Just for the heck of it I thought I might try some Banana Feathers on my next go round. I am curious if anyone has experienced any flight difference ( or other) between, Banana, Shield and Parabolic feather shape? Everything else being equal (Wood,Spine,Length etc...). I am assuming there is not but wondering. Thanks in advance.

I find they are louder, and pretty much overkill. They look cool if that's what you're after. :)

There is different size banana fletching. I've shot 4", 5", and 5 1/2". The 5 1/2" were a little nosier because they had a higher profile. A few years ago, I made six fancy 5 1/2" banana fletch cedar arrows and out of them six arrows I killed five bucks, and I killed one of my black bears with a 5 1/2" banana fletched maple arrow. So, banana fletching isn't going to scare game animals into the next county. Give the banana fletch a try and find out for yourself if you like them or not.

I've been using banana fletch for 20+ years. They are my favorite. George is right that they can be noisy but my deer in freezer never paid any attention. I've been buring my own for quite a while and I've made mine smaller than the big Maxifletch. I go 4 3/4 by 5/8 and they fly the same. And they look cool!

I've started burning a low profile 4 inch banana feather. I not only like the way they look but they fly real good for my also.

They look cool to me also dnovo.

In my experience definitely noisier than parabolic or shield.

My high profile ones.

If you keep the profile (height) lower, they are not very noisy at all.

I cut my banana fletch left wing 5" and the last five bucks Didn't hear a thing. I like Banana cut.

How about using fletch height measurements instead of descriptors such as "low" or "high" cut? It takes all of 15 seconds to measure your fletch height and would add immeasurably ;) to the discussion.

For example, Maxi-fletch are in the 5/8"-3/4" height range; the majority of factory cuts regardless of shape are in the 1/2"-5/8" range.

Fletch trimming/tuning for sound for me starts at 1/2" inch: anything above that produces too much auditory and visual noise for my liking. Most of my feathers and vanes end up at 10mm (.39" or a hair over 3/8") to get close to the dead silent flight I build to.

Back when I got my Pete George LB I made me a Hill style quiver and a dozen woods using banana cut feathers. I bought the “Lil chopper “ and cut the max length and profile. Red and white feathers on cap dip white shafts. Boy was I impressed with myself until I shot the first arrow. Sounded like a flu-flu. Not only that but it took forever for the arrow to get down range. So I trimmed the feathers down which helped. I still like the looks of the shape, even bought some vanes in that shape for target shooting, but not where quite is important.

Craig, I can smell those feathers burning all the way to Colorado!

I love that smell. Kinda like bacon and Hoppes #9.

I love drawing back an arrow with burned feathers and getting a good whiff just before the release.

What Riverwolf said!

I bought a dozen high profile 5 inch bananas… once.

Look good to me.

I had some maple shafts that were Banana fletched. I really did not notice any difference between those and the shield cut maples. They all grouped up together as long as the shaft was straight.

-Bones

When I restarted shooting recurves in ‘98, I bought some banana fletching from McMahon’s Archery. They didn’t work so well for me. I believe shield works best for my arrows. But yeah, they look cool.

I like the looks of them shot 2 buck with them but they are cool

5” long x 3/4”(?). Don’t like the high pro banana

I shot some years ago at the Pennsylvania bowhunter festival Longbow competition. There was one fellow who is using the big banana fletching who was really doing well except every time a longer target came along he would drop short which really hurt his score. He was in the top three as I was second, a guy named Val (passed away a few years ago) was first and Walter Lucki was third.

I was using 3-5” parabolic‘s which worked well for me and is pretty much what I use today.

I've shot bananas for decades. The larger profile does get a little noisy though. Just keep them low. They do seem to correct a bad release quicker.

Been using them for many years.From the 5 3/4" Maxi down to 4".Mostly 4 3/8" lately.

My post above should have said he was not in the top three

my favorite shape like to find a 4" supplier

Theoretically they should be less effective at stabilizing because the max height of the feather is farther forward, ie creating a shorter lever arm. But good luck measuring that effect.

But we all know the most critical factor in feather profile, BY FAR, is how cool they look.

Here is a test I did on different size and shape fletching a couple years ago at 20 and 30 yards. I used a 3" Shield, a 5" Shield, a 5" Parabolic, and a 5 1/2" Banana. All grouped together out to 20 and 30 yards for me. Past 30 yards I'm sure large fletching would affect the arrows trajectory, but I seen no problems for me out to 30 yards.

5" long × 5/8" high.Banana Fletch took a shot this morning

And still no noise flew like a dart

I played with fletching shapes years ago. I came away with this.

Above 1/2 ~ 5/8" you get more noise.

Shape, if kept below 5/8", makes no difference. All you need to figure out is how much surface area you need for your set up. At that point do the math to get your shape/size to match.

A low profile 3/8-1/2" dead flat about 4" long fletch is quiet, durable, and gives the same SQ inches of surface as a 5" high back shield.

If you use natural (wild) feathers it also keeps you feather under the oil line so your feathers are more naturally water repellant.

Much of this can be applied to helix/helical too. A dead straight feather will create rotation. The more helix you add the more drag you add.

Pick your poison.

If you tune your arrows properly, you will need very little fletch. The long and high fletch look cool, but are not really necessary.

Ugly, but functional.

If you want to check out what banana fletch without going all in, take a couple shield fletched arrows and cut the fletch to banana profile.

George Stout said all there is to say about banana feathers.

I used to love the looks, but they weren't very efficient, but now I am into another design.

Roger Rothhaar used four fletch 5 1/2" Banana fletching on his arrows quite often.

Dan in MI

I have burnt a gazillion like that over the years

Hey, I really appreciate all the responses . Lots of points to ponder and other slight variables I hadn't thought of. I generally try to keep things simple and old school (probably why I just stick to woodies). But of course the only way we can truly know anything is to do it our selves. I think I'll try a half dozen banana and compare. I did not want to throw money away on a whim if the opinion consensus here was an affirmative negative, but it seems quite varied ( as usual I guess). Thanks again, always impressed with the depth of knowledge on this wall !

For the larger broadheads they good, but as mentioned a bit louder. I have gone to a Traditional cut, kinda modified shield.

If you wanted too here noisy, I made these arrows with 5" high profile parabolic fletching. I have to wear hearing protection when I shoot them. "LOL" These are by far the noisiest arrows I ever made in 34 years of making my own arrows.

Shape does not matter to me. Nothing longer than 4" though. Use parabolic 4" mostly.

Shape doesn't effect the arrow's noise, its the height of the feather that creates noise. and I disagree that a high fletch is needed for large broadheads, if they are mounted properly most any size fletching will stabilize them.

Bob

"Shape doesn't effect the arrow's noise, its the height of the feather that creates noise."

X2 with aromakr. I agree 100%.

Agreed. People blame shape, but that is because certain shapes len themselves to be higher/taller.

X3 on the height being the cause of noise and not the shape.

I reckon all those animals Nemophilist and Roger Rothhaar killed didn't think they were noisy either.

I have used them for years and never had a problem with them for hunting or target use under thirty yards.

Suedog , very nice looking arrows

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