Experiences with Trad Vanes

[LoneRanger]

I’ve been thinking about fletching one arrow with AAE Trad Vanes to keep in the quiver for a rainy day (literally). I haven’t seen much talk about these lately, though I believe they have been on the market now for a few years. If you’ve used them please share your experiences.

One thing in particular I’d like to know, has anyone tried using Bohning Fletch Tape with these? AAE, the manufacturer, says their glue must be used. Has anyone tried otherwise?

[highcountry]

I thought the fletch tape was awesome when it came out. Made a bunch of sets of arrows with the tape. I had to re-fletch all of them!! They started to peel off. Maybe the heat or cold, don't know. I use the AAE Max Bond glues with good luck.  I will ask around about the vanes, AAE is an Arizona company just down the hill in Prescott.  I seen the vanes in the archery shop the other day but short ones for the wheelie bows.

[blacktailbob]

Wet feathers don't bother me. Blood trailing in the rain does.

20 yds

[varmint101]

They work, but they didn't last long for me stumping.  Tore easily.  I also got a kick out every so often. Probably my fault with a bad release, but it still happened and that plays with your mind LOL so, I stick to feathers.  Been using 4 fletch 3" feathers last couple years. Works great.

[degabe]

I didn't think vanes were traditional

[Nomadstalker]

I couldn’t get clean arrow flight off the shelf. They flew well off a bear weatherest. I’m sticking with feathers.

[bucknut]

I use them for the same reason, I like an arrow I can rely on in the rain. Can’t see a difference in flight between them and feathers off the shelf. I can’t remember what glue I used.  But it wasn’t theirs. Most likely Saunders NPV.

[Charlie Lamb]

https://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/cloudydraw.jpg]

[M60gunner]

I made up a few of my Easton black AXIS shafts I had laying around. So far I tried them from my LB and one of my recurves. I had to raise the nock point 1/16” of an inch on the LB. Otherwise I got a little kick up. The recurve has a feather rest. They flew fine with no adjustments from that bow. Are they my replacement for feathers? No, just an alternative.
 Oh, vanes have been around longer than the word “trad”. I used them back in the early 70’s for hunting Pheasants in the snow.

[Leo L.]

I fletched some recently to try them out. I can mirror what someone else has said about no clean flight off the shelf. Some arrows have been well, but I'm sticking with feathers.

[LoneRanger]

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts and experiences. I do shoot off the shelf, so given the experiences with differing flight from feathers and how close I am to hunting this year, I will stay the course on my current setup. Maybe I’ll try one this winter.

[Mark R]

I fletched a few arrows with them, they flew fine, but if you get a tear in the vane they make an unbearable hissing noise.

[DouglasCorrell]

I really like hunting with tradvanes. They fly great from my old Kodiak Mag's shelf and they're very quiet.  But..... I find them to be a bear to fletch. They're so thin that they often slip into my Bitz clamp during assembly.  Also, the AAE glue is rather thin and tends to migrate onto the clamp.

Perhaps I got spoiled using Gateway feathers and Bohning fletching tape. They made arrow crafting rificulously quick and easy.

Can anyone here offer tips for fletching tradvane arrows that results in less cursing, crying and failure

[Friend]

I shoot upper range EFOC to Ultra EFOC hunting arrow designs. As a result, wet fletching is a nonissue.

Have fletched over 200 dozen arrows with fletch tape. Hunted with them in both extremely warm and cold conditions. Zero issues encountered or reported back to me. Have had one arrow recovered after being lost in the woods for two years and one lost for three years. Fletching still intact however, the fletching had badly faded.