Competitive Archery Equipment You Need To Win - My Archery Corner

Competitive Archery Equipment You Need To Win

Competitive Archery Equipment

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As an advanced archer, you will ask yourself how you can get even better now. You might be Competitive Archery Equipmentstuck at a point where you don’t see much improvement anymore.
You remember the “good old days” when you went from bloody beginner to a decent archer within a few months and felt that you got better with every session.
How things have changed!

This is the time where you should consider to invest in some competitive archery equipment that will boost your chances to win.
If you want to have the elating feeling of hitting bull’s eye more often, then you came to the right place.

Choose A Professional Sight

Most archers start with a pin sight as they are usually cheaper than other sights. There is nothing wrong with that, but they are somewhat limited in their functionality.
You can have only a few pins in your pin sight to adjust it to the targeted distances. When you run out of pins you will have to estimate how much higher or lower you have to aim to hit the target.

In the following, I will explain to you why you might want to switch to a target sight with a scope.

Target Sight

The big advantage of a target sight is, that you can adjust it much more precisely than a pin sight. There are several detents that will make sure that you position the sight properly.
The pin sight however only has a very limited range of possible adjustments that makes it less competitive compared to the target sight.

Archery Scope

Usually, we know the term “scope” from guns but we use them in archery, too
The archery scope gets attached to the target sight. The scope is not used to “zoom in” on distant targets, but it is a very precise tool for getting a better aim at your target.

Stabilizers

Some archers already use them right from the start, but if you haven’t then stabilizers should definitely be part of your archery equipment. As the name suggests, stabilizers help you to keep the bow more stable and in balance.
They reduce unwanted horizontal and vertical movements of the bow and make it easier to shoot more consistently.
We usually use a combination of a long rod and reverse stabilizers.

All Olympic archers use those and they can make the small difference between winning and losing in a tight competition.
I will explain the functionality of stabilizers in more detail in another article. Here I just want to make a short list of competitive archery equipment you should consider buying if you want to move one step forward.

Arrow Types

Have you ever thought about the arrows you use? Did you just get the next best/cheapest arrow and didn’t inform yourself about the arrow spine?
While this isn’t a problem for hobby archers, it can be one for people who want to improve their shooting or want to be competitive archers.

The arrow spine basically says how much an arrow bends. The stiffer the arrow, the heavier the draw weight of your bow should be. This can be crucial for your success in target shooting. To find out which arrow spine is best for you, you can use charts, a test kit or just shoot an arrow a few times to see if you can achieve a satisfying precision with it.

The material is important, too. As a target archer, you will shoot at longer distances and will need a lighter arrow for that purpose.
Carbon arrows would be your best, as they are the lightest arrows but still have a great durability, compared to wood arrows.

A bow hunter would most likely choose a heavier arrow that can penetrate the game better. They usually use aluminum or fiberglass arrows.

What’s Left To Say?

Even the best competitive archery equipment can not make you the next Robin Hood if you don’t practice regularly. Practice is the most important thing in archery.

On a site note, I have to say that you can be an outstanding archer without all this equipment. I still love shooting with a traditional long bow without any equipment but I have fun with both types of archery. Most people will decide at one point which way they want to go, but I want to remind you that we are all here in this sport to have fun.
Respect each other and don’t think bad of someone because he is not a “true archer” in your eyes.
We are all a big archery family!

If you have any questions or want to discuss with me and other readers this topic, please leave a comment below and I will come back to you. If you are just getting started check out my getting started guide here.
See you soon,

Moritz

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Leave a Comment:

(22) comments

Mark

Thanks for the post, I hunt with a bow and agree with your comment on how pins limit your distance options. Think I will give the scope approach a try.

Reply
    Moritz

    Thank you, Mark!
    It is nice to meet a fellow archer. Give the target sight and scope a try. It is great if you need more adjustment options.
    See you around.
    Moritz

    Reply
Sarah

I know it’s a bit off topic. But what would you recommend to someone who’s always enjoyed archery but doesn’t know where to go to be more involved in it? Thanks.

