3" Vanes

[theleo91386]

It's time for me to restock my vane supply and for whatever reason I've talked myself into trying 2.5-3" low profile vanes. Anyone care to talk me out of trying them? I 4 fletch all my arrows and hunt in Idaho, so these would be for steering fixed blade heads. I normally use Vanetec's but I'm not particularly brand loyal so a recommendation or two would be appreciated.

 

[muledhunter]

They usually have better clearance and are much quieter.. Ive shot the aae max stealth and loved it. I am now testing the bohning x vane shield cut.

 

[kicker338]

Wont try to talk you out of them as I'm playing with the new blazer heat vanes right now. Only been able to try them with slicktricks out to 30yds but so far so good.

 

[elkbowkevin]

I got some Low profile 2" bohning x vanes from ORarcher's shop a couple years back, Use them on some indoor 2512's, and some outdoor carbon express 3d arrows. So far I'm pretty impressed with them. I used the bohning red flex jig, I think it's called. 1 degree offset.
I'm not shot them with any broadheads due to the low profile design but for indoor or 3-D arrows I have no complaints. Pretty tough vanes too as I overshot my bale once and burried a shaft to the fletch in some 1/4" plywood. Minimal damage to the vanes, but I replaced them anyway.

 

[AKMAN]

I bought a slew of the QuickFletch 3" quickspins to try this year with heavy arrows and big(ish) fixed blades for bear and moose.
For deer at the farm in Wisco I'm still going the mechanical and 2" route...

 

[bowtech3dhunter]

I've been playing around with 3 inch Silent Knights by Flex-Fletch. I've been liking how they shoot so far. I haven't tried any broadheads with them yet.

 

[Trial153]

Try a three fletch of AAE max stealth vanes. They are lower profile then blazer style vanes however with the slightly longer length I find they work excellent with larger profile heads.

 

[d90rick]

What trial said. AAE max stealth

 

[kicker338]

I got some Low profile 2" bohning x vanes from ORarcher's shop a couple years back, Use them on some indoor 2512's, and some outdoor carbon express 3d arrows. So far I'm pretty impressed with them. I used the bohning red flex jig, I think it's called. 1 degree offset.
I'm not shot them with any broadheads due to the low profile design but for indoor or 3-D arrows I have no complaints. Pretty tough vanes too as I overshot my bale once and burried a shaft to the fletch in some 1/4" plywood. Minimal damage to the vanes, but I replaced them anyway.

You talking about the SX2 vanes?? I tried those last yr. 4 fletch, they flew pretty good with slicktricks but didn't have the nerve to try them out hunting

 

[DEW0341]

I've been playing around with 3 inch Silent Knights by Flex-Fletch. I've been liking how they shoot so far. I haven't tried any broadheads with them yet.

4 or 3 fletch? I have mine in a 3 right now still from last season


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[DEW0341]

Vanetec swift 2.88 in a 4 fletch work and flex fletch sk300's in a 3 fletch haven't tried in a 4 but I imagine would be just fine


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[WYO 307]

What about the AAE Elite Plastifletch vanes. I love AAE vanes but when I fletched some Gold Tips with the Pro Max vanes and glue I had some issues getting them to "stick". I used the AAE wipes in a Bitzenburger jig.

 

[Brendan]

I've been playing around with 3 inch Silent Knights by Flex-Fletch. I've been liking how they shoot so far. I haven't tried any broadheads with them yet.

Been shooting the SK300 helical for the last 3 years - they've worked great with fixed blades for me. I like to tinker - but this setup is my current "fallback" if I don't find something better.

 

[Vandal 44]

I shot the PlastiFletch SK300 for several years (I think the SK300 make a little to much noise) so I went back to the PlastiFletch 360's both are awesome vanes, they steer big fixed blade BH great. I wanted to try something new so made the switch I am currently shooting the AAE Max Stealth Vanes and have been for the last two years. The AAE Max hold up very well and steer the Tri-Cor 125 fixed BH by Savora very well out to 80 yards

 

[bowtech3dhunter]

4 or 3 fletch? I have mine in a 3 right now still from last season


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I just do three fletch. I think they are long enough that there is enough surface area that four wouldn't really be beneficial


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[Pramo]

For AAE vanes you must use the Primer Pen, I had a bunch fall off doing acetone on the vane base and AAE Max Bond glue. Called AAE they replaced all my vanes and sent a primer pen with new glue. They have worked perfect since, really there should be bold letters that these vanes will never stick without the pen in the first place.

 

[5MilesBack]

I've been playing around with 3 inch Silent Knights by Flex-Fletch.

I haven't found anything good about these vanes. They're more work to fletch (have to prime), they aren't as durable as most other vanes (they don't keep their shape, especially after passing through targets), they are louder than other vanes, and they don't stick as well as most other vanes (passing through a target or shooting groups will rip them right off).

I've tested just about every vane on the market, both close and far. I stuck with 2" and 3" Quickspins for over 10 years because they were the best I could find, and an absolute piece of cake to fletch. A few years ago Fusions came out and they were great too.....but had horrible bases on them. They fixed that and now the Q2i Fusion Xii vanes are great. This past year I ran the 2.1" in a 3-fletch and 4-fletch without any issues at all. I get as great a flight as I did with the 2" QS's but with a lower profile.

For fixed heads I'd run the 2.1" in a 4-fletch, or just use their 3" Xii vanes.

 

[Brendan]

I haven't found anything good about these vanes. They're more work to fletch (have to prime), they aren't as durable as most other vanes (they don't keep their shape, especially after passing through targets), they are louder than other vanes, and they don't stick as well as most other vanes (passing through a target or shooting groups will rip them right off)..

Regarding the SK300 - not sure what I'm doing different, but mine are durable as hell. I clean with Acetone and I do use an arrow wrap, but that's it. I have never (not once) had a vane come off in the last three years shooting these exclusively, unless I slice it off or hit it dead on and peel it off. They do start to warp a little bit if you hammer them through targets, but not a lot and that has never affected broadhead or arrow flight for me. I can't comment on noise because I haven't tested downrange (Would like to do this) but I can't hear the arrow flight at all.

I would like to try the AAE Max Stealth. The only thing that has prevented me is they are shorter, taller and heavier - although probably not significantly so.

 

[theleo91386]

Thanks for the input guys. The reaccuring theme seems to be SK300's, Fusion X-II's and the AAE Stealth's from what I gather from here and other places. I had my fingers crossed I'd see Vane Tec Swift's come up more as they're the most affordable option (4 fletching remember) but didn't want to taint the waters so to speak. I appreciate the input and will probably try some Stealths and Fusion's the SK-300's are a little to expensive for fixing something that's not really broken, but is just a curiosity.

 

[5MilesBack]

Regarding the SK300 - not sure what I'm doing different, but mine are durable as hell. I clean with Acetone and I do use an arrow wrap, but that's it. I have never (not once) had a vane come off in the last three years shooting these exclusively, unless I slice it off or hit it dead on and peel it off. They do start to warp a little bit if you hammer them through targets, but not a lot and that has never affected broadhead or arrow flight for me. I can't comment on noise because I haven't tested downrange (Would like to do this) but I can't hear the arrow flight at all.

They must stick better to a wrap than the bare shaft.

The SK's are the only vanes I ever hear as the arrow leaves the bow. Everything else is silent to me.