I'm planning my next set off arrows for my Bear Montana, and I was thinking about using 4 feathers instead of 3 for a change. My main reason is I simply like how it looks but I don't want to negatively affect my shooting for it.

4 feathers will have more drag than 3 so do a little more in stabalizing the arrow but it will also slow it down a little. Will the difference in speed be noticable at 20 yards?

More importantly, will the extra feather contact with the shelf cause any issues with tuning? I don't really think I have anything to worry about but I want to check before I go ahead and do it.

Do any of you all shoot 4 fletch, and if so why? Thanks for your time and knowledge!

#1 in the Cons column: they cost 33% more to fletch.

It's my understanding that a properly spined arrow shouldn't have any fletching contact, so if you're tuned right, it shouldn't be a problem.

Of course, if you're REALLY tuned Right, you should only need 2 fletchings anyway, at least outside of broadheads...

I've used four 4" flectch for 40+ years. It is probably over-kill as far as stability. I don't think I could see any slowing vs 3 fletch. I have a couple of three fletch arrows given to me, and I can't see any difference in speed. Probably I like four fletch as I don't need to look for a cock feather to get the arrow right on the string.

After shooting my buddies 4 fletch years ago,I now fletch all my arrows with 4 fletch.I like the way they fly and I like the looks.I feel the 4x4" fletch fly just as flat if not flatter then 3x5" feathers.I did one dozen arrows tuned for my bow,I did 3 each 3x4",4x4",3x5" and 4x5".Shooting them at 20 yds they all grouped together.It make a bigger difference at 25+ yds with more feather but at most hunting distances there was no real big difference.On a well tuned arrow fletch them how you like.If I was shooting longer distances I would go with less feather.I realy like 4x4" fletch on my Hill bows because I shoot them at a lower brace.

4-4" is 16" of feather surface.

3-5" is 15" of feather surface.

Given the same height profile, there will be little difference other than the cost of the feathers. Also, your feathers should clear the rest/shelf if properly spined.

When it comes to stabilizing the arrow you need four if your arrows aren't tuned.

Otherwise if you want more noise and a slower arrow you need four.

My testing has shown me that in the George example I can get a way with 6 inches. Three 2 inch. I think I'm at 8 years with two inch now. Between the two inch and the 3 five inch that I had been shooting for 30 years, there's about 4 inches difference in trajectory at a little over 20 yards. And a noticeable lack of sound.

Bowmania

Unlike Matt and George,math is not my thing. I see no cons shooting,only the cost and time. The total inches of feathers can be duplicated. Shoot what you like the looks of. Not sure a forth feather is 33% I would have thought the third feather was but then math is not my thing. Occasionally logic is. I like 2 feathers. Is that 33% cheaper? Thay lay,stack,store,and fit in a quiver nice. Two 5" is still 10" of feather and seems to be working out quite well but I haven't been any where to try more distance yet. I sure would like to see Just Some Dude do that 10 to 40 yard walk back he did on another thread with a two fletch. Then I would know for sure. If a bare shaft is on at 20 surely a two fletch would be. >>>>-----> Ken

Thanks for the quick replies. I like the looks of 4 and nothing seems like it would hurt my shooting so I'll probably go with it. Thanks again!

A third feather costs 50% more than two feathers and a fourth feather costs 33% more than three feathers and so on. So, it is obvious to me that the more feathers you have, the cheaper it gets. :-) On a serious note, I prefer 4 x 4" and have for years.

So if four is 33% more, and three is 25% less… Which one is cheaper?

I've used 3 & 4 fletch for many years, I see no noticeable difference in arrow speed. If your a ground hunter and stalk your game rather than sit in a blind. You won't loose eye contact with game for the most part. In other words you can feel were to nock your arrow and not have to worry about where a hen feather is.Best of luck with your choice whatever you decide.

Don't matter which way you knock a two fletch either. It cost 1/2 as much. I will get a math problem right eventually. It is all good. Just keep the arrows flying. >>>------> Ken

Fj -

Aesthetics only, pick one.

Viper out.

I find 4 fletch seems to catch a lot more cross wind then 3 fletch. My backayard range is always windy so I generally stick with 3-5" oe 3-4" on some carbons.

4 fletch are like child sickness you have it ones and get immunity.

I haven't shot four for quite a few years but my next set will be 4X4. In the past it was more time consuming due to having only a mono fletcher. With the current setup with a jo Jan multi,time is less a factor. Economy is not a factor using full length feathers. It's actually a savings because the shaft can be fletched with two feathers whereas otherwise it usually takes three.

