The Downfall of Carbon Express Arrows

We discuss the downfall of Carbon Express and why it occured. We discuss the 'umbrella' company Feradyne and what they do. We discuss how larger companies overtake smaller ones, and how communication is lost between the seller and the dealer. We discuss how feedback is necessary and how it affects sales. We also discuss how exclusive selling is beneficial for both parties.

[@tythomps]

Being bought by Feradyne is the downfall of just about any company they buy.

[@mdem5059]

Business to business is such a tight rope in regards to connections and reputation. Takes a lifetime to build and a day to lose.

[@UltraLimitedHD]

Carbon Express Maxima Blue Streak Select were fine arrows for me. Straight and robust. Recently replaced my doz with Victory VForce select, mostly due to age of the CE's. Thanks for video Steven.

[@driftlesshunter9200]

I've evolved from Easton Aluminum to Carbon Express to Gold Tip to Victory over the past 4 decades in America. Something is lost when a company like FeraDyne Outdoors buys a smaller company. They're not the same, and it's seldom better.

[@The-Jokes-on-You]

Hate to say it but most industries have become monopolies in a sense as small to medium businesses get bought up by these umbrella corporations. Typically this results in worse customer service & a soulless experience for the consumer.

[@pickin4you]

I have been shooting GoldTip for over 30 years. I have seen arrow companies come and go. So many guys in the US are talking up this new arrow maker. NEW ARROW maker. In my mind, let’s see how they are doing in ten years. Not right now, brand new. And they are almost double the price of GoldTip. Who can afford them?? I can’t. GoldTip has been the Gold Standard over here for decades. Easton used to be the trip arrow brand. Now GoldTip. But many so called boutique arrow companies coming along and TV personalities showing how great they are, but when I can buy GT at $150/US a dozen for target arrows, and these other companies want $500 a dozen, that’s insane and I will not buy them. Goes to show how many gullible people there are and how much money they have, or at least a credit line on their credit cards. I pay for my stuff and I dont have the money for any top branded stuff. Other than GT arrows. Rests costing $500 US dollars is insane. Hunting sights that cost $600 is again, insane. The average shooter over here does not have the money to buy that stuff. I saw just a sight housing, either UV or Excel, just the empty housing was $250/US. For a hollow aluminum tube. And people fall for it. Everyone has gone off the deep end and this year in America with the poop head in the white house, nobody will have the money for any of it come the end of the year. Folks making products are pricing themselves right out of business and they are not even aware of it. Anyway, I will always stick to Gold Tip arrows.

[@driftlesshunter9200]

I used to shoot Gold Tip, but I prefer my current Victory arrows. Every arrow is spine aligned from the factory, and I find that does make a difference especially with fixed broadheads. I like Victory's ICE coating, and they think of little things like the bottom of the shaft opposite of the cock feather/vane is clear of any labeling. Thus, a smooth surface slides across the rest. The end of the shaft where the vanes are attached is free of their ICE coating. ICE coating does help with target arrow removal & quieter draw on my drop away rest. Victory prices aren't that insane here in the States. I would never go back to Carbon Express or Gold Tip unless they improved their product & offered it for way less money.

[@davidjensen2411]

Unfortunately, it's a _Race to the Bottom_ for most North American corporations...

[@HighRoad317]

Great talk and share!!!

[@feralgrandad4429]

Personally I should care less that Bowtech dropped Tim Gillingham. I brought my Bowtech SX-80 because it was the bow I wanted not because any particular "celebrity" shot the brand.

[@thenameiwantedwastaken]

Speaking of Pros, I’d be curious how many people come into the store asking for a Bowtech because of Paige Pearce or a PSE because of John Dudley or a Hoyt because of Cam Hanes?

[@gazwit1603]

Got some gold tip and it says made in Mexico on the box true american arrows😂

[@kdcustoms1272]

America is basically Mexico at this point anyway...

[@gibberpl1]

White collar management. In addition they are from different industries.

[@kennethosborne6497]

It appears that so many archery product brands are now owned & controlled by large USA parent companies . We still have a few family owned & operated or at least archery company brands producing great quality products offering personal service that are worthy of support & recommendation & a larger share of the pie.

