How to Choose the Right Broadhead for Bowhunting
Your broadhead is the business end of your arrow. Bow, arrow, rest, release — every piece of your setup is working toward one moment: the cutting edge meeting the animal. That means the broadhead is the single component that decides whether an ethical shot becomes a dead-to-rights recovery or a long night of grid searches.
At Slick Trick we have been engineering broadheads for bowhunters since the early 2000s, and in that time the questions have not changed much. Fixed or mechanical? How wide should the cut be? How many blades? What grain weight? This guide answers each of those questions the way our design team answers them at the bench — with physics, real-world recovery data, and a hunter-first bias toward lethality.
Whether you are picking up your first set of heads or finally replacing the box that has been rattling around your quiver since 2019, use this guide as a roadmap. When you are ready to shop, you can jump straight to the Slick Trick broadhead lineup or browse by type: fixed-blade broadheads, mechanical broadheads, and crossbow broadheads.
Fixed-Blade vs Mechanical vs Hybrid: How Each Type Works
The oldest debate in archery boils down to three families of design. Each one solves a different problem, and each one earns its place in the right hunter's quiver.
Fixed-blade broadheads
Fixed-blade heads have blades that are always in the cutting position — there are no moving parts, no collars, no O-rings. The trade-off is that fixed blades expose more surface area in flight, so they demand a well-tuned bow. The payoff is bone-splitting strength and the most consistent terminal performance of any broadhead design. If your arrow hits a shoulder, a fixed blade will typically keep driving where a mechanical can stall. Slick Trick's fixed-blade lineup includes the Standard, the Magnum, the ViperTrick, the GrizzTrick 2, and the WickedTrick. Each one is built around our Super Steel™ ferrule and the Alcatraz™ Bladelock system — a mechanical interlock that keeps blades rigid through bone impact instead of letting them flex and fail.
Mechanical (expandable) broadheads
A mechanical broadhead flies with its blades folded back against the ferrule, then deploys on impact to reveal a wide cutting diameter. The flight advantage is real: mechanicals behave almost exactly like a field point out to typical bowhunting ranges, so tuning is forgiving and shot placement is intuitive. The risk is deployment — if the blades fail to open, you have a glorified field point in the animal. That is why our RaptorTrick mechanical broadhead uses a rear-deploying, three-position blade lock calibrated for low, standard, and high kinetic-energy bows, and why the Torch is built around a Deadbolt Deployment™ system with no O-rings or rubber bands to fail.
Hybrid broadheads
Hybrid designs marry a fixed cutting surface with an expandable one. Our Assailant Hybrid is the clearest example — a ViperTrick-style chisel tip drives 7/8" fixed bleeder blades into the animal while 1 3/4" expandables deploy behind them, yielding a massive 2 5/8" total cutting surface. Hybrids exist for hunters who refuse to choose between fixed-blade insurance and mechanical wound channels. They are a proven pick for whitetail, hogs, and any shot angle where you want a guaranteed cut even if deployment is slow.
So which family is right for you? If your shots can range from 20 yards out of a saddle to 40 yards across a food plot and you hunt animals that vary from 140-pound does to 600-pound bulls, a fixed-blade belongs in your quiver. If your hunting is dominated by high-percentage, broadside shots on whitetail-sized game and you prize field-point flight above all else, a mechanical earns its spot. If you want both kinds of insurance on the same arrow, that is exactly what a hybrid is for.
Cutting Diameter: How Much Is Enough?
Cutting diameter is the widest cross-section of tissue your broadhead will slice through on pass-through. It shows up everywhere in broadhead marketing because it correlates with blood trails — bigger cut, bigger hole, more blood on the ground. But bigger is not always better, and here is why.
Every additional 1/16" of cutting diameter costs you a measurable amount of penetration. Wide heads create more drag in tissue, and they stall more easily against bone. That is why our 4-blade 1" Standard broadhead has actually out-cut 3-blade 1 1/8" designs by roughly 18% in side-by-side testing — total cutting surface, not headline diameter, is what moves blood. A head with four 1" blades makes four incisions; a head with three 1 1/8" blades makes three. Simple arithmetic changes the outcome.
For context, here is how the current Slick Trick lineup maps to cutting diameter:
• Standard — 1" cutting diameter, 4-blade, total cut 2" across all blades. See the Slick Trick Standard.
