I have shot both a lot with recurves and compounds. Hunting and outdoor target I use vanes. I like feathers for indoor target. Indoors I use big over spine arrows, heavy points and they help to straighten the arrow out better. Outdoor and for hunting vanes don't get wet, and carry better on longer shots because the wind doesn't bother them as much and they are more uniformed. Feather are lighter than vanes , but is that a good thing. If you look at them close you see that some are thicker than others making one stiffer that the other. After shooting them for any time they look like rags from hitting each other, passing through the target and from getting wet. I always try to matched them up when I made my arrows with feathers. When I make my arrows every thing has got to be perfect because I feel they are one of the most important things for good shooting. Wet feather have cost me a deer and a outdoor tournament before because they made sights off by shooting low and not shooting consistent in the same spot.