Choosing the best fixed blade broadhead for traditional archery can be challenging considering the sheer number of options available these days. You want one that is razor-sharp, tunes well with your arrow of choice, and holds up to the demands of practice sessions and hunting situations.
To save you a lot of time and stress, we did the research for you. We scoured the internet, got personal recommendations from various hunting Facebook groups, and tested some ourselves to bring you what we feel are the 10 best broadheads for traditional archery on the market today.
Which of these will work best for you depends on numerous factors, and what you prefer in a broadhead. Of course, cost almost always impacts the decision-making process, so we were sure to touch on that aspect as well.
Overall Best Broadhead
Zwickey Delta Broadhead
When I polled other bowhunters in one of my traditional archery Facebook groups, one brand that kept popping up was Zwickey. Zwickey has been producing quality fixed blade broadheads for traditional archery since 1938!
The Delta is a big, two-blade, cut-on-contact model constructed of high-carbon steel. The broadhead is 2 9/16 inches long with a 1 3/8-inch cutting diameter and weighs in at 170 grains. While Zwickey offers a glue-on model (featured below), this particular broadhead includes an adapter that allows it to screw into a standard arrow insert.
To prove its toughness, Zwickey claims a Montana hunter took eight bears with the same Delta 2 broadhead.
Best Single Bevel Broadhead
Iron Will Single Bevel SB-150
Iron Will broadheads are known for their high quality and strength which comes at a premium cost. These are the most expensive broadheads on our list, and one of only two single bevel broadheads that made the cut (pun intended) as well.
The single bevel broadhead is designed to maintain the arrow’s rotational spin through impact, resulting in a bone splitting effect and more tissue damage throughout the animal.
Iron Will broadheads feature super beefy .062-inch thick A2 tool-steel blades that are cryogenically treated and triple tempered to 60 HRC hardness. That will allow the Iron Will’s blades to withstand the demands of big game hunting for years, and allow frequent resharpening as needed to maintain a razor-sharp edge.
Best Heavy Broadhead
Steel Force Traditional Series Single Bevel Broadhead
This is the second of two single-bevel broadheads on our list. The long, lean design of the Steel Force provides maximum penetration and superb flight. Of course the single-bevel design will provide maximum damage and break bone if necessary.
The Steel Force is built like a tank out of 0.08-inch thick, knife-grade stainless steel. The broadhead is three inches long and one inch wide with an 11/32-inch ferrule, and is available in right or left bevel in 225 or 300 grains.
Best Glue-On Broadhead for Traditional Archery
Zwickey Eskimo Glue-On Broadhead
This is our second set of Zwickey broadheads on the list, but instead of being a screw-in model for a traditional insert, the Eskimo is made to glue onto a wood arrow or special insert. As we mentioned earlier, Zwickey has been making quality broadheads for decades and is a favorite among traditional bowhunters, and the Eskimo is probably the most popular broadhead they manufacture.
The Eskimo is a two-blade option with a 1 1/8-inch cutting diameter, and a weight of 125 grains. It feature an 11/32-inch taper hole. The cut-on-contact broadhead is made from special high-carbon steel so you can get the edges hair-shaving sharp. The triple-thick tip with special heat-treating resists curling and blows through bone for maximum damage. If you need a glue-on broadhead, you can’t go wrong with the Zwickey Eskimo!
Best 3 Blade Broadhead for Traditional Archery
EBBQ Woodsman Glue-On Broadhead
If you’re looking for a great three-blade option in a glue-on broadhead, then the EBBQ Woodsman may be the perfect option. The Woodsman is machined from a solid piece of tool-grade steel and features a pyramid tip for increased strength.
The broadhead has a one-inch cutting diameter and is coated in advanced pure Teflon for maximum durability. The Woodsman is made in the USA and backed by a lifetime guarantee. Unlike the other options listed here, EBBQ offers the Woodsman in a six pack.
