Ravin range review
Ravin crossbows: what the range actually offers
Ravin builds the narrowest crossbows on the market and prices them accordingly. Here is what the cam system does, and where the published figures stop.
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Ranked
Quick picks
| # | Product | Cocked width | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank 1 | Ravin R26X | 5.75 in | 8.7 | $1,999.99Amazon |
| Rank 2 |  Ravin R18 | 8.6 | $1,999.99Amazon | |
| Rank 3 |  Ravin R29X | 8.7 | $2,299.99Amazon | |
| Rank 4 |  Ravin R470 | 8.5 | $2,424.51Amazon | |
| Rank 5 |  Ravin R10X | 8.1 | $1,799.99Amazon |
Ravin's defining feature is cam geometry: Helicoil grooves rotate the cams 340 degrees, and the Verticoil system on the R18 stands them vertically for 720 degrees of rotation. The result is cocked widths of 1.3 to 5.75 inches, far narrower than any conventional compound crossbow.
Ravin is the brand you buy for one reason, and it is not speed. It is geometry. Every other maker's narrowest bow is around 8-9 in cocked. Ravin's listings publish 5.75 in for the R26X and 1.3 in of cocked height for the R18. If your constraint is a blind window or a tight saddle setup, Ravin is in a category of one.
In detail
Five Ravin models
Ravin R26X
5.75 inches axle-to-axle cocked, 6.5 pounds, and a cocking system you can stop mid-stroke without the bow fighting you. The one-way bearing is the feature that matters on a cold morning in a blind: you can cock in stages, quietly, instead of committing to one noisy pull.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Cocked width | 5.75 in |
| Weight | 6.5 lb |
| Cocking | Silent, stop mid-cycle; Trac Trigger and one-way bearing |
| Cam system | Helicoil, 340-degree cam rotation |
| Arrows | Three Ravin .003 arrows, 400 gr total |
| Scope | 100-yard illuminated |
| Speed |
What it does well
- Stop-anywhere cocking is the quietest draw stroke published here
- A 5.75-inch cocked width beats every non-Ravin bow on this site
- A 100-yard illuminated scope is included rather than an upsell
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 9.2
- 8.0
- 9.4
- 9.6
- 9.0
- 6.6
Ravin R18
Ravin's Verticoil cams coil the string over 720 degrees, which collapses the cocked height to 1.3 inches. Nothing else on this site is close. At 6 pounds with a Versa-Draw crank built in, it is the bow for a tight blind window or a mobile saddle setup, and the price is the reason most people do not end up with one.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Cocked height | 1.3 in |
| Weight | 6 lb |
| Cocking aid | Versa-Draw crank, integrated |
| Cam system | 720-degree Verticoil |
| Arrows | Three 16 in .003 R18 arrows, 350 gr total |
| Sight | Ravin 3-dot reflex |
| Speed |
What it does well
- A 1.3-inch cocked height makes blind-window geometry a non-issue
- Ravin's shortest and lightest model at 6 pounds
- The Versa-Draw crank is integrated, so the cocking aid is never forgotten
- The Frictionless Flight System keeps the arrow off the rail
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 9.0
- 7.5
- 8.4
- 9.8
- 9.2
- 6.8
Ravin R29X
450 fps at 6.75 pounds with the same stop-anywhere silent cocking as the R26X. If you want speed and a quiet draw in one bow and the budget is not the binding constraint, this is where those two requirements meet.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Speed | 450 fps |
| Weight | 6.75 lb |
| Cocking | Silent, stop mid-cycle |
| Cam system | Helicoil, 340-degree cam rotation |
| Arrows | Three Ravin .003 arrows, 400 gr total |
| Scope | 100-yard illuminated |
| Cocked width |
What it does well
- 450 fps is the second-fastest figure published on this site
- Silent, stoppable cocking at that speed is rare
- Still under 7 pounds
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 9.0
- 9.6
- 9.2
- 8.6
- 8.8
- 6.2
Ravin R470
470 fps from an 8.4-pound frame with the Versa-Draw crank built in. It is the fastest figure any listing here publishes. Understand what you are buying: at 470 fps your bolt, nock, broadhead and target all have to be rated for it, and almost no bag target is.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Speed | 470 fps |
| Weight | 8.4 lb |
| Cocking aid | Versa-Draw crank, integrated |
| Cam system | Helicoil, 340-degree cam rotation |
| Arrows | Three Ravin .003 R500 Series arrows, 400 gr total |
| Scope | 100-yard illuminated, rated to 550 fps |
| Cocked width |
What it does well
- 470 fps published, the highest here
- The integrated crank keeps cocking effort low despite the power
- The scope is rated past the bow's own speed, so the speed dial has headroom
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 8.8
- 10.0
- 8.2
- 8.0
- 6.8
- 6.0
Ravin R10X
The entry point to the Helicoil platform, with the Versa-Draw crank and a 100-yard Speed Lock scope included. Ravin does not publish a speed or width figure for it on the listing, which is frustrating on a bow at this price, so treat the packaging as the reason to buy rather than the numbers.
