I couldn’t tell you the brand of recurve bow or the finger tab I used to launch my first arrow, but I can tell you what brand and type of arrow it was. The classic Easton XX75 wore two green and one white TruFlight feather fletchings. The broadhead threaded into the insert was an OG three-blade Muzzy 100-grain.

Absolutely green to bowhunting, I didn’t know about field points. Nobody in my family hunted, let alone bowhunted. The plan was to chase prairie pronghorn, and I knew for that, based on a Bob Robb article in some hunting magazine that I can’t remember the name of, broadheads were necessary.

I hit the bag target with that first arrow. Yes, you read that correctly. I was such a novice that I shot a razor-sharp three-blade broadhead into a Morrell bag target. I hacked that target to pieces to retrieve that arrow and broadhead. The following day, I went to Walmart and purchased a foam target more suitable for razor-sharp objects.

I didn’t kill a pronghorn that year, but that’s not what’s important. The sight of those fletchings spinning as the all-aluminum shaft sped perfectly straight downrange was captivating. I couldn’t get enough of it. When I wasn’t crawling across the prairie trying to get within my effective recurve range of 30 yards, I was slinging aluminum whenever and wherever I could.

Twenty-five years later, I’m still bowhunting. I make my living as an outdoor writer. My quiver still holds Easton arrows, and I’ve traveled the globe chasing big game. My life as a bowhunter has come full circle, and Easton has been an integral part of the journey.

Don’t think, even for a second, that I’ve not shot, tested, and even hunted with other arrow brands. I have. From Gold Tip to Victory to Carbon Express, I’ve tested over 30 arrow builds that don’t wear the Easton brand.

The thing, though, if given the choice, Easton arrows are my go-to. During my bowhunting tenure, I’ve slung many Easton arrows. From the XX75 to the XX78 to the game-changing FMJ and numerous carbon builds like the Flatline, Axis, and X10 Parallel Pro. Over the years, I’ve run a lot of Easton arrows through many big-game critters.

I’ve been on a micro-diameter kick for the past two years—my shafts of choice were Easton’s 4mm Axis Long Range, 4mm FMJ, and X10 Parallel Pro. There are many benefits to a micro-diameter arrow. First, and most importantly, I think, is the shaft’s ability to reduce wind drift—the smaller the diameter of the arrow, the less its surface area. Less surface area means less area for the wind to press against in flight.

I’m a western bowhunter. I chase pronghorn, mule deer, and elk yearly. While my average shot distance on western big game is 34 yards, I have harvested elk at 60 yards, mule deer at 72.5 yards, and a pronghorn at 81.3 yards.

Before tar and feathering me, you should know that I shoot my bow no less than 300 days yearly. Today’s bows, arrows, broadheads, and bow-mounted accessories are capable of long-range accuracy. However, that doesn’t mean you should take a 60-plus-yard shot on anything. In fact, for the first 10 years of my bowhunting career, my furthest shot on a big-game animal was 51 yards. It wasn’t until I learned to execute a surprise release and learn animal body language and shot angles that I started to feel comfortable taking longer shots.

I discovered the more micro-diameter an arrow, the better it flew and penetrated. Micro-diameter arrows track seamlessly behind the wound channel created by the broadhead. At 60 yards, I obtained a full pass-through on a quartering-away elk with Easton’s 4mm Axis Long Range. The arrow went in through the liver and exited through the offside scapula. Impressive! I’ve had similar results with the 4mm FMJ and the X10 Parallel Pro.

In 2021, I drew a once-in-a-lifetime archery bighorn sheep tag. Again, my arrow of choice was Easton’s 4mm Axis Long Range. The shot happened quickly on a massive broadside ram at just a tick over 61 yards. The angle was an ultra-steep downhill, and the wind on the face of the rocky ledge I was perched on blew from right to left.

My 4mm Axis Long Range arrow, tipped with a SEVR Ti 1.5 broadhead, hit home perfectly, entering the high lung and dumping out at the top of the sheep’s heart. Easton arrows have earned my trust and admiration.

Enter The Easton 5.0

Full transparency: I wasn’t excited about Easton’s new-for-2025 5.0.

Why? It’s my job to test and hunt with new-for-the-year arrows. I’d grown accustomed to 4mm offerings and didn’t want to shoot a 5mm shaft. That is until I nocked an Easton 5.0 on my bowstring and sent it downrange. The first word out of my mouth as I watched the arrow bury into the 12-ring of a Delta McKenzie 3D target was, “Winning!”

Easton’s 5.0 is an ultra-lightweight shaft available in six spine sizes. No, I’m not a speed geek. While I loved the speed I got with past Easton flamethrowers like the Flatline and HyperSpeed, an ultra-lightweight shaft isn’t excellent for elk. That’s why Easton engineered these new high-modulus carbon fiber arrows with Acu-Carbon construction to ensure near-perfect straightness consistency and weight uniformity. Plus, you can build your shaft how you want it. Easton’s all-new HIT Collars (multiple weights) let you customize the arrow’s front end for increased weight and FOC. Or don’t use the collar at all. Easton kept versatility in mind when making the 5.0. You can customize this arrow to be an ultra-light, light, or medium-weight arrow that, tipped with the right broadhead, will work wonders on elk.

Easton doesn’t do anything standard, and a 5mm diameter is still considered micro. The industry standard arrow size is an arrow with a .264-inch inside diameter, while Easton 5.0s have an inside diameter of .204 inches.

In true Easton fashion, the projectile maker created a flagship Match Grade option with HIT Collars (the HIT Collar weight depends on the arrow spine selection) and 16-grain 5mm HIT Inserts. Standard option 5.0s are also available with a 5mm HIT Insert or a 5mm 8-32 Steel Half-out.

