Are Blazers really that good or is it hype!!

bigcountry25 · 03-23-2005, 08:55 PM

I have been reading alot on these vanes and I am wondering if they live up to the hype I have been hearing?

Matt / PA · 03-23-2005, 09:07 PM

I don't really know yet........I do know I won't really test their capability to stabilize fixed blade heads at all as I have alwyas shot them with mechanical heads whenever I did use them.
I shot them exculsively from 97' through about 2000 I think? Since 97' you ask?

Yep........I used to have my A/C/C's fletched by the guy who "invented" the Blazers. They weren't called Blazers back then , and each one was cut by hand to that shape out of a full length vane(Back then I think they were cut from a Bohning "Knife Edge" vane....I think that was the name?). I still have a few downstairs in the arrow bin with the pen marks on them as reference for cutting.
The production model "Blazers" are quite different from my old ones in texture and rigidity. The new ones are thicker and stiffer than the ones I have used in the past, but the shape is the same....and they don't seem to taper as much.

I picked up a bunch of the new Blazers at the ATA show and will fletch up a 1/2 doz. of something to try them. I did fletch up a couple CE CX300's with them and they fly pretty good, but I haven't really done a lot of shooting with them.

I do know I really liked my original ones fletched with a few degrees of offset and Rocket heads.......that combo shot through quite a few animals.[:-]

Arthur P · 03-23-2005, 09:16 PM

I tested them for the shop I was shooting for when they first came out. Using ACC's in several spine ranges and a selection of fixed blade heads, all the way from 75 gn T'heads up to the big Snuffers. I didn't think they'd be worth a flip. Well, I was wrong. They worked great for the smaller heads, up to 125 grains with a 1 1/8" diamater. With the heavier, larger diameter heads, the arrows did lose some stability. The large, unvented 2-blade Magnus II heads were practically uncontrollable with them. I'd be comfortable saying you could use them with fixed blade heads up to 100 grains at 1 1/8" diameter and do well with them.

bigcountry25 · 03-23-2005, 09:20 PM

I will be shooting them out of an 29" 70lb Alllegiance with Carbon Express CX300 3D Selects. And if it shows I have enough KE I will be shooting rocket hammerhead 4L 108gr expandable the vanes will have a 6 degree offset. I don't know anything about the Blazer heck I have never seen any just in pics. The archery shops around here have very limited selections of arrows and arrow building components.

Matt / PA · 03-23-2005, 09:28 PM

Bigcountry.......shoot me an email with your mailing address. Santa's coming early.

bigcountry25 · 03-23-2005, 09:45 PM

E-mail sent. Thanks alot Matt!

5 shot · 03-24-2005, 03:11 AM

What I have found is that the work as well as a standard 4" vane. No better or worse. The advantage they offer is less weight and better clearance. I will be shooting them this year, 4 fletch, with big broadheads 170 grn snuffers and sharks.

JOE PA · 03-24-2005, 05:03 AM

One of the things I like about the Blazers is that you can fletch them with a hard helical, and still get clearance with a shoot through rest. I tried them on my ACCs and the few Axis arrows I still had left last summer getting ready for hunting season. IME, the Blazers with hard helical did a better job with Muzzy and Phantom broadheads than the AAE Speedflyte vanes fletched with an offset (to clear my rest). Couldn't tell much difference at 30 yds., but at 40 it was clear enough for me anyway.

BTW, Matt told me about the original Blazers last summer. I was then able to get a very large supply of Bohning Fletch Tite vanes (the really heavy ones), and I made a template to mark and cut the "Blazers" out of them. They work great. I fletch my 10 yr. old's arrows with the scrap front part of the vane, so it is very economical.

Rick James · 03-24-2005, 05:50 AM

I would love to shoot them be being in Bowhunter class for 3D, I have to shoot a 4" vane. I can't justify stripping my 4" vanes after 3D season only to try the Blazers. If it weren't for this I would have given them a shot by now.

Matt / PA · 03-24-2005, 07:05 AM

Bigcountry.......never got an email from you? Try sending me a private message.