[@Ihwaz13]

The reason I stopped using CarbonExpress arrows is that all the shafts have non standard inner diameters, so you can't use other manufacturers parts. The thing that broke it for me was that you couldn't even buy spare nocks because no shop around me had them.

[@sahhull]

I personally don't care who shoots what kit. I shoot the kit I do because. It's in my budget. I like the look of it. I like the colour. I like how the grip feels.

[@gc78aus]

Terrific as always Steve !

[@Cpt-Pugwash14]

Carbon Express was a big deal 15 years ago. It's pretty much unheard of now.

[@lstavenhagen]

Monopolies are what you have to deal with when you deregulate markets. I hate to tell the truth on that, but free marketeers have yet to figure this out - they're only sabotaging themselves. The smaller competitors - regardless of their value - are the ones who pay the price. But I guess it is what it is. Accordingly, here in the US, Easton is still the king on arrows, even tho their product is inferior to others like Goldtip in some respects (durability for sure). So to protect my investments in arrows, I've had to stop buying Goldtip which was my main arrow for a number of years, and I just settle for Easton; it's a decent product. CE I never could get good information about, so I never bought them. Goldtip is a good product, but now that I know how they're treating you, that's additional reason not to patronize them anymore.

[@josephtreadlightly5686]

I started out with Easton alum. Then the 1st carbon arrow I shot was a Beman. Then I went to the ACC arrows where I bought dozens after dozens for years & all but 4 have a wobble @ the end. When I started to look @ the market with eyes wide open I stumbled upon Victory & also BlackEagle. Soon I will be making some Pandarus shafts from scratch for my recurve. @ 1st I was reluctant to go with the Blackeagle but I found them to be very practical since they aren't giving u 3 choices. Everything I've made from them either for compound or recurve has met my standards. I'm excited to get my whole setup together with my new Pandarus Icepoint shafts where everything is incliluded in one package which I think more manufacturers should offer. The FMJ offered by Easton never entered my mind due to the makeup of them & I'm not interested in their other models either. 😮

[@kveritas1]

Here’s the thing with Tim and Bowtech, and his comments. In the US, which is the biggest market for all these archery companies, hunting drives the sales. Target archery and target archers are not the focus. The reality is that the majority of customers walking into a bow shop have no clue who Tim is, and probably couldn’t name more than a couple professional target shooters. Instead, they can rattle off lots of social media bowhunters. And that’s the key. Social media and hunting drive the industry right now, and Tim and Kyle had close to a zero footprint in that area. So, pro shooters really have no impact on sales up here.

[@Raised-Right]

This is correct.

[@normankaster917]

I really really miss the carbon express F-15 two blade broadheads

[@markburban9573]

glad i've got a dozen xbusters stashed away.. should last me a lifetime of indoor archery.

[@portugal5698]

So crazy that I see this pop up, just days after my x-force blade crossbow started to fray and eventually snapped, only to confirm “no parts/repl” strings made or in production, as told by my local archery shop, where I bought it from in 2016. However prob fired it hundreds of times and carried it w/ me everywhere I couldn’t hunt w/ a fireaem, as well as harvesting a few good bucks, which for a “budget combo” crossbow, is safe to I personally feel like it owed me nothing and just ordered a “Killer Instinct” to preserve my more expensive, “Ten-Point.”

[@timothycoulter2848]

It could also work in reverse wouldn’t buy the product because someone endorsed it wasn’t fond of. Anyway you tell a great story

[@peterp1143]

What's your number 1 in arrow sales?

[@byronm7234]

Carbon Express is still around in the US. Just bought some in the fall as a lighter alternative to my FMJ's. Haven't gotten around to setting them up yet, but I will in the spring.

[@portugal5698]

Yes, but clearly going “Full K-Mart,” considering almost everything has no available repl. parts.

[@Waty8413]

The fact of the matter is that 99% of Bowtech's customer base doesn't know Tim Gillingham from Tim The Tool Man Taylor. There's a select few "pro" shooters who actually draw customers to a brand and he ain't one of 'em.

