Wicked Ridge Crossbow Bolts & Arrows

Wicked Ridge shooters split between two shaft materials, and both are sold under the TenPoint name since Wicked Ridge doesn't run a separate arrow line:

• Carbon (Match 400 / Pro Elite 400): lighter overall mass, straighter tolerance (as tight as 0.003"-0.004"), and less wind drift at longer ranges - the default choice for most wicked ridge crossbow arrows buyers today.
• Aluminum (XX75): the classic 20-inch XX75 Wicked Ridge aluminum crossbow arrows option, heavier per shaft, more forgiving of nicks and field abuse, and a known quantity for hunters who grew up on aluminum.

Neither is "wrong" - carbon wins on flat trajectory and long-range forgiveness, aluminum wins on raw durability and a lower replacement worry if a shaft gets stepped on in the field.

Alpha-Nock crossbow bolts use a proprietary nock geometry that seats flush and consistently in TenPoint and Wicked Ridge flight rails - this is why ten point crossbow bolts with alpha nocks is searched specifically rather than just "crossbow bolts." A nock that doesn't match your rail geometry can cause inconsistent launch and, in the worst case, a dry-fire-like event if it doesn't seat correctly. If you're replacing arrows for any Wicked Ridge model, stick with Alpha-Nock (or Alpha-Blaze for lighted builds) rather than a generic nock design.

The wicked ridge match 400 bolts line comes in both standard and lighted versions. Lighted arrows use an Alpha-Blaze nock that illuminates on release, making shot placement and blood-trail recovery easier in low light - a real advantage during the last legal shooting minutes of a hunt. The tradeoff is a small amount of added nock-end weight, which most shooters won't notice at typical crossbow hunting ranges inside 40 yards.

If you own an Invader M1 or a Warrior 400, both are factory-tuned around the 20-inch, 400-grain-class bolt family covered here - there's no model-specific arrow length to worry about across the current Wicked Ridge lineup. What does matter is total arrow weight (shaft + field point + nock) staying within the manufacturer's minimum, since crossbows store far more stored energy than vertical bows and underweight arrows risk damaging the limbs and void the warranty.

• Carbon pros: lighter, flatter flight, tighter straightness tolerances, less drift downrange.
• Carbon cons: can crack internally from an impact without visible damage - worth flexing and inspecting after a hard hit.
• Aluminum pros: bends visibly instead of hiding internal damage, generally tougher on impact with rocks or bone.
• Aluminum cons: heavier per shaft, slightly more drop at distance compared to carbon of the same length.