The plastic blades are very flexible and will actually bend down to the tail boom and cut it like a toothpick! However I learned to hover on the plastiblades and will vouch for their industructibility. They are great to learn basic hovering on, and for me a 3.99 tail boom versus 8 dollar blades was worth it. However once you have mastered basic hovering, ie. tail, side, and nose in, then switch to the carbon fibers. Take it easy on the carbon fibers when you first start out though, as they are a little more unstable than the plasti's due to the lack in weight.