I' d do like Pa says. Then way the pros & cons for what you want to do with your setup. If your just strictly hunting, alums are fine. If you plan on shooting alot of 3d' s in the future, may want to consider carbons. Far as pricing carbons are very comparable now to alums. Especially if you can purchase them as bare shafts, and fletch up your own. I just bought a dozen Easton Buckeye' s for $44.94 bare shafts. Like I wrote in a previous topic I think too many first time carbon owners get the incorrect arrow spine. Then they don' t shoot worth beans for them, and label carb' s as junk. Plus some of the first carbons out weren' t all that great for first impressions. I think they are a little more work to get your initial setup correct. But once you get everything set, and match the correct arrows they are great. I found vane clearances with some of the smaller shafts was the biggest problem in tuning, but thats lead to drop aways rests now. For strength, and durability I don' t think you can beat a good carbon arrow. I' ve done things with carbons no alum could handle.