# Straight or helix veins?



## osuhunter2011 (Feb 13, 2009)

A helical fletch will always recover quicker. Experiment and see what gets ya hitting behind your pin consistently. I'm currently running a 4 fletch straight combination that is shooting well


----------



## lknchoppers (Jun 13, 2008)

I use a stright jig for fletching, but I offset them as much as possible while still having good contact to the shaft at the base of the fletch.


----------



## buxndux23 (Sep 20, 2010)

I also want to mention im using 2" blazers.


----------



## super* (Jan 26, 2008)

Helix all the way as much as your jig can handle!!!


----------



## bowhunter-1951 (Jan 30, 2010)

I shoot straight with 3 degree offset a helix recovers faster out of bow but loses more energy and speed on long range shots


----------



## Garceau (Sep 3, 2010)

I shoot 3* helix on my 2 inch blazers at 321 out of the bow.

For the speed the bow is already shooting, losing a little more I would take the stability over the parasitic loss from the drag.


----------



## dgmeadows (Jun 15, 2005)

I used to shoot straight with a slight offset when I was using prong style rests and slim to medium arrows. After going to drop away rests, I now use Fatboys for 3D and medium diameter for hunting with right helical feathers and vanes. Like the prior poster said, the helical will lose a little speed to drag over the longer distance, but will generally provide more stable and consistent flight. My yardage estimation and properly setting up my equipment will take care of the few fps loss.


----------



## MrBobo (Sep 28, 2009)

I don't get the "more stabilization is better" school of thought...if so run 5" feathers with a big helix.
I've played around with bigger vanes, helix...it didn't make my field points group any tighter...just more drag. 
I try to use "enough" stabilization to stabilize the arrow. I shoot at ~ 300 fps.
Maybe it's because I'm not as accurate as many on this forum, or a top level contender? Maybe not.
I run Blazer X2 offset vanes for 3D; Fusion 2.1" offset vanes for Hunting (Slick Trick broadheads).


----------



## dgmeadows (Jun 15, 2005)

MrBobo said:


> I don't get the "more stabilization is better" school of thought...if so run 5" feathers with a big helix.
> I've played around with bigger vanes, helix...it didn't make my field points group any tighter...just more drag.
> I try to use "enough" stabilization to stabilize the arrow. I shoot at ~ 300 fps.
> Maybe it's because I'm not as accurate as many on this forum, or a top level contender? Maybe not.


Probably so.... Just kidding. You and I are actually saying the same thing, just different ways. I am not saying "don't worry about fps, get the most stabilization possible." Like many things in archery, especially competitive archery, there are trade offs. I am willing to give up a few fps to get "enough" stabilization to make my arrow fly as consistently as possible, i.e., in my case better than with the same vanes or feathers installed straight offset.

5" helicals for 3D with unknown distance shots up to 50 yards ? No, I am not giving up that many fps, although that arrow would probably be very consistent. Maybe if I shot Known 45 or 50, but not in unknown distance events. I shoot 2.5 inch feathers and 2.5 inch AAE PF Max vanes with right helical on my Fatboy 500s for 3D, because they seem to fly and hit more consistently than with them fletched straight offset with the same feathers/vanes. The few fps difference from straight offset to helical likely would not equal a one yard drop in distance at 45 yards, and frankly in my experiments there wasn't much difference in POI or group size out to about 30-35 yards. Sure, the straights may have grouped slightly more to one side of the 10 ring and and the helicals slightly to the other, but nothing to be a major impact on score. The longer shots is where I noticed more consistency with the helicals - helicals more in center, straights more spread out.


----------



## MrBobo (Sep 28, 2009)

dgmeadows- thanks, that makes sense. 
"Everything has trade-offs" - so true.


----------



## maineyotekiller (Oct 1, 2005)

3 degree offset. Just stay with a high profile vane. You arrow isn't in flight very long at those speeds and you need a lot of vane to stabilize. I get better flight from VaneTec 2.0 HPs....but, that's just me.


----------

