Brand · Archery & Bowhunting
Carbon Express arrows are carbon hunting shafts in three main families (Maxima, D-Stroyer and Predator), plus crossbow bolts, nocks and a youth arrow. The short version: the family tells you how the shaft is built, and the letters after the name tell you its diameter, which decides every part you'll buy for it later. Pick the diameter, then the spine, then the straightness grade. (Uncle Walt picks by color. His arrows are red. That's the whole system.)
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On this site, Carbon Express covers two product types: arrows for compound and recurve bows, and crossbow bolts. Around those sit a few parts: Launchpad nocks, and a mechanical broadhead whose details come from its Amazon listing.
The arrows are almost all carbon hunting shafts. The one exception is the Thunder Express, which the maker describes as a fiberglass target arrow made for youth archers. The bolts are carbon too, sold in short packs with nocks already installed.
The grid above shows what's available on Amazon right now, with filters by type. It changes as packs come and go, so I'll write about the lines and what separates them, not about how many of each are listed this week.
If you're here for "Carbon Express crossbow" specifically: the brand's current Amazon listings are arrows and bolts, not bows. The bows are on the crossbow page.
Here's what actually changes from one name to the next. Each arrow name has two parts:
The maker defines the suffixes on its product pages. SD means small diameter, with a .203-inch inside diameter. XSD means extreme small diameter, at .166 inch. No suffix, or the PileDriver name, usually means a standard .244-inch inside diameter (the Predator AIR and D-Stroyer PileDriver pages say so outright).
Quick kitchen version: a .166 shaft is a coffee stirrer, a .244 shaft is a milkshake straw. Both are hollow tubes. Only one fits a milkshake. The same goes for nocks and inserts, which is why the suffix matters more than the paint.
The Maxima family is where the maker puts its layered construction. The Maxima RED, RED SD and Triad XSD pages describe "Tri-Spine/RED ZONE" shafts, which the maker says use three spine zones along one shaft. Several Maxima pages add named outer layers (BuffTuff, BuffTuff Plus, Diamond Weave) and aluminum BullDog nock collars, which the maker says guard the back of the shaft against rear impacts.
What separates the Maxima arrows, per the maker:
Spines across the Maxima packs in the grid run from very stiff to mid-range; none of them are the weak spines a light youth bow would need. A few Maxima packs (the Badlands, XRZ and Sable RZ Selects) list their specs only on Amazon, and the grid marks those values.
Uncle Walt asked if "Tri-Spine" was a back condition. As a physical therapist, I can confirm it isn't one I treat.
The D-Stroyer family uses what the maker calls Dual Spine Weight Forward: a shaft with two spine zones and a heavier front. FeraDyne's 2021 announcement says the series launched in 2020.
The PileDriver numbers are on FeraDyne's announcement: 10.4 grains per inch at 400 spine, 11.3 at 350 and 13.1 at 300. Quick math: a 28-inch 350 PileDriver shaft is about 316 grains before the point, insert, nock and vanes. That's a heavy arrow by most charts, which is the point of it.
The Predator line is plainer on paper. The maker lists the original Predator in a wide spine range, from very weak (for light bows) to 350, with recommendations for draw weights from 20 to 75 pounds. Its page states straightness as ±.004 inch average, where the Maxima and D-Stroyer pages state theirs as a maximum. Worth knowing when you compare the numbers in the grid.
The Predator AIR is listed at ±.002, standard .244 diameter, 32-inch length, with stainless steel inserts. The Predator XSD's values come from its Amazon listing.
The Thunder Express is the odd one out: fiberglass, fletched, with a weighted target point. The maker says it's built for youth and beginning archers and for target practice. It's not a hunting arrow. Youth hunting setups are on the youth bow arrows page.
The bolts come in three named lines plus a Maxima bolt whose specs come from its listing. What the maker states:
All three use what the maker calls a Universal Nock System. On the Mayhem and D-Stroyer 380, that's inserted moon nocks plus C-nocks for crossbows that use Capture or Alpha nocks. The PileDriver page lists the inserted moon nocks.
Here's the thing with bolts: your crossbow maker decides the length, weight and nock, not the bolt brand. Wisconsin DNR's safety advice is to use only the bolts the manufacturer recommends. Read your crossbow manual first, then shop. The crossbow bolts page covers lengths and nock types across brands, and best crossbow bolts has a ranked list.
The Launchpad Precision nocks come in four sizes, per the maker: .166, .203, .234 and .244 inch, 12 per pack, made of polycarbonate. Those sizes line up with the shaft diameters above, which is not a coincidence. More on fit is on the nocks page, and lit options are on the lighted nocks page.
The F-15 is a two-blade mechanical broadhead, with weight and cutting diameter taken from its Amazon listing. Broadhead types and weights are on the mechanical broadheads page.
