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Are Recurve Bows Good for Beginners?

what is the best recurve bow

Legolas, Hawkeye, Robin Hood, or Katniss Everdeen- they all have one thing in common. They are the heroes with a bow and arrows in their respective stories. Though they may have mastered the art of archery, some of us are yet to begin our journey. But the question is, what bow is the best option for beginner archers? Are Recurve Bows Good for Beginners?

With so many options available in the market, it gets confusing what type of bow is best suited for you. This article will help you recognize the different types of bows and what purpose they serve. And finally, if recurve bows are good for beginners and how to choose the best recurve bow. So, keep reading if you are a beginner looking for a bow for target practice, hunting, or bow-fishing.

What are the Different Types of Bow

what is the best type of archery bow

Archery has been one of the most effective and popular skills for hunting, warfare, and sport for thousands of years. However, this art has evolved vastly over the years and now we see a lot of different types of bows. Some of them are discussed below.

Recurve Bow

The origin of the recurve bow traces back to the time of the Mongols. In a traditional recurve bow, the tips of the limbs curve away from the archer while the central part curves inwards. This curve helps the bow to store more energy and deliver arrows more efficiently than a straight-limbed bow.

Modern-day takedown recurve bows come in three parts- a riser made of wood, carbon fiber, or aluminum, and a pair of interchangeable limbs of fiberglass, wood, or composite materials. This takedown design is a personal preference for target shooters, both beginners, and experienced archers. Also, recurve bow is the only bow currently allowed in Olympic events.

Compound Bow

The compound bow is the most technologically advanced type of bow available. It consists of pulley systems, cables, rotating cams or wheels, composite limbs, and a riser. Besides, the bow provides better accuracy, a wide range of draw weights, long-distance casts, and higher arrow velocity than most other types. So, the compound bow is an excellent choice for hunters, target archers, and field archery, but is not well-suited for beginner archers.

Crossbow

The crossbow is completely different from other types of bows and it uses a trigger release mechanism. It has a shorter limb, an even smaller riser, a shorter draw length, and requires heavier draw weights. Because of this, crossbows are the perfect choice for bow-hunting and sport, and they are suitable for beginners. But first, find out if it’s legal to use crossbows for hunting in your state.

Longbow

The longbow has a D-shaped simple wooden pole with a string attached to both ends. However, it takes a lot of practice and muscle power to master this archery style. Currently, most longbows are made of laminated wood and a longer bow requires higher draw weights. Longbow hunting is mostly popular among hardcore and experienced archers.

Are Recurve Bows Good for Beginners

Recurve bows are the most preferred bows for beginners and there are a lot of reasons why.

Archery doesn’t require too much physical strength like sword fighting, but the strength still matters for different types of bows. Beginner archers already stand in a tough spot to learn the art of archery. So, a recurve bow can be a great help as it doesn’t require much upper body strength. Besides, the recurve design helps to store more energy and release the arrow with much more efficiency.

In addition, beginner recurve bows are lightweight and well-suited for archery lessons. Besides, the takedown designs level up the game even more. They offer a wide range of draw weights, so you can choose a lower weight as a beginner. Take-down recurve bows are also portable and upgradeable. So, you have nothing to worry about while moving around places with a recurve bow kit inside your backpack!

Recurve for beginners come in different price ranges as well. As many of them are upgradeable (mostly takedown limbs). This is a huge difference from other types of bows. So, you don’t need to buy a completely new kit for upgrading.

How to Pick a Recurve Bow for Beginners

what is the best recurve bow

If you are a beginner, these are a few things you need to consider before picking quality recurve bows.

Pricing and Design

Pricing is an important economical and motivational factor regarding anything. Beginner recurve bows are within an affordable price range, but they come in different shapes and designs. So, you have a wide range of products to choose from.

Draw Weight

Draw weight refers to the amount of strength you need to pull and hold the string whilst aiming. Generally, it depends on the archer’s age, sex, and overall strength. A bow with a high draw weight is harder to pull and is not suitable for beginners. It’s better to start with takedown limbs.

Control

Many recurve bow features double-handed operation. Find out if the bow kit you want to pick is suitable for your right or left-handed maneuver. A comfortable grip is also another thing that needs consideration.

Draw Length & Bow Size

The draw length is the distance between the grip and the nock point. To measure what bow draw length you need, measure your arm span and then divide this by 2.5.

In general, a bigger recurve bow with large limbs is easier to use and the higher range of draw weights it supports the better.

Material

A wooden riser is cheaper and more beginner-friendly. However, metal ones like aluminum risers come with pre-drilled holes to attach accessories such as bow sight.

Beginner recurve bow generally comes with limbs that are made from wood, foam, and fiberglass.

Application

Lastly, one of the most important factors is what purpose your recurve bow is going to serve. Different designs suit different uses, and this information is always available in the manufacturer’s guide.

Conclusion

Compound bows are hard to control, longbows require a lot of practice, and crossbows are expensive. All that leaves beginner archers to get a grip on recurve bows, but with no regrets attached! Recurve bows are powerful but lightweight, stylish yet efficient.

Target shooting, bow-hunting, field archery, PSE, or 3D archery- no matter what field of archery you prefer, a set of recurve bow kits suits it all. This type of bow is the only type allowed in archery events in the World Olympic Games. And, they are the most popular among beginners for archery lessons.

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