The best crossbow cocking devices

This is the page the rest of the site is built around. If drawing a bow is the reason you are looking at crossbows, this product is the one you are actually shopping for — the bow is whatever your chosen aid fits.

In detail

The five picks

01The best-documented effort reduction here

$149.99/Amazon

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Barnett Crank Cocking Device

Barnett

8.6/ 10

Barnett publishes two numbers that almost nobody else does: 93 percent resistance reduction, and 13 pounds of actual pull at the handle. On a 150-pound Barnett that turns an impossible draw into something you can do one-handed from a seated position. The compatibility list on the listing runs to dozens of named models, which is the other reason to pick it — you can check your bow before you buy.

Published spec	Value
Effort reduction	93%
Pull at the handle	13 lb
Type	Crank, stock-mounted
Handed	Ambidextrous
Fits	Barnett Raptor, Whitetail Hunter, Ghost, Recruit, Droptine, Wildcat and more
Hardware	Crank plus all installation hardware included
De-cocks	Not published

What it does well

• 93 percent reduction and a 13 lb handle pull, both published
• A named-model compatibility list you can check against your bow
• Ambidextrous handle
• Everything needed to install is in the box

Where it falls short

• Barnett bows only — check the list, because it is specific
• The listing does not say whether it de-cocks
• Mounts to the stock, so it stays on the bow and adds weight

Our rubric

Effort reduction

9.6

Fit range

7.8

Noise

7.4

Pack size

6.4

Value

8.2

02A crank you can take off and carry in a pocket

$249.98/Amazon

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Excalibur Charger EXT

Excalibur

8.4/ 10

12 pounds of draw effort, and a quick-detach system that lets you pull the whole crank off in seconds and put it in a pack. That is the difference that matters: most cranks live on the bow and add weight for the whole walk. Excalibur bows only — TwinStrike, Micro and Bulldog series.

Published spec	Value
Draw effort	12 lb
Type	Crank, quick-detach
Handed	Ambidextrous, detachable handle
Fits	Excalibur TwinStrike, Micro and Bulldog series
Material	High-strength aluminum alloy
Carry	Removes in seconds for pack or pocket
De-cocks	Not published

What it does well

• 12 lb of effort, among the lowest published figures here
• Quick-detach, so the weight is only on the bow when you need it
• Aluminum alloy rather than a polymer body
• Ambidextrous and the handle itself detaches

Where it falls short

• Excalibur bows only
• One of the most expensive cocking aids on the site
• Some older Excalibur models need a retrofit

Our rubric

Effort reduction

9.4

Fit range

6.8

Noise

7.6

Pack size

9.2

Value

7.0

03A crank that also unloads the bow

$149.95/Amazon

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Killer Instinct DSC Compact Decocker

Killer Instinct

8.4/ 10

A silent cranking system with a speed-connect on/off attachment, and the only aftermarket unit here whose name says decocker. If your bow is a Killer Instinct and you have ever ended a sit by firing a bolt into the dirt to unload, this is the fix.

Published spec	Value
Type	Crank, compact slim-line
De-cocks	Yes
Attachment	Speed Connect on/off
Handed	Ambidextrous cocking handle
Cocking	Silent cranking system
Effort reduction	Not published
Fits	Killer Instinct crossbows

What it does well

• De-cocking without a discharge shot, which most aftermarket cranks cannot do
• Speed Connect means it comes off between sits
• Slim-line body keeps the stock profile usable

Where it falls short

• No effort-reduction percentage published
• Killer Instinct bows only
• Priced like a mid-range scope

Our rubric

Effort reduction

8.6

Fit range

6.6

Noise

9.0

Pack size

8.4

Value

7.6

04The rope cocker to buy if you only buy one

$24.99/Amazon

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Barnett Premium Rope Cocking Device

Barnett

8.4/ 10

50 percent tension reduction from a 50-inch rope with hook-style ends, a knurled soft grip and a magnet lock so the handles stay put in your pocket. It is adjustable to both the bow and the user, which matters more than it sounds: an evenly-pulled string is an accurate one.

