Hunting with a crossbow can be quite an enjoyable endeavor, so you might be on a lookout for a good product. As with other bows, speed can be quite important, since it will make your hunting much smoother. This is why we compiled a list that will help you find crossbows that excel at speed…
If you were wondering what is the fastest crossbow on the market, you have come to the right place. We have several products that are worthy of your attention, and everyone will surely find a crossbow that will suit their needs.
Reviews Of The Fastest Crossbows
1. TenPoint Vapor RS470
Best Overall
Achieves the highest speed
Extremely accurate
Made with cutting edge technology
Extremely expensive
Quite heavy
The world’s fastest crossbow currently on the market is capable of achieving a speed of 470 fps. This makes it a product that comes extremely close to the fabled speed of 500 fps. Maybe by this time next year we’ll have one that achieves it.
Until then, we can enjoy this product made by TenPoint, a company that is known for the quality and speed of their crossbows. The Vapor RS470 has a reverse-draw design, which makes it capable of utilizing the entirety of its power stroke. The speeds achieved by this crossbow are truly impressive.
It features a new ACUslide that will allow the product to have safe de-cocking and completely silent cocking mechanisms. This is an optional feature, but highly recommended for experienced hunters. The technology used on this crossbow, in general, is cutting edge, and we can’t imagine anyone not being happy with it.
It is a compact, balanced product with high accuracy, speed and many accessories. However, this all comes at a price tag that might be too high for most hunters. Still, if you want the best and are a seasoned hunter, this won’t be a problem for you. However, the majority of users might not want to pay this amount of money for a crossbow.
2. Scorpyd Aculeus
Runner Up
Extremely fast
The full kit will make any hunter happy
Features many innovations & accessories
Quite expensive
Loud and not easy to control
While it is not the overall fastest or the best pick, the Scorpyd Aculeus is still an amazing product. Capable of shooting at a speed of 460 fps, this crossbow is the perfect choice for any seasoned hunter. When it comes to speed alone, this product is practically second to none, but it has plenty of other things going for it.
It has a draw weight of 180lbs, and it is a bow that will make you realize how powerful it is as soon as you pick it up. This is especially true if you are an experienced hunter. This bow will surely improve your results in hunting.
It is quite heavy, weighing in at 7.5lbs, but that is all in favor of its extremely high performance. Not only is it fast, but it has some excellent bonus features that will improve the quality of your hunting life. For example, it has the AcuDraw cocking mechanism.
This mechanism is capable of halving the needed draw weight, meaning most people should be able to use this crossbow easily. You will get an illuminated scope and twelve arrows, with some other nifty accessories.
Overall, this product is extremely fast, but also excels in most other categories. Naturally, there is a downside, and it is the price tag. This is an expensive product, so you should not bother with it unless you are extremely serious and passionate about hunting.
3. Ravin R20 Crossbow Package
Best design
It is a complete package
Excellent design
High speed
Too expensive
Only one reticle on the scope
The first thing you’ll notice when looking at the Ravin R20 is its gorgeous design. It looks sleek and like something you can easily carry through cramped areas. This is something that actually might happen while hunting, so we will consider it a nice advantage.
While cocked, the axle to axle width of this crossbow is only 6 inches, and it increases to just 10.5 inches when uncocked. This makes it possibly the most compact bow on our list. It is not that heavy compared to other crossbows either, weighing in at 7.1lbs. All in all, this bow is definitely designed to make your life easier while carrying it around.
The bow can achieve a speed of 430 fps, which is quite impressive, even though not as fast as some other crossbows on this list. Still, this product uses some really nice cutting-edge technologies in its design.
One example is the HeliCoil technology which is responsible for the high speeds this product can achieve. It is also able to achieve 164ft-lbs of kinetic energy. Of course, since this crossbow comes in a package, you will receive a lot of accessories. These include the bolts, a safety feature, a cocking mechanism and a mounting bracket.
All in all, this product basically offers anything you might need if you are into crossbow hunting. While not the fastest on the market, it is an excellent product nonetheless. However, as with other products this high on the list, the price of the R20 might be too high for some hunters.