Reply
    Moritz

    Hi Sarah,
    thank you for stopping by and asking a question.
    Where did you go shooting so far? In your backyard or in a club.
    I always think it is best to join a local club if you want to meet people with the same hobby. There you can build many friendships and you can go out with them and maybe even do some bow hunting or join competitions.
    Cheers.
    Moritz

    Reply
Lauren

I always enjoyed archery in my backyard as a kid, and I would also like to know where to go to become more involved. Do gyms sometimes have archery programs? Where is a place I could look to find a local archery club? I’d love to see some reviews of locations in the future 🙂

These are definitely “Advanced Archery” topics. I think you’ve really demonstrated how sights, scopes, stabilizers and arrows themselves can make a difference, whether you hunt or compete. I’m interested to see what you have to say about specific models!

Reply
    Moritz

    Hello Lauren,
    thank you for your kind comment.
    There are gyms that offer archery programs, but this varies from city to city.
    I will try to make a list of some good archery clubs over time, but since this is a huge world it will be impossible to cover them all. 😉
    For now the easiest way would be to just google for archery in your city.

    I am happy to hear that I was able to explain how equipment can make a difference and I am going to add reviews about specific models in the future.
    See you soon.
    Moritz

    Reply
San

Hello Moritz,

You really do know a lot about archery. I never considered even getting into it this far but you have drawn me in and now I want to buy a bow and get started getting back into it as a hobby.
Thanks for being the guide that has revived the want. I do not think however I will ever get to the point that I will be very competitive.

San

Reply
    Moritz

    Hello San,

    I am very happy that I sparked your interest to pick up archery again.
    It is such a great sport!

    You can have a look at this great recurve bow for beginners.

    It should be mainly about the fun. Competition can come back later, if wanted.

    If you want to refresh your knowledge about archery, read my step by step guide.

    Moritz

    Reply
theicecoach

I remember learning archery at camp Orkila in the San Juan islands and it was a blast! I haven’t done it since but really enjoyed it! Your article makes it look simple but it definitely takes practice. I was totally unaware that you can use a scope with a bow and arrow now! Wow, how cool is that?!

Reply
    Moritz

    Hi,

    you should consider picking up archery when you liked it at that camp. It is a lovely sport.

    Archery has many health benefits, too.

    It does take practice. 😉
    But with a good trainer and when you practice regularly, you can see results rather quickly.

    When you look at modern bows it can be sometimes hard to think of them as bows. Some of them are packed with accessories and tools. 😉

    I still like to shoot with just a longbow, but use sights on my recurve bow, too.

    Moritz

    Reply
Debra

You have covered a lot of ground with this post. I’m curious about the pin sight. You stated that you eventually run out of pins.

I don’t know what the one I used was technically called, but it used a pin and then as you needed to mark a yardage, all you did was draw a line across the bottom of the sight glider and then mark it 20′, 30′, 100′ ect. Do they not make this typ os sight anymore?

Reply
    Moritz

    Hello again Debra,

    my guess is that you had an adjustable single pin sight?

    Some sights are more adjustable than others. The one you seem to have used was one you could adjust easily (by moving the slider) to a given distance.

    Other sights don’t have this option.
    They use one pin for a set distance. On pin for 20 yards, one for 40, etc.
    The maximum is usually 5 pins in one sight.

    So if you don’t have a pin for the distance you are shooting at, you have to focus on the pin that is closest to that distance and aim higher or lower, depending on the distance.

    Hope that made it more clear.

    All the best.

    Moritz

    Reply
Sharon

Wow! I haven’t thought about archery since my days in high school gym class. It was great fun once I learned to keep my arm straight and not get stung and bruised by the bow string. And as you said in your post, improvement is fast for beginners. It may be time for me to revisit this sport. You’ve given me much to think about. Thanks.