Published spec	Value
Tension reduction	Up to 50%
Rope length	50 in
Type	Rope cocker, hook style
Handed	Ambidextrous
Grip	Diamond knurl soft grip with magnet lock
Adjustable	To both the crossbow and the user
De-cocks	Not published

What it does well

• Adjustable to the bow and to your arm length
• Magnet lock keeps the handles together in a pocket
• Pulls the string evenly, which is the accuracy argument for a rope
• Costs less than a box of broadheads

Where it falls short

• 50 percent of a 200 lb bow is still a 100 lb pull
• Hooks can mar a rail if you drag them
• No de-cocking

Our rubric

Effort reduction

6.8

Fit range

9.0

Noise

8.0

Pack size

9.6

Value

9.4

05Cheap, universal, and kind to your rail

$16.44/Amazon

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Allen Double Handled Crossbow Cocking Rope

Allen

8.3/ 10

50 percent draw reduction, oversized handles, and the detail that earns it a place here: molded string hooks with a roller inside, so the hook does not chew the rail and the pull runs smoother. It fits most crossbow models rather than one brand.

Published spec	Value
Draw reduction	Up to 50%
Type	Rope cocker, double handle
Handles	Oversized
Hooks	Molded, with a friction-reducing roller
Fits	Most crossbow models
Rail safety	Hooks will not damage the rail
De-cocks	Not published

What it does well

• Roller hooks reduce friction and protect the rail
• Universal fit rather than brand-locked
• Oversized handles suit gloved or arthritic hands
• Cheapest branded rope cocker here

Where it falls short

• 50 percent only; this is not a crank substitute
• No published rope length
• No de-cocking

Our rubric

Effort reduction

6.8

Fit range

9.4

Noise

8.2

Pack size

9.6

Value

9.6

How we picked

Scored on published effort reduction first, then fit range, noise, pack size and value. Where a maker publishes an absolute figure in pounds — and three here do — we prefer it to a percentage, because it tells you what your shoulder is actually doing. See our methodology.

The numbers, side by side

What the percentages mean on your bow

The arithmetic is worth doing explicitly, because the brochure numbers hide how different these are:

Look at the 220 lb row. A rope cocker leaves you lifting 110 lb; the Barnett crank leaves 15 lb. Those are not two versions of the same product category.

What to look for in a cocking aid

Fit, which is where purchases go wrong

Almost everything here is brand-specific and several are model-specific. The Barnett crank's listing names dozens of compatible models with their suffixes. The Charger EXT fits three Excalibur series. The CenterPoint Power Draw needs a MIL-SPEC buffer tube. Check your exact model name, including the suffix, against the published list. See universal crank compatibility.

Whether it de-cocks

Only one device here publishes de-cocking capability: the Killer Instinct DSC. Several publish nothing about it, which is not the same as confirming they cannot — and attempting to backwind a crank that does not support it can injure you. Where a maker is silent, treat it as a no. See how to de-cock a crossbow.

Whether it comes off the bow

A stock-mounted crank stays on for the whole walk in. The Charger EXT quick-detaches in seconds and goes in a pack, and CenterPoint's Power Draw clips off. On a long approach that is worth real weight.

Hook design, on a rope

Allen's rope uses molded hooks with a roller inside, which reduces friction and does not chew the rail. Barnett's has a knurled soft grip and a magnet lock so the handles stay together in a pocket. These are small differences that you notice every single time you cock the bow.

Which one you should buy

The option nobody mentions: buy the bow with it built in

An integrated crank cannot be left at home, adds no separate purchase, and publishes the lowest figures available — TenPoint states 5 lb for ACUdraw and ACUslide. If you are still choosing a bow, that is a better route than buying a bow and bolting an aid onto it. See crossbows under $1,000 and best crossbows for a shoulder injury.