Carbon shafts - collars??

[Rando]

Gonna give carbons a try - just 'cause. Probably try the Gold Tip Traditionals, especially if I can get some blems - they seem reasonably priced.
Wondering who uses the collars on the tip or nock end to 'em?
I'm not thrilled about increasing the diameter of the shaft as I think you lose some of the benefits you gain going to skinny shafts but wondering what your experiences are (good or bad) with or without using collars. Are carbons real susceptible to breaking without them?
thanks for any feedback,
Rando

[Gdpolk]

I foot my Gold Tips on the point end only and have never had a problem.  

I do a ton of stump shooting and small game hunting so arrows bouncing off rocks, hard living trees, etc are just a reality for how I use my bow which is why I went with footed carbons to begin with.  I simply use broadheads/blunts/field points that are the same outside diameter as my footings so that after the hole is punched the shaft can just slip right in.  I've never noticed any decrease in penetration from the 1.8" footings on my shafts.  Also, I've not yet experienced the need for a footing/collar on the nock side of the shaft but have had a couple nocks blown out on a hard impact.  To date the only arrow I've damaged was at a shoot and I pulled the shot really bad; it went through one side of a steel pipe and dented the back side of the pipe.  The insert was driven about halfway behind my footing and thus my shaft was ruined but I sincerely don't think any arrow would have survived that one.

[JRY309]

Carbons are pretty tough arrows but not indestructible.I have never used them,but I shoot mostly targets.They would hang up in some targets on arrow removal depending on type of target.I might use them or foot my carbons for stump shooting.

[pinky]

I think these carbon shafts are pretty tough, but if you are planning on some stump shooting? footing or putting collars at the pointy end is a good idea.
 

[M60gunner]

I foot my carbons like most do here. Carbons do not like the desert landscape. I use 2in of an alum shaft to foot. I only used collars on the nock end once. I can not prove it but since I foot point end I have not had a nock end splinter from a hard hit.

[Jakeemt]

I have a few dirt cheap Wally World carbon stumpers with 1.5 inches of footing on them. They have hit so hard live oak and hickories I can't even count. (Missing the bushy tails!) and they still shoot. Footing a carbon makes them tough!

[Msbow]

I use the 3 rivers collars on the front of my shafts, but I make my own for the nock end. This is a pic of where i hit a nock and the nock collar saved my arrow.
 
 
 

[Tony Sanders]

Because I do a lot of roving and stump shooting, I foot my carbon stump shooting arrows with a piece of aluminum arrow. And so far it have not made any difference in the flight or accuracy of the arrow. But that piece of footing do help quite a bit in saving the arrow for more multiple shots. Here is a pic of some of my stump shooting and small game arrows with the aluminum footing.
   


 

[silent sniper]

I use the 3 rivers collars on both ends of all my arrows. I absolutely love them. before using collars I would split the ends of at least a half a dozen arrows a year. Since going to the collars I have not split ended one single arrow.

Collars will make arrows honestly dang near impossible to break. I tried to break one and after hundreds of shots I finally managed it by shooting the arrow at an angle into a rock face. The collar did not fail,the whole arrow however blew into pieces.

For me, collars are a necessity. They are very small and lightweight. They will hang up in bag targets but a clockwise twist while pulling them will bring them right out. Yes they are a little expensive, but believe me you will not be disappointed. Cheers SS

[TheSearcher]

Without footings, hard targets or angled impacts definitely can bend inserts or drive them into the shafts. With over footings on the front end this is greatly reduced. Similarly they help maintain arrow integrity if impacting the larger bones in whitetails. Plus they add a bit of FOC which always helps.

[Rando]

Sounds like all positive feedback on collars/footings... appreciate the responses!!
This is what I love about this forum - so much knowledge from other people's experiences without having to invest (or waste) tons of time & money... either of which I do not have.
thanks,
Rando

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Something i found out recently about footing collars is that if i made the footing longer than the brass insert inside the shaft, the arrow snaps off clean at the end of the footing at times. After shortening the length of them less than the insert i've had MUCH better luck with them.

[Bldtrailer]

Foot the carbons with xx75 (2117) and they will last a lot longer 1-2inch in front 1/4 back end

[Msbow]

Bidtrailer,
on that nock end hit did your aluminum arrow collar split like mine did in my pic?

The aluminum arrow collar I made split and the nock was shot, but the shaft was fine. I was thinking on my next set of arrows using the nock collars from 3 rivers, because they are a lot thicker.

[Bldtrailer]

No the footing did it's job, only lost the nock(soft target also helped, lifetime target, stuffed w tee old shirts
 
 

[Charlie Lamb]

I tend to make my aluminum footings less than 1 inch and suspect that as little as a half inch for the front end is all that is needed.

Just my thoughts about it.

[ranger 3]

Do the footings change the spine?

All I shoot are Gold Tips and I do not use any collars. I don't have any problems with breaking arrows, as I usually am not shooting at rocks! I do break one occasionally, if I miss a 3D target and happen to hit a big rock or something really hard. But it sure does not happen enough to make it worth it to me to go to the trouble of putting footings and collars on my arrows.

Bisch

[Bldtrailer]

If your footing is the same length (or shorter) as your insert the spine should not change.
 But if it is longer than your insert it can(stiffen).  you need to know  the weight such as 1 inch of xx75 2117 weighs 12 grains .

[Pointer]

I've used the collars and also footed my gold tips with a 2216. They work equally well. I've gone whole seasons using the same stump arrow. And some of my bows really launch an arrow so they take a serious impact.