I was just wondering what type of wooden arrows people who compete are using? I know POC is still considered #1 but I was wondering about the other woods such as Sitka Spruce, and even bamboo.

Good question. I've never competed with anything but cedar. Seems all the other alternatives have an issue with weight, or straightness. I remember Rob posting positive reviews about hex shafts (http://www.hexshaftarrows.com/about_hexshafts.html) but I've never used them.

poc is good for lightweight target shafts, where you up the front end wight for a more stable recovering and flying arrow. imo, this is great for a target event arrow, where the marks are long and far away (think: the old 60yd american or 100yd york rounds). i think poc can be had in the lightest weights with good spine ratings for heavier bows. dunno of any other wood that compares in light mass weight and stiff spine - maybe bamboo, but that's expensive and it's grass, not wood the only exception might be hex pines, where the 5/16" size can be had in comparable poc weight/spine properties.

for trad events like 3d and muzzy-type shoots where the mark yardages are not more than 35 or 40, heavier and more durable shaft woods can be used.

i just fletched up some 11/32" hex pines, 29" long, 55/60# spine, 80gr internal front end nail footing weight, 190gr tusker concorde head, 5" chopped banana 4-fletch, 605gr each (no, not the pink fletched carbons!)


here are more 11/32" hex pines, 29" long, 55/60# spine, 80gr internal front end nail footing weight, 165gr ace express heads, 5" parabolic 3-fletch, 585gr

Thanks for the replies. Hexshafts seem to be like "man made" woodies. I would suspect that you get very consitent weight and spine.

they're beautifully made, like a fine bamboo fly rod ...



... i don't even bother looking for the spine 'sweet spot' since the grain is nearly 360 degrees around the shaft. this is the only arrow shaft wood i bother to use and the price is actually cheaper than a good set of POC's.

Very informative, thanks again. I think I will have to try some. Strength and consistency a good combo.

I bought one set of Hex shafts when they first came to UK and was very disappointed, I got 20g difference between some shafts and some of them came apart on the glue lines.

I just went back to POC, maybe I was just unlucky as othes swear by them. I tried Ash as well thinking the weight would be good for Indoor 300 round they came out at 600g but spend hours heating them to straighten.

Think Sikta is the best alternative to POC (for me) the quality supply of POC's I get at the moment give not reason to change, I get them 2g and 2# matched and VERY straight.

don't doubt you've had problems one bit - it can happen with any wood shafting.

i've had about 7 dozen hex pines, mostly 11/32" but a few dozen 5/16" - not a problem with any of 'em, knock wood.

likewise, i've had some of the best poc shafts (stockpiled nos acme from the 60's, and a few dozen from custom rogue river) that couldn't be straightened and/or split along the grain line after thumping into a target matt. it happens.

What average weight do you get those Hex shafts at?

My POC's come out around 450 grains.

i've got a dozen 11/32" hex pines, 55-59# spine left. each shaft is 31.5" long and the weight range is 349 to 358 grains with most running 352 grains.

a few weeks ago i built a dozen 28" hex pines for a friend using the same shaft data as above, with 145 grain field points and 5-1/2" three fletch and mercury nocks, no internal footing weight, heavy sealing and finish with min-wax polyu, average arrow weight is 484 grains.

Nice looking arrows. I am going to have to give them a try although I have been having some really good luck with some Sitka Spruce I just got before I posted the question.

bought a dozen 11/32" surewood douglas fir shafts from braveheart archery last week - these woods are NICE! like 'em so much i just ordered another 2 dozen. VERY straight, beautiful tight grain, almost as lightweight as cedar, cuts and sands way better than cedar or spruce or pine. i think i've finally found a woodie shaft winner.

Thanks for the info I have not heard much about douglas fir. Please let us know how they shoot.

i built 18 surewood fir arrows so far, very happy with the results! these 11/32" parallel shafts are extremely straight and smooth, fly just great for me. i used a bears paw taper jig for the nock and point tapers, a braveheart internal footing jig to add either a 3" front end 1/8" dowel stiffener or 55 grain nail weight (to boost the foc on some of the arrows, for testing). points are 160 grain field or 135 grain judos weighted with lead to 150 grains. nocks are bohning, feathers are 4.5" 4-fletch high profile banana, chopped from either gathered naturally stripped and ground turkeys or canada geese. feathers attached with bohning tape and a dab of duco glue at each feather end. finish is a minwax stain with minwax wipe on gloss polyu to seal. cresting colors are sharpie pen and pilot silver paint pen. average arrow weight is 540 grains. right now, i like these surewood firs better than hex pines!