Travelling with broadheads is tricky business.
Broadheads are sharp, and if they’re left loose in the bottom of your bag they may go through damaging other gear or terrorizing airport security officials.
It’s important to take precautions if you plan on storing them in your checked baggage or taking them with you on a flight as carry-on items.
The first thing you should do is make sure that nothing breakable is packed alongside them; things like electronics, glasses, etcetera may not fare well against the blades of an arrowhead (or anything else).
Many airlines do not allow sharp objects in checked baggage, so it’s best to check with your airline before actually travelling with them.
If your heads are allowed, then you’ll need to get the heads into a small box or case that will fit inside one of your bags; you don’t want them rattling around loose in the bottom of your luggage.
Here are some tips to the question : where should broadheads be kept while traveling to and from the field?
1. Make sure you include broadheads when packing extra arrows:
Broadheads can be separated from their shafts just as easily as arrows can be, so it’s best not to take chances.
2. You can also purchase padded cases specifically for broadheads :
These range from simple sock-like bags to elaborate inserts for full arrow quivers.
A simple google search will do yeoman’s work here, but know that if you go this route you’ll have to be sure your arrows will fit comfortably inside the case as well as your broadheads.
3. You can also buy a small tube specifically for holding broadheads :
The one shown is about seven inches long, but the opening in the end allows you to hold up to 30 broadheads.
The opening is stuffed with foam that protects your walls, but it will naturally wear out over time.
I’ve used this type of storage for several years now and it works great; something like this also has the advantage of fitting easily into other bags while travelling or carrying on by itself.
4.Buy an ARROW TUBE to keep them in :
If you plan on doing a lot of travelling with your broadheads, it might be worth it to buy an arrow tube to keep them in.
These come in different sizes and can be attached to a bow or carried independently.
They usually have enough room for several dozen shafts and several dozen broadheads, making them quite handy for hunting trips where space is limited.
This is an example of one hanging from a bow.
5. You can also use a bow case with a zipper to store your broadheads safely :
This is more convenient than the tube shown above, but it does have some drawbacks; if you need to carry your bow on-boar .
For example, it won’t fit in the overhead bin. However, you can usually find some sort of bag that will double as a bow case that’ll fit all your equipment into it.
6. Make sure you use the correct size case!
A lot of these cases will fit a wide variety of arrowheads and shafts, so make sure you buy one that will be large enough to accommodate your arrows and broadheads.
The last thing you want is for your $50 broadheads to get crushed in the bottom of a too-small container!
7. Time is your friend :
The longer you can keep them in the package they came in, the better.
Also, if you keep them loose it’s always a good idea to put a little tape over the ends of the arrows so they don’t get chipped or scratched during shipping or handling.
If you buy a padded tube or bow case, you can also put some clear tape on there as well (and it will protect the foam).
8. Humidity and temperature are your enemy :
The products I’ve bought that held broadheads all had some type of “vapor barrier” that allowed them to be stored for months without condensation and/or moisture building up inside.
If you don’t have one of these types of covers, get the broadheads into a Ziploc-type bag or other type of plastic cover before storing them.
If you do use a pouch or tube, make sure they’re not sitting in any kind of open space (like in the trunk) where they can be exposed to excessive humidity, cold temperatures, etcetera.
This may be obvious to some people but I’ve taken them hunting when it is freezing cold outside and the arrowheads were sticking out the side of my bag when I opened it; needless to say I was pretty angry when I had to pull an ice cube out of my bag!
