The article explores how different specimen designs affect the behavior of carbon/epoxy laminates under compression. Three types of specimens were tested, with the waisted specimen being the strongest and the cylindrical specimen the weakest. Free-edge effects were found to impact stress concentrations in the specimens. The study also predicts the effective elastic properties of Z-pinned laminates using various analytical and FE approaches. The results provide valuable insights for understanding and improving the performance of carbon fiber composite materials.