HERA 125 gr by New Era Archery: Broadhead Test
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ต.ค. 2022
- Use my Discount Code: LUSKFIVE to save $5 per pack.
This is a test of the 2 blade, 125 gr Hera Broadhead by New Era Archery.
Here is summary of my 2022 Testing Procedure & Scoring w/ the scores of the Hera posted in parenthesis as well.
Total Hera Score: 87.68 = 9 Golden Arrows
1. Flight Forgiveness (20%, 16 pts)
This is not just a test of how heads fly out of my bow, as it was in the past. With a well tuned bow, properly built arrows & good form, almost every head flies well. That's why in the past most heads got a flight score of 9 or 10. But that doesn't help those who may not have perfectly tuned bows/arrows/good form. So now I am gauging Flight Forgiveness. This is based on how the head flies for me, how well it spins, how "sensitive" the flight is to imperfections, & the exposed surface area of the blades. The max score of a Mech is 20 & the max score of a Fixed is 16. The Hera got 16 pts & will get 1 bonus point for extra good flight.
2. Cut Size (20%, 14.98 pts)
The more tissue being cut, the more lethal the head, all else equal. The entrance cut, total cut, & width of the cut (a crucial variable for bloodletting) are all scored:
The entrance cut size is compared to a standard of 2.5" then that fraction is weighted to 7% of the score. (1.5 +" .37" = 1.87" = 5.24 pts)
The max cut size is compared to a standard of 2.5" as well, then that fraction is is weighted to 7% of the score. (1.87" = 5.24 pts)
The max cutting diameter is compared to a standard of 2.0", then that fraction is weighted to 6% of the score. (1.5" = 4.5 pts)
3. Sharpness (20%, 16.93 pts)
Initial sharpness (9%, 250 grs = 9.5/10= 8.55 pts ) & Edge Retention (9%, +75 grs = 8.5/10 = 7.75 pts) are measured using the Edge On Up Sharpness Tester. The pressure needed for a blade to cut thru a copolymer wire is measured in grams.
Edge Retention is the loss of sharpness after the head is shot in Penetration Test 1, thru 1/2" MDF and 2/3" rubber foam mat & Clear Ballistics FBI gel. For every 50 "grams" of sharpness lost, 1 point is deducted from 10.
What are some sharpness scores for common edges?
A butter knife takes 2000 grams of pressure to break the co polymer wire.
A new high end cutlery edge: ~ 375 grams of pressure.
A utility razor blade: 200 grams.
Based on the many broadheads I have tested, here is my scoring scale:
Out of the Box Sharpness:
0-200 gr: 10
201-300 gr 9
301-400 gr: 8
401-500 gr: 7
501-600 gr: 6
601-700 gr: 5
701-800 gr: 4
801-900 gr: 3
901-1000 gr: 2
1001-1100 gr: 1
1101+ gr: 0
Ease to resharpen or replace blades is judged & given 2% of the score. (9/10=1.8 pts)
4. Penetration (20%, 19.5 pts)
There are 3 penetration tests:
Pen Test 1: 1/2" MDF, 2/3" rubber foam mat, Clear Ballistics FBI gel. Depth of penetration is compared to a standard of 9" & weighted to 9% of the score. (8.5" = 8.5 pts)
Pen Test 2: Layered cardboard. # of layers penetrated is compared to a standard of 70 layers & weighted to 9% of the score.
(73 layers=9 pts)
Angled Penetration Test: How effectively does the head penetrate 1/4" MDF covered by carpet at a 45 degree angle. This accounts for 2% of the score. (2/2pts)
5. Durability (20%, 19 pts)
Each head is shot thru 1/2" MDF 3 times. Its condition is judged 1-10 & weighted to 12% of the score. (12 pts)
If a head survives that, it is then shot thru 22 ga steel plate twice. Its condition is judged 1-10 & weighted to 5% of the score. (8/10 = 4 pts)
If a head survives that, it is then shot into concrete once. Its condition is judged 1-10 & weighted to 3% of the score. (4/10 = 1.2 pts)
Steel plate & concrete are certainly not "realistic" mediums, but they do reveal the outer limits of a head's durability.