• ViperTrick — 1 1/16" main + 7/8" bleeder for a 1 15/16" total cutting surface. See the Slick Trick ViperTrick.
• Magnum — 1 1/8" cutting diameter, 4-blade, 2 1/4" total cut. See the Slick Trick Magnum.
• WickedTrick — 1 1/4" cutting diameter with a 2 5/16" total stainless cutting surface. See the Slick Trick WickedTrick.
• GrizzTrick 2 — 1 1/4" cutting diameter, 2 1/2" total cut. See the Slick Trick GrizzTrick 2.
• RaptorTrick — 2" mechanical cutting diameter on deployment. See the Slick Trick RaptorTrick.
• Assailant Hybrid — 1 3/4" expandable plus 7/8" fixed bleeder, 2 5/8" total cutting surface. See the Slick Trick Assailant Hybrid.
The takeaway: match your cutting diameter to the kinetic energy you are throwing. A sub-60-pound draw bow punching a 400-grain arrow does not have the energy budget to drive a 2" mechanical through an elk's offside shoulder. A 70-pound bow with a 450-grain arrow, by contrast, will happily send a 2" RaptorTrick through a whitetail with a pass-through. Bigger cuts are tools, not trophies.
Blade Count: 2-Blade vs 3-Blade vs 4-Blade
Blade count controls three things: wound-channel geometry, penetration resistance, and blade-wall strength.
Two-blade broadheads
A single sharpened blade driven through tissue is the lowest-drag configuration possible, which is why two-blade cut-on-contact heads were the original broadhead design. They penetrate deep and they are forgiving of marginal kinetic energy. The downside is they leave a slit that can close behind the arrow — a narrow wound channel that bleeds out slower than a multi-blade cross-cut.
Three-blade broadheads
Three blades arranged 120° apart generate three exit wounds and resist plugging when the entry hole lines up with hide folds or hair. They are the most common design in commercial broadheads because three blades is the minimum to create an X-style wound that does not close. Three blades also create more drag than two — penetration drops a measurable amount, especially against bone.
Four-blade broadheads (the Slick Trick advantage)
Four blades arranged at 90° angles create four exit wounds and four separate arterial cuts. More cuts means more bleeding, which means faster recovery and shorter blood trails. The challenge is that adding a fourth blade traditionally meant sacrificing blade-wall integrity — more blades, weaker slots, more chance of a blade shearing off in bone. Slick Trick solved that with the Alcatraz Bladelock system: each blade is mechanically locked into the ferrule in a way that transfers impact energy into the steel ferrule instead of into the blade roots. That is what lets us run 4-blade fixed heads like the Standard, Magnum, ViperTrick, GrizzTrick 2, and WickedTrick without giving up the bone-splitting strength that defines the brand. See the Why Slick Trick page for a closer look at how the Alcatraz system works.
Broadhead Weight: 100gr vs 125gr vs 150gr
Broadhead grain weight changes the way your arrow flies and the way it performs on contact. Heavier broadheads move forward-of-center (FOC) weight toward the tip, which improves arrow stability in flight and increases penetration on impact. The trade-off is that heavier heads fly on a steeper trajectory, so you need to know your pins.
100-grain broadheads
The default weight for modern compound setups. A 100-grain head on a 400-to-475-grain finished arrow gives you a flat trajectory out to 40 yards and plenty of kinetic energy for whitetail, pronghorn, turkey, and black bear. Most of the Slick Trick lineup is available in 100-grain.
125-grain broadheads
The grown-up pick. Moving to 125 grains pushes FOC into the 12-14% range that most archery coaches consider ideal for broadhead flight, and the extra 25 grains adds measurable penetration on heavy-bodied animals. For bigger whitetail, hogs, black bear, and mule deer, 125-grain is a strong default. The Magnum 125gr and ViperTrick Pro Series are two of our most popular 125-grain offerings.
150-grain broadheads (and heavier)
Where crossbow hunters and heavy-arrow elk hunters live. Crossbow bolts generate dramatically more kinetic energy than vertical bows, and that energy is best carried by heavier heads that keep FOC forward. Our Xbow crossbow broadhead is available in a 150-grain option specifically because it stabilizes short crossbow bolts faster and handles the brutal kinetic loads those platforms generate. For vertical-bow elk hunters shooting 500+ grain arrows, stepping up to 125 or even 150 grains can pay off in penetration against heavy bone.
