Aluminum or Carbon

[JeffG]

Well, I am not going to put down any products, I have shot them both, and you have to make you own decision in the final analysis.  I LIKE carbons because they seem to be faster for me, this is important to me because I shoot one pin sights.  I get much better penetration with carbons, maybe because of the combination of gear I use.  If I slip and bump an arrow against something, they are quieter.  Go shoot both at a pro shop, let us know what you think.  I found out that the black ones I picked out (Gold Tip Hunters)were hard to see, so I crested them...that was fun!  See the post on personal touches...  Good luck

[sweet old bill]

:grin: carbon are lighter weight and that means they are faster and they also will not bend or break as easy as alum. the negative is the cost is about 1/3 more than alum... I like alum in easton GG for just hunting as I consider them as throw away arrows. When hunting it sure seems I can never find the arrow, after the shot. So I use heavy alum, as my shots are always under 30 yards or less....

[rwng]

Is there still a problem with losing nocks on the carbons? If I remember correctly, it was a problem with those tiny diam. shafts. The knock diam. was larger than the shaft. I've only used aluminum, since the mid 80's. I did use cedar with turkey feathers for a while.

[Daveinthebush]

In my 39 years of hunting with a bow I started with cedar and the improvements since then have been many. Cedar still works!

Aluminum:  Depending on the grade (alloy and hardness) of the arrow, the XX75 will snap off and break as the deer runs through the woods.  They will remain straighter when using at the target and I like the uniknocks.  The softer ones I actually like better for hunting as we have several that when recovered are bent right over, making an easy blood trail as the deer bumps it on trees and brush.  I really like aluminum, durable, affordable and weather resistant.

Carbon: Penetration yes.  Matter of fact tends to be a problem with stripping off fletchings unless you have a quality backstop.  I would use about 9" of foam and still loose the fletchings.  If you hit one with another arrow, I usually lost the one arrow.  I have even had them shatter when going into a deer target if hitting a previous hole  that canted them upon entrance.  Whipped them and they broke.  What happens to the glass fragments within the deer after the arrow breaks?  Humm, someone injests them!
Knocks also if glued on were a problem.  Might have been the archery supplier using the wrong glue, makes a difference.
Carbon is promising but I will not switch yet from aluminum.  Let them work out the problems for a while, lower the price and maybe then.
I keep a set of hunting arrows and also one set of practice arrows.  I only shoot the best, straightest ones to align the broadheads for hunting season and that is it.

Just my toughts!

[sweet old bill]

The nocks of the carbon are internal to the shaft, so they do not come out. The use the easton super nock on several of the major brand. But they are a great nock, but about 50 cent each....and carbon will break if you robin hood the nock end of the shaft. so if shooting close have several target dots to shoot at...

[Dalton]

I have used both and each has it's advantages.  I currently am using Easton XX75 2315s primarily because of cost.  I shoot outside too much to worry about losing an expensive carbon arrow.  Remember if the shot placement is good, it doesn't matter which one you use.

[cjbi]

I started out with aluminums and they are just fine, nothing wrong with shooting aluminums.  As far as cost goes I don't feel that there is any comparison I think that carbons are better for the buck.  Carbons, when they first came out were definitely more money, but since then they have come down in price and a dozen of decent carbons will cost pretty close to the same as most good aluminums.  They are also better for those who practice a lot.  Tweek an aluminum and it is never the same, there is no worry of that with the carbons, so long as you don't shoot them into a rock or something.  Long story short, I would strongly recommend carbons for those wanting a longer lasting and all around better product.

[L-Roy]

Shooters,
While carbons did come down in price, it is for at least two reasons.  One is competition, but most importantly, the other is lower standards of quality control on the cheaper ones.  

Research well!

Easton/Beeman is still standard of the industry.

[cjbi]

I have to agree and disagree.  I agree one hundred percent with the idea that some manufacturers have gone with a lesser product to compete in the market.  That is a given.  But I would have to say the there are other reasons for the price coming down.  When carbons first arrived on the market not everybody was making them.  Now it seems like every manufacturer and even some new ones are producing carbons.  Demand has also steadily increased.  More and more  people are bowhunting and more and more are using carbons.  I feel that, just like electronics and other products, when production methods are improved and as demand grows over the years the price generally comes down.  I definitely don't think that the cheapest carbons out there are worth the money and there is also a big difference between a hunting and a target arrow so one has to be careful.  I don't wish to create an argument that is just my opinion.

respectfully,
cjbi

[dakotashooter2]

