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Radar

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I have went back and forth between feathers and Blazers vanes for a few years now , but recently while practicing in a stiff crosswind that is common in the Midwest , I got tired of watching Blazers kick off to the side in the wind .
I got out a few feather fletched arrows to shoot , and what a difference it made. They shoot like darts , even in a crosswind . Tightened up my groups big time !
I ended up re fletching 8 arrows with feathers . Yeah they are a little noisier , I have to treat them with dri-fletch , and they can be somewhat less durable than vanes , but the forgiveness far outweighs any disadvantages .
Not wanting to start up the tired old debate of feathers vs. vanes , just happy with them and thought I would share my experience with them .
 
Mr.Bro said:
Me too! 4in feathers,through a biscuit.
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I used to shoot feathers through a biscuit too . They work well , and just get a slight wear on the outer edges .
I use an Apache drop away rest now . What I like best is the amount of helical I can put on them and the ability for them to take control the arrow better with broadheads or in the wind .
 
UTGrad said:
Pics?

I saw some small feather fletching on some arrows once. Looked sweet.
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These are some of the 4" barred feathers I fletched a while back . I'm using solid white now .

DSCF1327.jpg
 
Scott, if you are using a drop away, you need to give the FOBs a try with that wind. They are great. My arrows are fletched with the little Quickspins or the FOBs, and there is no doubt that the FOBs are more accurate.

I've looked for a negative point (besides looking weird) and haven't been able to find one yet.
 
Funny thing when the drop aways first came out,maybe 10 or 12 years ago.The idea was so you could shoot a helical vane.Now most everyone shoots the short straight or slight helical vanes.

Ive tried em all and will stick with feathers.
 
I love shooting feathers and have also experienced the better flight of them...but the HIGH cost of them is why I swapped to vanes. For just regular solid colored Gateway 4" feathers, they are about .40 cents a piece. The barred colored ones are more like .60 cents a piece. 50 of them is over $20 for the feathers and over $30 for the barred colored ones per 50. I shoot VaneTec 2" HP vanes now...basically a Blazer but different colors and somewhat cheaper. They run about .10 cents a piece...meaning you can get 100 of them for about $15 shipped.

If the cost was closer to the same as the vanes, it would be a no contest for me...I'd be shooting feathers too.
 
I have used feathers for hunting and target practice.
But for shooting the same arrow over and over through a deer rib cage, 4 inch vanes are hard to beat. Feathers do not seem to like blood, even after being washed and steamed.

I have not tried FOB's but will some day.
 
I have always shot feathers,ive tried vanes but always go back.now Im shooting threw a hostage rest .Have you tried the bohning fletch tape?that stuff is great makes fletching really fast just stick it in place with the clamp and go to the next one no dry time,it holds up really well too.
 
Wow!With the average bow now beeing over $500 and many up near $1,000.Not counting the cost of your rest,sight and other accessories.I find it hard to believe someone would not shoot a vane that gives better accuracy because it cost $1.50 more an arrow.
 
Mr.Bro said:
Wow!With the average bow now beeing over $500 and many up near $1,000.Not counting the cost of your rest,sight and other accessories.I find it hard to believe someone would not shoot a vane that gives better accuracy because it cost $1.50 more an arrow.
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Ditto ! I was thinking the exact same thing !
 
scn said:
Scott, if you are using a drop away, you need to give the FOBs a try with that wind. They are great. My arrows are fletched with the little Quickspins or the FOBs, and there is no doubt that the FOBs are more accurate.

I've looked for a negative point (besides looking weird) and haven't been able to find one yet.
Click to expand...

I would say that FOB 's could be less forgiving than feathers if they come into contact with any part of the rest . I have had vanes come into contact with my drop away cord and even make contact with the launcher arm at higher speeds . I had to set the timing of the drop on the rest contact , and retie my cord into the down cable at a better angle to offer better clearance for my drop away cord.
I have an Apache full containment drop away that could also be an issue as well with contact .
One of the biggest advantages of feathers is the forgiveness of any incidental contact with the rest and the ability to take control of the arrow quicker , as well as the increased drag factor at longer distances .
There are positives and negatives with all types of fletchings , but as someone who enjoys fletching my own arrows , I just love the beauty of a feather fletched arrow . They even look awesome in flight. :)
 
Hard to believe? IF it were just $1.50 an arrow that would be different. But it's not just $1.50 more an arrow.

When you buy the bow, rest, sight, etc...you have all that you need and don't have to deal with wear and tare/replacing them UNLESS you just want to upgrade and that's not a "have to". So the initial up front cost is all you deal with. The only thing you replace on the bow under general use, are the strings/cables every other yr or two.

Fletching is the most common thing I replace due to wear/tare that is a HAVE TO. As much as I shoot during the course of the year, it gets on up there in cost and it is ALWAYS re-occuring. It is by far my most expensive reoccuring cost. With feathers it is even more expensive/reoccuring due to the frequency of having to replace them...i.e. when you gape one fletch. Vanes hold up a lot better in that area. I'm already up to about 5 dozen arrows this yr that I've fletched/refletched....and that with vanes. If I were shooting feathers it would be AT LEAST twice more than that...or basically 360 feathers @ $144 for just the cost of 50 feathers at $20 per $50. That with no taxes or shipping cost figured in. So $144 per yr reoccuring cost with solid color feathers...vs $28 a year for the vanes.

Does that make it a bit easier to believe? Does for me. $116 savings per yr at current costs...meaning in 5-6 yrs of shooting I could buy a new bow with the $ I saved in JUST fletching costs.
 
Like I said when I posted this , I didn't want to start a big debate . Just an observation I thought I would share .
I have noticed since I have been re-fletching arrows for the past 27 years , I have to replace more vanes than I do feathers when I'm doing a lot of shooting . When another arrow makes contact with the feathers , they fold back most of the time , whereas the vanes usually get torn up .
To each his own . I don't buy a new high end bow or high end accessories every year , so I'll save my pocket change for a few dozen feathers . Carry on guys ....
 
I prefer feathers over vanes, but this year I'm giving the blazer vanes a try. I can tell a difference in the way the arrow flies. And accuracy at 40+ yards. There was a video on you tube a while back on how to put a better helical on your blazer vanes.
 
I have a helical blazer jig that puts 3 degrees on 2" vanes . They still don't fly as good as my feathers do in a crosswind or with fixed blade heads , just saying ...... :)
 

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