BONUS: + 1 pts (excellent flight)
+ .5 pts (extra penetration beyond base value in cardboard)
+ .5 pts (single bevel rotation 26 degrees @ 12.5"
TOTAL HERA SCORE: 87.68 pts = 9 Golden Arrows
Price of Hera : $16.99/head for 4/pack
($15.73/head w/Discount Code: LUSKFIVE)
Special Notes:
Please check out my sponsor, Stay Sharp Guide. staysharpguide.com or @Innovative Outdoorsman They make excellent broadhead sharpeners. The support I receive from them has helped me improve my channel
I also have some Broadhead Discount Codes I can share:
HERA & ZEUS by New Era Archery: LUSKFIVE saves $5 per pack.
SEVR: LUSKFIVE saves you $5 on any order & can be used on top of any online sales.
VECTOR CUSTOM SHOP: LUSK gives Free Shipping
AFFLICTOR: LUSK10 saves 10%
Tooth of the Arrow: LUSK19 saves 15%
DEAD X BOWHUNTING Big Game Broadheads: LUSKFIVE saves $5 per pack.
Crimson Talon: LUSK15 saves 15%. - กีฬา
Thanks for your reviews, by far the most informative broadhead reviews out there.
Thank you John.
Thanks for getting the discount code Mr. Lusk
Thank you New Era Archery for making this amazing review possible.
That concrete impact was awesome. Make them in 150gr
They are discussing making an all steel, heavier model.
great video as always mr Lusk. a friend of mine owns a very successful sporting good s store here and anytime im in there and someone is talking about broadheads to goto your youtube channel and they can see how they stack up in unbiased tests. They just started selling annihlators and of course i am biased with those so i try to steer people that way. lol.Anyhow thank you for all the videos and your videos helped me decide when i looked for weeks and weeks on what i wanted to shoot!
Thank you Micky!
Nick the owner of New Era Archery has a lot of amazing products that he’s brought to the archery industry and Hera is the newest! I’m a fan of Zeus and have been quite impressed with the Hera. Awesome review John as always!
Thank you
Been awhile since being really excited about a broadhead.
Looking awesome, I will be trying them.
Nice
Ok, that was impressive!!!
Wanted to let you know I tried the Muzzy Trocar after watching your test. A great perfomance!! The blood trail was instant and easy to follow. And the hole through the rib cage... It was a clean triangle hole.. Like it was punched out with a press of some kind. I bought 3 more packs!!
Thank you for all the great tests! Your honesty is greatly appreciated.
Nice job! Congratulations on the harvest. Thanks for sharing that.
OK I REALLY like these. They look really cool, but more importantly they check off My requirements. Great video
Thanks Drew.
man i have no doubt they will blow though deer effortlessly. top upload John, good to see your latest Elk in the intro too.
Thank you!
Man there have been some really good broad heads that have come out recently. Definitely a lot to choose from.
Yep.
Thanks for the great videos! I just ordered NAP’s new sling blade Ti 2. Hopefully you’ll do a test on them soon. They remind me of the original Rocky Mountain gator 100 chisel tip broad heads are used in the 90s. They would put 4 to 6 inch slits in and out of a deer with massive blood trails. A double lung shot would usually produce a 10 to 12 foot wide blood trail and most deer would travel 20 to 30 yards tops. As soon as they switched to the cut on contact tip things went South. 99% of my broad heads would never pass through. Cut on Contact tips would bend over and break. I tried the old bass pro version of the 1.5 blackouts and they only produced about a three-quarter inch entry and exit with poor blood trails. Figured that was the closest back off of it back in 2014. I haven’t really looked since then until the other day when I shot another rage hypodermic crossbow broadhead that didn’t open in a deer and had enough of it. It made me Google and start looking for a replacement. The Sevr caught my attention but I don’t like all the blades lock cause they still can deflect. Also not a fan that it takes a rubber band to hold them shut. The nap knock off gator style does not require a rubber band or ring or mechanical to hold it shut. I don’t know why they’re not more popular. I see there’s a lot of people coming out with knock offs of the original gator style in the last year or two apparently they’re making their way back around. All I know is the originals held up very well. I would sharpen and re use them. I still have a few that took several nice bucks.
