Home / Buying Guides / Crossbow Maintenance & Storage
Pre-season tune-up and post-season storage, covered in two halves.
Crossbow maintenance splits cleanly into two jobs on two different schedules: waxing and conditioning the string before the season starts, and storing the bow properly once it's over. Skip either one and you're either shooting a dry, fraying string or leaving a several-hundred-dollar bow to fend for itself in a truck bed or closet all summer.
Already have arrows sorted? See the Best Crossbow Bolts & Arrows guide, or browse the full maintenance & storage shop for every option.
String wax and serving fluid to condition your bow before the season starts.
TenPoint's own natural string wax and conditioner is the straightforward, manufacturer-recommended choice for protecting strings and cables from moisture and wear before the season starts.
Allen's Titan Crossbow String Wax delivers the same string-and-rail protection — dust, dirt, and moisture — as pricier options, at one of the lowest price points in the category.
Serving fluid is a different job than string wax — this non-wax polymeric lubricant treats the string's center serving specifically, and it's odor-free and waterproof for cold-weather hunts.
Hard and soft cases to protect your crossbow and arrows in the off-season or in transit.
A soft-shell case built for narrow-limb, scoped crossbows generally — not locked to one brand — with oversized storage pockets for bolts and accessories.
A foam-padded, water-resistant case built specifically for TenPoint's narrower 2019-and-newer models, with MOLLE straps and quick-release straps for sling- or backpack-style carry.
For air travel or rough truck-bed transport, a hard-shell case gives real impact protection — sized here for Ravin's standard-frame bows (R9 through R500 series).
Ravin's bullpup-frame bows (R26/R26X/R29/R29X) need a differently-shaped case than the standard frame — this padded soft case is lighter than the hard case for everyday transport.
A dedicated hard case for a full set of arrows, protecting fletchings and broadheads in transit rather than tossing loose bolts in the truck bed.
Picks were split into two genuinely different jobs — pre-season string and serving conditioning, and post-season or travel storage — rather than treated as one undifferentiated 'accessories' list.
String wax and serving fluid protect different parts of the string system. We picked at least one option for each rather than assuming one product covers both.
Ravin's bullpup and standard-frame crossbows are shaped differently, and TenPoint's narrower 2019-and-newer models need their own case. We picked cases by frame compatibility instead of treating every crossbow case as universal.
We included both a hard case (best for air travel and rough transport) and soft cases (lighter, better for a normal season of truck-to-blind trips) rather than defaulting to one style.
Unless a page explicitly says a product was tested hands-on by HuntGearGuide, recommendations are based on product specifications, owner review data, merchant/manufacturer information, and practical hunting-use fit. Prices, ratings, review counts, and availability are point-in-time snapshots, so confirm the current merchant listing before buying.
String wax protects the main body of the string and cables from moisture and fraying. Serving fluid conditions the tightly-wrapped serving thread at the center — where the string contacts the arrow nock. Both matter; neither substitutes for the other.
A pre-season wax is the minimum. If you're shooting or hunting frequently, or hunting in wet conditions, a mid-season touch-up keeps the string protected rather than waiting for visible fraying.
A hard case makes sense for air travel or rough truck-bed transport. A soft case is lighter and easier to carry for a normal season of truck-to-blind trips. Buying the wrong style means either overpaying for protection you don't need or under-protecting a bow you fly with.
Ravin's bullpup-frame bows (R26/R26X/R29/R29X) and standard-frame bows (R9 through R500 series) are shaped differently — a case built for one won't properly fit or protect the other.
Leaving a crossbow cocked for months at a time keeps the limbs under constant stress. Most manufacturers recommend decocking (safely, with a proper arrow — never dry-firing) before long-term storage.
At minimum, once before each hunting season. If you shoot frequently or hunt in wet conditions, a mid-season touch-up is worth adding rather than waiting for visible fraying or dryness.
String wax protects the main string and cable body from moisture, dirt, and fraying. Serving fluid is a separate, non-wax lubricant applied specifically to the tightly-wrapped serving thread at the center of the string, where it contacts the arrow nock. Both are part of proper maintenance, but they're not interchangeable.
Hard cases offer more impact protection and make the most sense for air travel or rough transport. Soft cases are lighter, easier to carry, and usually sufficient for a normal season of truck-to-blind trips. Most hunters only need one, based on how they actually move their bow.
Most manufacturers recommend against leaving a crossbow cocked for extended storage, since it keeps the limbs under constant stress. Decock the bow safely with a proper arrow before long-term storage — never dry-fire a crossbow to decock it.
Use the gear checklist generator to plan maintenance supplies alongside the rest of your setup before season opens.