My one opinion on this page: choose the diameter before the spine. The reason is in the nock sizes above. Every insert, nock and lighted nock you buy for the next few seasons has to match that inside diameter. The maker pitches the small diameters (SD, XSD) for less crosswind drift and more penetration. Standard .244 shafts take the widest range of parts.
Spine is how much the shaft bends. Archery 360 explains that higher numbers mean weaker spines (a 300 is stiffer than a 400), and that draw weight, arrow length and point weight all move the spine you need. Use the arrow length you'll actually shoot, not your draw length.
The maker publishes a hunting arrow chart and a Maxima selection chart, plus two recurve charts. That's the "Carbon Express spine chart" people search for. Archery 360's advice is to stick with the maker's chart for the shaft you're buying. General background is on the hunting arrows page.
Across the families, the maker's stated straightness runs from ±.001 inch (the Drab and Stone packs) to ±.004 (the PileDriver bolt and the original Predator). Smaller is straighter. A straighter grade doesn't fix a wrong spine, though, so settle the spine first and pick the grade second. (Nobody at camp can see a thousandth of an inch. Walt claims otherwise. Walt also claims his arrows are red for visibility.)
The grid marks whether a pack comes fletched (most 6-packs, with vanes) or as bare shafts (most 12-packs). Bare shafts need cutting, inserts, nocks and vanes. If you don't own a cut-off saw and a fletching jig, start with fletched. Options for vanes and feathers are on the fletching page.
The maker's warranty is a limited one year from purchase, for the original owner, on arrow and bolt shafts with defects in materials or workmanship. It doesn't cover normal wear, misuse, improper cleaning or fletching, or shafts damaged by hitting other arrows, bolts or hard objects. A claim needs a photo and proof of purchase, and you get a return authorization number before you send anything.
Inspect every carbon arrow or bolt before you shoot it. Archery 360's method: bend the shaft carefully, turn it, bend it again, and listen. Creaking means structural damage, and that arrow is done. Discard any shaft that's cracked or that hit another arrow. Never dry-fire a crossbow.
Both brands sell hunting arrows and crossbow bolts. The difference on this site is material. The Carbon Express grid is carbon shafts, carbon bolts and one fiberglass youth arrow. Easton's listings here include aluminum and carbon-aluminum shafts, an aluminum bolt, plenty of nocks, quivers, cases and a youth recurve kit.
Easton's own history page says it began producing aluminum arrows in the mid-1930s and has made arrows in Salt Lake City, Utah, since 1982. I couldn't verify where Carbon Express arrows are made, so that's left out. The Easton brand page has its lineup.
Both make carbon hunting arrows, crossbow bolts and components. Gold Tip's site also lists traditional, target and youth arrows.
One practical difference: Gold Tip listings use a 340 spine where Carbon Express uses 350. They're close, and they aren't the same number. Read each maker's chart instead of swapping one for the other. Straightness grades on both brands' hunting shafts start at ±.001 inch. The Gold Tip brand page has its lineup.
Carbon Express products are sold on the FeraDyne Outdoors site, which lists FeraDyne's address in Superior, Wisconsin. Deer & Deer Hunting reported in March 2017 that FeraDyne had bought Eastman Outdoors of Flushing, Michigan, and that the deal brought Carbon Express into FeraDyne's portfolio. I couldn't verify a founding year or where the shafts are made, so I've left those out.
Diameter, spine, straightness. Write all three on the tube, in that order, and your future self at the shop counter will thank you.
What the maker states is checkable: its Maxima and D-Stroyer pages give straightness from ±.001 to ±.003 inch as a maximum, and pack sets sorted by spine and by weight within ±1 grain. Whether a shaft suits you depends on the spine your bow needs, the diameter you want and the straightness grade you're after. The product grid on this page lists those values per pack.
Carbon Express products are sold on the site of FeraDyne Outdoors, a company in Superior, Wisconsin. Deer & Deer Hunting reported in March 2017 that FeraDyne bought Eastman Outdoors of Flushing, Michigan, and that the deal brought the Carbon Express brand into FeraDyne's portfolio.
The Carbon Express listings available on Amazon right now are arrows, crossbow bolts, nocks and a broadhead; no Carbon Express crossbow is among them. For the bows themselves, see the crossbow page on this site. For bolts, match the length and nock style your crossbow maker recommends.
The maker publishes its charts on the Carbon Express pages of the FeraDyne site, including a hunting arrow chart, a Maxima arrow selection chart and two recurve charts. Read them with your peak draw weight, your finished arrow length and your point weight in hand.
The maker lists a limited one-year warranty from the date of purchase, for the original owner, covering defects in materials and workmanship of arrow and bolt shafts. A claim needs a photo and proof of purchase. Damage from hitting other arrows or hard objects isn't covered.
The product grid on this page links to the Carbon Express listings on Amazon US, filtered by type. FeraDyne also sells the brand on its own site. Check that the listing names the exact spine, length and pack count you want before you order.
