OK, it has occured to me that Arthur really DOES know what he is talking about.....I just thought he liked to rabble on..... I have both, when I am just shooting in the backyard, I shoot arrows with plastic....I just bang 'em together too much to keep replacing feathers. My hunting arrows on the otherhand, feathers and will never be anything else. I put waterproofing powder on them, no sweat. When your feathers get ruffled, yep, steam works great. Feathers are, IMO, far more superior in their stabilizing characteristics.