I have always used 5.5 inch shield feathers. I shot some 5 inchers the other night and noticed them much more quite. What do you guys like is the 5.5 overkill?   BILL

I have pretty much always shot 3 5" shields.

Bill,
I do think 5.5 is overkill if your arrow is tuned properly.  They rob speed and create more noice than a shorter lower profile fletch. If your arrow is not tuned well a feather that big becomes necessary to stabilize the arrow better.  I use 5.5 feathers for small game hunting.  Like the way they slow down an arrow instead of using "flu-flu" cut feathers. dino

i shoot 5"... may try smaller with my next batch.. but they always fly great for me...
"if it ain't broke dont fix it!"

Numbers can sometimes tell a lot: They' all part of tuning the arrow to the bow to the archer to the quarry.

Dead is dead.  There is no overkill, but there are some darned amazing shots!  


(collateral damage is its own subject)    

I think 5.5 has its place but I preferr 5.o I also preferr shield cut I think the brand I like best is tru flight

Are you happy with them and do they work good with your setup? If so keep shooting them.

I have shot a lot of different size and shape feathers and I have finally settled on 4 x 4" low profile naner's.

5" parabolic. 3.

I shoot 4 4". Mine shoot fine with 3 4" but I like 4 fletch. Having the arrow properly spined is the most important. With field points, mine fly and group the same bare as with fletching.

4x4" parabolics seem to be my favorite. Quiet flight, good stabilization, and a lot of color to help locate my misses...lol.

Shooting in my backyard yesterday with my buddy, we experimented (again) with arrow noise prior to reaching the target.

Using Cedar,Carbon and Aluminum arrows, fletched with 5" Parabolics, 5.5" HB Shields and 4" four fletch. The distance was 30 yds and we took turns standing off to the side rougly 10 yds from the target.

At roughly 8yds prior to hitting the target, the 5.5 HB Shields had a very loud "Hissss". The 5" Parabolics and 4" four fletch were almost silent.
At 20 yds from the target, we stood off at 15 yds.
Although quieter, the larger feathers still produced the "Hisss".

A 55/75 Gold tip with 5" parabolics proved to be the quietiest of the bunch at both 20/30 yds. Nothing real scientific here but you can see why deer react by dropping just before the arrow hits.

 

I fletch up my arrows with 5" left wing shield cut feathers, all white for hunting and 2 red with 1 white for practice arrows. I set the bitz up with a 2/3 degree off set and the arrows come out like if they were factory made. No glue. Fletch tape. Never had a feather come off yet even the arrows that passed thru deer.
People have metioned to me about the noise but I can't hear it at all and neither did the 5 deer I took the last 2 seasons. I'm not saying that there is or isn't noise, I'm saying I just can't hear it.  

I've come to like 4 4" shields. I may go to 4 3" as I think I can get away with it with 300 grains up front.

As mentioned, I think a properly spined and well tuned arrow will allow you to go smaller with the fletching.  I use 3 x 3" (1/2" height) with a very slight offset.  Tried 4 fletch but those skinny carbons don't have enough spacing for my liking.
Bigger will rob speed and be noisier, especially with a hard helical.

My preference has always been three, 5" parabolic.

As said depends on your tune. Also a higher foc can use less fletch. I prefer 2.5" long x .5" high 4 fletched at 90 with extreme foc. This is the quietest I have found.