What steers your arrow?

[cnelk]

Whats on your arrow for fletching?
Vanes?
Blazer vanes?
Feathers?
FOB?

Why do you use what you do?

 

[mtnmutt]

Blazers

Easy for me to Fletch. Mostly idiot proof. They hold up well bushwhacking through thick forest.

My first bow had a whisker biscuit. If I used the right amount of glue, they held up well. I stuck with them for my next bow that has a QAD hdx.

 

[Bullnuts]

Mostly Blazers but I\'ve had some real issues getting those vanes to stick. I\'ve used Goat Tuff, Tip Grip, regular old Fletch Tite - nothing seems to work and I will have vanes pop off in mid flight or just come off in the quiver. I switched to Vanetec vanes last year and they are a bit softer than Blazers and stick a whole lot better on carbon arrows.

 

[Deertick]

Blazers here, too.

 

[bowhunter]

I use vanes on my carbon arrows. I used feathers on my alluminum arrows before I switched to carbon. Vanes last longer than feathers for me. I use feathers on my alluminum arrows for my recurve.

 

[WW]

4\" AAE vanes here. I buried one in a hay bale one fall and couldn\'t find it. The following spring I was feeding the horse and when I broke into the bale, there was my arrow. It had been in that bale for close to 6 months and was good as new except the fletch was a little wavey looking. So, I took it in the house with intention to scrape the vanes off in a day or two. But the very next morning, just from the heat in the house, the vanes had restored back to their original shape. That sold me on AAE. I have never had one come unglued! As a matter of fact, It\'s a royal pain trying to scrape them off!

 

[Buglemaster]

Blazers here also. I also got a bad batch a few yrs ago that didn\'t stick all that well. My latest supply seem to be fine.

 

[Bob Frapples]

Two years ago I finally \" upgraded\". From my feather controlled 2213 easton aluminums to carbon with blazers. Since I\'m looking to tackle elk I\'m \" upgrading \" again to easton axis FMJ 400 for added KE, I got some 2\" blazers for these, but am thinking about longer vanes but looking at the shafts diameter that might be a challenge, I can go helical or straight.

(Have benzenburg fletch tool) Currently shoot G5 montec 100gr but may use something with larger cut diameter. Any recommendations on the vanes for this setup. 28.5\" draw at 68#.

 

[Colorado_Lew]

Blazers or Vanetec HPs.

 

[Bob Frapples]

Anyone ever tested the extra drag from helical vs straight vanes?

 

[cnelk]

If the speed between the two was tested, I would guess that the results would be minimal.
However, I believe that long fletching with a helical - either L or R - does a much better job in stabilizing the arrow in flight.

I use both vanes and feathers with a left helical. I do not notice any difference in speed, but the feather fletch seems to do a better job in my arrow\'s flight

 

[elkmtngear]

Vanes with Aluminums. I\'m throwin\' rocks :upthumb:

 

[Bob Frapples]

When I shot aluminum with feathers, I always had one arrow in quiver with vanes in case I got caught in rain or messed them up trekking through a thicket. The vanes always shot several inches higher but my feathered were more consistent as well.

Initially I went helical but switched to straight with offset mainly for quieter arrow flight. I could never tell a big difference in speed but at that time I also never considered a shot over 40 yards. Past 40 yards I\'m sure the vanes will shin even more with the lesser cross section.

 

[archery bum]

blazers I\'ve shot straight and helical 3 degree and I don\'t notice any difference.

 

[WW]

I see Brad mentioned the FOB in his survey. I have played around with FOBs a little bit. For me, they fly just like my vanes. So I always try to keep at least one or two FOBs in my bow case for emergency use in case I happen to mess up a vane somehow.

They do fly great! But they sure look funny!

 

[Bob Frapples]

I also played with the fobs, they work as advertised. I kept one in my bag just in case I needed to do a field repair as well. They really do look goofy from the side, if I hunted out west in high wind open areas I\'d probably use them full time, crosswinds barely affect them vs regular vanes/feathers.

 

[Deertick]

I played with FOBs years ago ... as above, they work well ... the trouble is the common \"full-containment\" drop-away rests and whisker biscuits these days don\'t accommodate them well. But if they leave the bow without hitting it, they work.

I liked that they would drop off with a pass-through, leaving you a mark where the animal was standing when hit.

 

[elky McElkerson]

angel\'s wings..and FFP 360 vanes.