Easton’s drive for projectile perfection never stops, and its new-for-2025 5.0 Hunting Arrow is another shining example of Easton’s relentless drive and dedication to give archers and bowhunters the very best.
by Jace Bauserman
The first arrow I nocked on the string of my Chuck Adams Reflex was an Easton XX75 Camo Hunter. Launched by Easton in 1964, bowhunters coveted the 7075 aluminum alloy build for its remarkable straightness, consistency, and durability. From the shafts domination at the 1972 Munich Olympics to the Rockies to the whitetail woods, the XX75 was a crowd favorite.
I killed a lot of critters with the XX75 before graduating to the XX78. The XX78 was Easton’s answer to meeting the growing demand for performance in competitive archery. Manufactured using 71780-T9 aluminum alloy, a metal promising improved strength and stiffness over the 7075 aluminum alloy, XX78s proved durable while maintaining downrange precision.
Since the XX75 and XX78, I’ve filled my quiver with multiple Easton arrows. From the FMJ to the Axis, the X10 Parallel Pro to the Sonic 6.0, I’ve put my projectile trust in Easton for over 25 years.
Easton refuses to take its foot off the gas. While I’m still, and likely forever will be, in a projectile love affair with the X10 Parallel Pro and 4MM Axis Long Range shafts, I was excited to put Easton’s new small-diameter speed demon, the 5.0, to the test.
What Is The Easton 5.0
Easton builds arrows to suit different preferences; they do nothing standard. During my Easton testing tenure, I’ve shot several FPS boosters—the Flatline, Hyperspeed, and Sonic 6.0, to name a few.
Available in spine sizes of 200, 250, 300, 340, 400, and 500, Easton’s all-new 5.0 gives bowhunters options. The micro-diameter 5mm Acu-Carbon platform boosts downrange performance and penetration, and bowhunters can build the 5.0 to be super fast or add weight to the front to increase FOC.
The 5.0 is offered in Match Grade and Standard versions, a dynamic duo Easton has provided within its flagship arrow lines in recent years. Match Grade 5.0s come with HIT Inserts and HIT Nock Collars, and Standard 5.0s with HIT and Steel Half Outs.
Another big win of the 5.0 is Easton’s new 5mm MicroLite Nock System. The new nocks are compact, and the new throat design ensures precise string fit, which leads to improved tunability. The 5.0 shafts are available in factory-fletched helical and bare shafts.
My Easton 5.0 Arrow Build
I’ve used Easton’s HIT and Half Out inserts for years. I recently leaned on the multiple Half Out options when building my 4MM Axis Long Range and X10 Parallel Pros. The simplicity of installing the Half Out inserts is wonderful, and I appreciate that Easton offers them in multiple grain weight options so bowhunters can tinker with FOC.
I felt some nostalgia with my 5.0 build. After cutting the arrows to size (I always request bare shafts), I used the chamfering stone and insert tool and went with the HIT inserts. HIT stands for Hidden Insert Technology. With the insert pushed up and into the shaft using the insert tool, a seamless bond is created between the shaft and point/broadhead.
After allowing the HIT inserts to dry, I used my Bitzenburger arrow jig set in four-fletch mode to attach Flex-Fletch’s Pro 2.5 Vanes. I have used Bitzenburger’s Right Helical Clamp for years, and the jig’s adjustable dials allow me to adjust the fletching angle further.
My total arrow weight with HIT inserts, HIT Nock Collars, 5mm MicroLite Nocks, four Flex-Fletch 2.5s, and a 100-grain field point was 381 grains. Without the nock collar, it was 361.1.
Shooting The Easton 5.0
The first thing to note is nock fit. A sloppy nock fit is unacceptable. One of the most significant selling points of the 5.0 is the newly engineered 5mm MicroLite Nock. The compact design combined with the improved throat design means a precise string fit, which leads to precise arrow-from-string separation. The compact design works in concert with the 5.0s already streamlined design to reduce wind drift and boost downrange performance.
Lighter arrows naturally allow for more wind drift and tend to create more in-flight noise. While I won’t brand my 381-grain 5.0s as FMJ quiet, the slimmer build cuts down on in-flight noise. Wind drift happens with any arrow. Of course, the thinner the arrow’s diameter, the less surface area the wind was to press up against. I shot my 5.0s head-to-head against my 4MM Axis Long Range shafts, which resist wind drift better than any arrow ever created. The Kestral measured wind speed was 14.6 miles per hour left to right. At 60 yards, my three-arrow 5.0 group was only slightly over an inch right from my 4MM Long Range Axis. My 4MM Long Range Axis outweighs the 5.0s by 36 grains, and the arrows are smaller in diameter. The faster, lighter, and bigger diameter (compared to the 4mms) 5.0s produced impressive crosswind resistance.
The arrows are fast. Powered by Hoyt’s RX-8 set at a draw weight of 65.0 pounds and a 28.75-inch draw length, three-arrow average group speeds of 288 feet per second were obtained.
When I switched from my 4mm shafts to the 5.0s, other than vertical impact, no tuning was necessary. All I had to do was tie in a new D-loop with new nocking points to accommodate the larger diameter nock. My paper tune was perfect. No windage adjustment was necessary to the tested distance of 80 yards. I will stretch these arrows out further in the coming days and add to this field test.
Final Thoughts
The Easton 5.0s, like all Easton arrows I’ve tested, make a worthy quiver filler. They are deadly accurate, fast, and ultra-durable. I love the nock collars. Yes, they add a little weight, but my first 40-yard group was so tight two of the three arrows touched, and the nock collars prevented cracked carbon. Accuracy was apparent to the tested distance. I used a combination of 100-grain field points, SEVR 1.5s and 1.5 4-Blade Hybrids throughout testing. I also shot the arrows with a QAD Exodus three-blade fixed blade, and though a rest windage adjustment was necessary, accuracy never waned. Twice at 75 yards, I cut fletchings, once with SEVR’s Ti 1.5 4-Blade Hybrid and once with the Exodus.
Easton hit another home run, this time in a small-diameter, lightweight hunting shaft that allows bowhunters plenty of customization. I know this: In 2025, I will have one Spot-Hogg Boonie yardage knob with a tape dialed for the X10 Parallel Pro and another for Easton’s shiny new 2025 arrow penny, the 5.0.
Easton 5.0 Specifications
- 5MM high-modulus lightweight carbon fiber with Acu-Carbon construction
- NEW MicroLite 5MM nocks
- Two 8-32 insert options: HIT or NEW 50-grain steel one-piece half-outs
- HIT Collars included with the Match Grade version
- 2-inch Blazer vanes (Standard Grade) or 3-inchAAE Hybrid Stealth factory helical fletched vanes (Match Grade)
- Straightness: +/- .003-inch Standard
- Made in USA
- Available in both Standard and Match Grade versions
