Best cheap carbon arrow

4d4m

Active member
I’ll qualify cheap as inexpensive but reasonable quality

I’m looking for a new set for my field bows. 500 spine and must be at least 32” stock length.
I’m using a set of Timber Creek Traditional that have been fantastic. Robust and accurate. I’m down to 10 now so with one as a bare shaft, with 3 marked up for each of the 3 NFAS peg colours it will be annoying if I lose/break another.

I’m looking for a replacement set and I’m not finding much at the moment in a reasonable price bracket.
I’d prefer not to go for pig in a poke shafts from China, but I may have to.

i shoot instinctive so not looking for the ultimate in weight or spine tolerance but want them to be reasonably consistent and preferably fit standard nocks and inserts.

Easton powerflights were looking good but only 31” in 500 spine.
 

Stretch

Well-known member
I have to say I’ve been impressed with the Skylon Paragon. Performance wise it punches well above its price point. So I’d suggest a look at the Skylon range for a spec of diameter and weight that meets your desired budget. I haven’t checked but they are stock 32” in most of their shafts and spines. Skylon Radius maybe?

Their ranges are a little confusing because they appear to have multiple arrows that are the same but they have finer tolerances in the more expensive version. The Paragon was spot on for weight (points and pins too). They aren’t as straight as I’d like but they group so they are good enough. (And are less than 1/3 the price of X10s). I would imagine even the lowest spec would meet your needs.

Lots of people saying good things about budget Victory arrows too but I have no direct experience.

Apologies if I am off on “reasonable”…

Stretch
 

4d4m

Active member
Thanks. Radius look a decent option. Carbon ones are a little more than I wanted to spend for this application
 

Geophys2

Active member
AIUK Saviour
We are recommending the Maximal Edge/Skylon Edge (same arrow) to our new archers for 3D, ideal diameter for 3D shooting with reasonable strength. They are available in the sub £60 range. For a bit more I absolutely love the new Easton Matrix Match Grade.
 

4d4m

Active member
Thanks, I'm liking the look of the Skylon Edge. They're the best diameter, about the same as the timber creeks I use. The Radius and Paragon mentioned are a bit on the narrow side.

I've found they still do the Timber Creek shafts I use but now call them Timber Creek Classic. They're an attractive option as the straighness is rated +/- 0.003 vs 0.006 on most of the others, and 0.005 on the Edge, but there's no stock in Merlin right now. The only issue I've found with these tbh is the painted shafts attract the bits of straw from the boss and they stick like **** to a blanket! I've sanded down the first 5" of mine to the bare carbon as I find it so annoying. They're a pig to pull out too pre-sanding.
 

Geophys2

Active member
AIUK Saviour
I found with the Timber Creek Traditional shafts that shooting them into our 3Ds with a 40lb recurve took the paint off for me. The Skylon are much better shafts.
 

4d4m

Active member
It does wear off yes but I'm not too bothered about that. The quoted straightness figures have quite a difference though.
The skylon are a quid cheaper per shaft but the timber creeks come with nocks and inserts.
 

Graham Smith

Active member
AIUK Saviour
I recently bough a dozen Gold Tip Hunter 500's for shooting in the woods. They are really good. They have had a few arguments with trees and have won each argument so far. Seem really good quality. Stock length is 32 inches and Merlin are selling them for £52 a dozen at the moment.
They come with nocks and inserts but you have to buy the points, which I paid about £8 for a dozen.
I would definitely buy them again.
 

Graham Smith

Active member
AIUK Saviour
Further to my post above. Two archers I shoot with bought cheap carbons from China and they break very easily because they are so thin.
I would avoid the Chinese cheapies as they will prove more expensive in the long run.
 

malbro

Instinctive Archer
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
I use Linkboy from China and I may have lost a few, and broken two by shooting them with a second arrow but never had one break during normal shooting, and I have hit several trees :). Not all goods from China are poor quality.
 

Graham Smith

Active member
AIUK Saviour
I use Linkboy from China and I may have lost a few, and broken two by shooting them with a second arrow but never had one break during normal shooting, and I have hit several trees :). Not all goods from China are poor quality.
I respect your opinion and agree that you can't tar everyone with the same brush but we all know that China are the "fake" capitol of the world.
Some goods made in China are fine, Win & Win make goods in China and I bought a Black Hunter from China and it's a great bow.
The point is that I think it is better to go for a recognized brand name for the sake of a few pounds.
One of the two friends that I shoot with who bought carbons from China paid £60 for 12 and they are snapping in half. I bought 12 Gold Tip Hunter carbons which cost me £70 in total including points and fletchings.
It's up to the individual of course, all I'm saying is exercise caution when buying from China.
 

4d4m

Active member
I'm pretty sure the Skylons, Timber Creeks and Gold Tips mentioned are also made in China, and I have a clubmate who has bought a lot of arrows who's bought several sets from China. He's generally happy with them but has had a couple of sets that weren't quite as ordered; either the whole set was a different spine or a few arrows weren't the same, I can't remember. I think it's just the risk vs a branded arrow from a reputable supplier.
 

ejg1951

New member
Victory V Force Elite. Tough arrows that shoot very nicely. About £108 for a dozen. Great field archery arrows 😀
 

Graham Smith

Active member
AIUK Saviour
I'm pretty sure the Skylons, Timber Creeks and Gold Tips mentioned are also made in China, and I have a clubmate who has bought a lot of arrows who's bought several sets from China. He's generally happy with them but has had a couple of sets that weren't quite as ordered; either the whole set was a different spine or a few arrows weren't the same, I can't remember. I think it's just the risk vs a branded arrow from a reputable supplier.
Gold Tip are made in Mexico. At least that's what it says on mine. :)
 

Graham Smith

Active member
AIUK Saviour
I've just had a look on Gold Tip's web page and saw the following;

Vista Outdoor products are sold at leading retailers and distributors across North America and worldwide. Vista Outdoor is headquartered in Utah and has manufacturing operations and facilities in 10 U.S. States, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Canada along with international sales and sourcing operations in Mexico, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Apparently Vista Outdoor is the parent company,
 

wully

Supporter
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
I use Linkboy from China and I may have lost a few, and broken two by shooting them with a second arrow but never had one break during normal shooting, and I have hit several trees :). Not all goods from China are poor quality.
A few of us have bought Linkboy arrows and they are very good indeed (for the money). The first lot of unbranded carbon arrows I bought from China on ebay were junk though.
The Timbercreek arrows mentioned above are nowhere near as robust as the Linkboy 500's either in finish , which quickly wears off, or 'Tree- Hitability'

I strongly suspect the Linkboy arrows are the exact same 'quality' arrows you can buy from any of the stores here with different graphics. I know that there are factories many in China that make many brands of sports equipment for many companies on the same production lines with only small changes in panel layout and material.

The Linkboy arrows are cheaper because they save you the importer and retailer markup.. In the business I was in many moons ago we were the importers of a brand of sports equipment and as an example one item we sold loads of via our dealer network retailed at £45. We bought it in at 49p.... ( we bought many thousands though)
 

4d4m

Active member
The Timbercreek arrows mentioned above are nowhere near as robust as the Linkboy 500's either in finish , which quickly wears off, or 'Tree- Hitability'
I don't know if they've changed more recently but I got my timber creek ones quite a few years back and I'd say these ones were pretty robust. The finish has worn off the few couple of inches from straw bosses after quite a lot of use and I've broken two, one a direct hit on the concrete back wall of my garage which at 190+ fps would finish most arrows, and one fluke where the point glanced off a screw head in a target stand. Glanced off a few trees with no issue.
 
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