4. TenPoint Nitro XRT
Best Accessories
Excellent scope
Noise dampening system
Great speed
Not the best for its price
Really too expensive
While it is technically faster than the Ravin R20, we decided that this product deserves a spot lower for its overall performance. Still, the TenPoint Nitro XRT is an excellent crossbow capable of achieving a speed higher of almost 470 fps. Similarly to the R20, it features quite a slick, narrow profile, but not quite as impressive as that one.
It is overall a high-end product, which is reflected in the price, which is also high. This is why most should pick the Ravin R20, unless they absolutely need the extra speed. Still, this does not mean that this product is bad, and there are plenty of things to like about it.
It features an EVO-X scope which will surely improve your precision drastically, without sacrificing speed. The accessories included with this crossbow are quite nice as well. You will get six bolts, a cocking device and a quiver with a side mount. Also, this product has a string stop system which will reduce the noise it makes.
Ultimately, this is a great product that will surely satisfy most hunters. Still, it falls short of the top 3, since it doesn’t quite reach the performance of those models. While there is plenty to like here, if you can afford any of the first three picks, go for those.
5. Barnett Predator
Most silent
Great accessories
Extremely silent
Good for beginners
Expensive
There are better options for the price
A bit too heavy
Another one on the list of crossbows that shoot over 400 fps, the Barnett Predator can reach a speed of 430 fps. Overall, it is a product characterized by high quality in most of its aspects, which makes sense seeing as it is manufactured by Barnett. Let’s get the bad out of the way first – it is quite expensive.
If you are willing to spend a lot of money for a crossbow, some other models might be better overall. Still, it is all about what fits you, and this product has plenty to offer. While not the fastest or the most powerful crossbow, it still has a lot of power and speed. It is surely enough for the majority of hunters, even the more experienced ones.
It is a powerful crossbow, capable of developing kinetic energy of 156 ft-lbs. Extra accessories are included in the package as well. Some of them include the illuminated scope, a cocking device, two arrows and a lube wax. The illuminated scope is something we believe will make most hunters happy.
All in all, this is a compact, silent model with plenty of speed and power to satisfy anyone. However, for the price we believe that there are better options available. Still, this is one you should keep in mind as well.
6. Barnett HyperGhost 425
Most adjustable
Illuminated scope
Great trigger
High speed and accuracy
Difficult to assemble
No crank cocker in the package
This crossbow is definitely a premium product, and while not the fastest model on our list, it is still an overall fine crossbow. It can reach the maximum speed of 425 fps which should be more than enough for the majority of hunters. It is hard to imagine any animal that could survive a shot at that speed.
Other excellent features of this product are the accessories. Like some previously mentioned products, it features an illuminated scope. This one also has variable magnification power, so you can adjust the illumination level according to your needs and the conditions you hunt in. It also has a rifle-style trigger system that will help inexperienced users in avoiding failed shots.
Other features of this product include string dampeners that will reduce the noise, and you will also get a quiver with it. This bow is not as heavy as some other models, so it is easier to shoot, which will make inexperienced hunters happy. It is also compatible with all other Barnett crank cocking devices.
Overall it is a great crossbow, especially for low light shots. However some users note that it is extremely hard to assemble, so keep that in mind when buying it. Also, a crank cocker is not included in the package.
7. TenPoint Stealth NXT
User Friendly
The AcuDraw technology
You get three arrows
Lightweight scope
Low-quality string
Heavy draw weight
A bit expensive
The last bow on our list is still exceptionally fast, capable of reaching a speed of 410 fps. This is more than enough to kill any game you are hunting. Still, for experienced hunters, any speed increase is important, which is why they might consider this model a bit on the slow side.
Still, this crossbow manages to remain highly accurate despite its power. The scope that is equipped on this model is made of aluminum, which makes it extremely light. This is a great feature since the crossbow is not burdened by the extra weight. There are many other nifty features on this product besides that.
One of those includes an arrow drop compensation setting. This should prove extremely useful during your hunting trips. This crossbow can be calibrated in many ways, all according to your preferences. This makes it a user-friendly product that can be adjusted to be whatever you need and whatever the exterior conditions demand it to be.
With it you will get three arrows and a quiver that is easily detachable, so there are not a lot of accessories in the package. Still, what is there is enough to make for good hunting trips. It is easy to use a crossbow, thanks to the AcuDraw technology which makes it highly accurate while keeping its weight relatively low.
One of the flaws often mentioned about this product is the quality of its string. It seems to be of a bit lower quality than in other models. While there are no major flaws to this product, it definitely falls short to others on the list.