Four Other Great Options
Simmons Land Shark
Another name that kept popping up among diehard traditional bowhunters was Simmons broadheads. The Montana-based company offers a variety of broadheads for traditional archery ranging in weight from 100 to 225 grains to cover every bowhunting scenario from whitetails to cape buffalo.
You won’t go wrong with any of Simmons’ numerous broadhead options, but for this article, we went with the 160-grain Land Shark. The Land Shark features tough .050-inch thick high-carbon steel blades with a respectable 1 5/8-inch cutting diameter. The concave blade design gives them unsurpassed penetration on both big and small game.
Every Simmons broadhead is made by hand here in the U.S. and inspected for perfect alignment before they leave the factory.
Magnus Stinger 4 Blade Arrow Broadhead
My broadhead of choice for my compound and recurve bows over the last two deer seasons has been the 150-grain Magnus Stinger 4-blade head. Like most of the broadheads on our list, the Stinger is a large, cut-on-contact broadhead that can be purchased with or without small bleeder blades.
Made from knife-grade stainless steel, the Stinger is razor-sharp right out of the package. The patented diamond tip provides bone-splitting performance on the largest of game animals, and the aircraft aluminum ferrule is spin tested to within .002 of an inch, providing perfect flight right out of the package.
One of my favorite aspects about Magnus broadheads is their lifetime replacement guarantee. If at any time you break, bend or have any concern with a Magnus broadhead, they will replace it.
Wasp Archery SharpShooter Broadhead
Wasp was one of the first companies to come out with replaceable blade broadheads, and they’ve been providing great broadheads ever since. They’ve recently started offering a traditional broadhead, the SharpShooter, that looks similar in design to the Magnus Stinger.
The 100% steel, cut-on-contact SharpShooter broadhead weighs in at 150 grains and features a razor-sharp .040-inch thick main blade with a 1-inch cutting diameter, and .027-inch thick bleeder blades.
While I love my Magnus Stingers, the Wasp SharpShooters are cheaper and seem to be more readily available through Amazon. At the time I’m writing these, they also feature a 4.6 out of 5 rating on Amazon with over 170 reviews. That’s really good for a broadhead.
Dead Ringer The Butcher Broadhead
Dead Ringer The Butcher broadheads also have a very similar look to the Magnus Stinger with a large main cut-on-contact head and smaller bleeder blades. The Dead Ringer heads feature a 0.925-inch cutting diameter and is only offered in 100-grain weight.
One thing that stands out to me on The Butcher broadhead is its long, tapered tip (as opposed to Magnus’s diamond tip). That lower blade angle makes The Butcher a great choice for anyone shooting a lower-poundage setup to help provide maximum penetration. On the flip side, the long, tapered tip will likely bend if it comes in contact with any hard bone, rocks or trees.
Dead Ringer’s website is lacking in information, so I can’t report on what the broadheads are made from or the thickness of the blades. I will mention that Dead Ringer’s reviews on Amazon are pretty favorable with a 4.4 out of 5 rating at the time I write this with over 220 reviews.
SIK F4 Fixed-Blade Broadhead
You probably haven’t heard of SIK broadheads. I hadn’t before I started researching for this article, but these appear to be great broadheads for traditional archery. These 100-grain, cut-on-contact, fixed-blade broadheads feature four blades for creating a maximum wound channel.
The laser-welded stainless steel broadhead features a .04-inch cut-on-contact main blade with .03-inch bleeder blades to deliver a 1.35″ cutting diameter. The 27° razor-honed edge angle on the full blade enables the F4 to cut forward or backward. All this wrapped into a compact design with field-point accuracy.
Summary
Choosing the best broadhead for traditional archery can be a pain, but you can’t go wrong with any of the ten broadheads featured in this article. Take into consideration what arrows you’ll be using, the overall weight you’re targeting with your arrow setup, and whether you’ll need a screw-in or glue-on broadhead. From there, you can try a few of the options listed here to help you find the perfect broadhead for your longbow or recurve bow this season.
If you have a favorite broadhead for your traditional archery setup not covered here, we’d love to hear about it! Feel free to drop us a note in the comments section below letting us know what you shoot.