The rule of thumb: heavier broadheads for heavier animals and higher-energy platforms. Lighter broadheads for faster, flatter-shooting setups on mid-sized game. Always match your practice heads to your hunting heads by grain weight so your field-point groups translate to broadhead groups.
Best Broadheads by Species
Different game demands different broadheads. Here is how the Slick Trick lineup maps to the four species bowhunters ask about most often.
Best broadhead for whitetail deer
Whitetail hunters want a blood trail. A 125-grain Magnum or a 100-grain ViperTrick both deliver wide wound channels and reliable pass-throughs on 150-to-220-pound deer out of any modern compound. If you want a mechanical instead, the RaptorTrick's 2" cutting diameter opens dramatic blood trails on broadside shots. Hybrid hunters should look at the Assailant.
Best broadhead for elk
Elk kill broadheads that other animals would forgive. You want maximum penetration through heavy hide, a thick rib cage, and the possibility of a shoulder hit. Our strongest recommendation is a 125-grain fixed blade — the Magnum 125gr for bone-splitting strength, or the ViperTrick 125gr for a narrower cut-on-contact profile that drives deeper at the cost of some cutting diameter. Mechanicals are a poor fit for elk unless you have a very specific combination of heavy kinetic energy and high shot discipline.
Best broadhead for turkey
Turkey is two different hunts. For body shots, you want maximum cutting diameter — the RaptorTrick or Assailant Hybrid's wide wound channels anchor birds fast. For head-and-neck shots, use a purpose-built head: the Turkey D-CAP is a 200-grain, 4" cutting-diameter single-bevel head designed specifically to decapitate without tracking. No other broadhead in the lineup comes close for head shots.
Best broadhead for hogs and big game with heavy bone
Hogs have a shield of cartilage and gristle that will eat cheap broadheads alive. Go heavy and go fixed — a 125-grain Standard or Magnum with its Alcatraz-locked 4-blade geometry is our pick. The GrizzTrick 2's 1 1/4" diameter and long-range flight also earns a lot of fans in hog country and for long-range Western hunts.
Slick Trick Broadhead Comparison Table
Everything at a glance. Use this to match a head to your setup and target species.
|
Broadhead
|
Type
|
Cutting Diameter
|
Blades
|
Weights
|
Best For
|
Shop
|
|
Standard
|
Fixed
|
1" (2" total cut)
|
4
|
85/100/125gr
|
Whitetail, hogs, general-purpose
|
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/standard-broadhead
|
|
Magnum
|
Fixed
|
1 1/8" (2 1/4" total)
|
4
|
100/125gr
|
Whitetail, elk, hogs
|
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/magnum-broadheads
|
|
ViperTrick
|
Fixed (cut-on-contact)
|
1 1/16" + 7/8" bleeder (1 15/16" total)
|
4
|
100/125gr
|
Deep penetration on heavy bone
|
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/vipertrick-broadhead
|
|
WickedTrick
|
Fixed (SS)
|
1 1/4" (2 5/16" total)
|
4
|
100gr
|
Long-range, big whitetail
|
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/wickedtrick-stainless-steel
|
|
GrizzTrick 2
|
Fixed
|
1 1/4" (2 1/2" total)
|
4
|
100/125gr
|
Long-range shooters, hogs
|
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/grizztrick
|
|
RaptorTrick
|
Mechanical (rear-deploy)
|
2"
|
3
|
100gr
|
Whitetail, turkey body shots
|
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/raptortrick-mechanical-broadhead
|
|
Torch
|
Mechanical
|
2" wound channel
|
2 (expandable)
|
100gr
|
Precision mechanical
|
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/torch
|
|
Assailant
|
Hybrid
|
1 3/4" exp + 7/8" fixed (2 5/8" total)
|
4 (hybrid)
|
100gr
|
Whitetail, hogs, versatile
|
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/assailant-hybrid-broadhead
|
|
Turkey D-CAP
|
Fixed (single-bevel)
|
4" (5.1" edge)
|
3
|
200gr
|
Turkey head/neck shots
|
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/turkey-d-cap-2-pk
|
|
Xbow
|
Fixed (crossbow)
|
1 1/8" (2 1/4" total)
|
4
|
100/125/150gr
|
Crossbow hunters
|
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/crossbow
|
Broadhead FAQ
Should I use a fixed blade or a mechanical for elk?