Reply
    Moritz

    Hello Sharon,

    I remember my first time, more than 10 years ago, when I came home with nasty bruises on my arm!
    It is important to rotate the arm out of harms way, like I explain here and to wear protective archery gear.

    It would be great if you would pick up archery again.

    Let me know how it goes.

    Best wishes.

    Moritz

    Reply
Janelle

I haven’t held a bow for many years, but I always loved it, pretending to be Pocahontas.
I didn’t like my grazed left arm, but soon figured how to avoid that problem.
Is there a group that holds fantasy archery competitions? You know, like they do fantasy knights and jousting etc.

Reply
    Moritz

    Hi Janelle,

    to avoid bruises on the arm people have to rotate their arm out of harms way.
    I explain this as a part of my archery training.

    About the fantasy archery competitions:
    This depends on where you live.
    In Europe they are quite popular in the summer.
    There are whole communities that do “LARP” (live action role play). They dress up like fantasy or medieval characters and spend a few hours, sometimes days, in a fantasy world and go on adventures together.

    We also have many medieval markets that sometimes have archery competitions (jousting is not done that often anymore, though).

    Cheers

    Moritz

    Reply
cutepackagingbeautyproducts

I tried out archery once when I was on vacation at a beach resort in bali and I find archery a really fun sport, though it can be quite tiring on the arms.

I am unsure whether I should take up archery classes because it is just a fun sport which I find enjoyable and I have no intention of being good enough to take part in a competition. However, your post gave me good insights of competitive archery which I find it to be an interesting read.

Reply
    Moritz

    Hello,

    thank you for stopping by.
    Especially in the beginning you will feel certain muscles hurt badly, because archery uses muscles most people don’t use on a regular basis.
    That’s why it is important to not shoot with a bow that is too strong.
    You will get used to it over time.

    To learn all the basic archery steps, you can read about them in my archery training.
    It is still a great idea to have a trainer at least for your first time at the archery range.

    I highly recommend starting with archery, as it has quite a few health benefits, too.
    It is fun and healthy at the same time!

    Cheers

    Moritz

    Reply
Jim

Hey,

I’m just getting started in archery, and while your post is probably a bit advanced for me, I sure did appreciate your knowledge and a place to return to once I can actually shoot an arrow.

Stabilizers and arrows and points were all a bit confusing to me, but I think I have a better understanding now.

I’m going to bookmark this page and come back in a couple of months.

Thanks!

Reply
    Moritz

    Hey Jim,

    welcome to My Archery Corner.
    As a beginner I want to point you to some articles that will proof helpful to you.

    First, read about how to get started with archery and go through my archery training.
    This will give you a great overview of all the steps you need to know about when shooting with a bow.

    Then have a look at the different bow types, to choose the correct bow.

    In the end, head over to my review section, where you can find all the bows I recommend to beginners and advanced archers.

    Let me know how it goes.

    I hope you are enjoying archery as much as I do!

    All the best!

    Moritz

    Reply
Chris

Having tried out archery twice in my life ( on both occasions on holiday with my son! ) I didn’t realize the amount of equipment needed. It certainly interests me ( and my son ) but I was wondering if there were any sort of starter packs to cut down on the overall price – as you say, things can get expensive!

Reply
    Moritz

    Hi Chris.

    I hope you and your son will give archery a try (besides shooting some arrows on holidays).
    It’s a great sport and has many health benefits, too!

    It can be a bit expensive when starting out with archery, but when you buy good quality and treat your bow well, it will last for generations.

    One great set is the Bear Archery Apprentice III compound bow I reviewed.
    It’s the last one in that list when you follow the link above.
    The great thing about this set is, that it includes all you need to get started and that it grows with the archer.
    You can change the draw weight of this compound bow easily from 20 LBS to up to 60 LBS!

    Let me know how everything goes.

    Moritz

    Reply
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