New vanes??

[E-2]

I shoot both, depends on what's at the end of the arrow. If I had to choose one 3"

3 inch with helical.

Thanks! Are you guys using 3-fletch or 4-fletch?

I ordered the 2.3 and they are definitely lower profile than I expected.

 

[jmez]

I use three.

 

[elkyinzer]

I'm gonna test against the human ear as well as a sound app that I got on my phone. It wasn't until recently that I stood down range of a guy shooting Blazers with field tips. I was 100 yards from him. I could hear his bow go off pretty quiet but then could hear a super loud rocket sounding hiss all the way to the target. I thought man Blazers are sure loud. If I can hear that then an animal can hear it even more!!

I went on a coues deer hunt recently. I was shooting Blazers at the time. I had two great stalks on great bucks that I got shots at. Both deer dodged my arrow. Now people are gonna tell me, no way was it the arrows. It's the nature of the deer, or your bow....but The way it happened I'm pretty convinced that they heard my loud arrows. I think for most animals the Blazers are fine and Blazers have killed lots of animals. But for coues deer I think you need all the edge you can get.

So I'm switching to a quieter vane. For years I've shot flex fletch and they are considerably quieter than Blazers at least to my own ears.

Wow, that's some cool stuff I never realized, but it makes sense. Well, not cool you missed the deer. So it's probably based on drag because blazers have sort of a rough texture? Like the sound of a baseball whizzing at you at 90 mph is pretty loud but you can't really hear a golf ball nearly as loud? If that theory holds one could test treatments like a varnish that could quiet blazers also...

 

[tipsntails7]

Thanks! Are you guys using 3-fletch or 4-fletch?

I ordered the 2.3 and they are definitely lower profile than I expected.

3 fletch

 

[E-2]

I am gonna keep half my order and 4 fletch them just to see how they do. I think worst case scenario they will definitely steer mechanical heads

 

[E-2]

Probably won't happen anytime soon since we are currently in blizzard conditions.

 

[BSeals71]

I've had great results with Pine Ridge Nitro 2" vanes, kind of like a blazer but stiffer.

Just order some Vanetec Super Spine 3.0" to try out. I'll be shooting a mechanical BH.

 

[doverpack12]

BSeals try the pine ridge nitro low profile with mechanicals. Very very quiet and still good control

 

[maverick351]

I've played with many through the shop and tons of customers have given feedback as well. Seems like most are really liking the AAE Stealth Max for stability and quietness. I've shot fixed heads and FP to a hundred plus using Blazers,Max Hunters, Nitro and Stealth Max and I must admit a 3vs4 fletch makes little difference other than the drag and drop at distances. 3 Stealths shot very well and were the quietest out of all of those tested judged by 10 people myself included.

 

[StoneMtnSteel]

I fletched up half a dozen arrows with bohning ice vanes to try out this season, does anyone have any experience with these?

 

[elkyinzer]

Yesterday I set up a test where I coated one set of helical blazers with wax, another with Teflon (both with the theory of reducing drag as I'm convinced the rough textured surface of the blazers are to blame) and shot them butt puckering close to my phone microphone while taking video. Preliminarily both seemed quieter than the control but does anyone have suggestions how I can quantitavely test the sound they made? Also the wind was howling so really I would need to replocate the test on quieter day.

 

[justin davis]

I thought about checking out the Blazer X2 vanes. They are slightly shorter and not as tall as the regular Blazers. I've heard guys say they are quieter. They are marketed as a target vane, but I bet 4 fletch would work well with them

 

[BackcountryMT]

Yesterday I set up a test where I coated one set of helical blazers with wax, another with Teflon (both with the theory of reducing drag as I'm convinced the rough textured surface of the blazers are to blame) and shot them butt puckering close to my phone microphone while taking video. Preliminarily both seemed quieter than the control but does anyone have suggestions how I can quantitavely test the sound they made? Also the wind was howling so really I would need to replocate the test on quieter day.

Other than a high end studio and sound recording equipment, I doubt it.

At that length, though, why would you want to continue to shoot blazers if you have to go to those lengths to make then quiet?

 

[BackcountryMT]

I thought about checking out the Blazer X2 vanes. They are slightly shorter and not as tall as the regular Blazers. I've heard guys say they are quieter. They are marketed as a target vane, but I bet 4 fletch would work well with them

I've played with x-2's in a four fletch. They steer a broadhead arrow great and are more quite (I think) than three blazer broadhead vanes.

 

[elkyinzer]

Other than a high end studio and sound recording equipment, I doubt it.

At that length, though, why would you want to continue to shoot blazers if you have to go to those lengths to make then quiet?

Good point, I would not, other than that I have over two dozen already made up with 3 blazers so to the extent I could make those quieter as opposed to stripping and refletching, it would make sense for me. Also just that my mind was curious to see if my theory held any water, and I was bored and snowed in, so I had to try to test it. Just by reading this thread and recording the sound of the arrow flight from just in front of the target I gained some pretty cool insight into how the arrow sounds to game, and it's a lot louder than I ever imagined so that was pretty neat.

 

[BSeals71]

Vantec super spine

Curious to try these out at longer distances.

 

[justin davis]

I've played with x-2's in a four fletch. They steer a broadhead arrow great and are more quite (I think) than three blazer broadhead vanes.

I might try those too? Sounds pretty good.

One thing I like about the Blazers is that they are tough!

 

[muledhunter]

I switched to the trophy taker stealth by aae and love them. Shot blazers and fusions before this. Doubt I will switch

 

[doverpack12]

I might try those too? Sounds pretty good.

One thing I like about the Blazers is that they are tough!

The X2's are just as tough if not more so but do not have memory like Blazers so they don't deform. I still like the Trophy Takers more but a four fletch X2 is incredibly accurate. They aren't much quieter than Blazers though.

 

[Tony Trietch]

Justin, you know how I feel about the AAE vanes. Since I switched to them (probably 5 yrs ago), I have seen less tuning and contact issues. The aae Max Pro has been my vane of choice but the aae stealth vane will be going on next.
As far as 3 or 4 fletch, I have gotten away with a 3 fletch even shooting fixed heads at long range. I MAY try a 4 fletch but I know I don't NEED to. Not sure if it matter on the 3 vs 4 fletch but most of my arrow set ups are between 14-18% FOC.