What are you going to be doing with them?

 

Hunting and 3d

 

I’ve been using 5” l.w. feathers for 40+ years out of a compound. I do shoot the compound with fingers. Feathers work great.They will wear down some if you glue them on your arrows with a helical twist. Offset them a little with a straight clamp works well also.

 

Try some unscented hair spray if you’re planning on wet conditions.

 

I've found that the powdered dry fly floatant (fly fishing stuff) works excellently. Buy a bottle for about $7, put it in a zip-lok bag, stick the end of your fletched arrow in the bag and close it shut as much as you can...shake the bag to coat the feathers....lasts a LONG time....

 

If you are not on a tight budget, you might consider buying some natural turkey feathers cut from the primary wing feathers. There are a couple of guys that hang out on the bow site leatherwall that always have them for sale, or google search. They will withstand wet conditions better than feathers that have been bleached out then dyed.

Personally, I don’t care for feathers shot out of today’s faster bows. They get real noisy and drop quicker at longer distances due to the increased drag.

I still shoot them out of my stickbows but went to vanes for my compounds.

 

I shot five inch feathers for many years out of my compounds. I used a springie rest, so feathers were much more forgiving going across the wire than plastic vanes.

I never had any issues with them. At normal hunting distances, they didn't negatively affect flight, and they do help steer big fixed blade heads.

 

They will be fine, dont worry about them. Feathers are for flying, rubber is for.....

 

been using feathers for long time i try vanes and always go back to feathers.me and wife are shooting 2 inch blazer type feathers now,ive always used a can of silicone spray or boot camp dry spray thats silicone based

 

If i could afford feathers, that's all i would shoot, they are forgiving..

 

Been shooting 4" left helical feathers for years, no problem. Yes you will want to coat them. I use Bohnning dri fly. Also I highly recommend TruFlight feathers they have a better base.

 

The only thing I was careful of is not putting them too close to the nock end of the arrow. They would make noise rubbing against my whiskers. I put them about an inch down from the end of the carbon. Other than that, I find them to be plenty durable, not much of an issue in light rain, and they work fantastic with broadheads. I usually don't hunt if it's pouring rain. They do weaken your spine some if you load up the front end, but also great for higher FOC setups. They might fly a bit noisier.

 

I go back & forth with vanes, feathers. I used Razors hunting, 3 fletch, offset & a 3 blade fixed head (excellent flight). My hunting currently have 3 " Parobolic & same 3 blade head (Fly great too). I've used them more on targets than vanes the last few years..I have "never" water proofed my feathers.. I started archey/bowhunting in 1956 so I've used them a ton. I feel TruFlite makes the best feather & base & then Gateway next. I use both & get them when I see a sale/buy. There are also others out there. I went from a 4" to the Razor & 3" parobolic about 10 years ago. Mine are the red feathers, 1 ran out of gas. 60 yards and lots of rain that weekend

 

Have been using feathers since 1959 with out any major problems except rain & if you keep your hands off them they are ok then also. Yes I use vanes for target but not for hunting as feathers will steer a big 4 blade better than vanes. To late in life to change now as if it is working no scene leave it alone!

 

Been using feathers since the 60's, never had an issue even when caught in the rain, still work wet, but you can get sprays and powders if you want to. I try to avoid rain anyway.

 

What are some oddities with feathers I would need to consider?

I use both feathers and various vanes. Neither will compensate for poor tuning, poor form, punching the release, etc. I have yet to see either make up for a bad shot on game. Feathers are lighter, if you believe in the FOC thing, and they might make a 5fps difference, if that seems important. Feathers are way less problematic if you have a bit of rest contact you can't seem to tune out, so if you like big fletch with lots of helical or offset, they will help with that. Feathers will also take a beating on a single spot target, vanes don't shoot that great with holes in 'em. I like them for indoor shoots for that reason.
Otherwise, try both, and shoot them side by side for a week or so. You'll likely not be much impressed either way.

 

I'm to OCD for feathers.........lol. I use them and they work great even if they are ratty looking but it drives me crazy. When I hunt they always seems to get tattered going in coming out and raising & lowering the bow.

They make vanes now like the trad vanes that are very flexible and my 4 inch vanes are about 5 grains so IMO they just seem easier and less trouble free overall.

You don't have the glue not sticking issues with feathers or at least I never have they just stick great period to any arrow and with most glues.....so that's nice.

I still use feathers off & on but if some one offered me a life time supply of fletching and I had to choose one or the other I'd pick vanes.