Feathers…. A Good Choice!!

Todd Hulm

Archery Editor TEAM AZOD

I was recently asked to write an article explaining why I choose to use feathers as opposed to plastic vanes. To be honest, the first reason is the fact that I am a bit of a traditionalist, and frankly, feathers were good enough for my ancestors in the past, so they are good enough for me. But, to be more specific and technically minded, test have proven that feathers just work better. Oh! By the way…They look better too!!

To begin, feathers are faster than plastic vanes. In the Dec/Jan 1992 Issue of BOWHUNTER MAGAZINE, Easton arrows reported that feathers were faster up to the distance of 41 yards and were equal in speed to plastic vanes at 61 yards. Feathers weigh as much as 1/7 as much as plastic vanes and that translates to less mass to accelerate. Simply stated, if you were to remove 40 grains of weight from the total arrow weight, you will increase speed due to the lighter arrow.

In addition, feathers travel over the arrow rest better due to the fact that feathers are able to collapse while sliding over the rest and therefore are able to contribute to stability of the arrow at this point of the shot. Because plastic vanes are rigid from the arrow to the top of the vane, they tend to "bounce" the arrow when coming in contact with an object and cause the arrow to "yaw." Needless to say, any movement in the rear of the arrow will serve to both slow the arrow and cause the arrow to fly in a different manner than was intended.

Further, feathers provide better guidance for the arrow due to the slightly rough surface of the feather. When an arrow begins to fly from side-to-side- or "yaw", feathers are able to stabilize the arrow more quickly due to these rough edges working in unison on all sides. With vanes and their smooth sides, one vane causes the arrow to correct until the other vane is in position to correct and so on, so vanes take longer to correct arrow flight because each vane acts independently.

Weather also plays a role in my shooting, and the most common weather factor I face is fluxuation in temperature. It is true that vanes handle water and snow better than untreated feathers, but with the waterproof additives available today, this point has been handled. The fact of the matter is that vanes act differently as the temperature changes and therefore cause inconsistency in arrow flight. Feathers are much more consistent in this area.

Many people say that feathers aren’t the way to go with today’s faster, more advanced bows, but I would again choose to differ. With the speed of today’s bow, I think the improved clearance issues and advantages in guidance are even more important because there is less time for the arrow to correct itself before reaching the intended target. And, if you are using the technology of today for increased speeds, why would you add the extra weight to the back of the arrow? Which brings me to another point.

Front of Center balance is a very important aspect of accuracy. Basically, the more the better is the rule with FOC (as with anything, too much can be bad). In windy conditions and over longer ranges, FOC is a major contributor to desired arrow flight. With this in mind it is again obvious that the added weight to the back of the arrow using plastic vanes is an oversight.

Finally, In my opinion, you can’t beat the look of feathers on an arrow. Currently, I am using Gateway feathers (an Arizona based company) and they offer a great variety of colors and styles to fit nearly every need. Feathers also come in a variety of lengths and shapes to fit your desire. For more information or tips concerning the use of feathers, visit www.gatewayfeathers.com. They also provide an interactive "Build an Arrow" page for enjoyment and help in deciding on colors and styles.

Of course I expect some people to disagree with my opinions, and I accept that. Nothing is right for everyone and some people are able to get better results using plastic vanes for their shooting. However, I would encourage everyone to try feathers and see for themselves if feathers are indeed…. A Good Choice.