feathers or vains
 

i was wondring the wich is better wich is more durable ect

RE: feathers or vains
 

What would you use them for?

RE: feathers or vains
 

hunting and 3d target shooting with carbons and a 55# bow

RE: feathers or vains
 

I posted the question. :D Here are some answers.

http://forum.hunting.net/asppg/tm.as...=vanes&#602817

RE: feathers or vains
 

I prefer feathers from an accuracy, stability and tuning standpoint. However I do use vanes sometimes in particular setups trying to make a certain arrow weight, spine, or FOC. But I don't like them :)

I find the most common used vanes(Duravanes, AAE) are not very durable at all. One little tear or rip (and they rip pretty easy), and it's time to re-fletch. A feather with even a pretty sizeable chunk out of it will still shoot well (at least field points and mechs). If you are going to go with vanes I would recommend FLex-Fletch or Mullen Marco vanes for best durability..and Bohning vanes are fairly durable as well.

With proper waterproofing Feathers work well in most weather conditions.

Another con to feathers is time needed to fletch them. But I have a Jo-Jan multi fletcher for that and it will do a feather on 6 different shafts at a time, so I can have a 1/2 doz arrows done in an hour. No biggie.:)

RE: feathers or vains
 

Jeff is pretty much right on with his comments though I personally prefer vanes. There is less fuss to install them. They are more durable provided you aren't shooting up your fletchings during practice and you do not have to do anything to them for bad weather situations.

Feathers are more forgiving of rest contact, etc... and are generally lighter which promotes slightly better arrow speed. Some of them are noisy in flight though.

RE: feathers or vains
 

I prefer vanes just for their simplicity. I refletch quite a bit because I've found they do tear easily and the slightest tears usually lead to a flyer. Vanes are typically a lot cheaper as well.

RE: feathers or vains
 

I use feathers just for their forgiving properties, steering ability, and weight. I still use vanes in some cases, But I still overall prefer feathers. I know they can get beat up in the bush, But a buddy of mine made me a cloth waterproof cover to put over them so they don't get beat up. In fact when they are beat up they will still fly well in most cases, unlike vanes which will go all over the place if there is a nick taken out of them. IMHO the benefits of feathers well outweighs the extra cost and compared to vanes.

RE: feathers or vains
 

Feathers , no question . I read about the new quickspin vane from nap and thought I'd give um a try . The first shot I had slight contact and a rippeled vane , I keep trying to get that perfect clearance and kept getting contact and buggered up vanes . It only takes slight contact to ruin a vane . Went back to feathers and , no looking back . They are much more forgiving . I was getting contact with a fallaway allso , so thats not my answer .

RE: feathers or vains
 

I shot vanes last year and this year I'm going back to my feathers for all the reasons stated above. It seemed I was re-fletching every week with vanes....feathers I can shoot A LOT more between refletching.

RE: feathers or vains
 

Went back to feathers this year. I believe the feathers are more durable.

RE: feathers or vains
 

Seems I am the only, or one of the only, vane advocates. This should be where I throw out an opinionated comment like.....

"Feathers are only a band aid for a bow that is improperly tuned or for an arrow with improper insert/shaft/nock alignment."

:D

RE: feathers or vains
 

And I would counter: And vanes are for cheap ba$tards who are also too lazy to take the proper amount of time to fletch with feathers and have the most accurate forgiving set-up they can"

how's that?

RE: feathers or vains
 

I agree PABowhunter with your statement that feathers for SOME are a bandaid for an untuned bow, but some of us who use them just like them for their Just-in-case factor. Just in case my rest gets bumped a little and I don't know it and I get a shot at the buck of a lifetime and I get a little fletching contact, feathers might be the difference in me making a good shot still or making a bad shot if I was using vanes and getting a little contact. I am in no way bashing vanes they truly have their place in this sport. I just seeing feathers as being a better option in most circumstances.

RE: feathers or vains
 

Nice come back. :) Before I launch into a witty rebuttal I would say for those who did not get the jest of my last post that it was said in a tone in no way serious but rather somewhat of a parody on some of the comments that typically pop up on some of the various archery forums.

However.....

Accurate and forgiving of what? An improperly tuned bow for a shooter with poor shooting form?

