New Rage 2-Blade SS-85 Broadheads for 2016
Russ Chastain 03.04.16
When it comes to broadheads, I’ve been a Rage user ever since I tweaked the tune on my first crossbow right before archery season and needed a straight-flying broadhead. I’d heard about Rage, and after a little research, I settled on the two-blade 100-grain Rage X-treme.
They served me well, blasting through bones and slicing everything else to slay a few whitetails. The most impressive kill was my first one. You can see photos of the broadhead and learn about its performance here.
One caveat was that the blades open too easily; the O-ring blade retention system kinda sucks. But I see that has been addressed on newer models, such as this one, with the use of a “Shock Collar” to keep the blades closed until impact.
This new model, the SS-85, is meant for fast and/or low-poundage bows.
The Rage SS-85 was engineered to create maximum performance and lethality for shorter draw lengths and lower poundage bows, but it also provides more speed for those who crave FPS.
As its name implies, the SS-85 weighs 85 grains instead of the original 100. The blades have been shortened, too. It only cuts a 1.5-inch swath instead of the massive 2-inch slices produced by the original. The central ferrule has been smoothed and tapered to improve penetration, too. They say this helps “when using bows with kinetic energy of less than 40 ft./lbs.”
Like the 100-grain model, you get three broadheads and one practice head (a faux Rage that doesn’t expand) in each package. Also as usual, they ain’t cheap. Expect to drop about $45 per package, and look for the gold ferrule if you prefer the SS-85. They should be available this spring.
