Wood, Aluminum, or Carbon?

IndyHunter83 · 08-13-2010, 01:29 PM

Hey guys,
Well I'm making my venture in Trad archery and I've just received my bow and am thinking about going with aluminum arrows but I just wanted to get your thoughts on wood vs. aluminum vs. carbon. I know I just opened a whole can of worms here so if ya can atleast tell me what ya use and why it would great. Thanks
Indy

Night Wing · 08-14-2010, 03:39 AM

I use aluminum because I shoot low poundage bows and I have a 30" draw length. My arrows are cut 32" long. Carbon shafts for low poundage bows won't fit my long draw and my 32" long arrows since the right spined carbon shaft for me only come in 30" lengths. Secondly, I like the way aluminum spreads the overall weight out along the entire length of the arrow. This gives me a heavy arrow for a light poundage bow. With carbon, carbon is light in grains per inch. If I could find the right carbon length arrow, I would have to load up on the point weight. Carbon has it's place and is great for some, but not for me.

I don't care for wood since they're really not uniform enough in weight to suit me. One of my friends shoots wood arrows and there is a 10-20 grain difference in the same spined arrows he shoots. Wood can warp too.

LBR · 08-15-2010, 10:36 AM

I like wood myself, but it's harder and more expensive than ever to get good quality shafting, and it's work to properly seal them. I enjoy making them when I have time, but that's in short supply most days.

Aluminum works just fine--wide range of weights and spines--but a lot of stores are cutting way back on their inventory of aluminum arrows, or eliminating it completely, in favor of carbon.

Carbon is convenient--generally just a few spine ranges (you just have to figure out which you need). They aren't "indestructable", they aren't always "straight or broken" (I've known of some getting weak in spine over time), and they can be a pain to get the weight up enough to suit you, but once you conquer those few things they can work as well as any.

It's mostly personal choice--like longbow or recurve, Dynaflight '97 or Formula 8125, glove or tab, etc.

Chad

Rednef · 08-15-2010, 08:24 PM

Yeah, since you're just starting out aluminum would probably be a good way to go. Easy to build, esy to tune, very consistent so the only variable is the shooter. That makes it easier to learn.