Brand · Archery & Bowhunting
Nockturnal lighted nocks are string-activated LED nocks for arrows and crossbow bolts: the light comes on when the string pushes the nock forward on the shot, and it stays on so you can follow the arrow and find it later. The short version for choosing one: the letter on the nock has to match the inside diameter of your shaft. Pick the size first, then decide how you want to turn it off, then pick a color. (Uncle Walt's system is "the red ones". It has worked for him the way a stopped clock works twice a day.)
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How alternatives are pickedSame type of gear from other brands, closest first: same price tier as Nockturnal’s own listings at our last check, then the most maker-published specs. No popularity, no paid placement.
Nockturnal makes one thing: lighted nocks. On this site that's one product type, nocks, split two ways in the grid above:
The maker's own site lists a few more around those, including Shift nocks with an external switch, a Launchpad universal crossbow nock and a nock tool for switching nocks off. What's on Amazon right now is in the grid, and it changes as packs come and go. So this page sticks to how the line is organized and what the maker says separates the models.
Every Nockturnal nock works the same basic way, per the maker: a string-activated linear switch with a piston inside. When the string drives the nock forward on release, the piston closes the contact and the LED comes on. The maker calls the design patented and says the nocks go from the package to the shaft with no assembly.
Here's what actually changes from one Nockturnal nock to the next: the letter. Each letter is an inside diameter, and your shaft has exactly one of them. The maker's size chart:
Yes, S and GT are two thousandths apart. That's not a typo, and it's not interchangeable either. Two thousandths is about the thickness of a sticky note, and a nock either seats snugly or it doesn't.
The maker's chart also lists hundreds of arrow models by brand, with the right letter next to each one. That lookup is the fastest route if you know your arrow's model name. If you don't, the maker says each nock has its letter stamped on the shank, so the nock already in your arrow can tell you. Its FAQ adds that you don't need to pull out factory nock bushings first; most carbon shafts that use bushings take an X or G, so you just swap in the matching size.
Quick math check for the spreadsheet people (hi): if your arrow maker lists a .204 ID, you want X. If they list a .166 ID, the maker's G nock and its .165 rating are the match. Background on shaft diameters is on the hunting arrows page, and fit across every nock brand is on the nocks page.
These are the plain ones. One nock body, one shaft size, three per pack. The maker's product pages list the same features for all four: the string-activated switch, a long-life lithium battery, LEDs it calls super bright, and a water and weather proof build.
What separates them, besides the size:
The FAQ also answers a question I'd have asked: pink nocks light up red. There's no pink battery, so the pink is the housing, not the light.
The FIT is the universal option for standard and mid-size shafts. The base nock is sized for X arrows. For the others, it comes with bushings (the maker also calls them nock collars) that slip over it:
The maker's FAQ is clear on the one thing the FIT won't do: it doesn't fit G-size arrows. The FIT is listed at about 25 grains, a few grains more than the single-size nocks, because of that collar.
The FIT also comes in more colors, including strobing pairs (red/green, blue/green, red/blue). FeraDyne's 2017 announcement says the red/green strobe alternates between the two colors 400 times a minute. Uncle Walt said that sounds like a railroad crossing. I can hear it, and I still wouldn't want him designing one.
The Shift nocks keep the string-activated switch and add a small switch on the outside to turn the light off. FeraDyne's 2021 release puts it simply: slide the switch and the nock turns off, no tools. The maker lists a Shift Universal Fit for X, H, S and GT arrows (about 25 grains, with bushings) and a G Shift for .166 shafts.
If a Shift pack isn't in the grid this week, the maker's own site is where to check.
Crossbow nocks are a different problem. A bolt's nock has to match how your crossbow's string sits against it, not only the shaft's inside diameter.
The Launchpad crossbow nock in the grid is what the maker calls adjustable, with a design it says fits virtually any brand of crossbow bolt. The maker also lists a Launchpad universal crossbow nock with a one-piece aluminum housing around the battery and LED, an adjustable barrel end, a second collet in the pack and a reusable clip that keeps it from lighting in storage. That one is listed at about 30 grains.
My one opinion on this page: on a crossbow, follow the crossbow maker's manual before any nock brand's fit claim. A crossbow's string, rail and bolt are built as a system, and the manual names the nock style that system expects. Read it, then shop. The crossbow bolts page covers nock ends across brands.
Never dry-fire a crossbow, and inspect every bolt and nock before you load it.
Size decides whether the nock works at all, and the maker takes it seriously: its warranty says it isn't liable if an arrow cracks or breaks from an incorrectly sized nock. That's a fine reason to look up your shaft before you look at colors.
