I shoot a Mathews Q2 w/ Easton 2315s and feathers. I've noticed that the feathers make a significant amount of noise and whistling as they fly through the air. I also found out how the rain can pretty much ruin your hunt when using feathers. Also realized how fragile feathers can be ( not as durable vanes?). However, I really like the forgiveness of feathers, as well as the foc advantages. WHAT SHOULD I DO? WHAT DO YOU GUYS USE?

I shoot vanes. I like them better as they are alot quieter in flight, and carry better downrange than feathers, and the durability.

yooper, have you tried any of the waterproofers available for feathers? I have never tried them, but I have heard good things about them. Personally, I use feathers for my recurve and vanes for my compound. I have to move to a fall away rest though because of clearence problems that I was having. I shoot four vanes helical on my setup. In my area, I hunt in a lot of rain and the feathers are just not practical for me. I use my recurve on the nicer days.

I dunno why folks think feathers arent durable. I beat the living snot out of mine and the arrows fly just as good as when they look perfect! As for rain, well yup thats the only thing you have to take precaution too. I use rain and stain made by payless shoe stores. THat and a/or a baby bottle baggie, depends on the situation. If I had the choice of the 2 the rain and stain is the tops!!! You can rip half a feather off and still shoot well with it, the folks with vanes around here keep switching to feathers after they run into problems with there vanes so there is really no cure all. Both have there problems, but one imo, is a ton simpler to deal with then the other...just my experiences with them and the folks around me! btw, if they whistle, try trimming them in the back side, this is where that whistle comes from! try a different fletch all together if ya want..like shields, besides they are by far better lookin <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

I've been shooting both and really feel I am much more accurate with feathers. This past year I shot feathers while hunting but I had vanes available incase of rain. I packed in an extra set of arrows to elk hunt and always kept a set in my truck during deer season and never used them once. I have shot arrows with wet feathers but not with broadheads and they seemed to fly pretty good. I plan on going with the same setup when I go bear hunting this spring.

i prefer feathers, i think the drag they create stabilizes the arrow quicker.i was out practicing yesterday in the rain and i didnt notice any diff. in arrow flight or point of impact. they do make a little noise,but then again so does your bow

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I love feathers, I use 4&quot; trueflight and have some gateway on order.I use water proofers and it eliminates the rain problem. IMO they are more durable than vanes an when damage still fly well while vanes donot.
http://www.trueflightfeathers.com/facts.htm

TrestandEd

&quot;Hard work ... conviction ... pride ... responsibility ... class ... character ... success...BOWHUNTING

I switched from vains to feathers and now I am getting better arrow flight

There is no question that feathers are more forgiving than vanes,but for the durablity issues you mention I opt to use 4&quot; AAE Plastifletch Elite vanes on my hunting shafts.

I switched from vanes to feathers a few years back, and absolutely love them. I use a waterproofing powder commercially available, but as Lilhunter said, there's lots of options there.

As far as durability goes, I think feathers are much more durable than vanes -- at least the way I was tearing them up, it was. I was shooting the vanes off my target arrows way too much, ripping them often, and if an arrow ever penetrated up to the vanes in my target -- forget it, the vanes would be warped beyond belief.

Now, if I ever scoot two arrows that closely together when practicing, the feathers just lay right to the side, and look as good as new when I'm through.