| Published spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Cocking aid | Versa-Draw crank, integrated |
| Cam system | Helicoil, 340-degree cam rotation |
| Arrows | Three Ravin .003 arrows, 400 gr total |
| Scope | 100-yard illuminated Speed Lock |
| Speed | |
| Cocked width | |
| Weight |
What it does well
- The Versa-Draw crank is integrated at Ravin's lowest price
- A 100-yard illuminated scope is included
- Same frictionless rail design as the rest of the line
Where it falls short
Our rubric
- 9.0
- 7.5
- 8.4
- 8.8
- 8.4
- 6.4
What the cam system does
A conventional compound crossbow has cams that rotate in the horizontal plane, so the limbs and cables sweep sideways as the bow is drawn — and that sweep is what sets cocked width. Ravin's Helicoil grooves let the cams rotate 340 degrees while staying balanced, keeping the string and cables close to the rail. The Verticoil version on the R18 goes further: the cams are oriented vertically and coil the string over 720 degrees, collapsing width to the point where cocked height becomes the dimension worth quoting.
The Frictionless Flight System is the other half. The arrow sits off the rail rather than dragging on it, which Ravin credits with better consistency and longer string life. The practical consequence is that Ravin bows need Ravin arrows and nocks.
What Ravin publishes, and what it does not
| Model | Speed | Cocked width | Weight | Cocking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R18 | 1.3 in (height) | 6 lb | Versa-Draw crank, integrated | |
| R26X | 5.75 in | 6.5 lb | Silent, stop mid-cycle | |
| R29X | 450 fps | 6.75 lb | Silent, stop mid-cycle | |
| R470 | 470 fps | 8.4 lb | Versa-Draw crank, integrated | |
| R10X / R10 Pro | Versa-Draw crank, integrated | |||
| R500 |
That table is the honest case against Ravin as well as for it. Four of six models here do not publish a speed figure on the listing. The R500, Ravin's flagship, publishes nothing but its own name. At these prices that is a genuine complaint, and it is why our scores for the R10X, R10 Pro and R500 sit below where their reputation would put them.
The two cocking systems
Versa-Draw
An integrated crank, on the R18, R10X, R10 Pro and R470. Ravin describes it as easy cocking for all users and does not publish an effort figure, which is a shame — TenPoint publishes 5 lb for its equivalent and it is a useful number to be able to compare.
Silent cocking with a one-way bearing
On the R26X and R29X. This is the better system and the reason to pick those models: the Trac Trigger and one-way bearing let you stop mid-cycle and hold the string wherever you let go. You can cock in stages, quietly, while an animal has its head down. Nothing else on this site outside TenPoint's ACUslide does that.
The running costs
- Proprietary arrows. Ravin .003 arrows in 16 in (R18) or standard length, with Ravin nocks. More expensive per dozen than a Carbon Express or Bloodsport shaft, and not optional.
- Proprietary parts. The R18 draw handle is a model-specific part that costs as much as a mid-range scope.
- A fast-rated target. The R29X at 450 fps and R470 at 470 fps need targets most bag targets cannot be: see targets for fast bows.
- A hard case, if you travel. SKB makes a gasket-sealed hard case specifically molded for the R26, R29 and R29X.
Who should buy a Ravin
If your blind window is tighter than 9 in, or you hunt from a saddle where the bow has to pass between you and the tree, Ravin solves a problem nothing else solves. If you want the quietest draw stroke available, the R26X and R29X do that too.
If you want the lowest cocking effort, TenPoint publishes a lower figure. If you want value, five bows on this site offer 400 fps and a published cocked width for a quarter of the money. Ravin is a specialist purchase, and it is worth it when the specialty is your actual constraint.
