TenPoint TX Ultra 26.5 vs 29.5

Buy the TenPoint TX Ultra 29.5 if you want speed and reach: it chronographed at 456 to 463 FPS and is narrower when cocked. Buy the TX Ultra 26.5 if you shoot short distances from a saddle or tight blind: it is 3 inches shorter, lighter, quieter and $400 to $500 cheaper.

I tested both over three weeks each. Every number here comes from those two reviews. The two share a name, ACUslide MAXX cocking and a TriggerTech trigger, but they are different crossbows. The 29.5 is the middle step of TenPoint's Ultra line, and the 26.5 is the shortest.

Verdict by Reader Type

If you plan to hunt, do so only where legal; check your state's regulations before you buy.

Specs Side by Side

Note the bolt weights. TenPoint rates the 26.5 with a 400-grain bolt and the 29.5 with a 410-grain bolt. The 50 FPS gap is still large, but the two ratings are not on identical bolts.

Price and Value

The 29.5 costs $400 to $500 more ($2,499 against $1,999, or $2,599 against $2,199). In my reviews that worked out to roughly $8 to $10 per extra rated FPS.

That is the better value step in the Ultra line. Moving up again to the TRX Ultra costs roughly $17 to $18 per extra FPS from the 29.5. It shows in the scores: value came in at 8.1 / 10 for the 29.5 and 7.5 / 10 for the 26.5.

The 29.5 also has the higher overall rating, 4.8 against 4.6.

Speed and Kinetic Energy

My chronograph read 406 to 413 FPS on the 26.5 and 456 to 463 FPS on the 29.5. Both sat close to their ratings.

The power stroke explains most of the gap. The 29.5's string travels 13.5 inches; the 26.5's travels 10.25. The 29.5 also has 350 lbs of draw weight against 220.

For kinetic energy, the 29.5 lists 193 ft-lbs with a 410-grain bolt, and 189 ft-lbs with a 440-grain bolt at 440 FPS. The 26.5 review does not list a measured energy figure. Calculated from its 410 FPS rating with a 400-grain bolt, it comes to about 149 ft-lbs. That is a calculation, not a measurement, and the bolts differ, so treat the gap of a little over 40 ft-lbs as a guide.

If your shots stay under 40 yards, that gap rarely decides anything. For larger game at the edge of your range, it may. For more on reading FPS figures, see how fast does a crossbow bolt travel.

Cocking: ACUslide MAXX on Both

Both use ACUslide MAXX, and both depend on it. At 220 and 350 lbs, neither can realistically be hand-cocked.

On the 29.5, felt effort came to roughly 13.3 lbs from 350 lbs of draw weight. It ran more than 40 logged cocking and de-cocking cycles without a failure.

On the 26.5, I did not record a felt-effort figure. The system removed manual effort in my testing and drew to an identical point on every one of more than 50 cycles, including a cold-morning check at 36°F.

So both were reliable. Use the de-cocking function whenever a hunt ends without a shot. My guide to de-cocking safely covers the steps, and the de-cocking entry explains the term.

Noise

Both scored 9.5 / 10 for noise, but they are not equally quiet.

On the 26.5, a decibel meter showed a clear reduction in shot noise against a non-dampened TenPoint model at the same distance. The 29.5 was audibly louder than the dampened 26.5 at the same distance in my testing. That is the trade for its extra speed and draw weight.

If a quiet shot for a quick follow-up matters most, the 26.5 has the edge.

Weight, Width and Length

This is where the two cross over in a way that surprises people:

• Cocked width: the 29.5 is narrower, 6.5 inches against 7.
• Overall length: the 26.5 is shorter, 26.5 inches against 29.5.
• Weight: the 26.5 is lighter, 7.7 lbs against 8.

So "bigger" does not mean "wider" here. The axle-to-axle width shrinks as you move up the line.

In my ground-blind trial, the 26.5 cleared the shooting window with room to spare. It handled easily from a saddle as well. The 29.5 was also easy to bring to bear from a saddle or tight blind; in my review it was the most maneuverable flagship-speed crossbow I had tested.

The 26.5 is the only Ultra model under 8 lbs, which helps on a long carry.

Trigger and Accuracy

Both use a TriggerTech trigger. On the 26.5 it broke cleanly at 3 lbs, consistent on every test shot. The 29.5 has a custom TriggerTech trigger with an AR-style ambidextrous thumb safety; I did not record its pull weight. See trigger pull for what the number means.

Accuracy testing differed. On the 26.5, my 60-yard groups stayed inside 2.5 inches. That was slightly wider than on TenPoint's longer flagships, which fits its shorter sight radius. On the 29.5, I shot out to 100 yards and the groups stayed tight and repeatable across the testing window.

At the distances most people shoot from a blind or saddle, under 40 yards, I did not notice the 26.5's difference.

Scope and Package

The 26.5's scope is the 100-yard RangeMaster illuminated scope, depending on package. My RangeMaster 100 review lists it for 380 to 505 FPS, which covers the 26.5's speed.

The 29.5 ships with the EVO-X Marksman Elite, rated for 300 to 550 FPS with references from 20 to 100 yards.

I did not document a bolt count or quiver for either package, so check your listing.

Setup Time

Scope mounting and a 20-shot zero took me about 55 minutes on the 26.5. The 29.5 took about an hour, partly because I verified zero at extended distance. My sight-in guide covers both.

Warranty

Both carry the same terms in my reviews: 5 years on limbs and cams and lifetime on the trigger mechanism. Confirm current terms with TenPoint, since policies change.

Who Should Pick Which

Pick the TX Ultra 26.5 if:

• You hunt from a saddle, pop-up blind or box stand.
• Your shots stay inside about 40 yards.
• You want the quieter shot and the lighter carry.

Pick the TX Ultra 29.5 if:

• You want 460 FPS class speed and 193 ft-lbs.
• You shoot past 60 yards and want tight groups at distance.
• You want the narrower cocked width.

Consider something else if you shoot at 100 yards often; the TRX Ultra is rated 515 FPS at $3,495 to $3,515. If you want a Ravin at the 26.5's price, the Ravin R26X is 5.75 inches cocked at $1,999 to $2,199.

Related head-to-heads: see how these compare across brands in Ravin vs TenPoint, Ravin's own size split in Ravin R29X vs R26X, and TenPoint's value tier in Wicked Ridge vs TenPoint. Browse the compound crossbows hub for the full field.