What's the difference in arrow performance when using 3 fletch vs. 4 fletch?

Not much. I've used both, and truthfully, I can't tell any performance difference. Theoretically, a 4 fletch should be a bit slower due to drag and a bit quicker to stabilize due to drag. Perhaps if one had the right equipment, one could actually measure these differences.

In practical terms, the only difference I have noticed is I use one more feather with a 4 fletch than I do with a 3 fletch. Since I'm cheap, I have opted to stay with 3 and save one feather per arrow.

You will get many opinions on this topic, but it will kind of boil down to what you like best, what looks cool to you, and ultimately what gives you the most confidence. If you think you shoot one better than the other, go with that one.

which ever catches your eye...  I like 4 4inch.

at trad bow hunting distances, it doesn't matter whether using 3 or 4 fletched arrows.  

from a functional use and build standpoint, 4 fletch doesn't require indexing and the length can be reduced to 4" which nets 2 fletches from a chopped full length feather.

i use four 4" bananas, 45x75, slight offset (no helical), stuck on with bohning tape and a dot of duco at each feather end.

 

QuoteOriginally posted by 30coupe:
... In practical terms, the only difference I have noticed is I use one more feather with a 4 fletch than I do with a 3 fletch. Since I'm cheap, I have opted to stay with 3 and save one feather per arrow. ...

if yer buying precut feathers then 4 fletch might cost more, but if yer chopping or burning fletches then you can get a pair of 4" fletches from one full length feather, for two feathers per arrow ... whereas it'll take three full length feathers to yield a trio of 5" or larger fletches.

I shoot 3- 5", 3- 5 1/2", or 4- 4" I just like 4-4" fletch a little bit  better.    

I have both, but really like the 4 for hunting. No need to worry bout the direction of a cock feather and I think it stabilizes my arrow a little bit faster on close range shots.

I like four fletched arrow for hunting you can pop them on the string either way without taking you eyes off your intendent target.

What Earl said...also I switched to 4 4" fletchings because they were a little quieter. In a slight wind the 4 4" seems to stablize quicker.

And what's wrong with "2fletch"?    Just kidding.

Rob makes a good point about getting two 4" cuts per full length feather. If you're a do it yourself guy it will help conserve on material. To me that's the kind of tip that makes Tradgang what it is.

2fletch

I've been shooting 3 fletch but i just got some new gold tip shafts and decided to put 4x3" on them.  Haven't had a chance to tune them yet, but i like the flight i'm getting already.  I think you get a little more steerage from the fletching having it a little further back up the shaft and i can't see that i would any more drag from 4x3" than 3x4".  

I really like the look as well.

As for extra costs, it's minuscule when compared to the cost of the rest of the arrow.

I shot 3 fletch until about 3 years ago...that would be for 55 years.  I shot well enough and have had trophies both from the woods and tournaments to verify that. However, I tried four fletch about 3 years ago and my arrows and groups seemed to be better. Broadheads seemed to shoot better. I made a few for my wife and she thought the same thing. So now I shoot 4 X 4" and love it. It may seem like I am using  more feather but I trim them lower than I did before so I think that overall surface area is about the same. Subjectively the arrows seem to straighten out quicker.

Sort of off topic, but does anyone other than Bitzenberger make a 4 fletch jig?

I have tried both. I now use only 3 fletch for a couple of reasons. First, I use the back of a shield feather touching my nose as a secondary anchor point and the cock feather on a three fletch lines up perfectly for that. Second, I think three fletch looks a little cooler. Third, I use index nocks and find the index without looking, so the no-look advantage of four fletch is cancelled out by that. Last, there are fewer feathers to scrape together in a bow quiver with 3 fletch.
All of the above effect my performance as a shooter.
As far as arrow performance is concerned, I do not see any difference between 3 and 4.
I like the looks of Ron's TradGang arrow wraps in the photo of his arrows, so I might have to try some of those on a dozen at some point.

I agree with the noise comment above. I went from three 5 inch to three 4 inch and the difference in noise was increditable. I tried the 4 fletch but never saw a difference...so being cheap I just stuck to 3 fletch.
SL

I really like 4 fletch on my selfbow arrows because I can use 4 four inch feathers instead of 3 five inch.  With the very low brace height of the wood bow, the 4 inch feathers work better.  On my recurve, I have 3 five inch feathers currently, but I think I am going to switch to 4 five inch feathers.  Can't help but stabilize the flight faster.  My current 3 fletch do fly fine though.  It'll just be something fun more to mess with.

I just switched from three 5 inch to four 4 inch at 90 degrees. The four fletch seems to handle the heavier broad heads that I shoot now.

4 fletch is nice in the snow and rain

4's just look cool.

Try both 3 and 4 to see what you like. It is purely a preference thing-just like which bow is better. Good reasons have been given for both; but at the end of the day it is what you like best that counts.