Arrow Wraps: What They Do and How to Apply Them

Arrow wraps are thin adhesive sleeves that go around the back of the shaft, under the fletching. They make arrows easier to see, give vane glue a clean surface to grip, and let you tell your arrows apart. A wrap sized to your shaft takes a few minutes to apply and adds a few grains at the back of the arrow.

What arrow wraps do

Visibility. A bright wrap shows up in flight, in grass and in a target face. Reflective wraps go further for low light.

Vane adhesion. Bohning describes its wraps as "specially formulated to improve vane adhesion." Instead of gluing vanes straight onto a carbon shaft's finish, you glue them to a smooth, known surface.

Identification and refletching. A distinctive wrap marks your arrows on a busy range. The idea behind easier refletching is simple: when vanes are damaged, the wrap comes off with them and leaves a clean shaft for a new wrap. ArroWrap's removal advice is to scrape the old wrap off with a utility knife and clean any leftover adhesive with rubbing alcohol. Perth County Archery's guide also suggests warming the seam with a hair dryer and peeling it.

Sizing and weight

Wraps are sold by shaft diameter. Bohning lists its sizes by the shaft's outside diameter (OD):

Bohning offers lengths of 4, 5.5 and 7 inches, with 13 wraps per pack. Your arrow maker's spec sheet lists the shaft's OD; our arrow selection guide explains how shaft sizes are described.

If a brand sizes by wrap width instead, ArroWrap's method works: measure the shaft diameter, multiply by pi (3.14), and "choose the next size up that is available... so that there is no gap when installed." ArroWrap says a little overlap is fine.

Weight is the trade-off. ArroWrap's chart lists its wraps by material, from 4.5 grains for its 2 mil lightweight vinyl, through 7 grains for standard 3 mil vinyl, to 30.25 grains for reflective laminated. All of that weight sits at the back of the arrow, which moves the balance point rearward. That matters most if you tune carefully or want a high front-of-centre figure.

How to apply arrow wraps

The steps below combine ArroWrap's application instructions with Perth County Archery's installation guide. Follow your wrap maker's instructions where they differ.

1. Remove old wraps and glue. Scrape off the old wrap and clean leftover adhesive with alcohol. Let the shaft dry completely.
2. Prep the surface. Perth County Archery suggests scuffing the area lightly with a Scotch-Brite pad, then wiping it with 99% isopropyl or denatured alcohol.
3. Lay the wrap out. Put it printed side down on a soft, non-slip surface; ArroWrap says a mouse pad "works great." Peel off the backing.
4. Line up the shaft. Set the shaft parallel to the wrap's edge. Perth County Archery leaves a ⅛ in gap between the wrap and the back end of the shaft.
5. Roll it on. Keep steady downward pressure and roll the shaft across the wrap in one smooth pass.
6. Seal the seam. Smooth the seam with your fingers. Perth County Archery also warms the wrap with a hair dryer, or a heat gun on low, until it is slightly warm to the touch.

Then fletch as normal, with the vanes glued onto the wrap. If you want a jig, our Bohning Tower Jig review covers one that fletches three vanes at once.

When to skip wraps

Wraps are optional. You might leave them off if:

• Every grain counts, for example on a carefully tuned light target arrow.
• You shoot feathers on wood or traditional shafts, where cresting or plain shafts are the usual look. Our feathers vs vanes comparison covers the fletching side.
• Your arrows are already fletched and you only want visibility. Bohning's reflective Visi-Wrap decals "can be applied on pre-fletched arrows."

You can browse arrow wraps on Amazon, or search Bohning arrow wraps as one example to consider.

Frequently asked questions

Do arrow wraps affect arrow flight?

Wraps add weight at the back of the arrow, from about 4.5 to 30 grains depending on material in ArroWrap's chart. That shifts the balance point slightly rearward. Bohning's page makes no speed or accuracy claims. Recheck your setup if you tune carefully.

Do you put arrow wraps on before fletching?

Yes. The wrap goes on the bare, cleaned shaft first, and the vanes are then glued on top of the wrap. That is why Bohning formulates its wraps to "improve vane adhesion." If your arrows are already fletched, reflective decals made for pre-fletched arrows are the alternative.

What size arrow wrap do I need?

Find your shaft's outside diameter on the maker's spec sheet. Bohning sizes run from XS (up to 14/64 in) to Large (up to 24/64 in), with XL in some colours. For wraps sold by width, multiply the diameter by 3.14 and pick the next size up.