Selecting Your Bow And Arrow - What You Must Know

Hello friends.
A man from Virginia was emailing me a few times telling me to write a bit more advanced stuffs rather than basic stuff. I will comply, of course. But I will take some time covering what other guides didn't cover much. I am planning to go to the subject of Bowfishing and Bowhunting - Focusing on the Equipment and Skills after some articles. Hope all of you can wait.

Before that, i will show you young archers of how to find your own suitable archery equipment. There are a few attributes of the bow and arrows that must fit physically with the archer. Or else, you might find yourself having a little struggle just to shoot the arrow straight. Here are the attributes:

BOW
  1. Draw Weight
  2. Draw Length
ARROW
  1. Arrow Length (see Draw Length)

Draw Weight
This is the most basic knowledge that you should put in mind when selecting a bow. The draw weight. Even a seasoned veteran sometimes have problems in making this decision.
The draw weight is measured with the unit Pound (lbs). It determines how heavy it is in pound during the time you pull the bowstring to the aiming length. That is, when you fit the arrow - pull and take aim. This is one of the basic archery physics - Resistance created from the outer curve against the compression of the inner curve of the bow will provide the necessary force to shoo the arrow. The force can work with or against you.
The heavier the draw weight the speed and distance the arrow travel will increase. BUT - the catch is, the heavier the draw weight, usually the poorer the precision and the accuracy. This is because the heavier draw weight made the archer difficult to control the shot or aim the arrow.







When buying the first bow, you may want to refer to the manufacturer table. This table is to refer for the Draw Weight table like on the right - this is a table for Easton Recurve Bow. Every manufacturer has different charts.





In case you find a bow shop with out a chart, you may want to use this rough guide;-
  • 8-12 years old = 10-15lbs
  • 13-15 years old=15-18lbs
  • 15-18 years old (beginner)=18-25lbs
  • 18-21 years old (beginner)=25-35lbs
As for a beginner's concern, trying for a 50lbs bow would be very frustrating if you try to show some new beginner's bow adaptation excellence. Use a suitable bow and then you change to a heavier one. It will help you to develop the necessary musculature for archery activity that you have never used before and then improve it to a certain level.

Draw Length
Draw length is the length that is measured between your two hands during your aim. It usually corresponds with the length of the arrow. That is the main thing that many people missed - and found out that their arrow length and bow draw length mismatched. Sometimes this could lead to injury or even death.

In case to avoid nasty accidents, please follow the general rule of selecting the draw length and arrow length from the table below. Remember, the arrow must be about 3 inches longer than the draw length. This is to avoid the accidents happening.

Further more, refer to the video below for arrow selection guides.