The fellow that told you the bristles get thicker further from the hole is full of it. Think about it. Simple geometry. My arrows are fletched with 4 blazers. Works great. Feathers also work good with the biscuit. Any stiff plastic plastic vane works well. What you don't want to shoot is rubber compound vanes (Duravanes) which unfortunately what most arrows come fletched with. This is where all the stink about whisker biscuits came from a couple years ago. The rubber vanes grab on the whiskers creating heat, crinkling the vanes, slowing the arrow down, and throwing the shot off. Duravanes became so popular because of their flexibility, which was needed on old style prong rests. This flexibility also causes the vanes to flutter, which causes loss of control. Thats why the short stiff Blazers control as well as duravanes. Yada Yada Yada.......