AAE Max Stealth vs TAC Driver 2.25 --- 4 Fletch

J.J.Boo

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Feb 17, 2019
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Hi Y’all,

Seeing if anyone has played around with these 2 different vanes and what you think. I am shooting 4 fletch AAE Max Stealth (basically the same set up as all the NOCK-ON people’s arrows) but looking to try out a 4 fletch in the TAC Driver 2.25. Also, I do wrap all my arrows.

Anyone have a proposal on this?
 

Zac

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Dec 1, 2018
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If you want the same drag you need to use the Tac Driver 2.75s. Probably not a bad idea if your running 4 fletch, TAC will save you a ton of weight. I have shot both, messing around with the TACs right now. Trying to save weight over the Stealth's due to a lighted nock build.
 

NXTZ

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Apr 15, 2020
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Have used both the max stealth (3 and 4 fletch) and am currently playing with TAC driver 2.75 (3 fletch). Like zac said, the tacs are lighter (5.4 grains vs 8.4 grain avg). Been very pleased with the flight and quietness of both vanes, but leaning towards the tacs due to weight, and I think they’re even quieter. May try a few 4 fletch tacs if I have time this weekend. Will update with results
 

paxamus

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I agree with NXTZ. The TAC vanes are lighter. I used to use the Max Stealth and really liked them but now all I use is the TAC Driver 2.85 in a 4 fletch. They are very quiet. Only downside that I have is that since they are stiffer, they don’t recover am from going through targets as well.


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Zac

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I barely started using them. Anyone have any sort of comparisons? Like how they compare to three Blazers, or three Max Stealth's?
 
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They are harder to glue than max stealths.

Not as easy as blazers.



Pretty stiff, I'm just tired of vanes you need to wash and do different things to.
I'll take simple install for 3 grains more.
Flex Fletch for the win in my opinion.
Or Q2.

I tried some tac vanes, they just weren't for me.
 

TheViking

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They are harder to glue than max stealths.

Not as easy as blazers.



Pretty stiff, I'm just tired of vanes you need to wash and do different things to.
I'll take simple install for 3 grains more.
Flex Fletch for the win in my opinion.
Or Q2.

I tried some tac vanes, they just weren't for me.

Agreed. Too finicky for nothing really in return.

What Fletch Flex do you run?
 

Vandal 44

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I was testing the TAC Vane Driver, Bohning Heat and the AAE Stealth, About a month ago. This is my results, keep in mind I am no pro. If the base of the TAC vane was a little wider it would be a lot easier to fletch up

Easiest to fletch
1) Heat
2) AAE
3) TAC

Durability
1) AAE
2 Heat
3 TAC

Quietness
1) TAC
2) AAE
3) Heat

BH flight
1) AAE
2) TAC
3) Heat


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
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Max stealth are heavy vanes. Too haven for me. I prefer flex fletch as they are much lighter. Never tried the tac vanes. But I currently shoot flex fletch Sk 200
 

wapitibob

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I just went thru a 100 bag of tac 2" and have had enough. They stick better than an AAE but nowhere near a flex fletch or vanetec. Glue is cured on the shaft but the center of the vane isn't sticking, and I trued up the btm of the clamp to make sure I had contact. And they curl.
Went back to flex fletch ffp's last night on 6 that had loose tac vanes from the day before and couldn't twist them off. Not sure why I got sucked in, I've used FF since the mid 70's.
 

Zac

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They are harder to glue than max stealths.

Not as easy as blazers.



Pretty stiff, I'm just tired of vanes you need to wash and do different things to.
I'll take simple install for 3 grains more.
Flex Fletch for the win in my opinion.
Or Q2.

I tried some tac vanes, they just weren't for me.
That's really funny because I've been trying to use Blazers forever. Still haven't figured out how to get them to stick. I got rid of my Vane Master Pro because I couldn't get Blazers to work. That slim little channel in the middle of the vane seems to screw me up. Always had better luck with more of a flat based vane. Right now I'm running the Firenock jig. I had luck with both the Stealth's, and the Tacs yet still couldn't get a Blazer to work.
 
