Tapered vs parallel shafts?

[Rando]

Getting back to wood shafting after doing the aluminum thing for awhile... Gonna order a couple dozen (sitka spruce) in the next week and am contemplating tapered shafts. Everything I've shot for 30 years has been parallel.
So - is there a big advantage/is it worth the added expense or time?
Does it make the shafts harder to straighten or keep straight? Other issues?
Appreciate any feedback!!
Rando

[jonsimoneau]

There may be a slight advantage to the taper but Im not sure I really notice it. I think they both straighten about the same.

[macbow]

Don't see a difference in straighting or staying straight. Advantages if tapering the fletch end.I taper down to a 5/16 nock this gives me less finger pinch. It also makes the back lighter.Doesn't effect spine much and sorta adds a little weight forward.
I think the fletching clears a little better also.

[Pat B]

Over the last 10 years I've only used hill cane or sourwood shoots for arrows. They both are full taper naturally. Lately I've been using poplar shafts from Magnus and have been tapering the last 10" of these shafts myself. I really like how the tapered shafts get around the bow. They seem to be more spine tollerant than parallel shafting.
 You can easily taper your own wood shafts with a simple jig. Magnus may taper shafts for sale too. You should give the poplar shafts a try. They are very tough , stay straight and fly well.

[Elk whisperer]

parrallel are tougher

[Pat B]

Why is parrallel tougher? The point end, where most arrows break is the original diameter. I've never had a problem with tapered shafting not being tough enough.

[Huntingnut]

I like tapered just for the cool factor, but I can't honestly say I've ever seen any difference in arrow flight between the two.Of course, I probably don't shoot well enough to notice any difference  

[Bjorn]

I taper them just because...........never noticed a difference. I taper the pointy end a little too especially with 23/64.

[hvyhitter]

Tapered wood "seems" a bit more forgiving on my non-centershot bows but with centershot recurves/longbows I see no real difference........

[gringol]

A lot of people say the taper helps with paradox, but I have never noticed the difference.  A taper from 23/64 to 5/16 is only 1/64" more clearance...  Carbons and aluminums are parallel....  A taper is cool, but that's probably all imo.

[Rando]

Thanks for the responses. I'm thinking I am not a good enough shooter to really see the difference or make it worth the extra cost... that said, I may decide to give tapering shafts myself a try. Either way, looking forward to working with & shooting wood again!
Rando

[Fletcher]

I've shot both and prefer tapered enough that I taper all my shafts.  It does help with moving the FOC forward, but I feel it also "tillers" the arrow somewhat so that it bends more evenly.  They definitely shoot better for me.

[legends1]

I have some tapered and parallels.They shoot the same and i dont see any diffrence.

[Shakes.602]

All I see is it raises the Price of the Shaft. Never Shot a Tapered, so cant give an Opinion, other than the Price Difference. If ya live on a Budget, as I do, ya save every GreenBack ya can!!

[LEWIS VADEN]

Parallel are much easier to straighten for me since I lay them on a flat surface and use a roller, but tapered shafts shoot much better for me.  Lately I have been using the breasted sitka spruce from Hildebrand.  I think these are the best I have ever shot.

[snag]

Not a big difference. Now if we are able to throw in breasted tapered shafts then we have something. 11/32"-23/64"-5/16". I have never shot a more perfect wood arrow then the ones I have made this way. Ever wonder why a javelin is shaped the way it is? Yep, great aerodynamics. Also better weight forward.

[arrow flynn]

Horace ford the greatest shooterof the york round shotparallels sk does davewallsace world champ .sorry to all you arrowsmiths. It does not make you a better shooter it just costs more.paul jalon makes dave wallaces arrows.ask him.

[lovethehunt]

I shot parallels from 1994 through 2006, then went to alumanum to get constistancy. In 2010 I tried carbon and now learned how to taper my own woods with a simple jig I made. I can now shot carbon or tapered wood out of the same bow with out any changes to my set-up. I like the tapered because they seem a little more forgiving to tune. Besides the extra step is making it your own way and being an indevidual is just more fun for me.

[deaddoc4444]

I taper my own   but use a 14 inch taper instead of 10   NITRO STINGERS ( carbons ) are tapered .
   I believe they shoot nicer  tapered and they FIC is better . I HAVE not noticed them being any less durable.  Actually  think they are better than parallels.  Less weight in the rear slamming and compressing the front when it hits something .
   It DOES change the spine slightly ( especially if your taking off more than the standard 10 in taper ) but not too much.

[Fletcher]

Arrow Flynn, you are correct, tapered does not make me a better shooter; only I can do that.  Tapered does however, make MY arrows fly better.  I've shot enuf of both to know.

Parallel shafts can without a doubt make excellent arrows.  The difference isn't great, but 25 years of shooting wood has shown me that there is a difference.  Tapered arrows go back at least as far as the Turks and have been "discovered" by several different archery cultures.  If there was no advantage to tapered arrows, man would not have invested so much effort into them.  JMHO