RE: 20 yd max range and fletching
 

I haven't had any in my hand but they look like that. The highest part is more toward the center of the fletch. This is from the Gateway site and, as you can see, they call them banana shape there but whenever I see them to order they are called magnums. I think that is what Byron called them in the video also.

RE: 20 yd max range and fletching
 

True banana fletches are hard to come by. I had chopper that did them, but traded it for a pretty rare book a few weeks ago. I wouldn't advise a chopper though, they are pretty inconsistant, varios are much better, but are also expensive.

RE: 20 yd max range and fletching
 

I don't get it. If you are shooting within 20 yards, what is the extra control going to buy you? Maybe it stabilizes flight faster, but at that short of a range, I would think that it doesn't matter. Maybe out to extended distances it could correct problems with your form, but out to 20 yards I would think 2" blazers would do as good of a job as 5" feathers. Plus, they're weather resistant, quieter, and more durable. If my field points and broadheads hit the same spotout to30 yards, I see no need for big feathers.

RE: 20 yd max range and fletching
 

when I say noisier I dont just mean in flight but also in the quiver or attached to your bow string. when you brush one of those feathers against your stand, bow, hand,etc it sounds like when you where a little kid with the baseball card in your bike spokes. to me my blazers or duravanes fly great and I dont have to worry about noise or weather.

RE: 20 yd max range and fletching
 

Afew pics.

RE: 20 yd max range and fletching
 

Think of it as both ends of the spectrum.You could use abare shaft (fletchless) and have no stabilization on the back of the arrow or havemaximum stabilization (larger helical fletches).Thereareall kinds of stuff inbetween. Does it matter at 20 yards would depend on a lot of things including but not limited to personal form, broadhead type, rest type. For me I have to use feathers because I shoot directly off the shelf of my bow and I use fixed broadheads.

RE: 20 yd max range and fletching
 

The way it has been put to me (and Byron Fergusonalso said this) is that we can all shoot well with good form on the range. But up in a tree with the wind blowing a bit, you've been sitting for 3-4 hours, you're coldand now a huge buck comes walking in and you get a bit of buck fever. All of these things can affect your form and your shot. Better stabilizationmay help cancel out some of those things.

I understand WTF's point about noise, although I think that can be controlled,but inside of 20 yards the blazers don't ADD to the effectiveness of the arrow and, because they wouldn't stabilize as well, may take away.

I am not advocating a change from vanes to feathers. Just trying to learn about the pros and cons about one or the other in relation to short range archery.