Equipment

Beginner Equipment

One very common question I get asked is, "What equipment do I need to start with archery and how much will it cost?"  Well, assuming that you wish to start with recurve archery (which I recommend), the equipment will likely cost anywhere from $150 to $555 for a starter equipment set (minus accessories like a sight or stabilizers).  Here are some lists of suggested starter equipment sets broken down into different price and quality categories:
While the entry-level equipment is sufficient for most archers starting out, there's a good chance that the motivated archers will quickly progress out of the entry-level gear.  If finances allow and the archer is committed to sticking with it, I usually recommend going with at least the "Good Equipment".  

As the archer progresses, they will want to add other pieces of equipment like a good quality sight (which can cost more than the riser), stabilizers, clickers, bow stands, etc.  These items are beyond the scope of this page, and are best discussed with a coach or knowledgeable archery shop.

While you can buy equipment online at a discount, you may be better off buying gear from a local archery shop even if it is a few dollars more.  They can help you set up the bow and make sure it's shooting properly.  Having said this, make sure that the shop actually knows what they're talking about - many shops only know hunting compound bows and target recurve bows are completely different animals.  Do your homework!

Bow Sizing and Handedness (eye-dominance)

Bows should be sized appropriately for each archery in both bow length and draw weight.  Additionally, you should buy a bow that matches your eye-dominance.

Bow Length

The bow length is determined more by draw length than by the archer's height.  For an accurate measure of the archer's draw length, visit an archery shop or consult a coach.  Here are some quick bow length suggestions based upon draw length:

Recurve Bow Length to Draw Length Chart 
 If my draw length is…. …then I should shoot a bow this size.
 up to 25″  54″ to 62″
 25" to 27″  64″ to 66″
 27" to 29″  66″ to 68″
 29" to 31″   68″ to 70″
31″ and over  70″ to 72″


Bow Draw Weight

For beginners, bow draw weight should be kept very light, even for shooters who consider themselves a strong person.  When beginning, the first task is to learn the proper form and develop it consistently.  If you are dealing with too much draw weight you may not be able to use proper form and may even injure yourself.

For children, keep the draw weight around 10-15 pounds.  For teens and adults, keep the draw weight around 15-24 pounds.  If you are getting a bow with interchangeable limbs (all of the above recommended bows do), you can increase your draw weight after you have begun to master your form and built some strength.

Eye Dominance

Just as people have dominant hand preference (right or left-handed), people also have dominant eyes.  Even though you might not realize it, there is a high likelihood that you use one of your eyes more than the other, and it's beneficial to make sure that you buy a bow that matches your eye dominance.

Much of the time, eye dominance matches hand dominance, but it's not impossible, for example, to have a right-handed archer with left-eye dominance.  If you have right-eye dominance, you shoot a right-handed bow.  Left-eye dominant shooters use left-hand bows.  Make sure to establish whether your archer is left or right eye dominant prior to buying gear.

Arrows and Fletching

Proper arrow selection and choice of fletchings can be a contentious subject.  Modern arrows are most commonly made of aluminum, carbon, or both.

Arrow Spine

Arrows are "sized" by choosing the correct spine, then cutting to the proper length.  Arrow spine is a measurement of how stiff the arrow is.  In order for an arrow to fly properly, it must be the proper spine for you and your bow.  Spine is usually expressed as a number like 600, 700, 800, etc., which indicates how much a shaft deflects when a "standardized" weight is suspended from it.  In other words, the higher the number, the more flexible the arrow.  Light bow draw weights need softer spines, and hence higher spine numbers.  

Manufacturers provide charts that assist in choosing arrows, but this is where it gets contentious.  Those charts are frequently designed for compound bows and are commonly not quite correct for lighter poundage recurve bows.  It's a really good idea to talk with a coach or knowledgeable archery shop (one that sells and shoots bows like yours) prior to buying arrows so you get the right spine.