For elk, we recommend a 125-grain fixed-blade broadhead. Elk have heavy hide, thick rib bones, and the potential for quartering shots. A fixed blade like the Magnum or ViperTrick will drive through bone where a mechanical can stall. Save mechanicals for thin-skinned, broadside-dominant hunts.
What broadhead weight should I use?
Start with 100 grains unless you have a reason to go heavier. Hunters chasing heavy-bodied game, shooting high-FOC arrows, or hunting from crossbow platforms should step up to 125 or 150 grains. Whatever you pick, match your practice heads to your hunting heads by grain weight.
Do I need to tune my broadheads separately from my field points?
Yes — or more precisely, yes on fixed blades and often no on mechanicals. Fixed blades expose blade surface in flight and will reveal any imperfection in your bow's tune. We recommend paper tuning with field points first, then shooting broadheads at 20 and 30 yards and adjusting your rest until broadhead and field-point impacts converge. Mechanicals generally fly like field points out of the box.
How long does a broadhead last?
Fixed-blade Slick Trick broadheads can be resharpened and reused for several seasons with care, though blades should be replaced any time they contact bone, ground, or concrete. Mechanical heads should have their deployment system inspected after every shot. Replacement blades are available for our entire lineup at slicktrickbroadheads.com/collections/replacement-blades.
What is the best all-around broadhead if I only buy one?
If we had to hand one broadhead to a bowhunter who wanted a single head for whitetail, hogs, bear, and elk, it would be the Magnum 125-grain. It is the 4-blade, Alcatraz-locked, bone-splitting design that built the brand, and it has killed more Slick Trick-branded animals than any other head we make.
Ready to Pick Your Broadhead?
The right broadhead is the one that matches your bow, your arrow, your shot discipline, and your quarry. Use the comparison table above, then shop by type: fixed-blade broadheads for bone-splitting strength, mechanical broadheads for field-point flight, or crossbow broadheads for high-energy bolt platforms. Not sure which head is right for your setup? Start with Why Slick Trick or reach out through our customer service page — we build these heads for a living, and we are happy to help you pick the right one.
Lethal by design. American made. Hunt with the head the woods respects.
How to Choose the Right Broadhead for Bowhunting: The Complete Buying Guide
How to Choose the Right Broadhead for Bowhunting
Your broadhead is the business end of your arrow. Bow, arrow, rest, release — every piece of your setup is working toward one moment: the cutting edge meeting the animal. That means the broadhead is the single component that decides whether an ethical shot becomes a dead-to-rights recovery or a long night of grid searches.
At Slick Trick we have been engineering broadheads for bowhunters since the early 2000s, and in that time the questions have not changed much. Fixed or mechanical? How wide should the cut be? How many blades? What grain weight? This guide answers each of those questions the way our design team answers them at the bench — with physics, real-world recovery data, and a hunter-first bias toward lethality.
Whether you are picking up your first set of heads or finally replacing the box that has been rattling around your quiver since 2019, use this guide as a roadmap. When you are ready to shop, you can jump straight to the Slick Trick broadhead lineup or browse by type: fixed-blade broadheads, mechanical broadheads, and crossbow broadheads.
Fixed-Blade vs Mechanical vs Hybrid: How Each Type Works
The oldest debate in archery boils down to three families of design. Each one solves a different problem, and each one earns its place in the right hunter's quiver.
Fixed-blade broadheads
Fixed-blade heads have blades that are always in the cutting position — there are no moving parts, no collars, no O-rings. The trade-off is that fixed blades expose more surface area in flight, so they demand a well-tuned bow. The payoff is bone-splitting strength and the most consistent terminal performance of any broadhead design. If your arrow hits a shoulder, a fixed blade will typically keep driving where a mechanical can stall. Slick Trick's fixed-blade lineup includes the Standard, the Magnum, the ViperTrick, the GrizzTrick 2, and the WickedTrick. Each one is built around our Super Steel™ ferrule and the Alcatraz™ Bladelock system — a mechanical interlock that keeps blades rigid through bone impact instead of letting them flex and fail.