:D[:-];)

RE: feathers or vains
 

PABowhntr, I got exactly what you were saying, I know it was toung-in-cheek. I like to think i've seen just about every argument for or against feathers and vanes, their both good. I just felt the need for some reason to explain a little why I use feathers. No offense taken or implied, not trying to start a never ending battle.;) Which we all know this topic could easilly reach 3 or more pages in no time with the never ending debate of wich is Better, feathers or vanes

RE: feathers or vains
 

I shot feathers last year, and im going back to vanes......The problem i have is when u shoot a deer u have to clean the feathers and then waterproof them again, i dont have time to deal with every idocincricy.

"ALWAYS LEAVE THE WOODS WITH SOMETHING"

RE: feathers or vains
 

PABOWHUNTER , I have a genteler comeback , I need all the bandaids I can get .

RE: feathers or vains
 

i think im going to get feathers i have a snitty set up :D

RE: feathers or vains
 

That statement is so far out in left field, it is not even in the ballpark.

In fact, in part it is just the opposite. For some shaft setups that are best for hunting purposes (weight and broadhead), especially when pushed hard down range, feathers may be necessary to impart accuracy and good flight, and using a plastic vane would be detrimental.

If feathers are nothing more than a "band-aid," a lot of superb shooters have set records and/or bagged game for many years with bad flying "band-aided" shafts.

RE: feathers or vains
 

If vanes are so bad for accuracy,then why do all pros use them in competition?;)Of course some do use feathers indoors at 20 yards but not outdoors with distance.

The tounge-in-cheek retort was close to accurate but I will add that most pros are using vanes under 2" in length so contact is much less of an issue.


Of course pros are not trying to steer broadheads or penetrate an animal.


I prefer vanes for an archery setup because of the repeatability in a dozen shafts.It is much easier to get all arrows to shoot the same with vanes because all vanes are exact and you can't say that about feathers.Vanes also will usually give a lower profile that will give less wind drift at distances.


I use feathers now for hunting because of the forgiveness and added foc.I also like the way they look.[:-]Also when putting them on helical with a helical clamp,I have found that Arthur was dead on when he stated that noisy feathers is most likely because they are not put on with helical clamps.I have found them to be as quiet,if not more quiet than vanes and they ARE quieter than AAE or Duravanes.


They both work and work well when setup properly.

RE: feathers or vains
 

No doubt, plastic vanes perform well for some under certain conditions, and time and performance has proven that plastic vanes do have a place in archery. However, for the average shooter, I would bet that some that use plastic vanes and have flight and accuracy problems, do not realize the the source of the problem might be the plastic vanes.

http://www.archeryexchange.com/infor...%20Vanes.shtml

RE: feathers or vains
 

I may be lucky, but I've never had an issue with vanes and accuracy. I will say that you need to keep them in tip top shape though. I find myself more often than not repairing vanes, especially when I'm shooting daily since weather is nice. I keep things as simple as possible in a hunting rig. To me, worrying about weather and buggered up feathers is too much hassle for me.

To me Feathers are for turkeys.

RE: feathers or vains
 

I think vanes are perfectly adequate for field tips or mechanicals (which I don't shoot). However, when shooting fixed blade broadheads, feathers give better performance. F.O.C. is improved, and rear-end drag is increased. These are preferable things, when shooting fixed blade broadheads. In general, I shoot vanes until about a month before bow season. I then switch to my hunting arrows with feathers.

RE: feathers or vains
 

:D...very well said.

:D...that one had me laughing too..;)

My comment was said entirely in jest. You have to understand that I so often see comments similar to what I made but in regard to mechanical heads, drop-away rests, single cam bows, etc... and those simply are not really true either in most cases.

A case can be made for either style of fletching. The key is to understanding the advantages and disadvantages of each and then applying the appropriate choice to your setup.

RE: feathers or vains
 

Frank, perhaps if you weren't such a self-centered, selfish, and inconsiderate vane user, you could come down off of your plastic high horse and mingle with us feather people! Not only that, but your tendency to employ such cheap substitutes on your arrow makes me ill![:@]

I don't know Frank, I may have to sell the condo and move to Kutztown............this town aint big enough for a feather AND a vane user............*humph*........[&o]

;);)






Sorry.........I'm bored and just couldn't pass it up.

RE: feathers or vains
 

With an attitude like that I am guessing that you are a feather user....

[:'(][:-]:D:D:D