Fletching

Fletching is the plastic vanes or feathers glued to the back end of a hunt arrow to stabilise it in flight. This pillar covers material choice (plastic vs feather), helical rate, vane length, and fletching count. For the hands-on how-to, see fletching arrows for hunting.

Material

Plastic Blazer vanes at 2 in are the default modern hunt fletch. AAE Max is the current premium plastic vane. Feathers (turkey primary or shield-cut) dominate on traditional bows and forgive rest contact better than plastic. Solid FLEX vanes are the middle ground.

Helical rate

Higher helical rate spins the shaft faster, corrects broadhead flight harder, but sheds more speed. Straight fletching is fastest and lightest. Offset (2 to 3 deg) is a balance. Full helical (4 to 5 deg) is the broadhead-correction option.

Related reading

Read fletching arrows for hunting (the how-to), the arrows pillar, and the nocks and inserts pillar.