After thoroughly reviewing a selection of the most recommended arrows for recurve bow we have ranked them accordingly. We decided that the best recurve hunting arrows are the Carbon Express PileDriver arrows, while the Misayar arrows are a close second.
Whether you are a seasoned veteran or new to the sport of hunting, having the best arrows on the market will help with your success. Not only do the arrows impact the flight path and therefore your accuracy, but also the chance of you getting a kill from any hit.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of hunting arrows to choose from and without a discerning eye, it can be difficult to tell the difference between them.
In this guide to the best arrows for recurve bow, we’ll explain why arrows are essential, what to pay attention to and which brands we think are the best hunting arrows for the money.
| Product Name | Type | Check Price |
|---|---|---|
| Winner:Carbon Express PileDriver Arrows | Carbon | Check Current Price on Amazon |
| Runner-Up:Misayar Carbon Arrows | Carbon | Check Current Price on Amazon |
| Alternatives:Huntingdoor Hunting Arrow | Wooden | Check Current Price on Amazon |
Best Recurve bow Arrows
Winner: Carbon Express PileDriver Recurve Arrows
Carbon Express is a leader in the hunting industry, consistently creating incredible products that get the job done conveniently and efficiently. This particular model, the PileDriver Hunter, comes in either a 250 or 350 spine.
The spine that’s right for you will depend on the draw weight of your bow and the length of the arrow that you’re shooting. These come out of the box at 32.5 inches and can be cut to shorter if needed.
The majority of the arrows from Carbon Express comes as black shafts with green vanes, with a bright yellow cock vane. They measure 2 inches each, perfect for hunting.
They also have LAUNCHPAD Precision Nocks, and BullDog Nock Collars, advanced featured which ensure a smooth and stable nock that releases effectively. With cheaper arrows, you’ll often find a weak nock that will either fall or fail to release smoothly.
These PileDriver Hunter arrows release incredibly quickly and smoothly, giving you a true flight for a more accurate shot, especially at distance on a shifting target.
Similarly, they feature their exclusive built-in weight forward technology, which allows for superior downrange accuracy when using a broadhead. By putting the weight at the front of the arrow during the flight, they are more likely to stay true and be deviated less by wind and initial movements.
While cheaper arrows are made using less sophisticated technology, theCarbon Express arrowsare laser checked for straighteners to 1/10,000 of an inch. This precision means that every arrow is tremendously straight, giving you the same shot every time.
Each pack contains six arrows with a “Mossy Oak Brush” which is black and gray towards the rear while slightly patterned towards the front for greater camouflage.
The carbon arrow reviews of these are overwhelmingly positive, with many reviewers noting how their grouping and consistency improved after changing to these. Similarly, for those who are pulling above 60lbs, these arrows aren’t going to snap like many other brands would.
One reviewer even had an arrow pass clean through the shoulder of a deer at 30 yards. The straightness and weight forward technology ensure that as much energy is transferred into the forward movement as possible, delivering a thundering hit.
For the majority of us, these are the best arrows for deer hunting because they shoot true, can be shot at higher draw weights and pack a punch like no other.
Runner-Up: Misayar Carbon Arrows
Misayar makes some fantastic products, and these arrows are no exception. At 30 inches they are a little smaller than the Carbon Express arrows, but they are still long enough for the vast majority of shooters.
They come stocked with the standard 3-inch vanes, one inch longer than the Carbon Express arrows which should help to give a more significant rotation during flight for improved accuracy. At 7.8mm in diameter, they are a little thicker than some, which can help with impact and prevent deviation because of wind.
The name is a giveaway; these use lightweight carbon fiber, a durable material that is featherlight for improved distance and power.
A common complaint about carbon is that it isn’t as durable as metal arrows and counter this Misayar has drastically increased the wall thickness so that these arrows last longer.
These arrows come with target points, removable tips to attach broadheads. Plus, they are nocked, fletched, and ready to shoot out of the packaging.
The vanes themselves are yellow, with one red nock vane. If you find that they are slightly bent during transportation, you can put them into hot water, and they will recover.
Each box comes with 12 arrows, making each arrow incredibly well priced. For this price range, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a product with better hunting arrows reviews. Many reviewers think that these are the best arrows for recurve bow, primarily because of the accuracy and value for money.
They aren’t in the same tier as the Carbon Express arrows, but they are noticeably cheaper, and you get double the number of arrows per pack. For a beginner or intermediate hunter, these are a fantastic choice, giving you plenty of arrows with which to practice and hunt.
Overall, the Misayar arrows are fantastic value for money, and they should work great up to 55-pound draw weight. Above this draw weight, you will need sturdier arrows designed for more powerful bows, but most recurve bows rarely go above this.
