Weight tubes versus weighted inserts...

[shaneroe]

Is there a downfall to either one?  I'm new to all this and I was going to use the tubes cause I am border line on my spine being to weak and I thought a big weighted insert with a broadhead would make my spine weaker than if I used tubes.  Am I way off?  Thanks.

[katman]

I think your on target.

[GMMAT]

No.  You're not way off.

One (Weight tubes) won't affect your dynamic spine.

One (weighted insert) will.

[Steve O]

I have solved many flight problems for guys by removing those ridiculous weght tubes from their arrows.  YMMV, but I would never waste my time with those things.

[dbow]

i could never get tubes to shoot as nice as weighted inserts.  IMO the downsides of tubes are:
-always come loose, especially when stump shooting.
-poor flight.
-cost too much money.

I would think that the weighted inserts would make your spine weaker than tubes, but I would give them both a shot.  You'd be surprised how much you can put on the end of an arrow before it becomes to weak.  I shoot 28 inch 500's at 53lbs with 225 at the tip, and 75 grain inserts!

[pitbull]

You will be much better off with a weighted insert putting more weight up front and then you can trim the length of your arrow to stiffen it.

[Lechwe]

I use the weight tubes and don't have any issue with them. They are not perfect but they served their purpose for me well.

[KentuckyTJ]

Weight tubes add weight to the entire shaft. Inserts add the weight where it belongs, in the front.

[Biggie Hoffman]

Uh-oh...I hate to go against TJ cause I'm hoping he'll show me how he kills those big deer all the time but I use weight tubes and have no problems at all. The FOC stuff doesn't work for me at all no matter what combinations I try.

I figger I've been killing stuff with arrows since 1966 and never heard of the FOC stuff until carbons came out. So I'll stick with a heavy shaft and a 125gr head.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

If you are already borderline weak on spine, adding additional weight up front will only make the problem worse.

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

I used weight tubes for a while and noticed that after several shots into a firm target the tubes started to disintegrate just behind the insert from the impacts. Especially when you are learning to shoot (form) it's best not to have any variables that are shifting, like weight tubes that are "shrinking" inside the shaft without you knowing it.

[Ground Hunter]

I have to say, I'm not crazy about them but they have worked fine.  I make a couple of expanded areas along the tube with clear tape.  Just enough to cause a tight fit for the tube, and center it full length in the shaft.  No rattle, no shifting, no knocks ejecting.  That said, I've moved back to alumunum for heaver bows for the added mass of aluminum.  My .02.  H

[Biggie Hoffman]

Juan, they can't move if they are cut the right length. If they are short, not only will the move but they will blow the nocks off on impact. That's always fun. Try to find a nock in the tall grass.........

[mark land]

In my experience I have seen an increase in penetration on game animals with a front loaded arrow vs total weighted arrow of the same weight.  I much prefer the weighted inserts myself and pick out a tip weight I want to shoot and adjust the arrow spine to match it.  Adding any weight to a shaft will decrease spine somewhat, although it is much less with weight tubes then inserts, but still does affect the spine of the arrow.  Also I never could get use to the rattling inside the arrow and the occasional nock popping off as well.

[Overspined]

don't know why but I always get crappy flight with weight tubes in. I would go with point weight or a different arrow. I my groups turn into a mess with tubes.

[zirnsak]

Go to blackwidow.com, they sell an awesome system for carbons. you can buy the inserts and the knocks that allow you to add screw on weights to either. One, you won't get any nock blow outs when hitting something hard but mostly you can tune an arrow perfectly bare shafting it. The greatest aspect and probably most important is you can add additional weight to the front and same to the nock and you will make your arrow heavier and won't change the spine.

[684Kevin]

Weight Tubes seem to only add weight to you arrow so a much heavier arrow can be achieved.  I prefer to tune the shaft with inserts up front and tune with a slightly weak flight if planning to adding tubes for more weight.  The tubes seem to only stiffen the spine slightly, just because they put more weight resistance against the bow and therefore slightly reduce the bows efficiency.

[Bill Carlsen]

I tried everything to get weight up on carbons. Then I heard about Bob Morrison experimenting with heavy FOC. I called him to see if what I had heard was true and  tried it and found that it has lots of benefits and no drawbacks. NO rattle, no popped nocks, better arrow flight, better penetration, can actually use smaller fletch, bare shafts shoot better, etc. For me it is THE way to go.