# TradTech Black Max, Glass or Carbon?



## osuhunter2011 (Feb 13, 2009)

Having owned and shot both, don't waste your money on the carbon. The performance difference on this level of limb is minimal (IF ANY!) Until you get into the $350-$400 range I'd just stick with the wood/glass limbs even at your draw.


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## NJDiverDan (Jan 26, 2005)

Thank you!! Exactly the information I was hoping to hear!


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## MadJD (Oct 25, 2017)

If you get some, can you let us know what you think of the Blackmax limbs? Be very interested to see how they go at your draw length.

JD.


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## catman-do (Aug 17, 2014)

Are you looking at the Black Max 2.0? I have some wood glass 2.0 coming in Med. I here there's no difference that much for the extra coin..


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## centershot (Sep 13, 2002)

osuhunter2011 said:


> Having owned and shot both, don't waste your money on the carbon. The performance difference on this level of limb is minimal (IF ANY!) Until you get into the $350-$400 range I'd just stick with the wood/glass limbs even at your draw.


+1, I have owned several sets of wood/glass and wood/carbon Blackmax limbs and I could never tell any difference...........except in the price tag.


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## j.conner (Nov 12, 2009)

I agree - no significant difference laying a piece of carbon fiber sheet in the laminations. It is a great example of economic price descrimination (providing different products at different price points to match buyers price sensitivity even though the product itself is marginally the same), like selling multiple grades of gasoline at the gas station, "organic" fruit at the grocery store, etc.


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## NJDiverDan (Jan 26, 2005)

Thanks everyone. Have the wood/glass limbs on order.


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## GEREP (May 6, 2003)

I can't speak to the new 2.0 limbs but the here are the actual performance numbers for the original Black Max wood/glass and Black Max carbon limbs.



*Parameters: 

Used Medium/50# limbs in test

Shot from 17" Titan Riser

Used a 12 strand DF97 string, with a tied on nock point, no silencers, at a brace height of 7 5/8"

mechanically released from a Spott Hogg Hooter Shooter Machine, through an Easton Bow Force Mapper/Chronograph......



Black Max Carbon:

Draw Length / Draw Weight / Arrow weight / FPS

28 / 50.1 / 454 / 188.5 
29 / 52.6 / 475 / 193.7 
30 / 55.3 / 498 / 199.3

Black Max Glass - Wood:

28 / 50.6 / 455 / 186 
29 / 53.0 / 477 / 192 
30 / 55.6 / 500 / 197

9 gpp was used in all measurements..... *



Appears to be an average of about 2 fps between the two across the board. Not a lot, but not nothing either.

Hope that helps.

KPC


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## Longbowfanatic (Mar 5, 2016)

I own the 2.0 carbon & glass. Although I have never shot the the glass limbs, I would buy the glass over the carbon. IMO, it wasn't worth the extra $100 to buy the carbon.


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## LaurieC (Feb 27, 2017)

I could not feel or see any discernible difference between the carbon and glass Blackmax limbs either, so I shoot the glass limbs. They have a very smooth draw and are a pleasure to shoot.


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## rwurdeman (Nov 7, 2017)

Jumping into trad archery and I am glad I ran across this thread.


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## osuhunter2011 (Feb 13, 2009)

Glad you went with the glass. But let me add this... if you’re willing, look at the SF Carbon High Foams. They are a big step forward IMO at a reasonable price point of around $250 I believe.


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## jtkratzer (Dec 22, 2006)

I have the older version of the Blackmax in 40# ($150 limbs) and Blackmax Carbon/Wood in 50#, probably $250 when they were available. Noticeable difference between them and yes, a significant part of that is 10 lbs, but there's a different feel to them as well, especially in the draw. I tried the RC Extreme Carbon/Foam limbs this week and the 45# mediums on a 19" riser shot the same arrow (490 grains) at the same speed as the 50# carbon/wood mediums on a 17" riser. That surprised me - lower weight on a longer riser, which should drop the weight a little further, yet the same arrow speed. The RC Extremes are $500. I won a drawing for a new bow, otherwise, I wouldn't be looking at $500 limbs right now. Going to compare them to the 45# RC Wood limbs when they're back in stock. I want a nice set of limbs for 3d and field and I'll take that extra arrow speed for those games. I'm shooting the wood/glass Blackmax 40s on my 25" riser for indoor and they came in at 33# at my draw length. I'd like to add a few pounds to those. The 45s will likely make a solid set for indoor, field, 3d and back ups for hunting.


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## j.conner (Nov 12, 2009)

LOL, I once purchased some "fast" limbs in a lower weight and thought they were indeed faster, as measured by achieving the same point-on distance. When I tried shooting the heavier "slower" limbs again after a few months, I found that point-on distance had increased. It turns out that the lighter limbs revealed a form issue that was leaving DL on the table. The sad irony is that many (perhaps even most!) archers are overbowed and getting less weight out of the bow than they think, and if they simply got a bow at their effective scrunched-up draw weight they would get the same result with more comfort, control, and better alignment.


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## jtkratzer (Dec 22, 2006)

j.conner said:


> LOL, I once purchased some "fast" limbs in a lower weight and thought they were indeed faster, as measured by achieving the same point-on distance. When I tried shooting the heavier "slower" limbs again after a few months, I found that point-on distance had increased. It turns out that the lighter limbs revealed a form issue that was leaving DL on the table. The sad irony is that many (perhaps even most!) archers are overbowed and getting less weight out of the bow than they think, and if they simply got a bow at their effective scrunched-up draw weight they would get the same result with more comfort, control, and better alignment.


I'd agree with that. Granted, each riser is a little different and it's difficult to measure draw length same way (back of the riser, arrow rest, etc), but I see a difference between my 50# limbs on the Titan II vs 33 lbs on the 25" riser. That's probably the biggest impact in my situation.


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