Mechanical (expandable) broadheads
A mechanical broadhead flies with its blades folded back against the ferrule, then deploys on impact to reveal a wide cutting diameter. The flight advantage is real: mechanicals behave almost exactly like a field point out to typical bowhunting ranges, so tuning is forgiving and shot placement is intuitive. The risk is deployment — if the blades fail to open, you have a glorified field point in the animal. That is why our RaptorTrick mechanical broadhead uses a rear-deploying, three-position blade lock calibrated for low, standard, and high kinetic-energy bows, and why the Torch is built around a Deadbolt Deployment™ system with no O-rings or rubber bands to fail.
Hybrid broadheads
Hybrid designs marry a fixed cutting surface with an expandable one. Our Assailant Hybrid is the clearest example — a ViperTrick-style chisel tip drives 7/8" fixed bleeder blades into the animal while 1 3/4" expandables deploy behind them, yielding a massive 2 5/8" total cutting surface. Hybrids exist for hunters who refuse to choose between fixed-blade insurance and mechanical wound channels. They are a proven pick for whitetail, hogs, and any shot angle where you want a guaranteed cut even if deployment is slow.
So which family is right for you? If your shots can range from 20 yards out of a saddle to 40 yards across a food plot and you hunt animals that vary from 140-pound does to 600-pound bulls, a fixed-blade belongs in your quiver. If your hunting is dominated by high-percentage, broadside shots on whitetail-sized game and you prize field-point flight above all else, a mechanical earns its spot. If you want both kinds of insurance on the same arrow, that is exactly what a hybrid is for.
Cutting Diameter: How Much Is Enough?
Cutting diameter is the widest cross-section of tissue your broadhead will slice through on pass-through. It shows up everywhere in broadhead marketing because it correlates with blood trails — bigger cut, bigger hole, more blood on the ground. But bigger is not always better, and here is why.
Every additional 1/16" of cutting diameter costs you a measurable amount of penetration. Wide heads create more drag in tissue, and they stall more easily against bone. That is why our 4-blade 1" Standard broadhead has actually out-cut 3-blade 1 1/8" designs by roughly 18% in side-by-side testing — total cutting surface, not headline diameter, is what moves blood. A head with four 1" blades makes four incisions; a head with three 1 1/8" blades makes three. Simple arithmetic changes the outcome.
For context, here is how the current Slick Trick lineup maps to cutting diameter:
• Standard — 1" cutting diameter, 4-blade, total cut 2" across all blades. See the Slick Trick Standard.
• ViperTrick — 1 1/16" main + 7/8" bleeder for a 1 15/16" total cutting surface. See the Slick Trick ViperTrick.
• Magnum — 1 1/8" cutting diameter, 4-blade, 2 1/4" total cut. See the Slick Trick Magnum.
• WickedTrick — 1 1/4" cutting diameter with a 2 5/16" total stainless cutting surface. See the Slick Trick WickedTrick.
• GrizzTrick 2 — 1 1/4" cutting diameter, 2 1/2" total cut. See the Slick Trick GrizzTrick 2.
• RaptorTrick — 2" mechanical cutting diameter on deployment. See the Slick Trick RaptorTrick.
• Assailant Hybrid — 1 3/4" expandable plus 7/8" fixed bleeder, 2 5/8" total cutting surface. See the Slick Trick Assailant Hybrid.
The takeaway: match your cutting diameter to the kinetic energy you are throwing. A sub-60-pound draw bow punching a 400-grain arrow does not have the energy budget to drive a 2" mechanical through an elk's offside shoulder. A 70-pound bow with a 450-grain arrow, by contrast, will happily send a 2" RaptorTrick through a whitetail with a pass-through. Bigger cuts are tools, not trophies.
Blade Count: 2-Blade vs 3-Blade vs 4-Blade
Blade count controls three things: wound-channel geometry, penetration resistance, and blade-wall strength.
Two-blade broadheads
A single sharpened blade driven through tissue is the lowest-drag configuration possible, which is why two-blade cut-on-contact heads were the original broadhead design. They penetrate deep and they are forgiving of marginal kinetic energy. The downside is they leave a slit that can close behind the arrow — a narrow wound channel that bleeds out slower than a multi-blade cross-cut.
