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Thump
Thump
Thump
No, that thumping noise you hear isn’t the neighbor kid showing off that he just spent more on his car stereo than the car is worth. It’s me flinging arrows in the back yard.
Anyone who has read my stuff knows that I like thump. I like things that go thump. By thump I mean I like shooting things that really lay the smackdown on critters when I’m hunting. And that is why I am now in total archery love with the new Carbon Express PileDriver arrows.
One of the problems I have had over the years with carbon arrows is the lack of thump. Sure they are faster, but faster isn’t always better in my opinion. It doesn’t matter how fast something is if it doesn’t have the energy to do the job once it gets to the target.
Modern archery equipment is really pushing the upper limits of speed as we know it. Bows are getting faster, and I know before long, we’ll see a 400 fps production bow. But if that bow can’t fling an arrow on target and have enough thump left in the tank, I don’t care.
That is where the PileDriver comes in. The PileDriver is designed with a high grain per inch ratio for increased kinetic energy and greater penetration. The heavier grain weight allows for exceptional stopping power, or thump as I call it. Kinetic energy is the amount of energy the arrow retains as it is released, and this energy transfers itself into stopping power at the target end. In other words, you fling this puppy from a high speed bow at Mr. Big Buck, and he is going to get thumped. You’ll get good penetration, especially if you happen to hit a rib or don’t get the greatest of shots.
I set my arrows up with Bohning Blazer vanes mounted at a 3-degree helix using Bohning’s Blazer-specific jig. In my opinion, there is no better vane for modern shooting, especially with broadheads, than the Bohning Blazer. Flinging them at a layered foam target, I saw an average of 3-4 inches better penetration at 25 yards! Think of that! At 25-30 yards, these arrows were slamming home 4 inches deeper than another carbon shaft. I have a cousin in Alaska who will be wanting these for his next moose hunt, I guarantee that!
Another issue I’ve had with carbons is breakage. I always have one shaft that I call the sacrificial arrow from every dozen I buy. I shoot that arrow and intentionally try to damage it just to see what the arrow will take. These arrows have held up as well as any arrow I’ve ever used and that includes another brand of shaft you can read about on this website that is a blend of carbon and aluminum. The main difference between the two, and this is a huge deal, is that the PileDriver is QUIETER than the other arrow. The other one makes a slight noise when I draw the bow. The PileDriver does not. In a ground blind, that isn’t going to be much of a difference, but out in the open, I don’t want anything making a buck look up at me. I’ll be using the Pile Drivers this fall for sure.
The Outwrite Truth
The Carbon Express PileDriver is a solid carbon arrow with maximum thump. I found them to be quiet, tough and accurate. They have the Bulldog nock collar to keep any issues with the nock from happening, which is a great thing. I’ve had another brand of carbon arrow shatter at the nock end. Not a problem with these. They have all of the features that make carbon arrows great, and the weight and durability to get the job done. I wish I could find something bad to say about them, but I can’t. Maybe they are expensive, but compared to other arrows, they aren’t any worse and for what you get. I can’t wait to thump something this fall! |
