From Trueflight's site (so it's obiviously has a bias)
Plastic vs Feathers
Where's the Advantage?
Plastic:
[ul][*]Low Cost.[*]Easy mass production. [/ul]
Feathers:
[ul][*]
Excellent Guidance. [*]
No arrow deflection on release. [*]
No long yardage before stabilized flight. [*]
Higher arrow velocities. [*]
Up to 700% lighter than vanes. [*]
Eliminate bow window clearance problems. [*]
Can be shot off the arrow plate. No tricky arrow rest required. [*]
Less chance of brush deflection when hunting. [*]
Bow tuning is simple and less critical. [*]
More forgiving of mistakes. [*]
Extends useable spine range of arrow. [*]
Target deflection caused by deflection of an arrow hitting the fletching of another is minimal by using feather vanes which simply push open to make room. [*]
Orientation of arrow on string is not critical. [*]
Unaffected by hot and cold temperature extremes. [*]
Aging: Feathers are unaffected by ultra-violet rays. Plastic stiffens and deteriorates. [*]
Ecologically: Feathers are natural bi-degradable products. [*]
Aesthetic: Quality die cuts have a smooth soft natural and historic appeal that can't be matched by the "toy plastic" image of plastic vanes. [/ul]
Feathers: The confidence Builder!
Nothing equals feathers for:
[ul][*]
Speed [*]
Stability [*]
Forgiving of mistakes [*]
Accuracy[/ul]
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http://www.trueflightfeathers.com/facts.htm
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This is perhaps a little overblown on feather advantages, but there is truth to most of it.A feather is noisier if you brush up against stuff. You do have to take a bit more care of them when they're wet but not as much as some think.They easily attachto shafts using glues or fletch tape.