Brand · Archery & Bowhunting
Rage broadheads are mechanical heads: the blades ride folded against the ferrule in flight and slide open when they hit. Rage makes them for compound bows and for crossbows, in two-blade and three-blade versions, at 100 and 125 grains. The short version: the name on the package tells you the tip, how the blades are held shut and whether it's built for a crossbow. Read those three things before the cutting diameter. (Uncle Walt reads the color first. They only come in one. He was disappointed.)
We earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no cost to you. Disclosure
Rage is a broadhead brand, and it makes a lot of versions of one idea: the expandable broadhead. Expandable and mechanical mean the same here. The blades stay folded in flight and open on impact. Rage's own page describes rear-deploying blades that fly like field points and open on impact with little loss of energy.
On this site, every Rage product in the grid is a broadhead. Some are built for compound bows, some for crossbows, and one is a turkey head. On this site, Rage appears only in broadheads. If you're shopping for the crossbow itself or its bolts, the crossbow page and the crossbow bolts page cover them across brands.
The grid above shows what's on Amazon right now, with a filter by type. It changes week to week, so I'll write about the lines and what separates them, not how many of each are listed today.
Rage calls its design SlipCam. The blades pivot near the back of the ferrule (the metal body of the head). On impact, they swing out and slide into their open position. The maker says the cut then stays wide through the animal.
Something has to hold those blades shut while the arrow flies. Rage uses two answers:
Here's what actually changes in practice. A collar is one more small part you install and replace. NC heads skip that part. Rage's FAQ mentions High Energy (HE) shock collars for setups shooting roughly 400 FPS and up (FPS = feet per second, arrow speed). Fast crossbows live in that neighborhood. Compound bows mostly don't.
Rage names stack up like a coffee order. Each piece means something:
Quick math on +P: Rage lists the standard Hypodermic at a 2-inch cut and the NC +P at 1.75 inches. A quarter inch less cut, in exchange for a blade that meets less resistance as it opens. Rage says the NC +P is "great for lower poundage setups." That's the maker's pitch, and it's honest about the trade.
The Hypodermic is the line most people mean when they say "Rage." In the grid, the Hypodermic 2-Blade lists 100 grains, a 2-inch cut and .035-inch blades, per its Amazon listing. The Hypodermic NC +P lists 125 grains and a 1.75-inch cut in its listing. Rage's own page sells the NC +P in 100 and 125-grain versions, with a machined stainless steel ferrule.
So inside one family, you choose between a wider cut and a more swept blade. The ferrule and tip stay the same idea.
The Trypan is the heavier-built Hypodermic. Rage's page lists a titanium ferrule, .039-inch machine-stamped stainless blades (a little thicker than the .035 on most Rage heads) and a 2-inch cut. It uses the NC tab system. The grid lists it at 100 grains and crossbow-rated, per its listing.
The Hypo 2 is the newer version of the Hypodermic. On the crossbow model, Rage describes a keyed triangular shock collar that only fits one way, so you can't install it backward. The maker says you can take the collar off, rotate it 120 degrees and reinstall it to use all six positions. It lists a 2-inch cut, two .035-inch stainless blades, 4 heads per pack and 100 or 125-grain weights.
(Uncle Walt asked why a collar needs six positions. I said it lasts longer. He said so does his truck, and it has one position: parked.)
The Chisel Tip heads swap the needle tip for a steel chisel point. The 3-Blade Chisel Tip SC is listed by the maker at 100 grains, a 1.6-inch cut, three .035-inch stainless blades and an anodized aluminum ferrule, with a shock collar. The Chisel 3 Blade SC in the grid lists the same 1.6-inch cut, per its listing.
The 2 Blade Chisel Tip NC goes the other way: two blades, a 2-inch cut and no collar, on an anodized aluminum ferrule, per Rage's page. The grid doesn't list its grain weight, and neither does the maker's page. A dash in the grid means the weight isn't listed, not that it weighs nothing.
Three blades or two? Three blades cut three channels at a smaller diameter. Two blades cut one wider line. Neither is the "right" number. It's a geometry choice, like slicing a pizza into thirds or in half.
The Crossbow X is a two-blade crossbow head. The grid lists the Crossbow X 2-Blade at 100 grains, a 2-inch cut and .035-inch blades, per its listing. The Crossbow X NC is Rage's no-collar redesign: the maker lists a cut-on-contact tip, a 2-inch cut, .035-inch stainless blades, an anodized aluminum ferrule and 100 or 125-grain weights.
The Xtreme Turkey is the one head in the lineup that isn't about deer. Its listing marks it as a turkey head: two blades, 100 grains, 2 per pack. Turkey rules differ from deer rules in many states, so read your state's turkey section before you buy one.
Crossbow heads are a separate shopping trip, even inside one brand. My one opinion on this page: on a crossbow, buy the crossbow version of a Rage head, even if the bow version lists the same grain and cut. The reason is in Rage's own FAQ. It points high-speed setups (about 400 FPS and up) to its HE shock collars, and its crossbow Hypodermic uses a dedicated ferrule and collar. A crossbow bolt starts faster than most arrows, and the head has to stay shut until it hits something.
