I started with carbons, Nitro Stingers, the tapered ones. Then I tried some aluminums because I'm cheap. I have tried several other brands of carbons, all in the 50-80 per dozen range. I went back to aluminums. Basically ditto on everything Arthur said. If decided to shoot carbons again it would most likely be the Arrow Dynamics tapered arrows again. The shot really well with fixed blades for me. However they are stiffer than all get out, especially with my set up.

As far as bending or breaking arrows, if you take care of your arrows like you should it shouldn't be an issue with either kind. I have never bent an aluminum unless I glanced it off the side of something. And the same shot would have broke a carbon into two or three pieces. I have broke more carbons than I have bent aluminums. I get scared when I hear people talking about hitting things with carbons and then using them again. If glance a carbon off from something, put it thru a board and have to wiggle it out or hit something hard you should just pitch the arrow or use it for a tamoto stake. Carbons can break inside where you can't see it, if you even bother to look, most don't. This is usually what happens when they warp at the tip. I have seen enough pictures on the net of people with carbons stuck in thier hands to take that risk. If I question my arrows are bad, I get rid of them, carbon or aluminum.

As far as trajectory being much better between the two, unless you are shooting really heavy aluminums and switch to really light carbons I bet the difference is not as great as you think it is. I can change more than 100 grns in arrow weight and not have to change my pins at 20 and 30 yards. Now at 40, 50 and 60 it does make a difference. But I shoot at known distances so speed really doesn't matter as long as my sight is set up correctly.

Plus for me aluminums are much easier to work with and tune. I can build them with a tubing cutter some hot melt glue and a gas range. And if an insert is off when I spin test them I just heat it up and fix it. Or if I want to shorten my arrows to stiffen them up. And the larger diameter is easier to get clearance on certain rests.

Paul