are 5" feathers critical for traditional bows to shoot well, or do 4" feathers work just as well with proper helical? Cant find any 5" feathers local. Can only get by them online order. thanks!

Critical no 4" is fine

I use both, they work equally well.

A tuned setup needs less fletch......period. Regards

I use 3-4" works great

Yep, 4" is more than adequate for a well tuned arrow.

I have found that 4 3 inch feathers work great, fletched on a bitzenburger at 105/75....

I agree with trad hunter 4 3" and just because I have them 4 2.5" work good. I do like the 5" just because it looks right too lol.

Don't settle on feather length till you try shooting the broadhead of your choice, that is, if you intend to shoot broadheads.

I agree with Wild Bill. You might need 5" feather when using broad heads.

I shoot a 3" feather with a Magnus 4 blade with no problems !

What tradhunter said.

Tuned set up, 4" is perfect for target and hunting.

Ditto deerhunt51... I straight fletch my arrows

I guess you have to wonder why so many people for so many years use 5" feathers on their hunting arrows?

'Cuz they saw everyone else doing it?

Take a look beyond what became the standard in the 20th century - lots of different fletching configurations have been used successfully for millenia. I think many would be surprised at how little fletching a truly well-tuned arrow needs - even with a broadhead.

thanks for all the replies!

5" feathers have their place but are not always the best choice.Really the minimum amount of fletching you can get away with is more benificial for arrow performance.5" feathers can be noisier or slow arrow speeds down and in windy conditions can cause havoc with arrow flight.I use 4" a bit with no ill effects.Try them and see for your self. OSR

I uses EFOC and get away with 2 inch.

Bowmania

I shoot 4 3" feathers with Simmons tree sharks. Ty

If your arrows are tuned to your bow, broadheads will not be a problem. If they are a problem, then your bow and arrows are not tuned. No reason at all for them to fly differently then field points or blunts. I have 4" on my woods right now and all points fly the same.

I have found 4" feather fletching mounted helically to be entirely adequate for stabilizing my arrows. But I think highback 5" fletching makes good sense for hunting in heavy cover and dim light, for visibility. Did it hit or miss, and whereabouts? And it may stabilize my arrow more quickly to help it slip between saplings or through a hole in the brush.

It has no noticeable effect on trajectory at any distance I would shoot at game. - lbg

I'm currently shooting 2.5". and they shoot great with field points & broadheads.

Rick

I was surprised my three fletched, 2" Blazers stabilized Bear Razorheads with no problems.

Joe

Best off trying to use the least amount of fletching you can get away with. Why rob yourself of speed unessesarly.5" or 5 1/2 look good though. For traditions sake English war bow arrows routinly use 7" to even 8" fletching .God knows what the brace heights would be. The same can be said of 3 feathers VS 4 feathers is it really necessary? OK some times it is. Play around and see what works for you. If others don't like it than tuff .Do whats best for you. Me personally are using 4" but might try 3" .

My only recomendation is to have fun cause thats what its all about. OSR

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