Thank you for the comment!
Overall a great performance and solid penetration!
Yep.
Good review!
Thank you Julius.
Another great video
Thank you
Great review compared to the original Zeus test a year ago or so. Definitely put them through an animal! I've already got a couple doe with one head and arrow so far very impressed with it. And the angle shot is legit, the first doe was hard-quartering to, in behind the left shoulder out in the right quarter... just missed the tooter lol
Thanks for sharing that experience :)
Actually one of the best heads you have tested
Yep. I really liked it.
Excellent John! Honest evaluation. They are taking from a highly successful company SEVR! That is the movement of the blade. I would really enjoy seeing this broadheads shot at 60-yards! Would I shoot this head, no question! Thanks John and God bless
Thanks Michael. I shot the Zeus at 70 and it did very well. This is even more streamlined that that.
Winner ,Winner, Chicken Dinner ! I'm partial to a single bevel, this actually cut like one,but also a huge slatted nose cone ripped a nice hole to go with the S turn of the single bevel. Flew like a dart, and thats @ 1.5 inches folks, sharp and only dropped 75 in dullness. Destroyed the metal,with a huge round hole going in which is far better than standard single bevel with only a S going in. This should be a blood sprayer. Saw the concrete block had a crack in it and wonder if when the block split, that caused the head to curl and snap the ferule ? Dang tip was fine. I'd like to see it again on a new block with no cracks. Even still, the concrete really is over kill and is more ooooohs, and ahhhhhs for us in the audience. Throw in 8.5 inches of FBI jell which is as high as anything, and MDF of 70+ ? We have a serious damage head here with a 1.5 inch monster cut !!!
John, great finding this head, great explanation of it and wonderful test. The only doubt I have is how many crashes does those spring inside take before breaking, and if broke, how does the head fly ? I gotta try a pak on hogs to see the hole. I love a bone crashing 1.5 head out of the 80 pound bow on a boar hog shoulder into the heart.
Thanks Mike. Yep, lots to like about it. I shot one head thru the MDF/gel and then the same head thru 54 layers of cardboard, then thru 1/4” MDF into a target too, then thru MDF 3 times and then thru steel plate twice. And the blades were fine. I should have noted, the biggest strain on the head was pulling it out of a target. Geeze. Cause it rotates so well, it was nearly impossible getting it out. I thought the blades were going to break when I did that--but they held up fine thru all that.
And I also wondered about the concrete Crack causing the change in angle and thus breaking the ferrule. I’d like to do that again.
150 grn I’d buy it… thanks for your time,Have a safe Thanksgiving 👍🏻
Thank you. Shot a raccoon with one-in the head. Devastating!
I bought the Zeus right after they came out 2018 I believe. They did not make it into the woods with me and failed my own less sophisticated standard regiment. I had high hopes but the spring system failed my own testing. I would also note they were the first broadheads that I was not able to remove from my broadhead target without “extreme” difficulty. I pulled out two inserts and tore a bicep tendon pulling arrows out. It eventually required surgery. These do appear to be a improved design but I’m still leery of the spring system.
Thanks for sharing that, Patrick. These seem much better than the Zeus. However...they are REALLY difficult to get out of a target as well. The rotation makes it especially difficult. I had to make sure I was hitting a soft spot in the target.
I love this head
Yeah, I was very impressed.
It’s nice to know that my arrow can “identify” as a male or female!😂
:) Funny!
In this world today i guess you have too
Good job
Thank you
So I've never been a fan of mechanical broadheads. As I remember the Zeus took a beating as well. This hybrid head is impressive. I just bought some. Depth of penetration on gel , and the cardboard are impressive. There are not many that make it to 73 layers.
The impact on the concrete may have broken the head but it snapped the block in half. Having the movable blades has interested me since I saw the Zeus. I was not to excited about the Zeus tip , this tip is impressive looking and it held solid after the concrete test. I want to put one through a deer!
Good comment. I agree.