Another big story with the 5.0s is the new and improved 5mm Microlite Nock. Each arrow, whether you purchase bare or fletched shafts—2-inch Blazer vanes on Standard 5.0s and 3-inch AAE Hybrid Stealth Hunters on Match Grade—all come fitted with the new nocks. The 5mm Microlite Nocks with an improved throat design improve string fit and tunability. The nocks are compact and look awesome.

Easton 5.0 On The Range

I tested Easton’s 5.0 Match Grade in a 340 spine using Hoyt’s new-for-2025 Alpha AX-2 32 set at a draw weight of 67.22 pounds and a draw length of 28.75 inches.

Each shaft was cut to the same length and fletched with a four-fletch, 2-degree right helical orientation. My fletchings of choice were Flex-Fletch’s Pro 2.5s. The shafts fletched up easily, and the HIT Inserts are a breeze to put in using the included chamfering stone and green tool.

Because the HIT Inserts go in and up the shaft, and the tool sets them exactly where they need to go, the shaft-to-field point or shaft-to-broadhead bond is exact.

I built six arrows without the included #1 HIT Collars and six arrows utilizing the #1 HIT Collars. If you want to experiment with weight, you can order different collars in number choices like 1.5, 2, 3, 4, etc. My 340 spine 5.0s have a GPI (grains per inch) rating of 7.5. That’s light compared to the 8.3 GPI rating branded on my 4mm Axis Long Range shafts. However, customization options with the 5.0s are many.

I conducted three-shot arrow speed tests of the 361.1 and 381.1-grain Easton 5.0s. The 361.1-grain arrows produced an average three-arrow speed of 304 fps, while the 381.1-grain arrows produced an average three-arrow speed of 295 fps. That’s plenty fast for me, and the 381.1-grain arrows hit a nice sweet spot; plenty for medium-sized big-game and enough oomph for elk. However, I plan to purchase separately and add the 50-grain Steel Half-Out for elk. I will go with the 361.1-grain arrows for a thin-skinned, light-boned game like pronghorn. Easton wanted to build a versatile shaft. Mission accomplished.

Nock Fit & More

The first thing to note is nock fit. A sloppy nock fit is unacceptable. One of the most significant selling points of the 5.0 is the newly engineered 5mm Microlite Nock. The compact design combined with the improved throat design means a precise string fit, which leads to precise arrow-from-string separation. The compact design works in concert with the 5.0s already streamlined design to reduce wind drift and boost downrange performance.

Lighter arrows naturally allow for more wind drift and tend to create more in-flight noise. While, I won’t brand my 381.1-grain 5.0s as FMJ quiet, the slimmer build does cut down on in-flight noise. Wind drift happens with any arrow. Of course, the thinner the arrow’s diameter, the less surface area the wind was to press up against. I shot my 5.0s head-to-head against my 4mm Axis Long Range shafts, which resist wind drift better than any arrow ever created. The Kestral measured wind speed was 14.6 miles per hour left to right. At 60 yards, my three-arrow 5.0 group was only slightly over an inch right from my 4mm Long Range Axis. My 4mm Long Range Axis outweighs the 381.1-grain 5.0s by 36 grains, and the arrows are smaller in diameter. The faster, lighter, and bigger diameter (compared to the 4mms) 5.0s produced impressive crosswind resistance.

I shot both arrow builds between 20 and 120 yards on my outdoor range. The arrows turned quickly, and their accuracy was remarkable. The 361.1-gain arrow, because it’s lighter and going faster, did produce a tad bit more noise using a downrange high-definition microphone, but it wasn’t bad at all.

I plan to use the 5.0s this spring for turkey and then line my quiver with them this fall while I chase pronghorn, mule deer, elk, and bear. If you’re looking for an top-tier quiver filler, these arrows don’t dissapoint.

East 5.0 Specifications

1. 5MM high-modulus lightweight carbon fiber with Acu-Carbon construction
2. NEW Microlite 5MM nocks
3. Two 8-32 insert options: HIT or NEW 50-grain steel one-piece half-outs
4. HIT Collars included with the Match Grade version
5. 2″ “Blazer vanes (standard grade) or 3” “AAE Hybrid Stealth factory helical fletched vanes (Match Grade)
6. Straightness: +/- .003-inch Standard
7. Made in USA
8. Available in both Standard and Match Grade versions

Where to buy

If you found Jace’s Easton 5.0 Arrow review helpful, you can support us by purchasing through the following affiliate link(s):

• Scheel’s

FAQs

What arrow is best for whitetail deer hunting?

Arrow choice is a personal preference. If you’re hunting white-tailed deer and you limit your shots to 50 yards and in, you’re OK with a standard-sized .264-inch inside diameter arrow. Shooting a finished arrow weight with at least 5 grains per pound of draw weight is important. For instance, if you’re pulling 60 pounds of draw weight, the lightest arrow you can shoot safely is a 300-grain arrow. For white-tailed deer, I tend to go with a medium-weight arrow. This weight will vary based on your draw weight.

Do I need to shoot a micro-diameter arrow for elk?

No, you don’t. However, a micro-diameter arrow will resist the wind and penetrate deeper due to reduced friction as it passes through the animal.

What is arrow spine?

Arrow spine is the measurement of an arrow’s stiffness. The higher the draw weight poundage, the stiffer the arrow needs to be to withstand the bow’s energy and stabilize quickly in flight.

How much does a dozen arrows cost?

The cost of a dozen arrows depends on the quality of the arrow, the components included or chosen, and the diameter. The more micro-diameter an arrow is, the more difficult it is to manufacture, which increases the price. However, micro-diameter arrows are among the most accurate and best-penetrating arrows available.