But the main thing was mentioned above. Works better with low brace height on an ASL.

Haven't found no cons on the 4 flechs I have. Pros fly great and look cool.

more noise and wind resistance, great for flu flu

This is what I have observed shooting 4 fletch some years ago. No noticeable difference out to 20 yards. Slightly quicker dropping past 20 yards. Harder to aligned in my quiver where the feathers are not touching each other. Look cool and so easy to knock an arrow. Feathers wear better.

I also have gravitated to 4 fletch. I like the 5" fletch also for stability. Paul Schafer used 4x5" plastic vanes off his silver tips on a Bear Weather rest. However, he also shot high poundage bows as well. This Kansas Buck did not hear the 4x5" fletch coming out of my deathly quiet Bear Montana at 10 yards on the ground

I switched to 4 Fletch last year and my flight with BH and FP are more consistent. After all the positive feedback I now fletch my compound arrows with 4 also. I can afford the 35% cost which for me is the only con.

Adding an extra feather yields consistently better flight, if you have less than stellar form, and/or your arrows aren't particularly well tuned to the bow. If you use the same size feather as the other three you have 25% more feather for guidance. At the short range I shoot the loss of velocity isn't noticeable.

4 is way cooler! Just do it! :o) Regards

I think I will just do it. Probably do a white wrap with 2 barred white and 2 barred green feathers. It should look pretty good!

Got lucky and found 1 doz 4-fletch custom arrows at a garage sale - amazing find. And yes, I really like the look and the flight, and so far my bows love 'em. They are 4" low profile feather vanes and look great, fly great too! Wyatt

If you chop your own feathers you can get 2 4" from a full length feather.With 5" you only get one from a FL feather.

Thanks for the tip, Bernie.

I've done both 90 and 75/105 on my Bitz. I definitely like 75/105 better, because you can easily go 6 fletch, and NEVER have errant flight. lol

I like the look and stability of the four fletch and most of my shots are under 20 yards when hunting in tight cover. I use four 4" parabolic in bright colored feathers with a 10" white cap dip and a white mercury speed nock.

With 4 fletch, if your nocks fits on your string, it's turn correctly. No looking required.

Do any of you guys shooting four fletch have issues with the feathers touching each other in your quiver? They make more noise when shooting if they touch each other.

All this talk about the cost of 4 fletch, well I can see it if buying pre-cut feathers. I can get two 4" feathers out of one full length primary vs one 5" feather, so to me the four fletch is cheaper.

Thanks for the tip, Craig.

Cons- slower, more expensive

Pros- none unless you are trying to get a self bow to fly acceptable. That assumes your self bow is not shooting that great. Some folks on here make killer self bows

I have been shooting 4 four inch for a couple of decades now. The only real difference I have ever noticed is 4 fletch seems to have more drift in a crosswind than 3 fletch.

With way I have my Jo-jans set, I find that right wing gives a better feather angle for my right hand longbows and left wing gives a better angle for my left hand longbows. Referring to the bottom inside feather angle. With three fletch I get a hen feather that points almost straight and rotate nocks after fletching when using left wing out of right hand bows and visa-versa for left hand, which takes an additional one eighth preturn before fletching to keep the grain of a wood arrow aligned after the nock is permanently glued. I like to keep my string nock positions as low as possible.

There are no down sides to four-fletch on hunting arrows that I can see.

So after reading what others think is it safe to say that 4 fletch is boss?

I like the way they look and although further than 20 yards is a little more drop its ok and manageable for me easily.

Will I switch over to all 4 fletch? No need to.I find it just nice to have some 4 fletch and shoot them at times.

I made a set of four by five inch last year and compared the point on range with my 5.5" three fletch, my point on range was identical with either arrow.

GF, neither.

Not...

As with many things in trad archery, an argument one way or another may seem to have one to expect huge differences, but in real life those differences are, at most, minimal.

Well I first said no downside shooting but after reading all the posts.----Little more drop--little more deflection by wind--little more noise--rub togewther in quiver. Yep I guess their boss. By the way you can shoot 4" three fletch also. I guess that negates getting more fletchs from a full length feather. I still say shoot which ever you like though. Just keep them flying. >>>-------> Ken

I see no difference other than being able to nock the arrow both ways with 4 fletch

It's a waste of one perfectly good feather.

8^)

Rick

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