The Best Broadheads for Hunting in 2023

“There can only be one Highlander!” All jokes aside, when it comes down to performance, design, flight, and price, the Jekyll ($60) from Evolution Outdoors takes the cake as our top broadhead choice across the board.

Evolution Outdoors is rather new to the market as a company, but the owner Dale Perry is no stranger at all to broadhead design. If you were familiar with the original Gravedigger broadhead from back in the day, you can thank Dale for that. Since then, he has released a new Evolution of Broadheads.

Evolution Outdoors offers two main broadheads. the Jekyll and Hyde. The Jekyll is a fixed blade and the Hyde is a hybrid. While the front part of the head is absolute, the blades behind that can actually be interchanged between fixed or mechanical. The broadhead does all of this with the same ferrule.

The Jekyll is a fixed-blade broadhead offered in four different weight options: 100 grain (7075 aircraft aluminum), Crossbow 100 grain (7075 aircraft aluminum), 125 grain (416 hardened stainless steel), and 150 grain (416 hardened stainless steel). They are available in packs of three that come in a travel-friendly carrying case.

Each head has a ¾-inch cutting diameter on the front and a 1-inch cutting diameter behind it with a blade thickness of 0.060 inches. And the blades are sharpened at the rear as well for more damage. This is also a moderately priced head, meaning it’s more accessible to more people than other high-end broadheads on the market.

A field point accurate, modular-designed fixed blade that’ll make short work of whatever stands in front of you. Evolution Outdoors hit the nail on the head with this one and we’ve experienced great results with it. The Jekyll is a must-see that shines in both innovation and performance.

For more on this effective tool, check out our full review of the Evolution Outdoors Jekyll.

Everyone has a budget, and budget shouldn’t keep you from a quality broadhead. With the Muzzy Trocar three-blade ($45), your bank account won’t whimper, and you’ll still have a quality blade capable of notching your tags.

Muzzy needs no introduction, as the brand has been slinging broadheads and filling freezers for quite some time. The Trocar three-blade was designed for extreme accuracy and bone-breaking penetration in a compact package.

This replaceable three-blade broadhead has a one-piece stainless steel ferrule and comes in packs of three. It has a cutting diameter of 1-3/16 inches and is available in a 100-grain weight option.

On the front end of the Trocar, you’ll notice a trocar tip, which is where it gains its bone-shattering capability. And let’s not overlook the helical SS blades, which create better broadhead stability in flight. All of this leads to better accuracy downrange.

When it’s all said and done, you don’t need to break the bank for good broadhead performance. The Muzzy Trocar 3 Blade has got your back.

Day Six Gear is a specialty company catering to only the most diehard of bowhunters. Quality and performance in the worst of conditions are what they strive for. The company’s Evo broadhead ($99) is a solid pick for fixed blade heads and we can personally attest to that after many hunts with the Evo.

Day Six uses S35VN steel in its Evo broadheads. It’s a steel that’s hard enough for excellent edge retention but not so hard that you can’t resharpen it yourself.

The Day Six Evo comes in three weights: 100, 125, and 150-grain. They can be purchased in packs of three or six. Evo heads are 1-1/16 inches wide with half-inch low-profile bleeder blades. That bleeder can be switched out with a ¾-inch blade if desired. Whether it’s day one or six, the Evo will be ready when you need it for any big game animal in North America.

Field point accuracy, dependability, and huge wound channels — the Sevr Titanium ($16) has raised the standard in the mechanical broadhead world.

Sevr Titanium broadheads come in weights of 100 or 125-grain and in a 1.5-inch, 1.75-inch, or 2.0-inch cutting diameter. All heads are individually packaged and don’t limit the consumer to just buying the classic three- or four-pack. One can buy one, two, three, or four heads, on up to as many heads as they want.

Along with the natural benefits that mechanicals bring to the table, like field point accuracy and big wound channels, Sevr also squashes some of the natural downsides like deflection and breaking blades.

The unique pivoting blade design ensures that should a blade hit bone, your arrow is not going to veer off course. The blade will simply pivot, pass over the bone, and then return back to zero after the fact. This feature also aids in keeping blades from breaking.

Sevr also allows one to put the broadhead in practice mode by way of installing a small set screw. Now the head can be used for practice without the worry of dulling and deploying blades in targets. When in the field, blades are held in place by a small rubber band (collar) in the ferrule. On deployment, this collar breaks.

Sevr is a direct-to-consumer company, so all of this needs to be done through the company’s website. There, you’ll also find the option to buy replacement blades.

