Maybe you have thought to go the extra mile and buy carbon fiber arrows. Most people will tell you how carbon fiber arrows work better than aluminum arrows. Aluminum can bend from a hard impact, which can force you to replace it sooner. Because of durability, strength and weight, carbon fiber arrows tend to be better if you can look past the cost.
How long do carbon fiber arrows last? After two years of hard practice, you can expect the need to replace carbon arrows. In truth, that shows that carbon arrows can last for quite a while even with hard shooting. At the one-year mark, you won’t see too much for wear and tear.
What to Understand with Carbon Fiber Arrows
Carbon fiber arrows will last an estimated two years even with heavy shooting, but it depends on the brand that you have chosen. You typically want to choose a higher end brand because this ensures that your arrows will last longer.
It’s common for splits to happen with carbon fiber arrows, but with that said, wear at the tip of the arrow is usually nothing that you need to worry about. Some of the cheaper arrows that you buy from Walmart might split at the nock as many people have reported. In some cases, you just get a bad arrow, and it breaks too soon.
The answer largely depends on how much you shoot the arrows. If you shoot them every day, you will have to replace your arrows much sooner. With that said, you have some arrows that have lasted for up to 20 years. It depends on how much someone shoots their arrows, and you’d not see too much for heavy use with one that lasts 20 years. That’s uncommon.
You definitely wouldn’t see that with bowfishing because of how you shoot your arrows a lot, and they sometimes bounce off the rocky river bottom. That said, carbon fiber arrows tend to last longer than aluminum. These fall apart much sooner, but they don’t cost as much.
Do Carbon Arrows Wear Out?
When you shoot them repeatedly, all arrows can and will wear out with time. With carbon arrows, they tend to lose spine consistency. As this happens, you will lose flight ability, and the arrow loses its accuracy.
This creates what has become known as the Archer’s Paradox. This happens when the arrow travels in the direction pointed at full draw. Many times, as a result of the Archer’s Paradox, it will get shot off to the side instead of at the target. Once this starts happening, it might be time to buy a new set of arrows. For regular archery, you might find the Tiger Archery 30Inch Carbon Arrow Practice Hunting Arrows to your liking.
The Best Way to Store Your Arrows
Your carbon fiber arrows will last longer if you store them right. For example, don’t store them directly in the sunlight because of how this can damage them with the ultraviolet rays. It will fade the feathers and make the shaft of the arrow less hardy.
In addition, important to note, don’t store your arrows while wet. A lot of people don’t think of this, and they wind up putting their arrows away wet right after bowfishing. When dealing with water, you should wipe them off. Let them dry before you would fully store them away. Stashing an arrow away that is wet can rust the arrow head. You want to get the most out of your carbon fiber arrows.
Carbon Fiber Arrows Can Fail without Warning
Carbon fiber arrows have one fatal flaw in that they have been known to fail without warning, and they can cause irreversible nerve and muscle damage when they do. They have been the cause of a few high-profile lawsuits.
In one case, a person was shooting carbon fiber arrows for archery practice. He came to his fifth arrow when it exploded in his hand, and shards of carbon pierced flesh throughout his hand and wrist. He lost permanent use of his hand. This should highlight the dangers of shooting a damaged arrow. Some archers who had this happen felt too afraid shoot again–that should highlight the trauma.
You want to keep yourself safe if you decide to use carbon fiber arrows. Take them away from your body and bend them. If you head crackling or splitting noises, you should search for visible signs of damage. Never fire a damage arrow whether aluminum or carbon fiber because this can cause you severe harm. Carbon can especially be deadly, however, because you don’t always notice it coming. No matter what type of arrow you choose to shoot, inspect it regularly. This helps to prevent injury. Once an arrow has broken, discard it.
Worth the Extra Cost?
Carbon fiber arrows do tend to last longer than aluminum, but some people prefer to shoot regular arrows because they don’t notice an exceptional difference. If you plan to shoot in an archery tournament, you may want to use carbon fiber because most archers find the accuracy on another level. In a lot of cases, however, you may be able to get away with shooting aluminum.
Gear does matter, but it isn’t always the best gear that leads to the best archer. The best archer will usually have a good skill in archery that will prove accurate no matter what kind of bow and arrow they shoot. That said, never shoot damaged arrows because it can hurt you or someone else. You need to inspect it to make sure that you keep your arrows in good condition.
You might try some aluminum arrows first and shoot carbon with a buddy who uses them to save yourself on the cost. In this way, too, you can decide if the carbon fiber arrows will be worth the cost to you. For some people, they may enjoy the greater accuracy perks, and carbon fiber arrows also tend to shoot more quietly than aluminum, which is especially good if you plan to bowfish the carp.
That said, don’t purchase regular arrows to go bowfishing. You will need a special kind of arrow known as bowfishing arrows, which you can find here. They don’t have feathers on them, which is how you can tell that they’re bowfishing arrows.
How to Tell When Your Carbon Arrow Needs Replacement
As a beginner, usually the fletching and the nocks of the arrow will receive damage first. Let’s say that the fletching starts to peel off. You don’t have to discard the arrow in this case, but you will want to replace the fletching before you use it. If you had a wooden arrow, you can even replace the head, which will be screwed on in many cases. You can also replace the nocks.
The first time that you repair an arrow, you may want to take it into an archery shop to watch over the process and show you. In this way, you ensure that you do it correctly. You never want to shoot an arrow that has received damage.
Your Advantage with Carbon Fiber Arrows
You have a few distinct advantages of carbon fiber, especially when it comes to hunting or bowfishing. For example, carbon fiber shoots more quietly, which increases the chances that you will hit your mark before it can run off or swim to safety.
Carbon fiber arrows also tend to be lighter, which means that they will hit their target much faster. This gives it less of a chance to escape.
How long carbon fiber arrows last will depend on you, which is why you should regularly inspect your arrows for damage. Never shoot an arrow that looks damaged because it can cause serious harm to either you or someone you’re shooting with. In general, however, carbon fiber arrows are known to last the longest.
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