I’ve been shooting Carbon Express arrows for many years now and have achieved some of my highest scores with them, during both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Without a doubt the arrows you choose will have an enormous effect on the outcome of your shooting, and Carbon Express have played a huge role in my many successes.
I am frequently asked why I shoot Carbon Express over any other brand and what makes them the arrow of choice for almost every top compound archer in the UK today; I hope to clarify the many innovations and technologies that go into every set of Carbon Express arrows to inspire you to try something new this indoor season. I hope that with this guide to Carbon Express’s indoor range, there will be no reason not to improve your game this season.
Although it is a long-established custom to switch to aluminium shafts for indoor shooting, this could be damaging to both your score and your pocket. Aluminium arrows are renowned for losing some spine over their lifetime, and in a typical season the shafts you use can weaken significantly through the constant stresses exerted on them, and exposure to particularly tough targets can affect their straightness, producing kinks and bends in the shaft not discernible to the naked eye. This can mean that, should you choose to shoot the same three arrows each time, they will become significantly different in their spine and straightness compared to the rest of the set.
An arrow that no longer tunes to your bow or cannot shoot straight will not produce a good result, and after only one indoor season you may be left with equipment that is inaccurate and inconsistent. All-carbon shafts are much more resistant to these negative effects and no matter how hard a target you shoot them into they will not bend.
What makes Carbon Express different?
It’s a simple fact that arrows with consistent spines ensure tighter groups downrange, which help make a more accurate shooter. Carbon Express arrows have the most consistent spines in the industry; it’s the only brand to laser sort every one of their target shafts ensuring all arrows have the same spine tolerance.
Each arrow’s spine is laser checked to 1/10,000 of an inch to ensure each set of arrows are within the specific spine tolerance. This exclusive process is unmatched by any other company, and its use of only the highest grade carbon fibre available guarantees that each arrow is perfectly matched every time.
As well as accurately matching the arrow spine, Carbon Express laser checks each of its arrows’ straightness to ensure they meet the strictest straightness tolerances in the industry, and unlike most manufacturers, its straightness tolerances of 1/10,000 of an inch are maximum measurements – not averages. Finally, it weight sorts its arrows into precisely matched dozens to ensure you receive the best matched set of arrows money can buy.
The Components
As I mentioned, Carbon Express supplies a huge range of precision components to compliment its arrows, many of which are supplied by Soma. Soma is a respected Korean company that makes a wide range of high-quality equipment for both recurve and compound archers, and has been working with Carbon Express for some years, making some of the most adjustable and accurate arrow components on the market.
For the indoor range Carbon Express offers two kinds of precision point: the traditional parabolic target point, available in two different weights, has stood the test of time and remains one of the most popular designs today, and the most recently introduced pin point; this point is super-sharp and looks like the tip of a pencil. The cone-shaped design is believed to help eliminate any deflections caused by hard indoor targets, allowing you to maximise your score. It has been used by professional archers for several years now and is fast increasing in popularity among amateurs looking to improve their game.
In order to make their arrows as customisable as possible, Carbon Express supplies a range of screw-in weight adaptors; available in 20, 45, 60 and 85grain increments. These screw into the back of the point, allowing the archer to quickly and accurately adjust their point weight without having to buy several different sets of points – invaluable when tuning your arrows.
To further optimise this process, Carbon Express has created an extra long weight adjustment wrench which allows you to change the screw-in weights through the back of the arrow, meaning you no longer need to melt the points out; this is much faster and reduces the chances of causing heat damage to the front of the arrow.
Along with the points, Carbon Express supplies a range of nock systems. The CX Precision nock fits directly into the back of the arrow, and is a precision-made, perfectly balanced nock designed to align precisely to the arrow to ensure perfect straightness.
One of its more unique items is the pin nock adapter. Many manufacturers only supply large insert nocks for their indoor shafts, but Carbon Express has designed a highly accurate premium-grade aluminium pin which allows you to use any standard pin nock on the market. As pin nocks use less plastic they are less likely to lose their shape or consistency, allowing you to use the same nock for longer without losing accuracy. The perfect companion to the pin nock adapter is the Soma pin nock. Made from super durable polycarbonate, the Soma pin nock is one of the toughest nocks around, and it comes in two sizes to suit all string and serving thicknesses – this is my personal choice of nock for both indoor and outdoor shooting.
Lastly, for those of you who shoot single spot tournaments, Carbon Express supplies an invaluable component, the nock collar. This lightweight aluminium collar fits over the back of the arrow and is held in place by the nock or pin. The nock collar protects the back of the arrow from impact damage, which can dramatically increase the life of your arrows, ensuring you get many seasons of use out of your new investment.
Unique Carbon Express Technologies
• Buff Tuff – Carbon Express’ exclusive patented process that integrates a super- strong outer layer to the arrow shaft, providing the world’s toughest and quietest carbon arrow finish.
• Buff Tuff Plus – This exclusive patented process integrates a 100% high-modular carbon weave into the outer layer of an arrow for excellent strength and durability.
• Diamond Weave – The flagship of Carbon Express’s exclusive patented outer layer processes, made with 100 per cent diamond weave carbon to provide the ultimate in arrow stiffness and unparalleled spine consistency.
• Bulldog Nock Collars – Carbon Express’ exclusive feature that protects arrows from nock and impact damage. Created from aircraft grade aluminium, the Bulldog nock collar is specifically designed to fit over the back end of the arrow shaft, providing a barrier if struck by another arrow as well as superior durability.
• C X Precision Nocks – Manufactured to the highest standards of consistency, the new CX Precision nock ensures precise four axis straightness and delivers maximum power transfer and the truest flight. With a 0.244” inside diameter and proper grip and throat opening, it’s a perfect match for today’s high speed bow strings.
• Dual Spine Weight Forward – Dual Spine Weight Forward technology is a breakthrough in arrow design that delivers unparalleled precision and performance. The fusion of two different carbon materials creates two spines in one arrow, resulting in rapid recovery and superior accuracy. This is featured on all Maxima series of arrows.
More than meets eye
There is much more than meets the eye when it comes to the Carbon Express range. From their innovative components to their highly accurate and robust arrows, Carbon Express have built a range of products that will stand up to both the toughest of targets and highest level of competition. Their range is being used by some of the biggest names in international compound archery as well as nearly all of the top UK compound archers; most recently six out of the eight compound finalists at the Face 2 Face tournament in Amsterdam got to the podium by using Carbon Express.
So when you are looking to buy your next set of indoor arrows, why not consider investing in Carbon Express? Not only will they last longer, but you may pick up a few points as well.