Best Bow For Beginners: A Guide to Get You Started in Archery
That feeling of hitting your first target can be absolutely exhilarating. But getting your first bow? It can be quite an intimidating experience to determine the best bow for beginners, primarily because you’ve finally decided to invest in yourself and take archery seriously.
If you’re just starting out, it’s best to practice indoor and outdoor target archery. But as your skill improves you want to move on to other forms like Run, Field, and 3D archery. You want a bow that can help you get started, but is also versatile enough for you to move on to different forms when you’re ready. This is why getting your first bow can be such a complicated process.
The Best Bow for Beginners Needs to be the Perfect Fit
And just like a pair of shoes, bows need to be a perfect fit for their users, especially when you’re just starting out. This is when you’ll master the fundamentals of the sport, and you want a bow that caters as closely to your requirements as possible.
Compound bows would be ideal when starting out as they provide adjustability and versatility to the archer. And while there are thousands of compound bows out there, these are the best bows for beginners.
1. Bear Authority Compound: Best Value Bow for Beginners
The Bear Authority compound bow weighs just 4 pounds and yet features a straight aluminium riser, making the grip quite sturdy. It’s got an adjustable draw weight of 40 to 70 pounds and a draw length of 24.5 to 32 inches. It’s even got an extremely customizable grip, allowing you to change it based on the size of your hands.
Of course, it’s less adjustable compared to a few other compound bows, but it happens to be one of the less expensive models. This makes it an ideal investment if you’re just starting out and you don’t want to feel like you’ve spent too much money on something you have yet to become good at.
The Bear Authority Compound bow also happens to be smaller in size, making it perfect to carry through the woods if you ever want to try your hand at field archery.
2. Diamond Infinite Edge Pro: A Perfect Bow Draw Weight for Beginners
With Diamond being one of the main players in the game, of course this compound bow is on the higher end of the price spectrum. But the features more than compensate for the additional investment.
It’s got a decent range on draw length, from 13 inches to 31 inches and an incredible FPS (speed of the arrow being fired) of 310 metres per second, which is quite high for a beginner bow. And it’s even got a high let-off rate of around 80% which makes it a lot easier to hold this bow at full draw, which is essential to avoid premature shots.
But perhaps the primary feature that makes this bow perfect for beginners is the fact that it’s got a draw weight between 5 and 70 pounds. Most beginner archers make the mistake of starting out with a bow with a heavy draw weight. This can, over time, result in excessive strain on the muscles and cause injuries.
And the best part is, that as you get stronger you can slowly increase the draw weight and further build your strength. That’s right, this bow grows with you!
Of course, as mentioned earlier, this bow comes with a higher price tag. But it will keep you safe and pay off in more efficient and regular practice in the long run.
3. Bear Cruzer Lite
The Bear Cruzer Lite comes with five Trophy Ridge accessories and a fairly adjustable draw length of 12 to 27 inches. And just like the Diamond Infinite Edge Pro, this bow grows with the archer.
It’s got an adjustable draw weight between 5 pounds and 45 pounds, and this is actually perfect for beginners, considering most beginners should stick to a draw weight anywhere between 20 and 40 pounds.
The best part is that it’s quite reasonably priced even with all the features it packs, making it one of the top picks for beginners.
4. SAS Siege
The SAS Siege is perhaps one of the more neat-looking compound bows out there in the market. It’s got a more streamlined look, unlike the more rounded, complex looks of its contemporaries. It also happens to be a lot taller than most other bows with a let-off of 70%, which is still quite high, making it great for beginners.
The only downside to this bow is the draw weight which ranges from 40 lbs to 55 lbs. And while someone of average strength should be able to hold it at full-draw, it can’t be reduced below 40 lbs. So it makes sense to get one of these if you’re already into sports or lifting at the gym, because initially, practice with this bow can be a little taxing on the muscles.
5. Diamond Edge SB-1
The SB-1 is, without a doubt, one of the most versatile and customizable compound bows on the market. You can adjust the draw weight over a range of 63 pounds and it’s got a draw length range of upto 15 inches, allowing you to slowly build your strength as you improve your archery skill.
It’s also got one of the most accurate binary cam systems on the market, giving archers an accuracy you can’t imagine. Of course, like some other Diamond products, this one happens to be a little more expensive than most bows, but the adjustability, accuracy, and comfort will help you level up your archery game at an astonishing speed.
Finding the Perfect Bow for Beginners: Try Before You Buy
Of course, choosing the best bow for beginners is never as simple as reading descriptions and going out and buying one that you think would be perfect. You’ve got to go out there and try as many options as possible before finally settling on one. Trying to find the ‘right one’ too quickly can be detrimental to your efforts of becoming a better archer.
How often would you like to practice? What’s your ideal draw length and weight? Which is your dominant hand and which is your dominant eye?
Answer these questions and you’re sure to find a bow that will help you fall in love with the sport.