For 2010 Carbon Express has introduced three new hunting shafts: the Mutiny, PileDriver and Mayhem. This review will take a look at the Mayhem, another review takes a look at the PileDriver.
Carbon Express sent a dozen of the standard Mayhem shafts for analysis and testing. The Mayhems are made using Carbon Express’s K-360° Weave Technology which uses a woven carbon fiber pattern unlike most shafts that use layers of uni-directional fibers. This is similar to the Maxima Series that have been a Carbon Express staple for several years and is touted to provide tight spine and straightness tolerances.
One additional thing about the weave style carbon is that it looks sharp. With the ultra smooth finish and the the weave pattern, these shafts are real eye catchers. The Mayhem graphic is a combo of skull and flames in yellow with red highlight.
For an explanation of how all measurements for this review are made, see the following articles:
How to Measure Arrow Shaft Specifications
Carbon Express Mayhem Models, Price and Availability
Similar to the PileDriver, the Mayhem comes in two main models, the standard and the hunter. The basic differences is a camouflage paint job front 2/3s or so on the hunter version that adds a bit of weight and beefs up the FOC slightly.
| Mayhem | gpi | Spine | Diameter |
| 250 | 8.9 | 0.410” | 0.299” |
| 350 | 9.8 | 0.334” | 0.302” |
| 250 Hunter | 8.9 | 0.418” | 0.300” |
| 350 Hunter | 9.8 | 0.347” | 0.303” |
All Mayhems carry the same tolerance specifications regardless of model:
| Straightness | Weight tolerance | Spine tolerance |
| +/-.0035” | +/- 1 grain | +/-.0025″ |
The Mayhems are a relatively new arrow to the market and haven’t quite made it to all archery shops yet, but I was able to find them at the majority of online shops:
| Shaft | Arrow | |
| Standard | $110-$115 | $120-$130 |
| Hunter | $120-125 | $130-$140 |
Carbon Express Mayhem Shafts: Weight
| 1 | 301.564 | -0.972 |
| 2 | 301.672 | -0.864 |
| 3 | 301.718 | -0.818 |
| 4 | 301.764 | -0.772 |
| 5 | 302.088 | -0.448 |
| 6 | 302.166 | -0.370 |
| 7 | 302.922 | 0.386 |
| 8 | 303.061 | 0.525 |
| 9 | 303.215 | 0.679 |
| 10 | 303.261 | 0.725 |
| 11 | 303.308 | 0.772 |
| 12 | 303.508 | 0.972 |
| Average | 302.521 | |
| Medial | 302.536 |
Mayhems hold excellent weight tolerances with some of the toughest specs in the industry. The dozen I tested held to +/- 0.972 grains and fall within the +/- 1 grain spec. The measured dozen had a grains per inch of 9.818 which is dead on with the 9.8 gpi stated on the Carbon Express website.
Carbon Express Mayhem Shafts: Inside and Outside Diameters
All of the Mayhem shafts tested had an exact inside diameter of 0.243″. The outside diameter measured 0.3015″ for the full dozen which is exactly at the stated specification.
Carbon Express Mayhem Shafts: Spine Consistency
| Label | Side 1 | Opp. Label | Side 2 | |
| 1 | 0.331 | 0.332 | 0.331 | 0.331 |
| 2 | 0.331 | 0.331 | 0.332 | 0.332 |
| 3 | 0.332 | 0.334 | 0.332 | 0.335 |
| 4 | 0.332 | 0.334 | 0.336 | 0.331 |
| 5 | 0.334 | 0.334 | 0.332 | 0.334 |
| 6 | 0.334 | 0.334 | 0.331 | 0.334 |
| 7 | 0.334 | 0.334 | 0.335 | 0.335 |
| 8 | 0.335 | 0.334 | 0.335 | 0.334 |
| 9 | 0.335 | 0.334 | 0.336 | 0.335 |
| 10 | 0.335 | 0.334 | 0.334 | 0.335 |
| 11 | 0.335 | 0.334 | 0.332 | 0.334 |
| 12 | 0.337 | 0.336 | 0.337 | 0.337 |
Carbon Express arrows are well known for their consistent spine and with the exception of one shaft, this dozen was extremely tight. Without the one exception, the dozen measured at +/- .002″ spine difference. However, there was one outlayer that was an extra thousandth off. Because there was only one shaft that was seemingly off of the others, I measured it multiple times and ended up with the same result. The K-360° Weave Technology is aimed at creating spine consistency and straightness and it appears to be doing just that.
Carbon Express Mayhem Shafts: Straightness
| Straightness | |
| 1 | 0.0020 |
| 2 | 0.0030 |
| 3 | 0.0030 |
| 4 | 0.0035 |
| 5 | 0.0035 |
| 6 | 0.0035 |
| 7 | 0.0040 |
| 8 | 0.0045 |
| 9 | 0.0055 |
| 10 | 0.0055 |
| 11 | 0.0060 |
| 12 | 0.0060 |
Carbon Express’s straightness specification calls for +/- 0.0035″ for a total span of 0.007″. This dozen fit well within the spec with none of the shafts hitting the maximum allowed variance.
| Straightness | |
| 1 | 0.0020 |
| 2 | 0.0025 |
| 3 | 0.0030 |
| 4 | 0.0035 |
| 5 | 0.0040 |
| 6 | 0.0045 |
| 7 | 0.0050 |
| 8 | 0.0055 |
| 9 | 0.0055 |
| 10 | 0.0075 |
| 11 | 0.0075 |
| 12 | 0.0075 |
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