Wood vs Carbon

[Blaino]

I am making the switch to wood after only shoot carbon and some alloy from time to time.  
Carbon makes a superior arrow but there is something about wood that just feels right and that’s what I like most about them.

[mnbwhtr]

When I started serious bowhunting in 1965 the owner of the pro shop told me it didn't matter what bow I shot as the arrow always did the killing. With that He sold me a used recurve so I had $20 more to put into my arrows. Microflights were the strongest, toughest arrows on the market and were always straight so I chose them over wood. I switched over to aluminum in about 1972 and shot 2219's but aluminum bends. From 1980-1992 I shot longbows exclusively and made up wood arrows to match. The first thing I noticed was
the lack penetration I was getting shooting the same bow weights as with the 2219's. I still shoot wood with my longbows, more for nostalgia then anything. Shooting my recurves I use carbons, they are tough,staight and penetrate as good as anything I've found. Tuning for me has never been a problem no matter what arrow shaft I use.

[Hoyt]

I try to maximize whatever I'm hunting with to it's full efficiency. Tuning at the low end of brace heights with biggest broadheads, fastest limbs and strings with skinniest, heaviest carbon arrows using smallest amount of feathers to do the job.

[Fletcher]

I shoot wood because I want to and like the "nostalgic" character.  I am content to accept and live with their limitations.  Carbon and alum make good arrows, but I have no desire to shoot either.

[John McCreary]

Originally posted by Fletcher:
I shoot wood because I want to and like the "nostalgic" character.  I am content to accept and live with their limitations.  Carbon and alum make good arrows, but I have no desire to shoot either.

Where is that "like" button?    

Rick, you coming to Cloverdale? If so lets talk about wood...

J-Mac

[John McCreary]

Originally posted by Fletcher:
I shoot wood because I want to and like the "nostalgic" character.  I am content to accept and live with their limitations.  Carbon and alum make good arrows, but I have no desire to shoot either.

Where is that "like" button?    

Rick, you coming to Cloverdale? If so lets talk about wood...

J-Mac

[Fletcher]

HI John,  Good to hear from you!  Probably won't make C'dale this year and I'm not happy about that.  Have a family thing I need to attend plus some local stuff.  The UBI Summer Shoot is this weekend and I'm gonna miss that, too.  Compton is still a maybe; thinking I'll be doing good to make the PBS Odd year in WI.  I did get to shoot a couple commons and four bigheads last Friday, thinking that may be the highlight of my summer.

I'm always ready to talk wood tho.  I'll PM my number.

[Craig]

I shoot wood out of my selfbow, carbons out of my recurve. I can make my carbons look just as nice as my woods. The only difference is when they break. One has a nice aroma and the other one doesn't.

[threeunder]

I only shoot carbon.  No fuss about straightening arrows or gluing points.  I just feel like with carbon I can concentrate more easily on my shooting and form.

[eflanders]

I have to admit that I shoot carbons due to the lack of maintenance needed for them.  But I love wood things (bows, boats and fly rods) and always feel a bit of guilt for shooting carbons.  I am going to cure my guilt sometime soon and order me some fine wood arrows soon...

[Knawbone]

Originally posted by Bjorn:
I tried carbons a coupla' years ago and just could not get a satisfactory tune. Not saying they are bad at all it was probably more me and less them.  I spent about 6 weeks to give carbon a fair trial and went back to wood.
I think you can develop a relationship with wood that other materials just can't seem to satisfy.      

Exactly my sentiment.Plus I'll add that wood is quiet to shoot and don't always spook Deer when bounced off a tree, as wood to wood sound is natural.Just love the way wood shoots.

[LimbLover]

Originally posted by Charlie Lamb:
If maximizing penetration is a concern for you then carbon is the way to go. I shoot plenty of weight so arrow shaft choice is mostly based on whimsy.

Carbon doesn't "noodle" as badly when it hits your target transferring momentum energy more efficiently. It typically needs to be weighted on the front end to achieve tune which give improved FOC. Is tough as nails so it's less likely to break on hard impacts on game. It's either straight or it's broken. Smaller diameter has penetration advantages as well.

I've found the same. I've shot and hunted with both, obviously not as much as Charlie, and recently went back to Carbons on some bows especially when shooting league.

My Hill-styles love wood arrows and it just seems wrong to shoot anything but wood or cane out of a self bow. My R/D bows will shoot both but pair up with a weighted carbon well.

I guess it's all in my mood and the bow I'm shooting. I've taken strong stances in my writing and blogging before about shooting wood or not shooting wood and as I continue to do this I'm finding I don't care as much. Good flight is good flight. If you find a good setup you are happy with STICK WITH IT.

[Widow's Son]

I shoot both. Carbons are a superior arrow material than anything out there right now. For me they tune easily and stay that way. Most of my hunting/shooting the past two years has been with vintage Bear archery tackle. To that end I've been shooting new/old stock bear cedar arrows. It's funny how most of these are painted cedar shafts. I guess maybe they painted them so they would look like the "new" aluminum arrows that were coming out at that time? Yes, it just depends on what mood I'm in.

[Kris]

I had always shot my own custom POC's (plus, maple, larch, birch, Doug Fir & hickory) but have mostly gone to carbons now     :(       I think about this a lot and it is always tinged with guilt, as I love wood!  

Carbons are superior in so many ways but they will never smell as good as broken cedar        

I still make my own Doug Firs and feel it is important to know & exercise this craft.

Kris

[Sawpilot 75]

It seems this has sparked several opinions.. which is great so please keep it coming! I have 2 custom Assenheimer's and they both seem to like wood better. i cant seem to get carbons to tune as of yet which is not to say I'm done but I guess I feel I switched to Trad for a reason and wood seems to fit the criteria better..    

[jsweka]

There's no question that carbon is a superior material - durability, straightness, penetration, and all the options as far as tinkering with FOC.

However.....To me, shooting a carbon arrow out of a Hill style longbow is kind of like fishing with a night crawler on the end of split cane bamboo fly rod....It might be very effective, but something just doesn't seem right about it.

[Knawbone]

Well spoken John!

[Kris]

Yeah, spot on John! aka jsweka

Kris

[59Alaskan]

I shoot both.  I love to watch a well tuned wood arrow fly.

I like carbons because I can use a lighted nock, they are easier toget a consistent set of arrows.

I am going to mess with getting a lighted nock into a wood shaft this summer though....

[Biathlonman]

I've only been truly trad for about a year.  I've mainly focused on carbon but have just start dabbling in wood.  I was all set to take the wood plunge this fall then pulled an unexpected elk tag.  Now I just have to decide if my low 50 lbs. bow has enough juice to run wood or stick with the high foc carbon that treated me well last year.