Aluminum Arrows

Aluminum arrows are generally made from high strength alloys such as 7075 series aluminum.  Examples are the Easton Jazz/Tribute (same arrows - different paint job) and Easton Platinum Plus.

  • Advantages: can be quite inexpensive, rarely break completely, have very consistent spine from arrow-to-arrow, and perform very well.  
  • Disadvantages: can be bent easily (especially in the light spines used by beginners), and are also heavier than carbon arrows, spine changes over time due to use.
Carbon Arrows

Carbon arrows are the most common arrows today.  Carbon is a very light and stiff material, which makes it a good choice for arrows.  There are some high-end competition arrows that are made from a thin aluminum covered with carbon.  
  • Advantages: very light and stiff, won't bend, spine doesn't change with use, durable, high performance, numerous manufacturers and models to choose from 
  • Disadvantages: more expensive than aluminum, inexpensive models can have noticeable spine variation from arrow-to-arrow, tend to shatter/splinter when they break
Because of their high performance, most archers eventually end up with carbon arrows.  For brand new beginners I usually recommend inexpensive aluminum arrows (Easton Jazz/Tribute).  For intermediate archers I recommend either Easton Platinum Plus (aluminum) or carbon arrows (Easton Inspire, Carbon Express Nano .166, Carbon Express Medallion XR).  For advanced archers, most will choose their own based upon preference but will usually end up in at least all carbon if not carbon/aluminum composite.

Fletching

VaneTec Swift vanes - my favorite
plastic vane.
Fletches are the feathers or vanes affixed to the tail end of arrows to stabilize them during flight.  Examples of three types of fletchings commonly used include feathers, plastic vanes, and mylar vanes.  However, there are hundreds of variations within these types, including shape, height, length, material weight, and application methods.  Additionally, there are vanes that are specifically designed for hunting, 3D archery, and recurve use.

It's very easy to get wrapped up about fletchings, but here are a few things I've found in my experimentation:
  • Feathers are very light and stabilize quickly but they have more drag, can be expensive, and can be fragile.  They work well for beginners because they correct quickly and strongly, making for good arrow flight with less-than-perfect technique.
  • Plastic vanes can be very durable, inexpensive, and have low drag.  Depending upon the size/shape they can stabilize the arrow quickly (with higher drag) or perform minimal stabilizing (with less drag).  They are generally heavier than feathers.
  • Mylar vanes are high performance vanes that are light weight, moderately expensive, and moderately durable.  They tend to correct well when shot with good form, but will not correct enough for beginners and won't put up with much abuse.  These are best for intermediate to advanced archers.
Basically, it's up to you what to use as long as you get enough arrow clearance that the vanes/feathers do not impact the bow on the way past it.  I usually recommend a 2" to 3" low profile plastic vane (VaneTec Swift or VaneTec Super Spine) for most general recurve shooting.  The common plastic Blazer vanes (and other vanes designed for hunting) are not a great choice for recurve shooting, as they're designed to be used with hunting broadheads.  If the archer prefers feathers, 2" is a great size but 3" is more common.  

New Equipment Online Sellers

The following online companies have a reputation for being great places to buy new equipment:
Lancaster Archery
ArrowSport Archery
K-1 Archery
Alternatives Archery (in the U.K. - shipping can be expensive on some items)

Used Equipment

Whenever possible, I recommend that you purchase new equipment.  If you buy new, you get warrantees and aren't inheriting someone else's headaches - you know exactly how well the gear has been treated because you are the only person to have abused it.  Having said that, substantial savings on gear can be had by buying used.

When buying used gear, make sure you know exactly what you're getting.  Make sure you know exactly what condition it's in.  Make sure you understand without a doubt that it will work for you.  Also make sure you are getting the item(s) from someone reputable.  Do your homework, in other words.

Bad places to buy used equipment:

Craig's List
Newspaper classifieds

Good places to buy used equipment:

Local archery shops
eBay (but be very careful!)
Archery Talk's Classifieds and FITA Classifieds (the Olympic recurve gear is almost always in the FITA Classifieds.)

2 comments:

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)