This is the choice most people don't think about until they're standing at the target bale with a glowing arrow. Three ways, depending on the model:
The maker also sells a universal nock tool it says works with new and old style nocks and has a stronger hook for turning them off. Keep it on your quiver or in your pack, not in the truck.
A lighted nock weighs more than a plain one. FeraDyne's own article on lighted nocks says the extra weight can change your point of impact or need some tuning, and that you should practice with lighted nocks before you hunt with them. Going from a light standard nock to a 20 or 25-grain lit one adds weight at the back of the arrow, which nudges your front-of-center balance. Shoot a few with broadheads and confirm the group. More on lit nocks across brands is on the lighted nocks page.
Color is personal. The maker lists solid colors and strobing pairs; the grid shows which color each pack is. I'd choose one that stands out against the ground where you hunt, and leave it at that. The ranked list is on best lighted nocks.
The maker rates each nock at 20 hours of light and says they usually last longer. Its technology page puts it plainly: shoot at dusk and you can still find the arrow the next day. The batteries aren't replaceable, per the FAQ, so the way to make a pack last is to switch nocks off right after you recover the arrow.
Care is simple. Keep the nock seated straight, check it for cracks after a hit on something hard, and swap in a new one if it's damaged. Pull broadheads off before you work on nocks, and handle a hunting arrow by the shaft, never near the blades.
The warranty is a limited one year from purchase, for the original owner, on defects in materials and workmanship. A claim needs a photo of the back of the original packaging and proof of purchase, and you get a return authorization number before you ship anything. The maker excludes lost nocks and nocks used in the successful recovery of an animal, along with damage from improper installation.
Lighted nocks used to be banned for hunting in a few states. The Archery Trade Association reported that Idaho became the 50th state to allow them. Rules can still change, and some seasons have their own equipment lists. Check your state wildlife agency before the season.
Both brands make lighted nocks for arrows and crossbow bolts. The difference is how the light switches on and off.
Nockturnal's nocks light from a string-activated piston switch inside the nock, and the maker rates them at 20 hours with batteries you can't replace. Lumenok's FAQ says its nocks light when they seat against the electrically conductive end of the shaft, stay on up to 40 hours, and turn off when you wiggle the nock. That FAQ also says the shaft end has to be clean and square, that some carbon shafts need light sanding, and that carbon composite shafts with fiberglass may not conduct well enough.
Lumenok's about page says the company filed its patent in 2002 and is part of The Burt Coyote Company. For both brands, look up your shaft size first. The Lumenok brand page has its lineup.
Nockturnal is a subsidiary brand of FeraDyne Outdoors in Superior, Wisconsin, according to FeraDyne's own 2021 press release, which lists Nockturnal next to brands like Rage, Muzzy and Carbon Express. I couldn't verify a founding year or where the nocks are made, so I've left those out.
Size, switch, weight, color. Write the letter on the arrow tube, and you'll never stand in an aisle squinting at a .244 and a .246 again.
Match the nock to your shaft's inside diameter. The maker's size chart lists G for .165, X for .204, H for .233, S for .244 and GT for .246 inch. Its chart also looks up the size by arrow brand and model. If you're unsure, the letter on your current nock's shank, or your arrow maker's spec sheet, settles it.
It depends on the model. FeraDyne's 2017 FIT announcement says the standard design switches off with the Nockturnal Nock Tool or a small screwdriver through an opening in the side. Shift nocks have an external switch you slide. The Launchpad universal crossbow nock uses an indexed on/off end and a storage clip.
The maker lists the single-size G, X, S and GT nocks at about 20 grains each, while its FAQ gives 15 to 17 grains for the G. The FIT and Shift universal nocks are listed at about 25 grains, and the Launchpad universal crossbow nock at about 30. Re-check your point of impact after switching from a standard nock.
No. The maker's FAQ answers that question directly: it doesn't offer non-lighted practice nocks. If you practice with plain nocks, FeraDyne's own lighted-nock article says the extra weight of a lit nock can move your point of impact, so shoot your lit arrows before the season too.
No, per the maker's FAQ, the batteries aren't replaceable. The maker rates each nock at 20 hours of light and says they usually exceed that. That's lit time, not shelf time, so a nock that you switch off soon after each shot lasts many sessions.
Nockturnal is a subsidiary brand of FeraDyne Outdoors in Superior, Wisconsin, according to the maker's own press release. The product grid on this page links to Nockturnal listings on Amazon US, filtered by arrow and crossbow nocks. FeraDyne also sells the line on its own site.
