Hype or Reality
Equipment
I have been cruising Bowsite and other sources on the internet researching new arrows. I was intrigued by the new arrows that are skinny but a bit heavier than the normal carbons. My question to get the opinions rolling:
Does the smaller diameter shaft really lead to the arrow being more aerodynamic or is this a marketing ploy? I would think that the field tip or broadhead would determine how well it cuts the air. That being said, if the field tip or broadhead are the same size as with a normal arrow, wouldn't the flight be the same?
From what I've seen the spine of the arrow is much stronger on these and the penetration is better.
May be a slight advantage in a heavy cross wind. The thing I notice is that the combo of heaver weight and skinny shaft gives better penetration.
IMHO A pass threw is a pas threw.
Just curious what those arrows are in the above pic?
I think it's a little of both actually. I'm sure there are some benefits, but I'm not going to buy them when my regular gold tips & slick tricks penetrate just fine.
Skinny carbons aren't anything new.
Victory VAP V1 300 spine, 29.5" with SS Penetrator insert. The other is a Carbon Express Mayhem 350 spine, 30", standard insert.
Makes a huge difference on trad bows! Not sure how much difference would be shootable out of a compound. But it's petty well documented smaller diameter penetrate better due to less friction. You probably would never notice though unless you shoot in the wrong place. Shot placement trumps gear selection just about every time in archery.
Fact: Skinnier, and heavier arrows fly through crosswinds better. Olympians have been doing this for several years now. Probably not by a significant margin at realistic hunting distances however.
Fiction: Skinnier arrows penetrate animals better. They do out-penetrate fatter arrows in friction media like foam, but in wet tissue, there is no measurable difference, at least none that science can prove thus far.
Then that means they haven't proved it doesn't, oh wait, I've had shots from big needles and small needles, small ones go in easier! Next time you get a flu shot x-man, insist on a large gauge needle;-)
But I go back to my original point about the field point or broadhead. When I get a shot, it isn't the last 3 inches of the needle that I feel. It's the tip. If the tip is the same size, what difference does the rest of the needle make? You only feel the 1st poke.
I won't argue the better penetration due to a heavier arrow. That makes sense.
Last I checked the laws of physics there still is friction even though its "wet". there is even friction (drag) in air so less surface area will theoretically have less resistance.
Now if it's practically beneficial is up to you and how much you want to spend on new skinny arrows.
With skinny arrows the shaft is usually smaller than the broad head, so there is less drag the length of the shaft. If you go through a bone (like a scapula) it will definitely help to have a skinny shaft over a fat shaft. try it your self in a piece of plywood.
In all my years of shooting I think the skinny shafts just do everything better
I'm a skinny arrow guy so take this with a grain of salt....
I shot GT's and CE Maxima's for years before switching over to Easton FMJ's about 5 years ago. The combination of thinner shaft and increased arrow weight have increased penetration and improved arrow flight for me considerably, especially in the high cross winds we seem to always have out here on the prairie. You couldn't pay me to switch back. A heavier weight more squarely behind a more focused point of impact seems to make sense to me from a penetration stand point.