Alternatives: Huntingdoor Hunting Recurve Arrow
Designed for a draw weight of 40-60lbs, these are ideal for many recurve bows. With a length of 31” and a 5/16” diameter, these are slightly larger than some of their competitors.
Huntingdoor is known for creating great quality products. What stands out about these arrows is the wooden shaft, which is preferable to some shooters despite the extra weight when compared to carbon arrows.
On the tip, you’ll find a heft metal arrowhead, perfect for either hunting or target practice with either a longbow or a recurve bow.
At the rear, there are three black feathers, with no obvious nock feather. They appear to be handmade which is a nice touch, and with six arrows per package, they are reasonably priced for a traditional style arrow.
What stands out about these arrows when compared to modern carbon alternatives is their penetration and durability. One reviewer missed his target, hitting a brick wall.
Rather than breaking or dulling the tip beyond recognition, as you would expect with modern carbon arrows, these left a one-inch deep hole and an unharmed arrow. These are durable beyond belief, making them a fantastic arrow for any hunter.
At this price point, it’s hard to find a similarly traditional style arrow that can compete. These are fantastic for traditionalists and hunting enthusiasts alike, packing a punch with unfathomable durability.
Most Popular Recurve Hunting Arrows
We’ve combed through Amazon.com and compiled the following list of the current bestselling hunting arrows. If you’re in the market for new arrows, these would be great options!
- Tiger Archery 30Inch Carbon Arrow Practice Hunting Arrows with Removable Tips for Compound & Recurve Bow(Pack of 12)
- Carbon Express Maxima RED Fletched Carbon Arrows with Dynamic Spine Control and Blazer Vanes, 6-Pack
- Musen 28 30 Inch Carbon Archery Arrows, Spine 340 500 with Removable Tips, Hunting and Target Practice Arrows for Compound Bow and Recurve Bow, 6 and 12 Pcs
- Bear Archery Youth 30″ Safety Glass Vaned Arrows – High Flexing Qualities – Will Not Splinter – 3 Pack
- REEGOX Archery Arrows 30 inch Carbon Practice Hunting and Target Arrows for Compound Recurve or Traditional Bow with Removable Tips(Pack of 6/12)
- Carbon Express Maxima Hunter Fletched BuffTuff Plus Carbon Crossbolt with R2 Vanes, 6-Pack, Mossy Oak Treestand Pattern
- MS Jumpper Archery Carbon Arrows, High Percentage Carbon-Fiber Arrow Spine 400 with 4″ Real Feathers 100 Grain Points for Hunting/Targeting Compound/Recurve/Long Bow 6Pack
Why Arrows Are Almost As Important As Bows
Arrows and bows are both important to your success as a hunter, but what’s most important is the match between your arrow and your bow. You’ve already chosen the bow that you love, but if you don’t put just as much importance on the arrows, you’re going to end up with a mismatch that can only end badly.
Without the proper arrows, you compromise your safety, you reduce your accuracy, and you increase the chance of injuring the animal without cleaning killing it.
To avoid all of these outcomes at all costs, you need to care about your arrows as much asyour bow.
Too short of an arrow allows the tip to sit before the bow, increasing the chance of you shooting yourself in the hand. This scenario might seem extreme, but it’s repeatedly happened.
An arrow with too much bend, i.e., an incorrect spine, could easily snap and break under too large of a draw weight. This scenario is likely to hand up with splinters or shards in your hand which can be incredibly dangerous and painful.
Not paying close attention to the arrows that you choose is not only careless, but it’s also dangerous to you and the animal that you are hunting, making them just as important as your bow choice.
Why You Should Choose Your Arrows Carefully
We often overlook arrows when it comes to choosing archery equipment, after all, how different can they be? Well, the truth is that the difference from one brand to the next is significant.
But even more important, is that with cheaper brands the difference between arrows in the same package can be drastic. This difference makes dialing in your accuracy nearly impossible.
Investing in premium arrows that are incredibly straight, fly true and are identical to one another is vital to improving in this sport. If you are hunting, you are always searching for a humane kill, and that’s only possible with an accurate shot.
Hundreds of hours of research go into creating a new arrow, and that means that the technologies used by different brands can vary. Unlike in other sports where the difference is negligible and comes down to brand image, in archery the performance variance is significant.
Regardless, brands with the biggest marketing budgets tend to sell the most arrows, but they aren’t always the best hunting arrows. For this reason, you must be careful when you are choosing, doing extensive research and listening to the opinion of experts.
