Wicked Ridge Match 400 Review 2026

Six carbon bolts for $59–$79 is the pitch behind the Wicked Ridge Match 400, and in my testing the pack mostly delivers what that price promises. These are 20-inch, 400-grain carbon bolts with a 46-grain aluminum insert, an Alpha-Nock HP with aluminum bushing, and 3-inch Q2i Fusion X-II vanes.

My verdict is 4.4 out of 5. The weight stayed inside the rated tolerance, the insert pushed front-of-center balance up to roughly 14%, and groups were only marginally wider than TenPoint's premium bolt at 60 yards. The trade-off is a looser straightness tolerance and a fixed length and weight that will not suit every crossbow.

I ran the bolts through a two-week protocol, verifying weight and straightness and grouping them at 20, 40, and 60 yards against TenPoint's CenterPunch HPX on the same crossbow.

Wicked Ridge Match 400 Specifications

What I Like

• Weight consistency that held up. The six-pack stayed within Wicked Ridge's rated 5-grain weight tolerance in my testing, a solid standard for a value-tier bolt.
• A meaningful FOC advantage. The 46-grain aluminum insert pushed FOC up to a useful 14%, and my downrange testing showed noticeably tighter groups than lighter-insert bolts at the same price point.
• More shooting volume per purchase. Six bolts per pack gives more volume than premium three-packs, a practical advantage for high-round-count practice.
• A nock that held up to recoil. The Alpha-Nock HP with aluminum bushing showed no cracking or loosening across my full recoil testing window.
• Solid quality for the price. At $59–$79 it delivers accuracy and construction well below premium bolt pricing.

Potential Drawbacks

• Looser straightness than TenPoint's flagship line. At .004 inches the tolerance trails the premium CenterPunch HPX (.001 in), and my testing found marginally wider groups at 60 yards.
• No illumination. This is a non-lighted bolt, so hunters who want low-light bolt recovery should look at the Lighted Pro Elite 400 instead.
• A fixed spec. The fixed 20-inch length and 400-grain weight will not suit every crossbow, so confirm compatibility with your platform before buying.
• Retailer variance. As a sub-brand product line, availability and exact spec sheets varied slightly across retailers in my research, so double-check current listings.

Key Features Explained

Why does a six-pack matter?

Premium bolt lines often ship in three-packs at a higher per-arrow cost, which adds up for hunters who practice often or shoot in groups. The six-pack gave me more usable arrows per purchase, so I could run longer accuracy sessions without buying a second pack partway through.

How consistent are the weight and straightness?

The six-pack stayed within the rated weight tolerance, and straightness matched its rating. That rating is looser than the CenterPunch HPX, and my 60-yard grouping showed the difference as marginally wider groups. The gap was minor at 20 and 40 yards.

What does the aluminum insert do for FOC?

The 46-grain aluminum insert raises the front-of-center balance, and my downrange testing showed noticeably tighter groups than lighter-insert bolts at a similar price. That supports Wicked Ridge's claim that the insert improves flight stability and means it is more than a marketing number. For the theory, see what is FOC and why it matters for accuracy, and use the FOC calculator to see how a 100-grain or 125-grain tip changes the 14% figure on this shaft.

How durable is the Alpha-Nock HP?

The Alpha-Nock HP with its aluminum bushing showed no cracking or loosening across repeated recoil testing, even though this is a value-tier product. Sharing componentry with TenPoint's premium bolts is a strength at this price. The nock is the part that rides the string, so wear there shows up as flyers.

Performance & Usability

How accurate are Match 400 bolts?

I measured grouping at 20, 40, and 60 yards against CenterPunch HPX on the same crossbow. The gap was minor at 20 and 40 yards and widened only marginally at 60, consistent with the looser straightness spec.

Are they consistent from bolt to bolt?

Across repeated sessions the pack's consistency meant I never had to wonder whether a wide flier was a bad bolt or a bad shot. That builds confidence in a value-tier product.

What does a session cost?

My cost-per-arrow comparison found the Match 400 gives meaningfully more shooting volume per dollar than premium three-packs, while still using TenPoint-family components. The table later on this page shows the per-bolt arithmetic from list prices.

How should I care for them?

Check the carbon shafts for hairline cracks after impacts, especially after hard targets or a miss. Store the bolts in a quiver or case to protect the fletching and shafts in transport. Inspect the nock bushing periodically for wear, particularly after high-volume practice.

Which broadheads and tips work with them?

Confirm that your crossbow's rated bolt length and weight range accepts 20-inch, 400-grain arrows before purchasing. If you pair the 46-grain aluminum insert with a fixed or mechanical broadhead, check that the threading matches and that total arrow weight stays inside your crossbow's rated range. I did not test these bolts with a specific broadhead. The TenPoint Nemesis is a 100-grain option reviewed here, but you should verify fit yourself.

