Wicked Ridge RDX 400

Does the RDX 400 actually shoot 400 fps with hunting-weight arrows?

No — the 400 fps rating is achieved with a light 370-grain arrow, as forum members confirmed when the bow launched. One ArcheryTalk owner chronographed 384 fps with a 391-grain arrow, and the community's rule of thumb (about 1 fps lost per 3 grains added) puts typical 415-grain hunting bolts around 385 fps. Our spec data lists 400 fps with 140 ft-lbs of kinetic energy, which is modest for this speed class, so set expectations around the real-world numbers.

Are the reports of cam lean and cable damage real, and is the bow reliable long-term?

The community is genuinely split. One ArcheryTalk owner had a cable jump the cam with only about nine shots on the bow and returned it suspecting missing spacers or cam-slot design, while another owner with 800-plus shots reported no cam lean at all — though his original serving wore out around 60 shots until he had it re-served. A 2019 Crossbow Nation thread debated the cable-to-cam angle inherent in this reverse-draw layout; an experienced poster argued it causes some cable wear but is not a safety failure, so inspect serving and cables early and often.

How good is the trigger?

It carries TenPoint's T-4 trigger rather than the flagship unit on pricier TenPoint models, and owner opinion is split. A Crossbow Nation owner called it fantastic and an ArcheryTalk owner found it very shootable once accustomed, but others rated it merely decent, and one commenter considered it a step down from a Stryker SZ380's trigger. The fair community summary: serviceable for the price, not a selling point.

Is a reverse-draw crossbow like this any different to hunt with from a treestand?

Owners report the mid-mounted limbs make it noticeably better balanced and less nose-heavy than conventional crossbows, and several have hunted it from climbers and hang-on stands without issue. The one caution raised: the forward limbs flex outward at the shot, so check clearance from the tree trunk — one poster's hunting partner struck the trunk three times with a reverse-limb bow. Note the RDX 400's 9.0-inch cocked width is the widest in our crossbow comparison set, and it's a long bow overall at 33.25 inches.

Is the RDX 400 good value compared to other reverse-draw crossbows?

The community consistently frames it as the budget entry into reverse-draw: roughly $800 with the crank at launch, versus Scorpyd reverse-draw bows owners acknowledged were nicer but around double the price. Some posters instead recommended clearance deals on TenPoint's own Storm RDX, criticizing the RDX 400's molded barrel, base scope, and aluminum bolts. Our CareScore of 46.7/100 ranks it #7 of 8 in its category — the community's enthusiasm is about the price-to-platform ratio, not outright performance.

Are the included arrows, scope, and stirrup worth keeping?

Owners are blunt about the package extras: the bundled aluminum arrows are widely reported as inaccurate — one buyer was warned off them by his own dealer and switched to carbon bolts immediately — and several recommend upgrading the base scope from day one. The small front stirrup confused early buyers too; a crossbow journalist clarified in-thread that it's a hanger to keep the nose off the ground during crank-cocking, not a true foot stirrup, and one HuntingPA owner found the quiver sticks out far enough to hit the ground while cocking. Budget for better arrows at minimum.

Across launch-era and later threads, the dominant take is that the RDX 400 puts TenPoint reverse-draw engineering within reach of buyers who can't justify $1,000-plus bows. Posters called it 'a heck of a deal' with the crank, 'one of the best values out there,' and 'a great bow for the money' — with the caveat that the savings show up in the accessories.

Owners repeatedly single out how the mid-mounted limbs shift weight off the nose: 'a much better balanced package,' easier to carry and to shoot from treestands, and lighter-feeling than conventional bows despite the in-stock crank. The only handling caution raised is keeping the forward-flexing limbs clear of tree trunks at the shot.

The most serious criticism in the threads: one owner had a cable come off a misaligned cam within roughly nine shots and returned the bow, another reported premature cable wear, and a 2019 video review's claims about the cable-to-cam angle sparked debate. On the other side, an owner with 800-plus shots reported no cam lean (though his serving wore at 60 shots), and an experienced poster argued the design causes cosmetic cable wear, not unsafe failure.

A consistent complaint pattern: the bundled aluminum arrows shoot poorly (one dealer warned a buyer off them at purchase), the base scope is widely earmarked for replacement, the undersized front 'stirrup' is really just a hanger, and the quiver mounts so wide it can hit the ground during cocking. Owners treat carbon arrows and a scope upgrade as part of the real cost of ownership.

The RDX 400 uses TenPoint's T-4 trigger rather than the flagship unit, and owners disagree about it: one called it 'fantastic,' an early tester rated it 'decent,' another owner said it's 'not the best one out there but very shootable,' and a comparison shopper judged it a downgrade from his Stryker's trigger.

Accuracy reports are uniformly positive once decent arrows are fitted: one owner described being dead-on at 50 and even 70 yards in wind after a 40-yard zero, an early hands-on tester called it 'very accurate,' and a first-shots reviewer was grouping at 30 yards in winter conditions while noting better arrows would tighten things further.