For more than 30 years, the outdoor industry leader of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) strings has been humbly led by the premier products produced by Headhunter Bow Strings. This is evidenced by a history of producing more than 15 million strings, delivering some of the finest performance strings and cables available in the archery industry today. Top companies that have trusted their bows to be used with Headhunter strings have included names as PSE, Bowtech, Bear, Xpedition, Genesis, Barnett and Excalibur, to name a few. 

Additionally, these strings have been relied upon by serious bowhunters and target archers all over the world. Headhunter has exceeded expectations for high-quality strings for years with incredible string performance. That said, leaders lead by continuing to push the envelope and raise the bar to higher levels of standard. And that is precisely what Headhunter has done with its new string product that is going to change the game when it comes to bowstrings. 

Alien Strings

For 2026, Headhunter Bow Strings announced a transformative string material called Alien. This fresh line of stings was engineered within the Headhunter team to bring an advancement in string tensile strength, durability, longevity, efficiency and performance. Designed and constructed with a one-of-a-kind advancement in fiber material, these strings bring bow and crossbow performance to a whole new level.

For many years, Headhunter has been building top-notch string and serving material throughout the globe. However, the company has taken their string material with the re-engineered Alien strings to an entirely new level. Imagined, created and realized within its factories, Headhunter has been able to reconfigure what is possible in a bowstring.

Headhunter didn’t want to simply come out with a new product — the company wanted to build sets of bowstrings that would outdo any previous bowstring experiences. The goal was to create a string material that would become the new standard for increasing bow speed and efficiency while also lengthening string life — qualities that both bowhunters and target archers seek. In essence, Headhunter set out to redefine the stereotype of factory strings. Alien strings are more than just the best strings ever built by Headhunter; according to the team at Headhunter, the new Aliens are ultimately the best strings in the archery world.

Alien strings were created over an extended research and development period before being put through a rigorous testing process. During the testing phase of these newly developed strings, Headhunter worked with OEM companies to create a string that was not only more efficient than anything on the market, but one that was to the exact measurements of each bow specification, down to thousandths of an inch.

As with all strings produced at Headhunter, the new Alien strings were placed under 400 pounds of pressure, far more than any bow setup, to ensure they don’t stretch afterwards. Then, the team put this new material through excessive abuse, striving to find any faults in the product.

Microscopic imaging of the Alien fibers revealed that even after several days of testing with shooting machines, meaning tens of thousands of shots, there were no signs of breakdown within the fibers of the string material. Additionally, this material has reduced the amount of friction created between the string and a bow’s cam system. When there is less friction during the release of an arrow, the string slides more freely through the grooves of the cam, contributing to an increase in bow speed and performance. Certainly, this has been an overlooked aspect of string performance, especially with custom strings.

Changing Stereotypes

For years, the attitude behind factory strings has been negative. The consensus has been that factory strings and cables are made from low-quality material that easily stretches and are just thrown on OEM bows to get them out on the market. This stereotype was formed because at one point, it was true. Manufacturers put the most basic, cost-effective strings and cables on their setups. Now, since working closely with Headhunter, OEMs see the value and performance accrued in their bows with the use of the highest quality strings possible.

In the past, after customers purchased a new bow and started shooting, it was recommended that they switch out the factory strings with a custom ordered set. With Alien strings, this will no longer be necessary. Archers will be set up with outstanding strings right from the get-go. 

This means greater bow speeds. It means less string wear and tear. It will result in longer string life. Greater string life for customers will limit dealers having to hassle with string orders. Customers will also be happier with a product that is not only more efficient than all other available products, but also makes their dollar go farther. Both aspects will increase customer satisfaction.

Direct to Dealer

Another bold new change for 2026 being offered by Headhunter is direct-to-dealer distribution of strings. Going beyond OEM production, Headhunter will now be working with local pro shops to build and distribute the best bowstrings according to tight manufacturer specifications directly to customers. This expansion of production will work to change the bowstring market for dealers, as well as archers.

Headhunter won’t just build colored strings, they build what is right for the bow. This is done with state-of-the-art equipment to build factory-specific strings and cables with the utmost precision at a moment’s notice. Due to its efficient, one-of-a-kind equipment, Headhunter’s string building process allows them to keep literally tens of thousands of completed string sets on hand and ready to deliver. As a result, Headhunter can take care of any string order needs, whether it be a single customer order, or an entire pro shop supply. This eliminates dealers from having to be concerned with maintaining a vast string inventory while still providing the best customer service.

