# Feathers vs. Vanes?



## Bowdon (Aug 17, 2004)

Feather cost be a Midwestern tournament one. I blow every one away the first day and the second day it stated to rain. Had to add yardage to my longer shots and they fly like crap. I did out shoot every one enough points the first day to hang on to third place as a FSL NFFA pro. Windy days feather suck and rainy days they really double suck


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## neednew1 (Jan 7, 2006)

What I'm looking for is flight at longer distances. Local Pro Shop owner said arrows are lighter with feathers, but weight difference is meaningless after 30 yards. He went on to say arrow will be faster with vanes at longer distance. Any body have experience with this?


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## Bowdon (Aug 17, 2004)

Yes feathers are faster coming out of the bow, but a vane will out run them at longer yardage. If you look at feather you can see they are different thickness, cut different and there as are not the same like as vanes. Shooting target we alway would shoot feathers indoors and vanes outdoors. Feather indoor because their no wind, rain and more foegiving. Vane outdoors because they shoot better in the wind, rain and group better at long ranges.


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## neednew1 (Jan 7, 2006)

*Answer*

That is what I'm looking for. I'm getting ready to fletch up some arrows and wanted to ask first. Thanks, Bill


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

You couldn't pay me to shoot feathers for field.


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## MOPARLVR4406 (Apr 5, 2006)

What about these "spinwings" and similar celophane looking vanes that guys use for 3D and olympic recurvers shoot ??
any advantage there ??


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## neednew1 (Jan 7, 2006)

*Spin vanes*

My experience with spin vanes was that they group well. They have a down side. The vanes act like a parachute past 35 yards.


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## WrongdayJ (May 22, 2008)

Brown Hornet said:


> You couldn't pay me to shoot feathers for field.



I'm with you on that. 

Feathers may have been acceptable back when there was no other fletching options, but today's newer designs and materials far outclass them in almost every conceivable way.


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## neednew1 (Jan 7, 2006)

WrongdayJ said:


> I'm with you on that.
> 
> Feathers may have been acceptable back when there was no other fletching options, but today's newer designs and materials far outclass them in almost every conceivable way.


What vanes are you using?


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## MOPARLVR4406 (Apr 5, 2006)

neednew1 said:


> My experience with spin vanes was that they group well. They have a down side. The vanes act like a parachute past 35 yards.


Not sure you understand these
they are not a vane like a quickspin...
they are very thin wadded looking "vanes" about the thickness of celophane
you may be right but I can't see freakcurvers using anything that would act like a parachute

SpinWing is a brand name


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

neednew1 said:


> My experience with spin vanes was that they group well. They have a down side. The vanes act like a parachute past 35 yards.


Those are different vanes.

He is referring to vanes that are made of mylar and are taped on. They are used mostly by FITA recurve shooters. But some compound guys use them.

There are three types...or makers. Spin Wing, Kurley Vanes and Super Flonite Spin Vanes. 

The Flonite ones are newer and made from a different material and are glued on. I haven't used these but I did use years ago before they started curling them. They are nice vanes but the material doesn't take any kind of abuse really.

The Spin Wings and Kurley Vanes are taped on and work very good. BUT they are more fragile then feathers IMO....if you sink into a bale....kiss it good bye. They also don't take much abuse and can be nocked off rather easily since they are taped on. But since they are tapped on repairs can be made very quickly in the field if need be. 

Spin Wings come in regular colors....Kurley vanes can be custom made with just about any pattern you can come up with. 


The black vane in the pic is a Spin Wing....and the white one is a Kurley vane.


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## Unclegus (May 27, 2003)

The spin wings and Kurlys are the best thing since sliced bread for a finger shooter and fairly light poundage. Don't let anyone tell you they're not. Why do you think all of the stick shooters in the Olympics use them to shoot 70M??? The biggie is that they are a maintenance nightmare. I love them, but a total pain in the butt in field shooting...
For a hook shooter, a goold ole 187 or a 200 Flex Fletch is about the best thing going IMO.


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## WrongdayJ (May 22, 2008)

neednew1 said:


> What vanes are you using?


Right now I'm shooting Mini-Blazers on my ACC's.

They work quite nicely on the 80 yarder- and the bunnies- and every other target distance. I'm amazed that such a small vane can control the arrow. (and they make even smaller ones) 

But without a big broadhead up there trying to steer the arrow, I guess it doesn't take too much fletching to keep the arrow under control.

I've seen guys make their own 'micro-fletchings' out of thin sheets of plastic that they got at a craft store and cut into some pretty creative configurations. . .and amazingly- they worked just fine, even on the 80. 

It's been my experience that for Field you want: a small diameter shaft with as small a vane as possible.


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## neednew1 (Jan 7, 2006)

MOPARLVR4406 said:


> Not sure you understand these
> they are not a vane like a quickspin...
> they are very thin wadded looking "vanes" about the thickness of celophane
> you may be right but I can't see freakcurvers using anything that would act like a parachute
> ...


You are right, I was referring to Quickspins.


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

Unclegus said:


> The spin wings and Kurlys are the best thing since sliced bread for a finger shooter and fairly light poundage. Don't let anyone tell you they're not. Why do you think all of the stick shooters in the Olympics use them to shoot 70M??? The biggie is that they are a maintenance nightmare. I love them, but a total pain in the butt in field shooting...
> For a hook shooter, a goold ole 187 or a 200 Flex Fletch is about the best thing going IMO.


They are great vanes....just fra-g-le :wink:

Freakcurvers don't shoot as tight as we do...I beat mine to death but they shot great. I wish someone would bring Gyro Vanes back...they were a cross between Flex Fletch and Spin Wings....those things were silly


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