Why Choose A Fast Crossbow
When it comes to hunting, speed is of the utmost importance. Not only do you want the strongest crossbow, but most will value high speed over anything. Experienced hunters need crossbows capable of achieving high speeds, like the TenPoint Vapor RS470, since they can fully utilize their potential.
With time, as you become a more experienced hunter, you will want a crossbow that can fit your skillset. While most of these bows are quite expensive, once you are passionate about hunting that should not be a huge problem. How fast does a crossbow shoot should be just one of the reasons for picking it.
Pros Of Choosing A Fast Crossbow
The biggest advantage of choosing a fast crossbow is the fact that your shots will be able to travel longer distances. It is as simple as that, more speed equals more distance. Still, this does not mean anyone will magically be able to hit a target that is far away just by getting a fast crossbow.
As with anything, practice is required, and only the most skilled archers will be able to fully utilize a fast crossbow. A high power crossbow will not make you a good hunter instantly. While the highest fps crossbow such as the TenPoint Vapor RS470 might seem tempting right away, you need to know what you are doing to take full advantage of such a product.
Another advantage of these crossbows is having more power behind your shots. This comes naturally with higher speed, but it will also increase your chances of killing your prey drastically. With more power you will avoid situations where your prey might run away wounded. A crossbow like the Scorpyd Aculeus is perfect for this.
Higher speeds also minimize the drop rate of your arrows. Gravity does not have as much influence on speedy arrows, so they will fly in a straighter line. It is easier to be precise and know that you will hit your mark with a fast crossbow.
Cons Of Choosing A Fast Crossbow
While the positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to fast crossbows, there are some downsides to using them. The most important one is that they are harder to use. It will take a while before you will be able to master a fast crossbow. This is why we mostly recommend them to experienced hunters.
Learning the correct stance and movements is more important with faster crossbows. They are more affected by all of your actions, which is why you need more experience. People that are new to using crossbows will have problems handling models that operate at high speeds.
Another downside to fast crossbows is the amount of noise they produce. These products have more power, so it makes sense that their shots make a lot of noise. This is another reason why only more experienced hunters should use them. They know how the noise will affect their hunting.
The noise might not be a problem at close ranges, but once you start hunting at distances over 60 yards, you will notice how it may affect your performance.
Another big downside to these crossbows is the fact that it is hard to find accessories for them. Since they are expensive, fast crossbows are not as popular as slower ones. This is why you might have problems finding good accessories for them.
Scopes for fast crossbows are difficult to find, which can be problematic for some. Another thing is that these accessories tend to break more often, since these bows operate under more power and speed. This will do some damage to your crossbow parts, so replacing them will be needed, and it won’t be easy.
How To Pick The Right Speed
There are several factors you should take into account when choosing crossbows by speed, and we will mention the most important ones here. First of all, you need to determine the purpose. If you are interested in target practice only, you do not need to look at these models.
However, if you are serious about hunting, a crossbow with higher speed might be just what you need. It also depends heavily on the game you will be hunting. For example, if you will focus solely on deers, 200 fps should be enough for you. However, animals with a thicker hide need more power.
The speed you pick should be higher than 200 fps. After that, you go higher depending on your needs. Pick carefully. If you seriously need high speeds, pick a bow with enough power to utilize it.
The power stroke is also important, since crossbows with longer power strokes will apply arrows faster. This is another thing to keep in mind. Naturally, as with other bows, the draw weight will surely play a role. Still, if you are experienced enough to use these bows, you should know how to handle higher draw weights.
Naturally, the design of the bow and its size and weight will also play a role in what you pick. Many might go for the Ravin R20 just because of its gorgeous design. Other important factors are the accuracy and noise of each crossbow, but for that you will need to explore each product. Of course you want your bow as silent and accurate as possible.
FAQs
Conclusion
Picking the fastest crossbow was a daunting task, given the amount of great products available on the market. Still, we managed to narrow it down to seven. The clear winner was the TenPoint Vapor RS470, the fastest and also overall best crossbow on the market.
The runner up is the Scorpyd Aculeus, an excellent crossbow, only slightly slower than the winner. It is also an excellent product, but, like most of these extremely fast crossbows, the price is quite steep. Depending on your experience, you won’t go wrong with any product on our list.