I haven't torn or had a single fletching show any noticable signs of wear whatsoever. I have several hundred shots with the AAE Plastifletch vanes, and so far they're holding up very well. That was one of my biggest fears going into this as well, but I was pleasantly suprised to see my assumptions were wrong. As for being unforgiving, I haven't noticed any problems. My arrows are grouping just as well as they ever have.