Low profile 3x fletch for single bevel broadheads

Wodez

FNG
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Jan 16, 2020
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I’m chasing ideas on what low/mid height vanes to test for a single bevel broad head.
I’m having occasional fletch contact issues with fusion qii at .55” high. Would also prefer the new fletch to be around 7 grains or less to not sacrifice any FOC.

3 fletch preferred because again I don’t want any extra weight at the rear or extra drag/loss of velocity which I have heard 4 fletch can do.

75 pound v3
28” draw 29” arrows
Kayuga 125g broadheads
 

xcutter

WKR
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Aug 22, 2014
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Connersville, IN
Blazer X2 Vanes. Awesome vanes and very durable. I usually shoot them 4 fletch with broadheads and have good results. Keep in mind a 4 fletch in the X2's almost weighs the same in a regular blazer 3 fletch.
 

Dennis

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May 18, 2014
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Colorado
I am currently shooting four fletch VaneTec Swift 2.25 vanes on a very similar setup. Vanes are 4.35 grains per or 17.4 grains for four according to my scale. They seem very quiet in flight and have held up well. Not sure they have enough surface area in three fletch however?

Mathews V3 31"
65 lbs, with 29.5" draw
200 Grain Cutthroat Single bevel
23.9% FOC

PM me if you have additional questions
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
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If you want a "3-fletch low profile" I would use a 3" vane like the Fusion Xii. If you want less than 3" and still low profile, then I'd do a 4-fletch. I have arrows with high profile 2" Quikspins in a 3-fletch, low profile 3" Fusion Xii's in a 3-fletch, and 2.1" Fusion Xii's in a 4-fletch, and those arrows are all pretty close out to at least 60. I wouldn't worry about the weight difference or FOC at all between all those.
 
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Low profile would be bohning heat vanes. I haven't messed with them much for broadheads. They are I think 6-7 gr a piece.

Otherwise I like FF sk300's, q2ii fusion 3".

Your drag is going to be what effects the loss of velocity. A heavy helix on 3 fletch is going to loose more than an offset on 4 fletch. It's all comes down to how much drag you need to counter the broadhead. Not familiar with the broadheads you listed to have an idea what it might take.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
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Fix your rest timing issue before going and changing your vanes. That’s more of an issue than the profile of your vanes.
Sometimes it's not the rest timing that's the problem. I have a bow where the cables are absolutely in the way of my fletching and have to turn my arrows to clear them.....even with shorter vanes. On one of my bows the QAD housing itself is very close to my tall vanes.
 
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Are you shooting "cock" vane up (i.e., vanes at 12-4-8 o'clock positions)? If so, you could rotate the nock 90° and put the cock vane out (i.e., vanes at 9-1-5 o'clock for a righty, 3-7-11 for a lefty) to create a little more clearance between your vanes and cables (assuming your contact issue is with the cables).

I wouldn't worry at all about losing FOC and (possibly) losing downrange speed by switching from 3 to 4 fletch.

An extra ≈6-8 grains on the back end will have negligible impact on FOC. Not that FOC really matters much, but if you wanted to increase it a bit for "free," you could chop an inch or two off your arrow.

The impact of fletching on downrange speed is a function of the total drag produced by the fletching. Vane quantity, height, length, and offset/helical angle all affect total drag. It's theoretically possible that a 4-fletch arrow could lose less speed than a 3-fletch. The speed differences will be minor regardless, so I wouldn't let that consideration affect my fletching decision. You must generate enough fletching drag to reliably steer the broadhead, and you can't allow any vane contact. Exactly how much fletching is "enough" is anyone's guess and requires testing different configurations to hone in on the "right" amount.

You may find the video below interesting. In it, John Stallone shoots various fletching configurations and measures downrange speed. Per the following screenshot, he found that for arrows fletched with the same angle and left/right orientation, speed loss at 80 yds increased by only 1-2% going from 3 vanes to 4.
Screenshot_20210723-082357~2.png
 
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Zac

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You could try Tac Drivers. They weigh less than a Blazer. I have found the adhesion to be incredible as well.
 
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AAE needs a look. Brother in law likes his 3 fletch offset max stealth and I run a 4 fletch with the 1.85 hybrids

 

Beendare

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I’m chasing ideas on what low/mid height vanes to test for a single bevel broad head.
I’m having occasional fletch contact issues with fusion qii at .55” high. Would also prefer the new fletch to be around 7 grains or less to not sacrifice any FOC.

3 fletch preferred because again I don’t want any extra weight at the rear or extra drag/loss of velocity which I have heard 4 fletch can do.

75 pound v3
28” draw 29” arrows
Kayuga 125g broadheads

From that post, its easy to see you are listening to the wrong folks on arrow criteria.
Mighty mouse gave you some solid info.

.
 
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Fix your rest timing issue before going and changing your vanes. That’s more of an issue than the profile of your vanes.

Definitely this. Something more important could be off in your setup if you have contact and Id address that before worrying about changing vanes. First thing I would do is run it through paper. If youre getting a nock right tear move the rest left and in turn that will create a bit of cable clearance (assuming your are right handed). Check nock/vane orientation. Cam timing. ATA and brace height. Center shot. Nock height/arrow running through berger. If after that you are still having issues, you might have to go to a 3 or 4 fletch aae stealth, 4 flech heat vane, 4 fletch aae pro max or similar. Some bows just have clearance issues, but id check everything else first and change vanes if all else fails. I would not concern myself with worrying over some weight on the end, its going to be negligible. Agreed on Mighty Mouse giving solid info.

Id occasionally have issues with a qad rest back in the day, but I cant recall ever having a contact issue since switching to the Hamskea Hybrid Hunter Pro 3ish years ago. But cable contact doesnt scream rest timing. Rest timing is usually whale tail contact. Id go through paper and see what happens and go from there.
 
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Bmoore

Lil-Rokslider
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Oct 20, 2019
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132
This reeks of Ranch Fairy.
Ranch fairy advocates 4 fletch because it gives the arrow more stability even though it does drain the arrow of some FOC. Ranch fairy has said it so often it’s ridiculous, perfect arrow flight is more important than anything else followed by structural integrity.
So many people have such disdain for the RF that they don’t listen to a word he says or care to interpret his message.
 
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Wodez

FNG
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Jan 16, 2020
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Thanks for the feedback
And thanks to those who suggested a fletch.
To answer a few questions….
I’m shooting a v3 31 with a hamskea hybrid hunter pro. With cock vane at 12oclock the other 2 vanes are very tight to the roller guard and the rest housing. If only marginally off a true 12oclock one of the other vanes will hit every time. I’ll have to double check but I think I already looked into changing cock vane to 9oclock but then cock vane would hit every time on rest housing.

I expected 4 fletch to only have a marginal difference but I am trying to gain some speed/better trajectory to hopefully get to 90 yards on my sight. I have considered a smaller arrow length but trying to not risk fingers on broadheads.
 
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