Then check three things:
The crossbow broadheads page covers crossbow ratings across brands.
Mechanical heads spend some of the arrow's energy opening. Rage's pages don't publish a minimum energy figure. As a reference point, New Archery Products recommends about 50 ft-lb (foot-pounds) for its own expandable heads on deer-size game. The formula is the same for every head: arrow weight in grains × speed × speed ÷ 450,240.
Quick math: a 425-grain arrow at 280 FPS carries about 74 ft-lb. A 350-grain arrow at 220 FPS carries about 38. Same head, very different arrows. Know your number before you pick the cut.
Rage's heads in the grid run from 1.6 to 2 inches. Wider cuts ask more of your energy. If you're near the low end, the maker's +P heads trade a bit of cut for an easier opening.
Most Rage heads come in 100 grains, and several also in 125. Heavier heads change where your arrow hits, and they can change the spine your arrow needs (spine = how much the shaft bends). The mechanical broadheads page walks through it.
If you don't want to fuss with small parts at 5 a.m., the NC heads skip the collar. If you already own a collared Rage head, its blades and collars are separate replacement parts, and the maker's FAQ recommends replacing the blades after each use.
Bowhunter's advice for broadhead prep applies to any brand:
To see whether a mechanical head opened, New Archery Products suggests taping a sheet of paper to the back of your target and shooting through. The hole in the paper shows the open cut, even if the blades swing shut when the arrow stops.
Handle broadheads with a wrench, keep them covered in a quiver or case, and never dry-fire a bow or crossbow.
Broadhead rules vary by state. The Archery Trade Association reported that Idaho was the last state to allow mechanical broadheads, but cutting widths, crossbow seasons and turkey rules still differ, so check your state wildlife agency.
Both brands make mechanical broadheads for bows and crossbows. The difference is how the blades open.
Rage describes rear-deploying SlipCam blades, held shut by a shock collar or by tabs on the pivot. Swhacker's site describes wing blades that cut through the outer layer first, which triggers the main blades to open inside the animal. Swhacker also lists fixed-blade heads, hybrid heads and practice heads, plus crossbow expandables.
Rage is sold through FeraDyne Outdoors in Superior, Wisconsin. Swhacker's site names FL Outdoors, LLC of Covington, Georgia, as its maker. The Swhacker brand page has its lineup.
Rage is a FeraDyne Outdoors brand. FeraDyne's site sells the full Rage line and lists an address in Superior, Wisconsin. The same site carries other archery brands, including Carbon Express arrows.
Rage's limited warranty covers authentic Rage broadheads for the original owner, against defects in materials and workmanship. A claim needs a photo, proof of purchase and a return authorization number. Wear, misuse, accidents and modifications aren't covered. Discontinued items get 1 year from purchase.
The maker also warns about counterfeit Rage heads sold online. Its FAQ says genuine Rage screws have a satin stainless finish and a standard thread, while counterfeit screws look shiny, almost chrome, and are metric. Look at the screws before the first shot.
Tip, collar, crossbow or not. Write those three on the case lid in pencil, and the cut diameter will take care of itself.
What can be checked is what the maker states and the specs in the grid. Rage's pages list stainless steel blades .035 or .039 inch thick, cutting diameters from 1.6 to 2 inches and 100 or 125-grain weights. Whether a head suits you depends on your bow or crossbow, its energy, and your state's rules. Compare the tip, the retention system and the cut for your setup.
It's Rage's two-blade line with a narrow, needle-like ferrule and what the maker calls a hybrid Hypodermic tip. Rage describes the standard Hypodermic as a 2-inch cut. The NC +P version opens to 1.75 inches with a more swept blade angle, and the Trypan version uses a titanium ferrule and .039-inch blades.
There's no single answer, because your crossbow maker sets the bolt weight and your setup sets the energy. Rage's crossbow-rated heads in the grid include the Crossbow X, Crossbow X NC, Hypodermic Trypan NC Crossbow and Hypo 2 Crossbow. Match the grain weight your crossbow maker recommends, then compare tip, retention and cut.
NC means no collar. Rage's product pages describe finger-like tabs on the SlipCam pivot that hold the blades closed, so the head needs no shock collar, dental band or O-ring. Heads without NC in the name use a shock collar, a small ring that holds the blades shut until impact.
Rage is a brand of FeraDyne Outdoors. FeraDyne's site sells the Rage line and lists an address in Superior, Wisconsin. The same company's site also lists Carbon Express arrows, Nockturnal lighted nocks and Muzzy broadheads among its brands.
Rage lists a limited manufacturer's warranty on authentic Rage broadheads for the original owner, against defects in materials and workmanship. A claim needs a photo, proof of purchase and a return authorization number. Normal wear, misuse, accidents and modifications aren't covered. Discontinued items are covered for 1 year from purchase.
