Archery 101
If you'd like to get into archery as a sport but you have no idea where to begin, I totally understand where you're coming from: when I started, I felt totally overwhelmed. I was excited to grab a bow and start shooting, but I was confused by all the terms and equipment and specifications. I knew I wanted to dive in, but I had way too many unanswered questions.
On this page, I'll give an intro to the equipment you'll need.
If you have any questions, leave them below or get in touch, and I'll answer them when I can. Good luck, and welcome to the incredible art of archery!
First Things First: The Bow
There are two main types of bows: recurve bows and compound bows.
This is a recurve bow. Recurve bows can be made in a variety of styles, from traditional bows to the futuristic recurves you’ll see in the Olympics. In fact, recurve bows are currently the only type of bows used at the Olympics.
Some people use them to hunt and they are often used as beginner bows. But that doesn't mean they are easy to use! In fact they are much harder to use accurately than the next style of bow.
Compound bows are high tech arrow launching machines, capable of extremely high speeds and levels of accuracy.
Compound bows are available at a variety of price points, from entry level to professional, and there are models to suit young children to adults. Compounds are by far the most popular style of bow used in 3D archery.
So now you know the two main types of bows that you'll see at an archery event. What type should you use? Well, there is no right or wrong answer! If you like the look and feel of the compound, get a compound. If you'd enjoy the challenge of shooting a recurve, get a recurve! Many people enjoy shooting both styles.
If a tight budget is an issue, a recurve might be a better option. But remember there are many very good bows on the second hand market too.
It’s important to get someone that has more experience to help you check a bow out before buying one. Many people have bought a bow that turns out to be completely useless to them - don’t do this to yourself!
But the bow is only part of the equation. But there is something really important you're still missing…
Arrows!
There are basically 3 choices as far as arrow shaft material goes:
Wood - the original shaft material. Still used by traditional archers today. Not suitable for use with modern compound bows, but may be suitable for a recurve.
Aluminium - used mainly as target arrows today. Tends to be slightly cheaper than carbon, but less durable.
Carbon - by far the most common arrow used today. The strongest and most durable arrow material.
Your arrows will need to be matched to your draw weight and your draw length. There’s a lot that goes into these calculations, so for beginners, I suggest going to a local archery shop with your bow and have the arrows matched to you and your bow. Don’t run the risk of buying arrows online, only to find that they’re poor quality or don’t work for your bow (you really don’t want an arrow to explode in your face). Local archery shops can be an invaluable resource when you’re starting out, so support a local family-run business and drop by your local highly trusted archery shop!
Buying a bow and arrows:
As a beginner, it is extremely important that you seek the advice and guidance of a proper archery shop and/or more experienced club shooters. Don't rush off and buy a bow off eBay, Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace. You need to do some research into what is and isn't a good bow, or you risk learning an expensive lesson. Remember that you have the power of Google at your finger tips - online reviews are a valuable source of information.
The best thing to do, though, is simply ask a more experienced archer. Many experienced archers love to talk shop - you’ll be doing them a favour. We were all beginners once and want you to have the best archery experience possible. By either asking a club member or at an archery shop run by an experienced archer, you can save money by getting gear that is suitable for you.