Consumers will be able to get new strings and cables for their archery setup through their local dealer who can now get replacement factory strings by ordering them directly through Headhunter’s simple online ordering process at headhunterbowstrings.com or by giving them a call at (608) 868-3060.

One advantage of this is archers who have been shooting Headhunter strings from the start can be confident in knowing that their new set of strings is going to be the same high-quality product they have come to trust. Also, neither the dealer nor the customer will have to worry about custom orders that often result in extended waiting times or shortcomings in string specs. 

Another advantage of this is dealers can eliminate the need to have money held up in string inventory. Headhunter offers competitive string prices with very generous dealer margins. With so many strings ready to go, Headhunter will ship orders within 48 hours and, in many cases, on the same day of receiving orders. This is a win-win for dealers and consumers.

American Made

I love products that are American made as much as I love America. Headhunter strings are the epitome of goods crafted right here at home. With two factory locations, one in Milton, Wisconsin, and the other in Meeker, Colorado, you can be sure that the strings received from Headhunter are built right here in the U.S.A. When using Headhunter strings, there is no need to worry about hard-earned dollars going to support foreign jobs or getting a sub-par product from overseas. In fact, each year hundreds of thousands of the strings produced by Headhunters are conversely shipped across the world to other countries because of the demand for their high quality and quick turnaround.

I’ve witnessed first hand the hard-working drive and work ethic of the employees at Headhunter who strive each day to hand build exceptional bowstrings. These employees work with great care, precision and attention to detail to ensure each string is built to the absolute highest standard. In my opinion, selecting Headhunter strings doesn’t just mean supporting American manufacturing, that decision also provides customers with the best bowstrings money can buy.

Final Thoughts

Through the production of Headhunter’s Alien strings, the archery game will change for the better for OEMs, dealers and customers — dealers will now have the opportunity to deliver these strings to their customers by ordering strings and cables directly from Headhunter.

The new Alien strings will help bowhunters and target archers experience increased bow speeds, smoother draw cycles, and longer lasting strings. This new material, combined with the precision production measures implemented by Headhunter, has set the highest standard for what to expect in a bowstring.

Sidebar: A History of Excellence

Headhunter Bow Strings first started in 1991 at its facility in Colorado. Over the course of time, the company succeeded in producing a solid product for bow manufactures around the country. In 2010, brothers Jeff, Brad and Brian Adee purchased the company. In 2011, they jumpstarted their factory in Wisconsin to meet growing production demands, as well as to have a second facility in case one was to face production issues, such as a natural disaster. It is this sort of oversight that allows Headhunter to continue pushing the envelope of progress further ahead.

The Adees are genuine, down-to-earth people who have as much passion for bowhunting and the outdoors as they do for striving to produce the best bow strings possible. In all they have done, they haven’t ceased to pursue excellence with the manufacturing of Headhunter Bow Strings. They have poured hours upon hours of time and effort into this company, doing whatever it takes to not just make it succeed, but also excel.

They have done this by developing their own one-of-a-kind string jigs that are incredibly speedy while also maintaining precision, resulting in reliable, consistent string builds. These jigs, combined with extremely skilled workers, have led to the success that the Adees have built over the years.

This consistency and obsession with exactness, along with a willingness to build relationships, is why so many OEMs have trusted the Headhunter brand to produce the strings that will accentuate their equipment on the market. Companies have come to know that working with Headhunter means having a partner that makes those products better.

Sidebar: Headhunter Alien Strings Tried-and-True Field Test

I had the opportunity to put the new Headhunter Alien strings to the test while bowhunting during fall 2025.  To say I was impressed would be an understatement.

One of the biggest impressions I received was how much speed was gained as compared to my previous set of strings. At 70 pounds draw weight, my old setup was pushing my 446-grain arrow at 269 fps. When I switched over to the new Alien strings, the average chronograph reading was 20 fps more at 289 fps!

I’ll do the math for you: That 20 fps increase in speed jumped my arrow’s kinetic energy from 71.67 ft/lbs. up to 82.73 ft/lbs. That is a big jump for doing nothing more than swapping bowstrings.

In archery, all the little things make a big difference — those 11 extra foot pounds of energy might mean increased arrow penetration for a kill on a trophy buck, and 20 fps could make the difference between winning a tournament with a 12 ring or losing with 10.

In addition to an increase in speed, I shot hundreds of arrows with no resulting string stretch or noticeable fiber wear. With all these findings, I was confident in relying on these strings during my 2025 New Mexico elk hunt. When it came down to making a dream shot opportunity from 50 yards on the second day of the hunt, the Alien strings performed flawlessly, helping me fill my tag on an incredible bull (above).