4 fletch vs. 3 fletch

[TurkeyBowMaster]

Most every choice I make is because the benefits outweighs the negatives, plus it has to line up with real world bowhunting situations.

I shoot large fixed heads( over 1.5" diameter) and that calls for some extra fletch. Even if it didn't there are several positives to 4 fletch. 4 is more visible, can be nocked up either way, stabilizes my arrow better, and shoots just as flat at normal distances. I shoot feathers, so if they get wet i still have enough guidance to shoot. Overkill with everything bowhunting is a good thing.

4 is a bad idea if you shoot vanes because 4 high profile vanes will hang up in animals*and spook them more than a passthrough and lead to harder to recover game.

 

[kicker338]

Geez, i'le try to keep my awnser as simple as poss. Blazer or bigger 3 fletch nothing to be gained over that. Smaller vane such as blazer sx2 4 fletch. Keep in mind with 4 fletch if you have spine indexed arrows you will have to mark your vanes so you will know which vanes will be on the stiff side of the arrow.

 

[texag10]

John Dudley did a comparison of 3 fletch with max hunter and max stealth vanes to 4 fletch with promax (small) vanes at 80ish in high winds. The 4 fletch had less drop and drift, IIRC. He also said the 4 fletch didn't steer enough for most fixed blade heads.

 

[Beendare]

Its kind of funny. guys slice and dice this almost as much as "What Broadhead"

Of course the fletch induces drag and spin [if offset or helical] which stabilizes the arrow. So if 3 fletch is enough...do you really need more?

I've done some informal testing with my grouping sizes and the different vanes at normal bowhunting distances of 40-50yds;

3 fletch blazers helical vs offset= no difference

Blazers vs flex fletch 360's= no difference

Blazers, FF360's and Arizona 4"= no difference

I did see differences in some of the big Bohning 5" fletch with rest contact and poor groups.

Conclusion from my testing;
1)Bigger isn't always better, 2) imparting stabilizing spin to the arrow is an advantage especially with BH's.

3) There is a wide range of what works well. If you have a tuned bow and decent form....just about everything on the market works just fine.

The guys with poor form, a weak spined arrow, poorly tuned bow or a very critical bow/arrow shooting 300fps+ are the ones that will benefit from using more fletching

 

[kicker338]

Yes we do beat this to death Beendare BUT most all archery season's are over and it's so cold outside ya can't do much shooting so gotta have something to argue about even if it's pointless LOL. I tried a little shooting yesterday, about a doz. shots and my hands got so cold I gave it up

 

[Grunt-N-Gobble]

I shot 4 fletch for a few years. It looked cool and grouped broadheads well. Shooting groups sucked because i would frequently hit one of the vanes a put a hole in it or rip it off completely. I got tired of that and when back to 3 fletch and my groups a just as good as the 4 fletch and i dont have to refletch as much. At this pount i see no reason to shoot 4 fletch.

And BTW....... i never had a single 4 fletch arrow ever hang up in an animal.

 

[ontarget7]

3 fletch for me. Arrows fly perfect and never have had issues with fixed blade Broadheads so just don't have a need for the extra drag.



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[kicker338]

3 fletch for me. Arrows fly perfect and never have had issues with fixed blade Broadheads so just don't have a need for the extra drag.



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Have you tried out the new boning heat vanes yet?? Havent seen any real revews on them yet.

 

[ontarget7]

Have you tried out the new boning heat vanes yet?? Havent seen any real revews on them yet.

I have not but will be ordering some here soon. Probably won't be till after ATA before I have any real feedback on them

 

[moeleo]

Not sure if this was discussed on another topic or not but I have a question. I've never shot a 4 fletch arrow. I shoot Victory VAP V1s. Have a hard right helical 2" blazer vane. Very accurate setup for me with 100 grain Grim Reapers. One downfall of this setup is it is extremely loud. I have been wondering for awhile now if I switched to a lower profile vane like the Q2i 2.1" Fusions with a 4 fletch and go with either a straight or offset fletch, will it help to quiet down arrow flight but still maintain accuracy? I have read where that would help to make my arrow flight much quieter. Does this sound logical? I am actually even open switching arrows as I have been looking at going back to gold tips. I used to shoot kinetics and have been thinking about them as well as the new pierces from gold tip.

 

[TheCougar]

You blinded me with science! I shoot three vanes and use blazers. Don't ask me exactly what kind, because I don't know. They've always worked well enough that I never considered four vanes. Maybe I'm boring or unoriginal. If four vanes is better than three, I'm going to try five vanes!

 

[standard_lengthy]

These arguments are the same on the power boating forums except they are talking about motor props.

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[Jtelarkin08]

Tim Gillingham has tinkered with arrows and fletching probbably more than anyone in the world and he likes 4

 

[justin davis]

Smaller vanes I use 4. More clearance using 4.

Bigger vanes 3 is fine.

 

[Pramo]

I use 3 fletch max stealth and 4 fletch pro max. Only reason I like 4 fletch is clearance on my 2014 CST and can get a little more travel on my slider. They all fly the about same but I've seen the small 4 fletch do a little better in the wind

 

[5MilesBack]

Smaller vanes I use 4. More clearance using 4.

Bigger vanes 3 is fine.

And that's the key.......it all depends where one is starting. I would NEVER even consider using 4 fletch Blazer vanes or my beloved 2" QS's. But if going from those vanes to a lower profile vane of similar length, you may very well need a 4th vane to equal the same amount of stability obtained from 3 of those other vanes.

 

[ontarget7]

Have you tried out the new boning heat vanes yet?? Havent seen any real revews on them yet.

2" Blazers still shine when comparing fixed blade Broadheads
Have been testing both lately to compare and during a little windy conditions it's not even close.


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[realunlucky]

2" Blazers still shine when comparing fixed blade Broadheads
Have been testing both lately to compare and during a little windy conditions it's not even close.


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Well I was just about to order some heat vanes to compare but guess I will just fletch them with blazers.

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[EsteemGrinders]

2" Blazers still shine when comparing fixed blade Broadheads
Have been testing both lately to compare and during a little windy conditions it's not even close.


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Are you adding helical to them if so how much? I have used in the past the EZ fletch and I think is has too much helical for Blazers causing a large parachuting effect out past 40 yards.

 

[kicker338]

2" Blazers still shine when comparing fixed blade Broadheads
Have been testing both lately to compare and during a little windy conditions it's not even close.


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I'm assuming you've tested them out to good distance and if so I appreciate this info. Thanks