the big two blade model and only got one passthrough. We both got good penetration with the 3 blade model. The ferrule is shaped a little differently and I think the blades do swing back a little more giving a better blade angle for penetration. I think they are just a better design all around.

RE: Mar-den/ Vortex/ minimax broadhead test preview
 

Rack, I think that with a well tuned bow and the proper amount of Ke for the paticular head you should not have any problems with deflection. While the NAP spittfire is a well made head of high quality, I personaly rate the Mar-den heads well above them in preformance. you can check them out at www.mar-den.com I will start putting up the tests results in the next day or two.

RE: Mar-den/ Vortex/ minimax broadhead test preview
 

I have been shooting the 125 grain 2-3/4 inch heads for about 10 years now and have taken too many deer with them to count. I have sworn by them because of the massive blood trails they produce but I have never needed it because every deer I have shot went between ten and thirty yards. I have never lost a deer with them and they ALWAYS opened up almost on contact!!! Most entry holes at the ribs were just under 2" and exit holes were always 2-3/4" . When I switched to carbon arrows about 2 years ago I quit having passthroughs with them but the deer 3 deer I shot with them still went under 20 yards and the arrows still pennitrated the other side. I filled one bonus tag with a spitfire and only had about 8-10" of penitration and it went 70 yards before stopping, eating for about 30 seconds, and then laying down. It took several minutes for that one to die. I now use them only with aluminum arrows and use 2 blade magnus for carbon arrows but the vortex will always be my favorite head just because of how humane it is. They fly with fieldpoints so they are easy to shoot with accuracy and they are the closest thing in bowhunting to shooting deer with a rifle for quick and humane kills. In other words I LOVE THEM!!!