Parallel Pro .. Take two

Before the Parallel Pro and the ACG there was the Navigator.

Not that long ago we wrote an article on the latest target arrow to come out of everyone's fav purveyors of aluminium and carbon products. No, not Tesla .. Easton. The arrow was the Parallel Pro - a direct descendant of the much loved Navigator/ACG and now part of the X10 family. The article can be found on this link but a quick summary for the Pro is .. its an A/C shaft with no barreling (i.e. parallel) and a diameter of 4mm. Light, narrow and well made, its perfect for the intermediate archer looking for a bit better arrow than say a Merlin Alimax as they step up to shoot the all important 70m distance. So why this article? Well, there's another Parallel Pro in town. The Parallel Pro 3.2mm! (From now on we'll call it the 3.2 and the original Parallel Pro, the 4.0 as that's their diameters. Ed).

We can already hear you muttering "Didn't Easton promise "unmatched accuracy and performance for serious archers worldwide" for the 4.0? Yes, yes they did. .. But the 3.2mm is better? .. Sort of! .. The difference between the 3.2 and the 4.0 is almost entirely diameter, which affects: Wind performance (3.2mm better) .. Grains per inch (3.2mm "heavier") .. Component system (3.2mm uses X10 micro components) .. Durability and compatibility (4.0mm better). Lets look behind these bullet points to see whats actually going on:

Goes further cause it says so it on the arrow.

So both arrows are part of Easton’s X10 Parallel Pro line, meaning they share the same construction philosophy and premium tolerances. As stated above, the only major poke it with a finger difference is diameter, which cascades into differences in GPI (grains per inch), components, and wind performance. Easton do say the 3.2 "minimizes wind drift and maximizes retained downrange energy for superior long-range performance." How does it do that? Well, as we hinted earlier, its narrower (by a whole 0.8mm!) but with pretty much the same weight per inch as the 4.0 at least at the lighter spines. Its a grain or two heavier per inch at the stiffer end of things. Its denser if you like and in theory it punches through the wind and travels further through momentum. Its less affected by crosswinds as its narrower with less surface for the wind to push against.

Quick recap as we go .. Smaller diameter = better wind drift resistance. Larger diameter = robust wall thickness (more durable) and broader component compatibility. Heavier shaft = more stability and smoother tune. Lighter shaft = more speed and reaches out further.

Both shafts are built to X10‑grade tolerances, meaning high spine uniformity, tight straightness and weight‑sorted batches but the 3.2mm will take this to another level ensuring near perfection in component weight matching*. The 4.0 will be either as fast or a tad faster to the target being slightly lighter but behaves more like a mid‑diameter shaft with a bit more forgiveness when tuning. One of the big issues with the true X10 is the insane narrowness of the shaft and the fine tolerances on the component fit. Building them is murder at times. The 3.2 is therefore a more specialised shaft with tighter tolerances which can lead to higher prices. The 3.2 uses X10 points, X10 pins and X10 collars all sized for 3.2mm shafts and precisely made. The 4.0 uses 4mm components, from Easton’s 4mm hunting/target lines which are built to take rougher handling.

In other words the 3.2 = more specialised, tighter tolerances, potentially more expensive. 4.0 = easier to source parts, more robust for mixed‑use or less expert setups.

Which is overall better for you? The 3.2 is intended for those people who would like the performance of the barreled X10 but cost or fear of the finicky barreled shaft puts them off. This is a legitimate fear as the X10 barreled shaft is really for elite archers .. mere mortals like 95% of us don't need the X10's performance or its prima donna demands on perfection. The 3.2 is a step towards that elite perfection without going all the way. The 4.0 is an extremely good arrow but is that half step back from the 3.2. The difference in cost will be quite evident but its unlikely you'd notice a difference in performance between the two. Well, not unless your name is Brady Ellison or you are Korean. The 4.0 will be a fantastic intermediate shaft for people who can shoot but archery is not the only thing on their minds 24/7 .. yes, exactly unlike our resident obsessive compulsive Geo.

Whats going to be the damage on these two arrows? .. Starting with the 4.0, this is a moderately priced shaft (Merlin have it at approx £250) with the nock pins adding £15, pin nocks £15 and the points another £17. Roughly before fletching, you'd be looking at approximately £300. The 3.2 is so new that we don't have a great deal of selection to gauge an average cost but it looks like the shafts alone will be £350 with the other components adding approximately £50 so £400. Slightly more upmarket but still not approaching the barreled X10 .. i.e. steep but not f'ing vertical like the X10 (£500!!!) while approaching similar potential performance. Neither arrow is going to let you down.

So there you go. An arrow for you to ponder adding as it does, another price point on the ladder of arrow purchasing. Will it make you shoot better? Nope, that's up to you BUT it will be there to support you when you do shoot better. Both of the Parallel Pro's will, its just that one is going to cost a little more.

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* Ironically this insane level of weight matching was debunked by coach, author and friend of the website, Steve Ruis in his article "Show me? Show You!"

3.2mm Parallel Pro from Easton
4.0mm Parallel Pro from Easton

As with all of our reviews and investigations, do your own research. You may find our conclusions are not yours. We are lovely and knowledgeable but rarely infallible (except in matter of doctrine obviously).