For a mechanical broadhead that screams accuracy, forgiveness, and devastation, the Sevr Titanium is it. We’ve really enjoyed shooting this head and believe it sets a new standard for collared mechanical broadheads. And because of its durability, you can take it from the deer woods to the elk woods. The needle has been moved.

Can’t decide between choosing a fixed blade or a mechanical broadhead? Why not choose both? The Hyde from Evolution Outdoors is as deadly as they come and then some.

Covering the best of both worlds, the Hyde ($60) from Evolution Outdoors has a 0.75-inch fixed blade up front and a 2.0-inch mechanical blade behind it.  The fixed portion enters the animal and the mechanical blades will open on impact without fail due to the Hyde’s patented blade-locking technology.  This design delivers massive wound channels and very short, but sightly blood trails from our experience.

The blades on the Hyde are made from 420 Stainless Steel with the ferrule made from either 7075 aircraft aluminum or 416 Hardened Stainless Steel, depending on what weight you go with.  On that note, you’ll have the option of 100, 125, or 150-grain heads.  There is even a 100-grain crossbow option.

You can snag these broadheads in packs of 3, 4, 5, or 6.  When you buy 6, you’ll even get a free practice head.  All heads come in a reusable plastic broadhead case for storage.

And a unique feature of the Hyde is its multifunctional ferrule.  With it, you can remove the mechanical blades and install fixed blades to make the Evolution Outdoors Jekyll (fixed-blade head).

For bowhunters looking for the dependability of a fixed blade with the pure devastation of a mechanical blade, the Evolution Outdoors Hyde deserves a look.

Annihilator broadheads ($59) have carved out a place for themselves in bowhunting so we have to mention them here.

The Annihilator broadhead is a uniquely shaped one-piece, three-blade made of 4140 alloy steel hardened to Rockwell RC: 52. These blades are made to be virtually indestructible, fly-like field points, and they inflict nonclosing wounds.

You’ll find these heads in packs of three, offered in 100 and 125-grain. They’re also offered in XL sizes in weights of 100, 125, and 150-grain.

Annihilators also have 0.180 square inches of cutting surface area, the largest cutting surface area of any other broadhead. Because of the unique blade design, it reduces friction on the arrow shaft or bolt. This results in a higher likelihood of a pass-through. It’s an excellent option for elk hunting.

The Annihilator is 100% made in the U.S., durable, lethal, and quiet. It’s suitable for compounds, crossbows, traditional bows, or longbows. The Annihilator broadhead is pretty much universally capable. There isn’t a whole lot to not love about Annihilator broadheads.

Rage has been a leader in mechanical broadhead development for as long as I can remember. The company is known for its massive wound channels and field point accuracy. The Hypodermic Trypan NC ($40) is everything you’d expect from a Rage broadhead without needing the aid of a collared system.

This is a two-blade mechanical broadhead developed to deliver maximum devastation with little effort. It’s got a hypodermic tip and streamlined titanium ferrule. These heads come in packs of two and are offered in 100-grains. The blades have a super-sweptback design and are 0.039 inches thick.

With the Rage Hypodermic Trypan, you’ll get a 2-inch cutting diameter. After the hypodermic tip enters an animal, blades will deploy from Rage’s 100% reliable blade retention system. From there, by way of their Slip Cam design, the blades will fall into the optimal position for penetration and cutting diameter.

And arrow flight is of no concern with these. They’ll fly right with your field points. End of story.

The Rage Hypodermic Trypan is at the top of the food chain for no-collared mechanicals. Hunters take all sorts of big game with this head, but I feel it really shines in the deer woods.

It takes several performance qualities to make up a good broadhead. Those include durability, accuracy, penetration, and dependability. A moderate price point also helps. A broadhead that hits all of those marks is the Grim Reaper Micro Hades Pro ($45).

Grim Reaper is a seasoned company in the bowhunting industry as well as the inventors of Razortip Technology. These patented mini-tip blades significantly increase penetration and are a key feature of the Micro Hades Pro. This micro-designed broadhead has pinpoint accuracy, especially at high speeds.

This 100% stainless steel, replaceable-blade broadhead comes in packs of three in a wide range of options. Offered in both a three- and four-blade, there are 100, 125, and 150-grain weights to choose from. There is also a “Deep Six” option for the 100-grain three-blade. The cutting diameter sits at 1-1/16-inch for the Micro Hades Pro.

A unique feature of this broadhead is the sharpened back edges. Also, the front has a V-notched trocar tip and a four-point locking system, so the blades don’t come loose.