Three-blade broadheads
Three blades arranged 120° apart generate three exit wounds and resist plugging when the entry hole lines up with hide folds or hair. They are the most common design in commercial broadheads because three blades is the minimum to create an X-style wound that does not close. Three blades also create more drag than two — penetration drops a measurable amount, especially against bone.
Four-blade broadheads (the Slick Trick advantage)
Four blades arranged at 90° angles create four exit wounds and four separate arterial cuts. More cuts means more bleeding, which means faster recovery and shorter blood trails. The challenge is that adding a fourth blade traditionally meant sacrificing blade-wall integrity — more blades, weaker slots, more chance of a blade shearing off in bone. Slick Trick solved that with the Alcatraz Bladelock system: each blade is mechanically locked into the ferrule in a way that transfers impact energy into the steel ferrule instead of into the blade roots. That is what lets us run 4-blade fixed heads like the Standard, Magnum, ViperTrick, GrizzTrick 2, and WickedTrick without giving up the bone-splitting strength that defines the brand. See the Why Slick Trick page for a closer look at how the Alcatraz system works.
Broadhead Weight: 100gr vs 125gr vs 150gr
Broadhead grain weight changes the way your arrow flies and the way it performs on contact. Heavier broadheads move forward-of-center (FOC) weight toward the tip, which improves arrow stability in flight and increases penetration on impact. The trade-off is that heavier heads fly on a steeper trajectory, so you need to know your pins.
100-grain broadheads
The default weight for modern compound setups. A 100-grain head on a 400-to-475-grain finished arrow gives you a flat trajectory out to 40 yards and plenty of kinetic energy for whitetail, pronghorn, turkey, and black bear. Most of the Slick Trick lineup is available in 100-grain.
125-grain broadheads
The grown-up pick. Moving to 125 grains pushes FOC into the 12-14% range that most archery coaches consider ideal for broadhead flight, and the extra 25 grains adds measurable penetration on heavy-bodied animals. For bigger whitetail, hogs, black bear, and mule deer, 125-grain is a strong default. The Magnum 125gr and ViperTrick Pro Series are two of our most popular 125-grain offerings.
150-grain broadheads (and heavier)
Where crossbow hunters and heavy-arrow elk hunters live. Crossbow bolts generate dramatically more kinetic energy than vertical bows, and that energy is best carried by heavier heads that keep FOC forward. Our Xbow crossbow broadhead is available in a 150-grain option specifically because it stabilizes short crossbow bolts faster and handles the brutal kinetic loads those platforms generate. For vertical-bow elk hunters shooting 500+ grain arrows, stepping up to 125 or even 150 grains can pay off in penetration against heavy bone.
The rule of thumb: heavier broadheads for heavier animals and higher-energy platforms. Lighter broadheads for faster, flatter-shooting setups on mid-sized game. Always match your practice heads to your hunting heads by grain weight so your field-point groups translate to broadhead groups.
Best Broadheads by Species
Different game demands different broadheads. Here is how the Slick Trick lineup maps to the four species bowhunters ask about most often.
Best broadhead for whitetail deer
Whitetail hunters want a blood trail. A 125-grain Magnum or a 100-grain ViperTrick both deliver wide wound channels and reliable pass-throughs on 150-to-220-pound deer out of any modern compound. If you want a mechanical instead, the RaptorTrick's 2" cutting diameter opens dramatic blood trails on broadside shots. Hybrid hunters should look at the Assailant.
Best broadhead for elk
Elk kill broadheads that other animals would forgive. You want maximum penetration through heavy hide, a thick rib cage, and the possibility of a shoulder hit. Our strongest recommendation is a 125-grain fixed blade — the Magnum 125gr for bone-splitting strength, or the ViperTrick 125gr for a narrower cut-on-contact profile that drives deeper at the cost of some cutting diameter. Mechanicals are a poor fit for elk unless you have a very specific combination of heavy kinetic energy and high shot discipline.
Best broadhead for turkey
Turkey is two different hunts. For body shots, you want maximum cutting diameter — the RaptorTrick or Assailant Hybrid's wide wound channels anchor birds fast. For head-and-neck shots, use a purpose-built head: the Turkey D-CAP is a 200-grain, 4" cutting-diameter single-bevel head designed specifically to decapitate without tracking. No other broadhead in the lineup comes close for head shots.