Joined
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Messages
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They are harder to glue than max stealths.

Not as easy as blazers.



Pretty stiff, I'm just tired of vanes you need to wash and do different things to.
I'll take simple install for 3 grains more.
Flex Fletch for the win in my opinion.
Or Q2.

I tried some tac vanes, they just weren't for me.

Last year I tried a dozen or so vanes, because my pioneer nitro 2.2 were too soft and getting mushed in the quiver/bag/target. I fletched a few dozen arrows with various TAC's to have 9/10 lost 1 if not more vanes. The ridicule I suffered.

I tried AAE. Only to learn AFTER fletching a dozen that they need primed as well.

I've gone back to my pioneer nitro's.




My buddy who harassed me one me AAE and TAC shedding their fletching tried some of the TAC drivers. Lost all but 1 of his vanes in my yard Thursday evening 🤣
 
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That's really funny because I've been trying to use Blazers forever. Still haven't figured out how to get them to stick. I got rid of my Vane Master Pro because I couldn't get Blazers to work. That slim little channel in the middle of the vane seems to screw me up. Always had better luck with more of a flat based vane. Right now I'm running the Firenock jig. I had luck with both the Stealth's, and the Tacs yet still couldn't get a Blazer to work.

Blazers are definitely narrow, but there's no issue with adhesion. You get your jig setup so the vane makes full contact and they will stick with about any glue and no prep. Of course the height makes it harder to twist the helical, so you need to make sure you aren't pulling the vane too much. I think they were designed for a max of around 3 degrees, and that was before these micro diameter shafts. The smaller the shaft, and taller the vane, the more flexible that vane needs to be

The little bit I played with the Tac drivers they were pretty stiff, I had washed them but still had adhesion problems. I'm getting tired of needing to do a bunch of stuff to get a vane to stick. I clean the shaft and use my little bottle brush of super glue. No high dollar glue, no primer agents. I don't fletch enough that I can get full use out of the fancy stuff before it goes bad. I use fletch tite on feathers, and to tip and tail. It's hard keeping a fresh tube of that around, but it's at least cheap.

I bought some used arrows that had AAE vanes. I couldn't get those vanes off. Actually messed up the carbon on two of the arrows. No doubt they stick with the system, but I don't put loctite on my lugs, cause there's times you need to pull your tires.
 
OP
J

J.J.Boo

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149
I was testing the TAC Vane Driver, Bohning Heat and the AAE Stealth, About a month ago. This is my results, keep in mind I am no pro. If the base of the TAC vane was a little wider it would be a lot easier to fletch up

Easiest to fletch
1) Heat
2) AAE
3) TAC

Durability
1) AAE
2 Heat
3 TAC

Quietness
1) TAC
2) AAE
3) Heat

BH flight
1) AAE
2) TAC
3) Heat


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did you do any 4 fletch? also on the flight was it close between all 3? i am doing some 4 fletch Heat now
 

Zdub02

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Jul 14, 2020
Messages
389
Can't speak to AAE but I switched from 3 fletch blazers to 4 fletch TAC driver 2.25 last year. I've been very pleased with the TAC overall. They seem to be quieter than blazers and steer fixed blades well. The only issues I've had with adhesion have been operator error. I've been using the primer pen and TAC glue and get good adhesion.
 

aron

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I've seen a decent number of posts about the issue of getting the tac vanes to adhere. Are the Q2i fusion x-ii vanes not similar profile? The Q2i vanes have a wide base and I've had no adhesion issues with them.

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A bunch, FFP 200, FFP 225, SK 300, and FFP 360 for what I can remember right now.

My hunting arrows are a mix of the SK 300 and the FFP 360's. Different arrows for different poundage.
Alright now youve trigged an annoying noob like me to ask for more details lol - which FFP vane would you recommend for general fixed broadhead use, and then mechanical use? Sounds like speed plays into it for you? If this is an annoying question feel free to ignore hah
 
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