I'm still with aluminum for several reasons #1 cost... most of my practice is stump shooting. That means arrows get destroyed on rocks and other hard objects or lost.  At $8-10 per arrow that gets pricey. #2... Though I use a compound, I shoot it barebow. No sights, simple arrow rest, no release. There is no noticable difference in arrows with this shooting style. #3 Weight... I still follow the school of thought that weight is better than speed. #4 Trajectory... despite what most will tell you a flat trajectory is not always desireable. I have, on occasion made shots that would have been impossible with a flat shooting arrow and I like that option.
As a side note my brother has a set of XX75s that he has shot heavily for about 12 years they are as straight as when new. I have seen him hit rocks, stick them in trees, bounce off stumps and shoot through game. If I hadn't seen it myself I wouldn't believe it. They seem indestructibe. he has shot similar arrows XX75s without the same results. For some reason that dozen (now 9 he lost a few) was a super batch and neither of us could find another set like it.

[ARMallardSlayer]

Carbons are more durable. They last longer. They don't bend. They get better penetration. They have less wind resistance.

ICS's baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-D

[njirilodge]

Well for me carbons are definitely the way to go.Having my own Ranch I land up hunting all year round and my record for one carbon arrow. "Carbon Express 400 " is 13 animals before it broke on a large Warthog.So when it comes to costs the carbons work out far cheaper in the long run.They are either straight or broken.I have heard so much on penetration but my take on this now is that the animal behaviour plays the biggest part in this ,if it is relaxed the arrow will fly throuh it, but if all tensed up even at 80ft/lbs K.E. I have seen arrows not penetrate completely .

[JACKNZ]

Iv,e been useing carbons for the last five years in all my bows.I use gold tip Hunter or XT. The hunters are no more costly than good alloys and I
have only broken one by really abuseing it.I hunt year round as we don,t have seasons in NZ.I have taken Deer,Goats,Pigs, I have gotten as good or better penatration as alloy.Mostly better,I feel this is because of better
flight not more speed.I shoot at a club a lot an when I have to I will shoot
wood out of my longbow or alloy from my recurve but when I don,t have
rules to follow I shoot carbon.I feel the animals I take deserve the best I can do,And thats carbon.As for injesting fibers from meat from carbon shot animals.Thats just an old wives tale much like all the other things folks say when anything new comes along.Carbons are no longer new they are a proven thing.Wood,Alloy,Carbon,they are all good and have their place an thats cool, but a carbon can do it all....Cheers..JACK. :grin:

[willis5]

I work at a pro shop part time, and in my neck of the woods carbons are the most poular by far. I don't think it is just a fad. There is a reason behind it. Not that alumnum arrows are obsolete by any means, but I think I will stick with carbon for the performance that I get with it, and not what people tell me. Either way you go, both will work. Cedar will work, too. the game has not gotten tougher or smarter so we don't need to improve... that doesn't mean that we wont

[Arrroman]

I shoot both recurves/longbows and compounds and I have buckets of different sizes of both carbon and aluminium arrows. They both shoot real well, but when I am tuning a bow I tend to use my heavy 2219 aluminium shafts because they give me the best read of what is going on with the bow. Most of the shooting and all of my hunting is done with ICS carbons. There are different qualities of shaft in both cases. The Goldtips are made in the USA and are the best shaft you can buy. Walmart should be putting the Carbon Wolverines from Korea on the shelves soon, they may come from Asia but they are a great shooting arrow for $3.72 apiece. The main advantage to shooting the carbon arrows is speed. You can get the correct spine arrow in carbon and it will shoot flatter and faster than the same spine aluminium arrow. Most of the XX75 Classic aluminium shafts I have seemed to shoot more consistent then other grade from Easton. What ever you do don't shoot under spined arrows for hunting.

[JeffG]

I switched to carbons a little over a year ago!  WOW, I like 'em!  I jumped right in and bought two dozen Gold Tip Hunters from and internet shoppe.   lost one due to a pass thru, but never broke one yet.   I made a gift of all my aluminums to a buddy who is an aluminum shooter, who likes them better than carbons...that's part of what is great about bowhunting, you can have it your way...good shooting!

[Guybo]

I've shot both and killed deer with both so they will both get the job done. I've settled in on carbons because they are much more durable no doubt. I have a carbon right now that i have killed three deer with and it's fletched up and ready to go get another one. I wouldn't hesitate to go back to aluminum if i had to though because they are good shafts also. Thats why they make all kinds just like bows because everybody don't like the same things.

[01magnatec]

guybo, you're right.  This is why I love Archery!!  There is so much to learn and so many decisions to make.   And the greatest part about it is it is all preference.