feathers or vanes ???
11-29-2007, 08:00 PM
#11
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: feathers or vanes ???
ORIGINAL: peregordusmc
Just out of curiousity is that weight per feather/vane or is that for all 3 on the arrow?
ORIGINAL: 358WINMAN
Feathers are very light compared to vanes( 3 grams vs 6-8grams).
Good luck!
Feathers are very light compared to vanes( 3 grams vs 6-8grams).
Good luck!
11-29-2007, 11:22 PM
#13
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location:
Posts: 3
RE: feathers or vanes ???
There may be some very slight advantages to feathers, but I think they are outweighed by advantages of vanes:
(1) Durability - a few thorns or twigs poking into your quiver while walking in the woods can do some real damage to feathers - not so much with vanes;
(2) Weatherproof - waterproofing agents for feathers will only work so well, if it rains, eventually you have soggy, ineffective feathers;
(3) NOISE - feathers make much more noise than vanes. If you keep your quiver attached to your bow while hunting, this is a constant issue.
Shoot vanes with a compound, save the feathers for your recurve or long bow.
Helpful Hint: When your vanes or feathers seem a little beat up, try steaming them with a steamer, the steam from an ironor a tea kettle. The vanes will straighten out, and feathers will come back to life almost like magic.
(1) Durability - a few thorns or twigs poking into your quiver while walking in the woods can do some real damage to feathers - not so much with vanes;
(2) Weatherproof - waterproofing agents for feathers will only work so well, if it rains, eventually you have soggy, ineffective feathers;
(3) NOISE - feathers make much more noise than vanes. If you keep your quiver attached to your bow while hunting, this is a constant issue.
Shoot vanes with a compound, save the feathers for your recurve or long bow.
Helpful Hint: When your vanes or feathers seem a little beat up, try steaming them with a steamer, the steam from an ironor a tea kettle. The vanes will straighten out, and feathers will come back to life almost like magic.
12-01-2007, 08:46 PM
#14
Super Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Central Utah
Posts: 4,815
RE: feathers or vanes ???
Thanks for the report MeanV2. BTW, what is a MeanV string suppressor? (I tried pm'ing you but your inbox is full)
I think the rain vs. feathers thing is overrated. The only problem I have with wet feathers is they sometimes come unglued. They still shoot fine, even if the fletch starts to lay down a bit. I haven't had any problem with thorns and twigs either, but then I try not brush them against anything.... because they are indeed noisy.
I think the rain vs. feathers thing is overrated. The only problem I have with wet feathers is they sometimes come unglued. They still shoot fine, even if the fletch starts to lay down a bit. I haven't had any problem with thorns and twigs either, but then I try not brush them against anything.... because they are indeed noisy.
12-01-2007, 09:05 PM
#15
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location:
Posts: 7,367
RE: feathers or vanes ???
MeanV String Suppressor? It's a custom fit string suppressor
You can check them out on my website: www.meanvarchery.com I took care of the full Inbox. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. It seems to fill up pretty quick
Dan
You can check them out on my website: www.meanvarchery.com I took care of the full Inbox. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. It seems to fill up pretty quickDan
12-04-2007, 10:35 PM
#16
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Warrenton, NC
Posts: 18
RE: feathers or vanes ???
I wont shoot anything but feathers, its just a preference thing though. I will say that the majority of archers who try feathers will tell you they like them better than vanes. Yes they are noisy, but if you do some testing with a tape recorder close to your target, you will find that broadhead tipped arrows make much more noise in flight than you might think they do, with feathers or vanes. As for the water problems, I dont even use a waterproofing agent. tested my arrows many tiimes by wetting the feathers and even allowing them to soak in water,point of impact with a wet feather and a dry feather doesnt change enough to make a difference and my groups dont get any bigger. ill take the tighter groups, faster and better arrow flight i get with feathers over vanes.
12-04-2007, 10:40 PM
#17
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location:
Posts: 7,367
RE: feathers or vanes ???
ORIGINAL: ncrebel8
I wont shoot anything but feathers, its just a preference thing though. I will say that the majority of archers who try feathers will tell you they like them better than vanes. Yes they are noisy, but if you do some testing with a tape recorder close to your target, you will find that broadhead tipped arrows make much more noise in flight than you might think they do, with feathers or vanes. As for the water problems, I dont even use a waterproofing agent. tested my arrows many tiimes by wetting the feathers and even allowing them to soak in water,point of impact with a wet feather and a dry feather doesnt change enough to make a difference and my groups dont get any bigger. ill take the tighter groups, faster and better arrow flight i get with feathers over vanes.
I wont shoot anything but feathers, its just a preference thing though. I will say that the majority of archers who try feathers will tell you they like them better than vanes. Yes they are noisy, but if you do some testing with a tape recorder close to your target, you will find that broadhead tipped arrows make much more noise in flight than you might think they do, with feathers or vanes. As for the water problems, I dont even use a waterproofing agent. tested my arrows many tiimes by wetting the feathers and even allowing them to soak in water,point of impact with a wet feather and a dry feather doesnt change enough to make a difference and my groups dont get any bigger. ill take the tighter groups, faster and better arrow flight i get with feathers over vanes.
Dan
12-04-2007, 11:44 PM
#18
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: homer, NE
Posts: 347
RE: feathers or vanes ???
I have shot both a lot with recurves and compounds. Hunting and outdoor target I use vanes. I like feathers for indoor target. Indoors I use big over spine arrows, heavy points and they help to straighten the arrow out better. Outdoor and for hunting vanes don't get wet, and carry better on longer shots because the wind doesn't bother them as much and they are more uniformed. Feather are lighter than vanes , but is that a good thing. If you look at them close you see that some are thicker than others making one stiffer that the other. After shooting them for any time they look like rags from hitting each other, passing through the target and from getting wet. I always try to matched them up when I made my arrows with feathers. When I make my arrows every thing has got to be perfect because I feel they are one of the most important things for good shooting. Wet feather have cost me a deer and a outdoor tournament before because they made sights off by shooting low and not shooting consistent in the same spot.
12-23-2007, 01:33 AM
#19
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location:
Posts: 123
RE: feathers or vanes ???
ORIGINAL: maytom
This has been an ongoing debate as long as I can remember, feathers VS vanes!!
Vanes are just about foolproof. They are much more quieter than feathers when rubber against and in flight, and this is the biggie, they hold up much better than feathers to wear and weather!! Since you already are shooting "Weight forward arrows" to begin with, you might throw that off by lightening the back end too much by switching to feathers? Just a thought.
ORIGINAL: cetanuts
they came fletched with 4'' quick spin sts. not to complain about the qspins outher than the fact thier heavy.
they came fletched with 4'' quick spin sts. not to complain about the qspins outher than the fact thier heavy.
Vanes are just about foolproof. They are much more quieter than feathers when rubber against and in flight, and this is the biggie, they hold up much better than feathers to wear and weather!! Since you already are shooting "Weight forward arrows" to begin with, you might throw that off by lightening the back end too much by switching to feathers? Just a thought.
im with him!!!
12-23-2007, 02:12 PM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: central Ky
Posts: 2,867
RE: feathers or vanes ???
I've been shooting feathers since 1974 and they have served me well. I see no reason to switch and it would take a heckovaproven argumentto convince me to switch to anything else. BTW I shoot 5" full helical feathers as in my opinion there's no such thing as too much accuracy.