Launching into archery needn’t break the bank; with careful research and smart shopping strategies you can find equipment to suit both your needs and budget.
Bow manufacturers frequently reuse marketing buzzwords such as roller cable guards, pivoting limb pockets and enhanced cable slide systems as selling points for their bows.
Price
A bow is a type of archery equipment that uses flexible limbs to store and release energy to propel an arrow toward its target. It typically comprises of semi-rigid but elastic limbs connected by high tensile bowstring, stabilizer fins or fletching at its tip to guide its trajectory to its target, with various sizes, materials and prices to meet your hunting needs. It is important that the right bow be chosen.
Bow manufacturers face an uphill struggle when it comes to production costs. Hard production costs for most compound bows – such as machining, labor and royalties – can exceed $150 per unit produced, in addition to costs such as limbs, risers and cams; as well as add-on features like cable slide systems, roller guards or decorative badges that add further to production expenses.
Some bow features are essential to performance, while most don’t. In general, the faster a bow shoots and its cost to produce increases significantly with speed; whimsical pricing models like long or short and light or heavy bows have generally gone the way of the dodo in favor of speed-based pricing models.
Another challenge with bows is their marketing, which may make them confusing to consumers looking for value. Many bow companies tout them as fast, quiet, forgiving and accurate in their promotional fliers; yet most of this claims don’t back up with actual performance data or scientific studies.
Fact is, compound bows have physical limits which limit how fast, quiet and forgiving they can be, or how accurate they can be. All this boils down to energy-in versus energy-out; even with extra limbs made of super light hyper polyresin fibers a bow can only deliver as much energy out as an archer can produce by pulling and releasing muscles powerfully – it’s simple math but for some bowhunters this simply isn’t enough energy output.
Design
A bow consists of two semi-rigid but flexible limbs joined together by an elastic bowstring, connected with high tension at their ends by narrow notches at each limb end to connect with the bowstring and allow an arrow to rest against its bowstring at rest. Bows can be constructed from wood, fiberglass, metals or carbon fiber components; force required to draw it is known as its draw weight; higher draw weight allows the bow to shoot arrows further.
Materials
Bows are constructed using various materials. Wood has traditionally been the dominant choice, while fiberglass and carbon fiber have increasingly become more widespread. Each material offers its own special properties; however, all share one key characteristic – elasticity. Elasticity refers to a material’s ability to return back into its original state when pressure is relieved – this characteristic gives bows their power, durability and the ability to be recurved without breaking.
As the first step of making a bow, selecting an appropriate material is of key importance. Choose a durable yet flexible piece of wood such as hickory or oak; soft woods such as pine are too susceptible to breaking easily without providing sufficient resilience or elasticity in a stronger bow. A good bow should have equal amounts of weight throughout its length for proper balance and performance.
Once you have selected your wood, cut a section free of knots and twists to be your bow stave. At least 8 inches long should be considered adequate in length with an even surface for best results.
To begin shaping a bow, it will require using a knife to cut notches on either side of it with approximately half-inch wide notches cut along each edge and spaced evenly along it. After cutting these notches, sand the bow to remove any rough spots or roughness so it becomes completely smooth.
Once your bow is strung and ready to be tested, the next step should be creating a tiller tree to do just that. Use a vertical piece of 2 x 4 secured to the wall as your tiller tree, and notch every five inches using a Skilsaw until reaching 30 inches, which is the typical draw length for bows. Continue this process until reaching maximum draw and stability with your handbow.
When testing your bow, always shoot against a target to assess whether or not its alignment and limb flex are proper. If not, limb angles or center of gravity adjustments may need to be made accordingly.
Brand
When buying a compound bow, brand is an integral factor. Some brands produce superior equipment while others may be known for producing subpar equipment. Selecting the appropriate brand can help avoid expensive mistakes and maximize your archery experience to its full potential. In addition, top brands provide outstanding customer service, making resolving any potential issues much simpler.
Although it can be tempting to purchase your bow from the store offering the deepest discounts, make sure that you shop around first before making any decisions. Discounted bows may not be in great condition and should be avoided. Inquire into their integrity and reputation. Ideally only purchase from reliable sellers who support the industry.
Compound bows can be an expensive investment, so it is vital that you find one that meets your individual needs and goals. Consult a professional bowhunter before purchasing, to make sure the bow fits and fits to your draw length, test shooting different makes and models to see which fits and feels comfortable for you, taking into account both type of hunt you plan to participate in as well as personal shooting style.
Bow manufacturers must balance two competing sales channels when producing bows; local walk-in shops require exclusivity while big box stores and internet retailers push for value-priced bows. This creates an unpredictable market where bow manufacturers may change their target markets strategies from season to season.
PSE bows have become one of the top sellers on the market today, producing high-performance equipment suitable for every type of bowhunter. Their flagship Pro Series bow features cutting-edge technology designed by champion bowhunters themselves; other notable products from PSE include Vertix bows with their upgraded Engage Grip for improved comfort and accuracy; while their Core Series offerings provide performance at an economical price point.
Mathews has long been considered one of the premier brands in its industry and provides an affordable selection. Their quality reflects in their prices while innovations like parallel cam systems that prevent cam leaning set them apart from competing brands. Additional excellent brands are Hoyt, Prime and Martin Archery.