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Why should you care about the science?
As we know, anything that flies takes an incredible amount of science and engineering to design...Planes, Helicopters, Fighter-Jets...arrows should be no different!
When today's arrows are flying at over 200mhp, every variable is exaggerated, much like the aerodynamics of a vehicle.
Think about a Corvette and a Pick-Up driving down the road side-by-side. At 30mhp, the rides between the two wouldn't feel much different. However, once they reach higher speeds, the difference is HUGE! Not only that, but high speeds cause trucks to react differently to the wind resistance.
Arrows are no different! Read on to learn and understand what happens to an arrow in flight, what issues arise between the different arrow diameters, and what we can do to overcome them when arrows are built properly.
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All arrows go through three stages of flight between the release and the impact of that arrow. In order,
they are The Draw Cycle, The Reaction to the transfer of power, Recovery, Stabilization, and Impact/Penetration.
Every single arrow that's ever released goes through each of these stages, and each stage can be manipulated to
either help or hurt arrow performance and efficiency. Not only that, but each stage can
positively or negative effect the next depending on arrow build and bow setup.
To learn more about the 5 Stages of Arrow Flight, click the link above!
Chapter 2:
The 5 Motions of Arrow Flight
Similar to the stages of arrow flight, and arrow "performs" 5 different motions while it's in flight. Unlike the stages, however,
the motions happen SIMULTANEOUSLY as opposed to concurrently, or "in sequence," as with the 5 Stages.
In addition, each arrow may not go through ALL the motions, nor will it spend the same amount of
time performing each "motion" depending on bow setup, arrow build, FOC, letoff, etc.
The 5 motions are the Parabolic Motion, the Torsion, Center Ovalization,
Circular Expansion and Contraction, and Micro Flex.
To learn more about the 5 motions of arrow flight and how they affect your arrows efficiency and performance, click the link above!
Chapter 3:
The Pros and Cons of High/Low Letoff
High-letoff options are SO appealing to hunters because it allows us to hold less weight for longer when drawn on a deer or other target species. While this is certainly beneficial, the higher the letoff, the worse the arrow begins to behave upon release while also making it harder to maintain perfect form.
To learn more about the pros and cons of high letoff cams, click the link above!
Speed and Aerodynamics
Let's cut to the chase here...the faster something is moving, the more aerodynamic it must be. The more aerodynamic the object, the better it will perform at higher speeds. PERIOD.
Anything that moves through the air requires some consideration as it pertains to Aerodynamics. Whether we're talking about cars, planes, or arrows, the faster the object moves, the more important aerodynamics are! Since today's vertical bows are capable of reaching speeds of 200+ MPH and crossbows reaching 300+ mph, Aerodynamics are absolutely KEY in having the most consistent arrows possible!
To learn more about how speed and aerodynamics affect arrow flight, click the link above!
As we've all seen, today's archery industry has been promoting that thinner arrows have less wind drift and more penetration than larger-diameter arrows. In theory, this would be true...if the shaft was flying down range completely on its own! Vanes and Broadheads have the most effect, respectively, when it comes to wind drift and penetration.
To learn more about arrow diameter vs. wind drift and penetration, click the link above!
In recent years, the .246 and .300 - class arrow shafts have been frowned upon by many in the archery world, even though they're essentially the two 'original' arrow diameters! While they don't get much love, .246- class and larger diameter arrows actually behave the BEST out of today's high-output, high-letoff bows when compared to thinner arrow diameters.
To learn more about the benefits of .246 and .300-class arrows, click the link above!
While small (.204) and micro (.166 and smaller) have greatly become the standard in the hunting realm, and they DO have benefits when it comes to durability, they have some hidden characteristics that can really hurt your arrow behavior and performance both in flight and on impact. They can be VERY effective, but they must be built properly to match the performance characteristics of .246 and .300 diameter arrows.
To learn more about .204 and .166 class arrows, click the link above!
As consumers, sometimes we don't realize how much really goes in to making a product. When it comes to manufacturing arrow shafts and arrow components, the attention to detail is SO important! There are so many variables that go into making archery products, such as carbon fiber quality and strength, resin type and quality, temperature in the factory, quality control, batch-to-batch consistency, and more. The more precise the components are from batch to batch, the more consistent your arrows will behave from arrow to arrow, dozen to dozen - it's that simple!
To learn more about manufacturing processes of arrow shafts and components, click the link above!