I shoot off a raised rest (have since 1971) and I always have one bow set especially for bad weather using vanes instead of feathers. The vanes have gotten stiffer for the compound rests used by most guys now. So what vanes (4" usually) are still fairly soft ? I'm NOT looking at spin-style vanes just the normal ones.

Perhaps Rick Barbee will comment on this. I think he shoots vanes a lot, possibly all the time. Marcos, I believe.

Chuck is correct.

I use the Marco Soft Vanes from Mullen Sales.

I shoot them exclusively, shoot them off the shelf, and they shoot just as well as with feathers.

Rick

Rick, can you post a photo of one of your arrows with those vanes?

There you go John. Shows the vanes, and also where I have the turbulator located.

Rick

Rick what is the locator for and how long are those vanes...thx

Rick, so you are shooting vanes off the shelf. It looks like cock feather up and they look like 4”. Any special work or build up on shelf? Please excuses me, but what is a turbulator? ............Jim

What is a turbulator? That is a new one one me???????

The vanes are low profile 4" Marco Soft Vanes.

I shoot cock fletch "IN" at 90 degrees to the strike plate. That gives me better clearance for any type fletching I use, and on any bow I shoot.

You can read all about what turbulators are in the following topic:

http://leatherwall.bowsite.com/tf/lw/thread2.cfm?forum=23&threadid=298584&messages=52&CATEGORY=9

Rick

Flex Fletch are soft, Easton vanes are soft, Bi-delta Rain Vanes are soft and designed to be used from trad bows, and the new Dragon Vanes are soft. Vane Tec vanes are soft and have a lower profile then most vanes.

"Turbulator"? New one on me, too. Must be hard to explain since we have to look it! Looks kinda like an "O" ring.

Rick’s turbulators ARE O-rings, but you can create the same effect with a lot of things. I do like the idea of being able to roll them up and down the shaft ‘til you get the desired effect. Maybe figure out placement that way and THEN go with the sinew & hide glue....

You need a small O ring, about the size they use to castrate Ruffed Grouse.

When I first started doing the turbulators, I used automotive 1/8" wide pin stripping tape. It worked well, but was a pain in the butt to get right.

The o-rings are perfect, and easy to play with/adjust for best effect.

Rick

P.S.

The Allen Flex Fletch are exactly the same as the Marco Soft Vanes.

I use the Flex Fletch in a pinch if I have to, but prefer the Marco due to their wider color selection.

I've even mixed the two on the same arrow before. If they are the same color, you can't tell any difference in them.

Rick

They are getting more attractive to me since they are about one fifth the cost of feathers. By the way, Max Hamilton used hard platic vanes (original Plastifletch) in the 1952 NAA Nationals. So they have been around awhile.

[[[ They are getting more attractive to me since they are about one fifth the cost of feathers. By the way, Max Hamilton used hard platic vanes (original Plastifletch) in the 1952 NAA Nationals. So they have been around awhile. ]]]

$10 a 100 count from Mullen Sales on Ebay.

Rick

local hardware .59 ea. for o rings. anywhere cheaper?

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