LittleChief

I'm going to have my arrows re-fletched today. I really want to go with feathers to lighten the back of the arrow and increase the FOC% and get better steerage from the fletching. Can anyone tell me from experience just how much louder feathers are in flight than Duravanes?

YooperMike

I have shot both, been kind of going back and forth lately, and I really don't think there is much difference in noise. Feathers will be quieter than a vane if there is any damage though, and you can shoot feathers even if they are a little buggered up, where vanes don't do well if they are damaged. As faras steerage, I shoot 4" vanes right now, and I put a wicked helical on them so steering now is great on my arrows. As far as FOC, the difference in minimal between the two, not enough to make a difference IMO.

HuntingBry

I had been using feathers for a few seasons a couple years back. They are louder in flight. How much louder I can't say, but they are noticeably louder. The reason I switched though was durability. I often found damage to arrows from walking in and out and a raising and lowering my bow. They were very touchy and required a lot of care. You had to keep them dusted so they didn't fold down when wet and be very careful when transporting them. To me it just wasn't worth the aggravation.

Mykey

I have arrows fletched with both 2" blazers and 4" feathersand i honestly can't tell any difference in noise with either. Maybe if i were standing off to the side i might be able to but being the shooter i just can't hear any noticable difference. I practice with both but i hunt strickly with feathers, always have always will. Mike

JimboHunter1

I shot feathers for three years and liked them, but I'm switching to blazers now. The feathers didn't seem to make any more noise than vanes, but like somebody said, it might be different if I could hear them from the side. The things I don't particularly care for with feathers are the fact that they get messed up easier and you have to dry dust them if you're going to hunt with them in the rain. That's a bit of a pain. [:@]

LittleChief

I wonder if there are different types of feathers that are and aren't noisy? Some say they're loud and some say they aren't. I'm seriously considering using them since I did fletch one with them and it shoots so accurately. One thing, though. I did notice that the arrow with feathers didn't penetrate as far into the target as the arrows with vanes. Coincidence? Any chance they slow the arrow down?

MO_Bowhnter

Not enough to notice a difference in penetration and they won't start slowing them down til well after 50 yards.

LittleChief

Cool. Thanks, MO. I guess I was just hitting new places in the target. I'm love the way they steer those broadheads!

TFOX

No way would you not penetrate as well with the feathers and in the real world,you don't have to worry about the feathers hanging up in the animal and plugging a hole like a vane can do.

voz

I have a Diamond Hornet 70lbs @29" and two Bow Techs (50 Defender and 07 Allegiance both set at 70lbs). I can shoot either vanes or feathers from the Hornet with no noise. Feathers through either of the BowTechs cause noticable noise (I have tried two different shafts with the same results). I haven't figured out why...I just stopped shooting feathers. I personally like the feathers better but don't like the noise.