To achieve the highest possible arrow speed, the shaft must have a very small diameter, as aerodynamics play a very important role. The thinner an arrow, the lower the friction losses due to high air resistance.
The weight of the arrow is also important to consider. The lighter the arrow, the less mass it has to accelerate. A lighter arrow is therefore faster than a heavy one. When selecting arrows, it's best to use high-quality, lightweight arrow shafts.
Carbon arrows
Carbon arrows are relatively stiff, which is ideal for heavier bows, especially heavier compound bows used for 3D parkour. Because carbon arrows can be made very thin, they penetrate targets better. They do shatter from time to time, and when this happens, they must always be discarded. Damaged arrows also pose a danger to the archer. Depending on the model, carbon arrows can be relatively expensive.
aluminum arrows
These are good for beginners, but they are also used by more experienced archers. They typically cost more than wooden arrows but are usually cheaper than carbon arrows. They are available in a variety of sizes. They usually use screw-in tips. They can also be feathered or plastic vaned. They are slightly more robust than carbon arrows, making them a great choice for target practice, where arrows are often shot in groups and can collide with each other.
aluminum / carbon
These arrows are typically manufactured with an aluminum center with carbon surrounding the aluminum. These have the same advantages as carbon arrows and are ideal for archers shooting outdoors at long-distance targets. They are lightweight, stiff, perform well in the wind, and don't require heavy fletching. These are popular with competitive archers and are often seen with Olympic archers using hybrid arrows.
wooden arrows
The original arrow! These are relatively inexpensive, which makes them great for new archers, but they don't last very long. They break, warp, and splinter, and because they're made of organic material, they're not uniform—meaning there's a lot of variation from arrow to arrow. You'll also find that almost every arrow flies a little differently. Wooden arrows are generally popular with traditional archers and people who enjoy shooting longbows. However, they're a lot of fun to make, and if you go online, you'll find plenty of archers making wooden arrows.
Weight
The weight of an arrow is another important measurement. Weight is often measured in "grains" or "grains per inch" (GPI). The weight of the arrow you choose directly depends on the draw weight of your bow. Generally, lighter bows use lighter arrows, and heavier bows require heavier arrows. 3D archers and hunters typically prefer heavier arrows. A heavier arrow retains more of its kinetic energy—that is, the energy it has when it's moving—and the more kinetic energy it has, the more likely it is to penetrate the target. Some archers spend a lot of time finding the right balance of factors, and many of their decisions depend on testing.
diameter
The diameter of arrow shafts plays a virtually irrelevant role, as it has no direct impact on shooting. Furthermore, it depends heavily on the wood used, and not just the species – even wood from the same tree can have different stiffness in different places (due to a higher latewood content, for example) and require a diameter of 9 instead of 10 millimeters for the same spine. Typical shaft diameters are 8 to 12 millimeters. As with points, the inch measurements used in the trade are 5/16, 11/32, and 23/64 inches (7.94, 8.73, and 9.13 mm), with 5/16 being the standard, and the thicker ones only needed for arrows with higher spine.
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