I have been thinking about trying some of these on my arrows, I have always shot shields. How do the banana's compare(noise, stabilization, etc) I'm looking at some 5 1/2"ers for my new arrows.

Rodney

That's about all I use anymore.  I don't like to spend alot of time bare shafting or paper tuning and I find that as long as my shafts are close I can slap some big bananas on them and I'm usually in business.  Also my eyes aren't as good as they used to by so the big feathers allow me to see where I'm shooting.  Did I mention they just look cool?  If I can find any disadvantage is that when it is windy my nocks will generally be pointing in the direction the wind is blowing at impact.

The higher the back the bigger the noise - there are some good "custom" ones in the "how to" section, modifying a chopper - making them low and short, I believe it is Robs thread. I use 5" and 1/2" height and they don't really make noise from my longbow but they do from my recurve.

They make a low profile chopper too. I just bought the high and love it! For 3D and stumping there isn't anything better IMO. They are my favorite style. I'd like to try hunting with the low profile cut this year.

No problem with mine, I don't experience any more noise than my 5" shield cuts, maybe it's because I'm old and hard hearing.
I see them in flight quite well, maybe it's because I can't see the others very well.  Poor eyesight?
I do like them though, and they work well for me, can't ask for much more.

Out of a dozen I might have two or three that are noticeably louder.  I take note of which these are and don't hunt with them.  3D targets don't seem to mind how loud they are, though.

banana feathers are all I use on my arrows, they stabilize eqaully as good as any other feather in my tests.  i dont know who said bananas are louder, because they are absolutely quieter than sheilds, the back end of the sheild is where the drag is created on a feather, and the banana provides rotation but has lower drag ( aka less noise)  due to the lack of a rear planar surface.

that is a high back banana reduced down by gluing a strip of leather against quill rest

that is a comparison to a 5" sheild - virtually the same - I shot some with the high back banana and it sounded like a helicopter (pretty neat actually) - thought about a 4 fletch high back for a flu flu but haven't tried it. Banana is the best looking feather cut IMHO

Another vote for banana but low profile. I have shot 5.5 high back and swear deer were ducking my arrow (can you say matrix). My selbows are quiet so I know they were hearing the arrow. Switch to a 4.5 and low profile no problems since. With a little FOC the smaller fletch still stablize my large broeadheads from my selfbows. Best flight I have ever gotten from selfbows.

Here are some I just chopped.

Chopping them is one of the reasons I like them so much. Wild turkey feathers are easy to convert as well. I've got a wild one in that bunch somewhere.

The darker shaft.

Thanks everyone I might try some and see what happens. Just curious to see what everyone thought of them.

Rodney

COOL....

I would think you would have to make sure you have the feather pointing the right way in the gig. Or are they easy to tell the front from the back.

QuoteOriginally posted by The Whittler:
I would think you would have to make sure you have the feather pointing the right way in the gig. Or are they easy to tell the front from the back.

Don't matter, because it is the same on both ends. Nanners are SWEET.