Best broadhead for hogs and big game with heavy bone
Hogs have a shield of cartilage and gristle that will eat cheap broadheads alive. Go heavy and go fixed — a 125-grain Standard or Magnum with its Alcatraz-locked 4-blade geometry is our pick. The GrizzTrick 2's 1 1/4" diameter and long-range flight also earns a lot of fans in hog country and for long-range Western hunts.
Slick Trick Broadhead Comparison Table
Everything at a glance. Use this to match a head to your setup and target species.
Broadhead
Type
Cutting Diameter
Blades
Weights
Best For
Shop
Standard
Fixed
1" (2" total cut)
4
85/100/125gr
Whitetail, hogs, general-purpose
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/standard-broadhead
Magnum
Fixed
1 1/8" (2 1/4" total)
4
100/125gr
Whitetail, elk, hogs
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/magnum-broadheads
ViperTrick
Fixed (cut-on-contact)
1 1/16" + 7/8" bleeder (1 15/16" total)
4
100/125gr
Deep penetration on heavy bone
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/vipertrick-broadhead
WickedTrick
Fixed (SS)
1 1/4" (2 5/16" total)
4
100gr
Long-range, big whitetail
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/wickedtrick-stainless-steel
GrizzTrick 2
Fixed
1 1/4" (2 1/2" total)
4
100/125gr
Long-range shooters, hogs
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/grizztrick
RaptorTrick
Mechanical (rear-deploy)
2"
3
100gr
Whitetail, turkey body shots
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/raptortrick-mechanical-broadhead
Torch
Mechanical
2" wound channel
2 (expandable)
100gr
Precision mechanical
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/torch
Assailant
Hybrid
1 3/4" exp + 7/8" fixed (2 5/8" total)
4 (hybrid)
100gr
Whitetail, hogs, versatile
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/assailant-hybrid-broadhead
Turkey D-CAP
Fixed (single-bevel)
4" (5.1" edge)
3
200gr
Turkey head/neck shots
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/turkey-d-cap-2-pk
Xbow
Fixed (crossbow)
1 1/8" (2 1/4" total)
4
100/125/150gr
Crossbow hunters
slicktrickbroadheads.com/products/crossbow
Broadhead FAQ
Should I use a fixed blade or a mechanical for elk?
For elk, we recommend a 125-grain fixed-blade broadhead. Elk have heavy hide, thick rib bones, and the potential for quartering shots. A fixed blade like the Magnum or ViperTrick will drive through bone where a mechanical can stall. Save mechanicals for thin-skinned, broadside-dominant hunts.
What broadhead weight should I use?
Start with 100 grains unless you have a reason to go heavier. Hunters chasing heavy-bodied game, shooting high-FOC arrows, or hunting from crossbow platforms should step up to 125 or 150 grains. Whatever you pick, match your practice heads to your hunting heads by grain weight.
Do I need to tune my broadheads separately from my field points?
Yes — or more precisely, yes on fixed blades and often no on mechanicals. Fixed blades expose blade surface in flight and will reveal any imperfection in your bow's tune. We recommend paper tuning with field points first, then shooting broadheads at 20 and 30 yards and adjusting your rest until broadhead and field-point impacts converge. Mechanicals generally fly like field points out of the box.
How long does a broadhead last?
Fixed-blade Slick Trick broadheads can be resharpened and reused for several seasons with care, though blades should be replaced any time they contact bone, ground, or concrete. Mechanical heads should have their deployment system inspected after every shot. Replacement blades are available for our entire lineup at slicktrickbroadheads.com/collections/replacement-blades.
What is the best all-around broadhead if I only buy one?
If we had to hand one broadhead to a bowhunter who wanted a single head for whitetail, hogs, bear, and elk, it would be the Magnum 125-grain. It is the 4-blade, Alcatraz-locked, bone-splitting design that built the brand, and it has killed more Slick Trick-branded animals than any other head we make.
Ready to Pick Your Broadhead?
The right broadhead is the one that matches your bow, your arrow, your shot discipline, and your quarry. Use the comparison table above, then shop by type: fixed-blade broadheads for bone-splitting strength, mechanical broadheads for field-point flight, or crossbow broadheads for high-energy bolt platforms. Not sure which head is right for your setup? Start with Why Slick Trick or reach out through our customer service page — we build these heads for a living, and we are happy to help you pick the right one.
Lethal by design. American made. Hunt with the head the woods respects.