What To Pay Attention To When Choosing Recurve Arrows
Finding new arrows can be overwhelming, which is why we are going to break it down into a few steps that you need to follow to identify the right type for you:
- Pick the right material
- Figure out your draw length
- Identify the right spine and length for your bow
- Decide on your perfect pattern or color
Material
Before anything else, you must decide what arrow material you are looking for. The main choices arewood,carbon,aluminum, andfiberglass.
Wood tends to be the cheapest material, but they also require constant maintenance to keep them in a shootable condition. They also fly quieter than carbon or aluminum because they are solid rather than hollow.
Carbon, on the other hand, doesn’t need to be maintained. It will always remain straighter than wood and are far more durable. Carbon isdesirable for huntersbecause it is hard to break and because it is so straight it will fly true.
The standard grain weight on carbon tends to be lighter than wood, but because it is hollow, they can easily be customized with weight inserts for extra penetration on larger animals.
Aluminum is slightly heavier than wood and much more than carbon. However, that offers great penetration and at a muchlower cost than carbon arrows. This low price means that they tend to be available in more spine groups too, making them ideal for beginners.
Fiberglass is rare for hunting in the woods, but it is often used for bow fishing because they are solid and much more substantial than all other types of arrow. This weight gives them excellent penetration into the water, ideal for hunting fish.
Arrow Spine And Length
The right spine and length will depend on the bow that you are shooting. You’ll need first to determine your draw length and weight before you can identify the correct arrows to shoot.
The spine is the static measurement of the deflection of the arrow shaft, which is how much the shaft bends under a specific weight. Arrows withmore bendare best for lower weight bows, whereas high weight bows need muchstiffer arrowsthat won’t break under pressure.
The correct arrow length is typically at least one inch longer than your draw length. This length ensures that the point of the arrow is always in front of the bow so that you can be safe when shooting.
Your draw length will often be noted on the bow if it custom to your specifications, but if you don’t know it, you can use one of two quick tests.
The first is to measure your wingspan from tip to tip with your arms out to either side. Take this number and divide it by 2.5 to get your draw length. This method isn’t precise, but it is surprisingly accurate. Add one inch to get your desired arrow length.
The second method is to stand with your back against a wall, hold your hand out in a fist to one side as if holding a bow and look towards your fist. Measure from the end of your fist to the corner of your mouth that is your draw length. Add one inch to get your desired arrow length.
For the most accurate results, you should take both measurements at least twice and then find the average of the numbers to get a more precise draw length.
Shaft Pattern
Arrow shafts can be painted in different colors, regardless of what material. Most commonly you will find them in black, but they also sell them in camouflage or other natural colors.
There is some debate as to whether the color of the arrow makes any difference, but it’s unlikely to do any harm if you are choosing a dark or subtle color.
Number Of Arrows
As you might imagine, you can buy packages of arrows in quantities ranging from singles through to dozens.You must decide how many you need, both for convenience and to replace those that are inevitably broken.
Durability
The difference between shaft materials and also the broadheads that you use will impact the durability of the arrow. Aluminum and carbon tend to be the most durable, while aluminum can dent, carbon seems to snap easier.
However, both are far superior to wood which can splinter and needs to be maintained regularly to retain a true flight path.
Conclusion
Choosing the best hunting arrows is tough, but hopefully, with this article, we’ve made it a little easier. Through our research we believe that the Carbon Express PileDriver Hunter arrows are the top pick for most shooters because of the quality of their shafts, their weight forward technology and their value for money.
This premium quality and technology helps you to get a more accurate shot, regardless of which of the six arrows you use. When it comes to hunting, this will translate to a more humane kill even at a distance, which is what we all want.
Top Archery Practice Arrows
- Tiger Archery 30Inch Carbon Arrow Practice recurve Hunting Arrows with Removable Tips for Compound & Recurve Bow(Pack of 12)
- Carbon Express Maxima RED Fletched Carbon Arrows with Dynamic Spine Control and Blazer Vanes, 6-Pack
- Carbon Express PileDriver Fletched Carbon Crossbolt with 4-Inch Vanes, 6-Pack
- Barnett 16075 Outdoors Carbon Crossbow 20-Inch Arrows with Field Points (5 Pack)
- REEGOX 20 inch Carbon Crossbow Bolts Bio with 4-Inch Vanes(Pack of 12)
- GPP 28 Fiberglass Archery Target Arrows – Practice Arrow or Youth Arrow for Recurve Bow
- Ravin R138 20-Inch 400-Grain Carbon Crossbow Bolts With 2-Inch Offset Vanes, Inserts And Nocks For Use Exclusively With Ravin Crossbows, .003 Straightness, Black, Package of 6
Archery is my hobby & I usually hunt and play on weekends and after work. It’s a passion since I was very young and I love writing about it as well to continuously learn more and share the love of archery with others!
