Traveling with arrows with the right protection allows a hunt to start off with promise. You want your arrows to arrive safely, right? I have been field testing the Plano BOWMAX Compact Arrow Case at home and the archery range for a few months. On my recent trip to Georgia with the Badlands Operative Pro Staff, I was able to test out all of the features on a longer trip to see how the case would stand up to use and abuse.
Specifications:
The BOWMAX Compact Arrow Case is 36″ long, 7″ wide, and a little over 3″ tall. It weighs around 3.5 lbs. It’s translucent and has room for more than 23 arrows. Why did I choose 23 as my number? I took 23 arrows to Georgia to see if they would fit and stay in place during the trip. It is advertised to hold 28 arrows and it did have room for more. I am not sure I would put more than 24 in as I do not want to bend or damage the fletching in transit.
Arrow Fit:
Fitting the arrows in the case was easy and customizable. The foam is removeable to fit in the pre-molded areas for different size arrows. I used my slim diameter arrows to test out against them arrows popping out when the case was dropped. The foam held the arrows in place when I had more arrows vs. fewer. If I only insert a dozen arrows, there wasn’t much pressure against the foam to hold them solid when the case was shaken or dropped, but more arrows gave solid resistance. At first, I wasn’t a fan of the removable foam. I wanted it in place to remove my arrows easier, but after the trip I can see why allowing the foam to be adjusted makes sense. The namesake of it being a compact case isn’t what I imagined. It holds a lot, but it’s not as compact as I had hoped. I’d like to see the case hold fewer arrows and be narrow to fit in a bow case better. The 36″ long is fine, but change the wdth to only 3-4″.
Built-in Broadhead Wrench:
The built-in broadhead wrench was an interesting feature, but isn’t what a bowhunter really needs. First, it’s inside the case, so you have to remove most or all of your arrows to reach it. The plastic is flimsy and will allow you to screw on your one-piece broadheads with ease, but if you are like me and have broadheads with removable blades, you will find the location challenging and frustrating. The plastic edges bend and twist when trying to secure your broadhead. It did not secure them tight enough. Fortunately, I packed a separate broadhead wrench that allowed me easier access and tight securing of the broadhead to my arrow.
Accessory Cases:
Let’s talk about the accessory cases that come inside the BOWMAX Compact Arrow Case. The broadhead case looks and feels solid, but is a cheap attempt at securing sharp objects. I used fixed blade and removable blade broadheads to test out the foam and it will hold the one-piece broadheads in place, but the removeable bladed broadheads fell inside. When I took out the blades, I found that the only place to secure the ferrules and the blades properly were inside the other accessory case with dividers. That worked well, but it made me really look at why the other case is in there. It might make more sense to have two cases with separated slots for broadheads. My recommendation is for Plano to have one large accessory case and move the arrow holders left or tight three inches, thus taking up the space of the second accessory case. This give you better protection for your arrow components.
Security Latches:
The latches on the case are solid and secure the lid closed during travel and while dropping the case. I really like the latch system and how easy it is to open with one or two hands. I like this better than a tube that requires both hands to open or close.
Case Size Challenges:
The size of the case works for around the range and while traveling, but you must consider the bow case you are using for it to fit inside. My bow case has adjustable straps, but the BOWMAX Compact Arrow Case took up a lot more room than I expected. I had to remove a few things from my bow case to fit the BOWMAX inside. It stayed secure and was solid throughout the entire trip. I would like to see Plano design an arrow case that holds 12-16 arrows to allow it to fit better inside a bow case.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I feel the case is an solid addition to my archery gear for protection of my arrows. My arrows were protected and I was able to bring two dozen arrows on my trip. Overkill, but I wanted to test out the capabilities of the case. The case needs a little work, in my opinion, but I would give it a 7.5 out of 10. The Plano BOWMAX Compact Arrow Case retails for $29.99 and while that is a reasonable price, as a traveling bowhunter I would like to see improvements to it before I fully endorse it.
Be First to Comment