All Grim Reaper broadheads are proudly made in the U.S., and the brand boasts one of the best customer service departments in the biz. For a hunting broadhead that can do it all, the Grim Reaper Micro Hades Pro is the ticket. This head is responsible for more than a few tasty dinners on our plates.

Iron Will has been slinging broadheads to bowhunters since 2016 and has always been known for its durability, quality, and performance. Pair that with single-bevel technology and you get one top-notch single-bevel broadhead ($120).

In short, single-bevel blade profiles create an S cut on impact and the bevel on each side forces a rotation as it travels through an animal, target, etc. The result is massive tissue damage and a bone-splitting effect. Iron Will took that thinking and applied it to their own already-successful broadhead design.

The Iron Will Single Bevel broadhead is available in weights from 100 grains all the way up to 250 grains. Their blades are 0.062-inch-thick A2 tool steel blades and are cryogenically treated and triple-tempered to 60 HRC hardness. The cutting diameter for these heads sits at 1-1/16 inches for the main blade and ¾ inches for the bleeder blades.

Bleeder blades are optional and are also a single-bevel design. Both main and bleeder blade replacements are available on Iron Will’s website.

These come in packs of three, and a person can also choose either a right or left bevel to match their fletching. Lastly, a unique cherry on top is that Iron Will also offers a custom engraving service to personalize each broadhead. Nice touch.

Arrows naturally rotate through flight and single-bevel broadheads help maintain that rotation through an animal. If that sounds like your cup of tea, do not overlook this option from Iron Will. It makes short work of even the toughest-skinned animals out there, such as hogs.

New kids on the block in the broadhead world are Method Archery with its VBS head ($64). Just because it’s new, doesn’t mean it isn’t proven. Method Archery, formerly Vector Arrows, is mostly known for its “Built to Your Specs” custom arrows. It wasn’t until recently that the company jumped into making broadheads. Method wanted to make something that didn’t sacrifice quality but wasn’t hard on the pocketbook. Out popped the VBS.

VBS stands for “variable blade system.” This allows a hunter to tailor cut both size and weight of the head to their preferences. Each ferrule is made from grade 5 titanium with blades made of hardened 440C steel. Hunters can purchase a 3-pack VBS in either solid or vented versions and have the options of 100, 125, and 150-grain weights.  

Some notable design features on the VBS are the curve of the blades as well as the absence of corners. The curves lend to larger holes, which means better blood trails. And Method sliced the corners because that’s the part on a broadhead that always breaks first. So, they did away with it.  If you do break the head “in the line of duty” send it back to Method and they’ll replace it for free.

If you’re looking for a good bang for your buck option (pun intended), check out the new VBS from Method Archery.  

The original Shuttle T-Lok was a favorite among many bowhunters. Trophy Takers’ new Shuttle T-Lok Maverick ($45) is a head that deserves mention, despite that it isn’t out yet.

Trophy Taker took the original design of the Shuttle T-Lok and added an additional blade as well as an overall bigger cutting surface. You’ll get a 1 3/16 inch cutting diameter and over 3 inches of total cutting surface. These heads will be available in 100-grain and come in packs of three.  

All heads are 100% heat-treated stainless steel and feature a patented T-shaped connection. This keeps the 4-blade from separating even if they are shot into something like bone. A nifty feature that hardcore bowhunter will appreciate.

Trophy Taker is not new to the broadhead game and we feel their new Shuttle T-Lok Maverick is going to be a real hit among die-hard bowhunters.

When it comes to mechanical heads, the Grim Reaper Razorcut ($50) is one you don’t want to sleep on, literally.

Grim Reaper is well known in the bowhunting world and has more than its fair share of filled tags in its wake. Their Razorcut Mechanical is a broadhead that is every bit as accurate and nasty as anything out there. A favorite among those that love mechanicals.

The Razorcut Mechanical is made from stainless steel and comes in packs of three. Hunters have the choice between 85, 100, and 125-grain in a 1 ⅜ cutting diameter as well as 100 and 125-grain “extra” versions that sport a 1 ¾ inch cutting diameter. And lastly, there is a 100-grain whitetail version with a 2.0-inch cutting diameter. No shortage of weight options.

This 3-blade mechanical has Grim Reapers’ Razorcut tip which is a cut-on-contact version of the original Razortip. And like the original version, this head needs no rubber bands to stay closed.

For hunters looking for an affordable mechanical head that will deliver over and over again, the Razorcut Mechanical from Grim Reaper needs to be on your “looksie” list.