Carbon arrows or aluminum arrows...which one is better for you?

Which arrow is better for you? This is a question that archers often ask me. To be honest, I wish the answer to this question was as simple as either this or that. In order to answer this seemingly simple question, there are actually many factors to consider.

1. How much are you willing to spend? Since carbon arrows cost more than aluminum arrows, this is usually a major consideration. The difference in price between carbon arrows and aluminum arrows depends on the manufacturer, straightness, quality, and materials. Generally speaking, the higher the price, the straighter and more durable the arrow. Although you can buy carbon arrows for as low as $50 a dozen, you need to look at the quality of the arrows you buy at this price. For example, you may be able to buy a dozen carbon arrows with a straightness of ±0.008 for $50, but you can also buy a dozen aluminum arrows with a straightness of ±0.006 for $40.

Remember the brave king said that the reason why the rebels did not use bows and arrows was that arrows were too expensive and could not afford them... Even now, it is still the same. Experienced archers know that the biggest consumable every year is arrows. Actually, arrows are more important than bows. A good bow. If the arrows are not good, even a good archer cannot shoot well. A bow with a worse quality and reasonable matching can also shoot well. Many new bow players do not pay attention to arrows and dare to use any arrows. At the least, they will not get good results, and at the worst, they will destroy the bow and hurt people.

Arrow shaft part

1. What is a good arrow

The general indicators of a good arrow should be good straightness, firmness, durability, suitable center of gravity, high consistency, and little influence by ambient temperature and humidity. The personalized indicators are the matching degree with your bow, including length, deflection, weight, arrow head, and feather configuration.

2. What are the materials of the arrow shaft

A. Wooden arrows and bamboo arrows are actually mainly used in traditional bows for performances. In competitions and hunting, almost no one uses them. Because this material is easy to deform, has poor straightness, low consistency, is not durable, and the weight deflection is difficult to control. I have used wooden arrows and saw a wooden arrow disintegrate in flight. B. Fiberglass arrows are also a very low-end type of arrows. In fact, you can think of them as the poles of a display stand. They are heavy, but not strong, and cannot be used on heavy bows. C. Carbon arrows. Many people use carbon arrows now. In most cases, carbon arrows are a good choice. They are straight, will not bend, and will not deform. However, there are some problems. For example, they are easy to explode. They are light and not suitable for heavy bows. D. Aluminum arrows. I have always thought that aluminum arrows are a good choice. At least they are safe, consistent, and easy to match with bows. But there are also some problems. First, they are not suitable for small-pound bows, and second, they are easy to bend. In addition, the price is high. E. Carbon-aluminum arrows can be understood as combining the advantages of carbon arrows and aluminum arrows, but they are accompanied by high prices. Usually, the price of a dozen carbon-aluminum arrows is more than 2,000. They are okay for competitions, but if you lose an arrow in the wild, it will be painful enough for you. 3. What are the considerations for the arrow shaft? A. Length: Match your draw length. For example, if your draw length is 28, the arrow you use should be around 29. This length is measured from the arrowhead seat to the string card at the tail of the arrow. B. Straightness, that is, whether the arrow is straight enough. Now the usual arrow is 6/1000. It can be understood figuratively as, for example, if you use a 1-meter-long arrow, the bend in the middle does not exceed 1 mm. The better the arrow, the higher the straightness. C. Deflection, that is, the hardness of the arrow, which is related to the poundage of the bow you use and the length of the arrow. Generally speaking, the lower the poundage, the softer the arrow, and the higher the poundage, the harder the arrow. The arrow swings forward during flight, and only when it is well swung can it be shot accurately. Therefore, whether the arrow is hard or soft will affect the accuracy of shooting. D. The weight of the arrow generally matches the poundage of the bow. Generally, the relationship between the weight of the arrow and the poundage of the bow is 5-12 grains/pound. There is a weight unit here called grain, 1 grain is about 0.06479891 grams. If you use a 50-pound bow, then the weight of the arrow you match should be between 250 grains and 600 grains. Between 16 grams and 39 grams. The lighter the arrow, the faster the arrow will be and the farther it will be shot, but it is not good for the bow. Heavy arrows will have stronger lethality, but the speed and range will be worse.3
, the role of arrow feathers Stabilize the arrow and counterweight
4, the number of arrow feathers ranges from 2 to 4. Generally, 3 pieces are used
5, the direction and role of the main feathers The main feathers and the tail groove are usually at a fixed angle, which is convenient for the archer to quickly put the arrow on when taking the arrow. Direction American bare bows generally have the main feathers facing up, competitive recurves are generally facing the outside of the bow, and compounding depends on the form of the arrow platform
6, the shape of the arrow feathers Teardrop shape and shield shape, and there are also those used for flying. Teardrop shape is more commonly used, and shield shape is more commonly used by traditional bows. In fact, there is no difference in performance. Arrows can be used to prevent accidental injuries caused by rapid falls.

Arrows

1. Classification

There are many styles of arrows. I have classified them into 4 types. Target arrows are used for target shooting. They have large resistance after shooting, small holes, small wind deviation, and are used for accurate shooting. Hunting arrows have fixed blades and pop-up blades. Fixed blades look good, but have serious wind deviation. Pop-up blades are relatively better. In fact, they are mainly used for YY in China now. They are used in the wild and are basically useless when encountering any hard objects. Judo chopping board arrows are very weak in penetration. They rely on heavy blows to knock small prey, especially birds, unconscious. Heavy bows can be used, but light bows are not. Especially in judo, it is more practical because it is not easy to lose arrows in the wild.

2. Arrow weight

This is very important. Generally, there are arrows ranging from 80 grains to 175 grains on the market. You should choose according to your needs, the weight of the arrow, and the center of gravity of the arrow. 100-125 is the mainstream. 3. Inserts and outer sleeves Inserts are the mainstream, the reason is simple, easy to replace. Outer sleeves are usually glued, which is not convenient to replace, and inserts are directly screwed on the arrow seat. Who would have known that there are so many considerations when buying arrows. But it doesn't have to be so troublesome. If the arrow you use is suitable for you, then don't change it, just use that arrow. If you want to try other arrows, then you have to spend some time to study them carefully. Remember to check the arrows when buying them and choose the arrows that suit you best.