Who Is the Wicked Ridge Match 400 For?

Best suited to:

• A hunter or target shooter who wants dependable accuracy without premium-tier bolt pricing
• Someone who practices often and values six bolts per pack rather than three
• A shooter comfortable with a slightly looser straightness tolerance than TenPoint's flagship line

Consider something else if:

• You want the tightest possible accuracy tolerances
• You need a lighted nock for low-light recovery

For more options, browse the crossbow bolts category or the best crossbow bolts roundup.

Match 400 vs Alternatives

Per-bolt figures are my arithmetic from list prices and will move with the street price. The CenterPunch HPX is the choice if you want the tightest tolerances, at roughly twice the price per bolt. The Lighted Pro Elite 400 is the pick for dusk recovery. The PileDriver is a different length, so check your crossbow before comparing it directly.

For how Wicked Ridge and TenPoint compare across these models, read my Wicked Ridge vs TenPoint guide.

Match 400 Compatibility, Contents and Ownership

What is in the pack, and what else do you need?

A pack holds six 20-inch, 400-grain bolts, each with a 46-grain aluminum insert, 3-inch Q2i Fusion X-II vanes, and an Alpha-Nock HP with aluminum bushing. Nothing else is documented in my notes, so check the listing for extras. You supply the crossbow and the tip. The insert accepts a field point or broadhead, but I did not test a specific tip with these bolts, and I have not documented the thread type, so match the two before you screw one in.

Compatibility, as documented

The bolt is 20 inches and 400 grains, and the pack stayed within the rated 5-grain tolerance. Whether your crossbow takes that length and weight is a question for its manual. Wicked Ridge is TenPoint's sub-brand, which explains the shared components, but I have not documented which crossbows these bolts suit, so I will not list models. For a lighted alternative see the Lighted Pro Elite 400, and for a broadhead candidate see the TenPoint Nemesis. Neither pairing was tested with these bolts.

Head-to-head: who should pick which bolt

A worked example: a practice budget

Six bolts at $59–$79 is $9.83 to $13.17 each. The CenterPunch HPX is $19.17 to $20.83 each, so it costs $7.66 to $9.34 more per bolt at matching ends of the ranges. Two Match 400 packs, twelve bolts, cost $118 to $158, about the same as one CenterPunch HPX pack at $115 to $125, which is six bolts. If your priority is shooting volume, twelve bolts of slightly looser tolerance goes further than six of the tightest. If your priority is the tightest groups at 60 yards, where I saw the gap widen only marginally, the premium pack is the answer.

Ownership and care

1. Check the shafts for hairline cracks after every impact, especially a miss into a hard backstop.
2. Inspect the nock bushing and nock for wear after high-volume sessions, since nock wear shows up as flyers.
3. Rotate bolts and number them so you can find a consistent flyer.
4. Store them in a quiver or case so the vanes and nocks are protected.

I have no long-term durability data beyond the test window. See how to maintain a crossbow for the broader routine.

Symptoms and what to do

Value for Money

At $59–$79 for six bolts, the Match 400 sits well below TenPoint's CenterPunch HPX ($115–$125 for six) and above a generic carbon six-pack ($35–$50). The CenterPunch HPX offers tighter straightness and weight tolerances at nearly double the price, so it suits shooters who want the tightest consistency. Generic bolts cost less, but in my testing the Match 400's aluminum insert and Alpha-Nock HP gave noticeably better flight consistency and durability.

The Match 400 occupies a useful middle ground: TenPoint-family build quality without CenterPunch HPX pricing. The accuracy gap against the premium line was measurable but minor at practical hunting distances. My rule: if your shots stay inside 40 yards, buy the Match 400 and put the saving into a second pack for practice. If you regularly shoot 60 yards and want the tightest groups there, pay for the CenterPunch HPX; if you hunt at dusk, the Lighted Pro Elite 400 matters more than either tolerance figure.

Where the Wicked Ridge Match 400 ranks

The Wicked Ridge Match 400 earned a place in Best Crossbow Bolts of 2026 (#2) and Best Crossbow Broadheads for Deer 2026 (#3), where it is scored against every other model I tested for that use. For a direct head-to-head, see Wicked Ridge vs TenPoint and Ravin vs TenPoint Crossbows Compared. It also comes up in Fixed-Blade Broadheads for Crossbows, How Much Does a Crossbow Cost?, Choose Crossbow Bolts: Length & Weight and What Is FOC in Crossbow Bolts?.