[@Australian_Made]

👍

[@jacketprideable]

Who? 🤔

[@brandonpatterson5705]

Walmart is the only one that I know of that sells them, I still buy them they’re not bad.

[@danielsmith8659]

About every major bow shop in the u.s at a minimum sells maxima reds. A well proven arrow reguardless if it’s marketing it’s literally made up. It’s a decent shaft …. But, it is too expensive for its hype to be fabricated .

[@tragedy866]

I just ordered carbon express and eastons. 😂 Eastons 6.5 bowhunter from local shop, and carbon express d-stroyer pile drivers from big box store bass pro

[@MONKLJ]

So mate how are you feeling after about one year after your heart surgery, just asking >

[@jeffspencer7489]

Bowtech dropping Tim has no impact on my decision to use their products. It was more about technology and the different bows my dealer had to evaluate. I bought an SS34 and this year bought a Core SS. Great products. Now if Tim had the following of Levi Morgan or Jim Shockey, perhaps.

[@archerash6695]

Your #1 Steven.. your #1

[@Australian_Made]

**you're NOT your....

[@Australian_Made]

e.g. your #1 wife? Your #1 son? Your 1st million subscribers ??? 🤷‍♀️

[@Bowsonthebrain]

I can still find rage broadheads at my local scheels in the us

[@Australian_Made]

· I MISS CARBON EXPRESS ARROW RANGE 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭

[@liamboyle9199]

What is interesting, and I cannot confirm this, but it appears Fivics have somewhat adopted the CX arrows.

[@benjaminwatters2036]

Or was Fivics/soma the ones making the CX arrows in the first place!

[@liamboyle9199]

@@benjaminwatters2036 This is a man with interesting information 😉

[@mussersbowsboatsandscience6610]

I wondered why I didn't see these arrows anymore.

[@jasonhoge5333]

They went off the map when ferrydyn bought them out.i try not buy anything from ferrydyn if can help it.

[@Blindvanish]

I'm not sure that Carbon Express and Bowtech are really comparable on the issue of pro shooter sponsorship. All you need is one picture of a shooter in competition to see what bow they use, the jersey kinda tips it off, but I have no idea what arrows most of them shoot.

[@farhadelavia]

What’s the point of making a big deal out of this Carbon Express story. It’s like you’re venting after so many years. Not very professional for a dealer to low ball another brand. Doesn’t speak well of how you do business.

[@roverjohn]

Why is it unprofessional to have an opinion? Because it differs from you?

[@cottojn]

I never had an issue with carbon express reds /SD’s

[@danmarzano4180]

FeraDyne was their demise, like many things they bought!

[@joeinterrante7873]

Companies in general play the fool when they forget who got them their success. What if the retailer treats the end customer in a similar " we dont need you" manner. Im in the financial.industry and I dont like the monopolies i see developing. It hurts the consumer. In addition customer service is very sub par, no matter how many surveys they offer

[@shortbuslife3440]

I think half the reason you don't here from these companies is they get rid of there sales reps thinking it will save them money.

[@user-wc6re6dp7r]

hoyt pro edge elite kit arco completo con sgancio mirino stabilizzatore rest

[@MaxxHDROM]

you dont play ball in jordans.. you put them in a box and take em out to smell them every now and again.

[@noneyabizz8337]

Weird

[@MaxxHDROM]

@@noneyabizz8337 I kid you not... Certain sneakers are now, collector items. Selling for thousands. There are people who can tell authentic sneakers based on the smell.... It's crazy. There is a famous young lady in the industry here in the US... I think she is part bloodhound

[@kdcustoms1272]

​@noneyabizz8337 as much as the nice ones cost, that's what I would do... if I bought a pair😂

[@scottmitchell191]

Feradyne

[@eddy839]

feradyne ruined this company. but steve this was a terrible video, i like ur videos don’t get me wrong but u should’ve had a script for this one. like i love the honesty but u cant even mention what carbon express has available while simultaneously talking about them and how bad they are? don’t do the research after should do it prior. much love tho mate

[@Voxguitarsrock]

1st! Lol

[@brucescott9814]

I was thinking of trying Paragon arrows but in the UK they are far from cheap, so I've been buying Skylon arrows seem really good for the price...