Have you reviewed the NAP Spitfire? That broadhead has stood the test of time. Thank you for all the great content.
Ya know, I've shot them quite a bit but haven't done a formal test of them.
Ya super cool head John ...thanks! I always love to watch your videos and have enjoyed them for several years now. What State did you get your elk in?
It was on a private ranch in ID.
After the penatration test I said wow in perfect synchronization with you. Really impressive design. Also Great minds.....lol
:)
The Herra looks like it could be an amazing bowfishing head for those using a screw on end to their bowfishing arrow.
Haha. True. It's not easy to get out of a target.
Yes please test the Zeus with your new score....trying to compare Zeus to the VBS
I'd like to do that. I prefer the Hera to the Zeus, for durability sake.
Nice video what's your favorite fixed blade broadhead
Thanks. Way to many to narrow down to one. And it depends on the animal I’m hunting. For bigger animals it will be a smaller cutting head and for smaller animals a larger cutting head.
Does the single bevel have the same angle as the Zeus? I want to know if my Zeus stay sharp will work on this one. No worries if it’s not readily available, I’ll buy them anyways.
Zeus are double bevel and Hera are single bevel. I don’t believe the bevel angles will be the same for that reason-but I don’t know that for sure. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
hi for big game hunting if you would have the choice between sevr or zeus broadheads what would it be?
It really depends on what I'm hunting. I love the Hera and the Sevr both.
Interesting retracting design though the holes in the steel plate were pretty small... not bad tho
Yeah...they did not retract on impact with hide type material...but super hard impact they did.
I figure going through a deer hide they compress in and open back up when going through the vitals
They didn't compress on softer mediums, but did a bit on the steel and a bit less on MDF.
Yes sir I'm Greek from Mount Olympus a town nameed litochoro and that mountain is where the 12 gods lived.....supposedly
Nice. Thank you
Hi John.
We're you able to stick this into a deer?
Im really curious about your results.
Thanks.
I sure wanted to, but haven't had the chance yet. I did zip one thru a raccoon's head--posting that little vid this evening :)
1.5" cut and over 8" in penetration test. 26 deg rotation... you're speaking my language
:)
Would be interested in one if it was in a 150 grains,,,
I believe they are planning a 150 gr all steel model.
Looks great, it would be nice in 150 or 175.
Yeah, they're talking about making an all steel, heavier model .
Great test as usual John! I would shoot this head! Love the design!
Yep.
i wish it just had a one piece steel blade that would just slide in the ferrule and screw in place. not a fan of springs/bearings and little fidgety parts that you have to order from the company to replace. it was easy to see where it was going to break when you showed the close-up.
Yep. But it was more durable than most. I do wonder if the ferrule broke there cause the concrete cracked--creating an angle of impact rather than straight on. Either way, it's solid enough for any hunt I'd go on.
Nimrod would hunt with that head !
Haha. True that.
flight was very impressive, up until the concrete I thought it did Great, especially on the penetration test ... 😎🏹 🎯 ...
Yep. And honestly, not too bad on the concrete as well.
No problem, I just wanted to see how the cheapest brand of all metal/the cheaper identical Chinese knockoffs do.
Ok.
Why do I get the feeling broad head manufacturers are starting to build broad heads that can defeat the Lusk guantlet? This one almost made it but the Greek goddess didn't quite reach the summit of Mount Destructo! Alas, she flew too high and her wings were clipped by the wall of shame, otherwise known as the cinder block. She is mortal after all.
Haha. Thanks John.
😳👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🦌
Thank you
I'd feel confident deer hunting maybe not on bigger tougher animals
With their penetration and durability, I'd be confident using them on anything in N America.
@@LuskArcheryAdventures i can't wait to you do your bow reviews to see what that elite ominia does in a shorter draw lengths because on 30 inch draw it's a little faster than the bowtech 360 was with the bow shop owner that I watched text but he is a 30 inch draw length guy where I'm a 28-28.5 inch draw I get a better idea what they will do for me with your test over his because I don't shoot as many pounds as you do it kinda equals out but on 39 inches 70 lps it shot 340 with a 6 inch brave height but I think they came out with a performance mod and a new cam this year