The Best Archery Equipment

Entering the sport of archery is an exciting time - albeit, this isn't an inexpensive hobby. Finding the right archery equipment for starting out involves using beginner equipment. As you practice and develop yourself as an archer, through experience and by watching and learning from others, you'll be able to select better equipment to enhance your accuracy. For starters - start off the small (and cost-effective) way!

How much will start-up archery equipment cost?
Bank on spending about $300-600, give or take, depending on the gear you're looking at. You'll need a bow, of course: followed by an arrow rest, a release, an arm guard, a target, and practice arrows.

How can I begin learning archery, and know more about archery equipment?
Depending on your area, it could be difficult to find an archery school or trainer. A good place to start is through your local Yellowpages (that is, if you're willing to pay for lessons). Otherwise, an archery range or club would be your best bet. Here, you can actually watch others (especially pros), and learn from them. The National Archery Association website is a good place to look for archery ranges in your area, if you live in the USA.

For the most convenient option, look toward online or traditional video for pointers on archery. Practice with your new beginner archery equipment, and you'll develop your skills. Ultimately, you'll learn more about how your skill level is impacted by your archery equipment, and vice-versa. From there on, it's simply a matter of upgrading!

What kind of bow should my first bow be?
Recurve bows are typically the equipment of choice for beginner archers. They're traditional bows that are an excellent way to get your foot in the door, within the world of archery. Look for a recurve bow with a lighter draw weight, preferably 20 lbs. (this is considered to be a very light pull, and you'll most certainly grow out of it as you improve). Starting out with a bow that has a high draw weight is a bad choice, as you'll need to start off small, adapt to the 'draw' of a bow, and gradually increase the weight as you gain more experience.

The two main kinds of bows include recurve bow (a "standard" fashioned bow whose tips curve or curl outwards, hence its name), or a compound bow (a bow that uses a lever & pulley system to help draw back the bow). Which should you choose? It depends on your situation. If you're a beginner, most, if not all archers you meet will suggest starting with a recurve bow. They'll ease you into the sport, and give you the hang of using on a bow, judging bow pull, and gauging your progress as an archer.

From there, you will undoubtedly consider either a recurve bow (see image to your left) with a greater pull, or moving on to a compound bow (see image to your right). Compound bows are rather difficult to start your archery life with, as they require both experience and some getting-used-to. Compound bows use a pulley system, with gears that rotate as you pull back the string, helping the bow store potential energy as it bends. It typically enjoys vastly greater results through enhanced accuracy, distance and velocity.

Always practice strict safety precautions in archery! This is, in fact, a dangerous and deadly sport when neglected. Read up on basic archery safety here and here.

You won't get far in archery without arrows, of course. The type of arrows you'll need depends on what you're looking to do. If you're going to practice in the backyard or at a range, practice arrows are made for just that. Typically made of cedar wood or aluminum, practice arrows come in bright colors for safety reasons, and have plastic nocks and blunt metallic tips called "points".

Arrows are usually 25" to 31" in length, and correspond with the draw of your bow (your bow's specifications will recommend the right length to use). Premium arrows will obviously cost more, but are durable and have greater performance than practice arrows.

Hunting arrows are typically sold in parts, which you'll have to assemble yourself. As you may have imagined, this is for the advanced archer, as you'll need to understand the unique aspects of arrow parts including the shaft (typically made of rigid wood, carbon fiber or alloy), nock (the end piece that holds the arrow against the bow string), fletchings (feathers located near the held end of the arrow that help provide drag), and the many variations of arrow heads available for many different situations and applications, such as broadheads and points.