3-Blade Broadhead recommendations

[sndmn11]

I'm a bit surprised no one mentioned the head that is probably responsible for more dead animals than any other 3 blade head; The Thunderhead. Great design though a little bigger than the newer heads.

Honestly, I associate "fixed blade" with a solid design, and the others are either replaceable blades or mechanical.

The first couple animals I shot were with Thunderheads.

 

[KZ4FR]

The vpa solid 3 blades are hard to beat. Really good steel and surprisingly accurate at 100 yards. More so than smaller fixed heads with less surface area in my experience. I do like to change the bevel angle by sharpening on a radius though.

 

[Half Nocked]

I use the cutthroat 3 blades on my trad bow. One thing I will say is they’re great heads and very easy to resharpen BUT if you shoot one in the dirt there’s a very good chance the tip will roll over if it even glances a small rock. I noticed that on two different occasions this fall.

That’s a real bummer about the tips. I think I watched the Lusk review of those and the way the tip was shaped was supposed to help prevent that, and that would make sense since it isn’t super fine like a lot of other tips.

 

[Half Nocked]

The vpa solid 3 blades are hard to beat. Really good steel and surprisingly accurate at 100 yards. More so than smaller fixed heads with less surface area in my experience. I do like to change the bevel angle by sharpening on a radius though.

Which one are you using?

 

[Whip]

I have used the VPAs extensively and love them. You should have enough punch for a 3 blade, but I would stick to cut on contact heads instead of any with a chisel tip if you are hoping to maximize penetration.

 

[fulldraw1972]

I can’t speak for any of the other heads you mentioned but I have shot VPA 3 blade heads for around 12 years.
With a well tuned bow they fly great, get good penetration and are easy to sharpen.
I have only shot 3 elk with them but have shot lots of whitetails as well as mule deer and antelope.

 

[KZ4FR]

Which one are you using?

125gr

 

[KZ4FR]

I have shot qad and I think they are a great head, but I wouldn’t use them for whitetail unless I had plenty of kinetic energy behind them. They with definitely kill elk, but from my limited experience with them I would not use them for elk unless you have a longer draw length and pull 70+ pounds.

 

[Elkhntr08]

If you’re wanting to stick with 3 blade, QAD or VPA. I like VPA solids because I don’t like buying blades.
Last year I picked up some VPA Omega with bleeders. Super easy to sharpen and they are built like a tank. Haven’t had a chance to put one in a elk, but on WT deer, they did the job.

 

[EHoffman]

QAD Exodus or Grim Reaper Micro-Hades. But any high quality broadhead with a well placed shot will do ... the emphasis on a well placed shot

 

[sharpbb14]

Another ticket in the bucket for VPA solids 125grn. Fly great out to 100yards out of a properly tuned bow. Has killed every bull elk i have shot with 1 arrow each, and finished off a couple others that my buddies who needed an assist. Super easy to sharpen, and great steel.

 

[TX_Diver]

I’m looking for some opinions on three blade broadheads.

I don’t want to debate mechanical vs fixed. I’m only interested in three blade fixed broadheads, and more specifically solid three blades. The brands I’m interested in hearing opinions about are the VPA, Kayuga, cutthroat, Terra firma gladius, ozcut, annihilator or any that I may have missed. I’m aware that some of those listed are ~1” current diameter.

What I’m trying to do is maximize cutting area without sacrificing too much penetration…. I’m shooting 70lbs with a 29.5” draw so I don’t think energy is an issue.

I’m just looking for some options aside from “this sucks” “this is great”

Thanks

I am a fan of the cutthroat 3 blades. They Sharpen easy and quickly, rms gear is a great shop, and I’ve had good results from them with a similar setup compound bow. The 100gr are very compact too. I shot them to 100 yds at the house a few years ago and they flew well

I’ve found them to be extremely durable too as I learn to shoot my recurve. I’ve shot them into rocks, etc and the tips will dull, but they don’t roll or bend so it’s a non issue for the practice heads!

 

[NDHUNTER24]

Exodus have worked good for me.

 

[HuntingAddict]

Exodus 125 grain fly and penetrate excellent. That being said, the 4 blade Slick Trick magnums in the 125grain give a touch better blood trail. Both are my go-to for elk and deer. The 125 will help with the FOC and a touch more weight for an elk arrow is great. Both group well.

 

[wyohayes]

If you want to geek out and look at data out of a bow machine, i found these fun and informative. They led me to doing lots of testing/tweaking setups, vane and broadhead combos. Number 1 defining characteristic... tune.

- https://www.precisioncutarchery.com/research/arrow-study-2025
- https://www.precisioncutarchery.com/research/arrow-study-2026

Honestly, most broadheads will do the job if your bow is tuned. I would obsess 99.9% more about tune personally (so long as you use any of the broadheads folks have mentioned).

That said, in 3-blade, I've shot most of my elk with Montecs. The M3's are quieter. I can't say any of the elk/deer/pronghorn I've shot seemed to have cared about the noise of the broadhead and I'm not sure it was louder than my vanes (most of them were with 3-fletch blazers, a couple with 3-fletch mini sabres which are noticeably quieter).

I don't think they tested any on your list. I personally like the plots about grouping more than the rest. Smallest grouping fixed blade area of the charts would be a good place to look.

TLDR: Montec and M3s have worked fine for me over the years. However, most fixed blade will be very unforgiving past ~30 yards to poor/imperfect tuning.

 

[flatlandhunter]

If you want to geek out and look at data out of a bow machine, i found these fun and informative. They led me to doing lots of testing/tweaking setups, vane and broadhead combos. Number 1 defining characteristic... tune.

- https://www.precisioncutarchery.com/research/arrow-study-2025
- https://www.precisioncutarchery.com/research/arrow-study-2026

Honestly, most broadheads will do the job if your bow is tuned. I would obsess 99.9% more about tune personally (so long as you use any of the broadheads folks have mentioned).

That said, in 3-blade, I've shot most of my elk with Montecs. The M3's are quieter. I can't say any of the elk/deer/pronghorn I've shot seemed to have cared about the noise of the broadhead and I'm not sure it was louder than my vanes (most of them were with 3-fletch blazers, a couple with 3-fletch mini sabres which are noticeably quieter).

I don't think they tested any on your list. I personally like the plots about grouping more than the rest. Smallest grouping fixed blade area of the charts would be a good place to look.

TLDR: Montec and M3s have worked fine for me over the years. However, most fixed blade will be very unforgiving past ~30 yards to poor/imperfect tuning.

Lots of great info to nerd out on in those studies! Have really enjoyed them