The Best Recurve Bow For Beginners - My Archery Corner

The Best Recurve Bow For Beginners

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I have put together information for you about the different bow types and their characteristics.
Now, it is time to get a bit more into detail.
In this article, I want to focus on what would be the best recurve bow for beginners.

To say “The Best” is maybe not the smartest thing to say, because this is very subjective, but there are a few things a recurve bow should have to make it better than other bows.

Archer With Recurve Bow

An archer drawing a recurve bow. Used under creative commons from: Andreas Øverland

 

Things a recurve bow for beginners should have

We are talking about beginners here.
When you just get started with archery, you don’t really know what you need and what draw weight you should choose.
I could say now a number like 25-30 lb, but this could be too much for some and way too less for others.

The price is another important factor. An archer novice might not know if it is the right sport for him, so spending a lot of money upfront could be a waste of money, if it should turn out that archery is just not the right hobby.

Durability has to be looked into, too. Many things can be done wrong and a fragile bow can break easier than a stronger one.

1. Consider choosing a take-down bow

My advice is to get a take-down bow.
A take-down bow has three main parts. The riser (where you hold the bow) and two limbs. These parts can be separated from each other for easier transport.

Take-Down-Bow

A take-down bow. By WobbleyOne [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

But the easy transport is not the only reason for my recommendation. The great thing about a take-down recurve bow is, that you can (and will) change the limbs whenever you need a different draw weight.

You will find out quickly that you can draw a stronger bow after a short time after you started with archery.
Instead of buying a completely new bow after a few weeks or month, you can just go and buy a set of stronger limbs, attach them to your riser and you are ready to shoot again.

2. Don’t get a bow that is too heavy

While this is not as important as other things in my list here, it can make a difference in your overall archery experience. If you get a bow that is too heavy, it will exhaust you faster than a lighter bow which will influence the accuracy of your shots.
Luckily there are many recurve bows that are under 2kg (4lbs) and you shouldn’t have a problem with a bow of this weight.

3. Choose the right material

The material is important as it will make the bow heavier or lighter and it will make a difference between a bow that will be there forever or break easily if mistreated.

The Riser

The riser of a recurve bow can be made of different materials, like wood or metal.
Metals used for risers are for example magnesium or aluminum, while wooden risers can be made of all types of wood.
Metal risers are generally heavier than wooden risers, but there are many archers who prefer the feeling of a metal riser over a wooden riser.

A wooden riser might get damaged easier, than a metal riser. Beginners can make many things wrong, but a metal riser will withstand many things if it is not abused purposely.

Recurve Bow For Beginners

A Recurve Bow by GregorDS – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Anyways, as a beginner, I still would choose a wooden riser, because they are lighter and cheaper.
Again this is up to you, of course. If you prefer a metal riser over a wooden one, then this is totally fine.

The Limbs

The limbs are attached to the riser and give the bow its name, as they are curved away from the archer.
You can only choose between different limbs if you are buying a take-down bow.

This is now very similar to the riser. Limbs made of wood are cheaper than those made of other materials.

Most important is, that you don’t buy limbs that are too weak or too strong.
As a male adult with an average build, I would recommend getting a draw weight of 30-35 lb.
A woman might want to choose a draw weight around 25-30 lb.
If you are very strong and athletic you can handle higher draw weights but don’t get a bow with 50 lb draw weight as a beginner.
In archery we use muscles many people hardly ever use, so a bow that is too difficult to draw might lead to strain muscles or even injuries.

My Recommendation For The Best Recurve Bow For Beginners

I have tested the SAS Courage 60″ Takedown Recurve Bow and think it makes a great recurve bow for beginners. It is not too pricey yet of a good quality.
Jump over to my review and learn why I think that you should get this bow if you are just starting with archery.

Soon you will find another review for a recurve bow on my site.

Talk to you soon.

Moritz

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Leave a Comment:

(10) comments

Ana

Hi Moritz, I don’t know much about this sport, but your post left me wondering if could do it? I imagine you need to have some strength in your arms. But you don’t just use your arms. I believe there is also posture, how you stand on your feet, and so much more probably. Am I right? This is a sport that doesn’t develop the accuracy of your shots, what else do you develop here?

Reply
    Moritz

    Hello Ana.
    The beauty of this sport is, that everybody can do it. You don’t need much strength in your arms as you use mostly the back muscles to draw and hold the bow.
    There are many paralized archers, too. And archery is part of the paralympic games.

    I have some tips on how to get started with archery here and the most common archery mistakes here.
    In the future I will write in more detail how to actually stand, draw and release when shooting with bow and arrow.

    Archery is good for your body and soul. It strengthens your back muscles and can help you forget your stress at work by focusing on something completely different.
    For me it is my favorite sport and has helped me in many ways.
    If I were you I would give it a try. It is an amazing sport!

    All the best.
    Moritz

    Reply
Joe

Moritz,
Not one of my hobbies, however after reading your article, it might be something I will look into. Like I don’t have enough hobbies now.
Joe

Reply
    Moritz

    Hey Joe,
    you can never have enough hobbies. 😉
    Have a look at my getting started guide, if you are really considering to start with archery.
    Cheers.

    Reply
Lesley

Very interesting. We don’t have any archery clubs in our area that I know of, so I know very little about the sport. My boys would love to get into archery and your article on choosing a take-down recurve bow for beginners makes perfect sense. They are still young and this will also give them the option of getting stronger limbs as they get older (and stronger). Am I on the right track or do you think that kids would need something different?

Reply
    Moritz

    Hello Lesley,
    this depends on how old your kids are now.
    If they are very young, they should get a youth archery set. Mostly because they won’t be able to draw a bow for adults.
    I am actually writing about this topic right now. I will give you the link to the article when I have finished it tomorrow.
    Wait for that before you buy anything, as it can hurt your kids if they use a bow that is too strong for them.
    Have a great day.
    Moritz

    Reply
Marcus

I never knew there was so much to a bow. I’ve just started getting into archery, but it looks like I have a lot more to learn. I will definitely be bookmarking your site and coming back a lot. One question though: do you think archery is good exercise for the arms? I hope so, because I want to improve my arm muscles.

Reply
    Moritz

    Hi Marcus,
    I am happy that I could help you to understand and learn more about archery.
    I have a getting started with archery guide, you might find interesting.
    Archery does improve the muscles in your whole upper body, but mostly your back muscles. Check out my article about health benefits of archery.
    If you have any more questions, please let me know.
    See you around.
    Moritz

    Reply
Steve

Greetings! Thank you for this great guide to the best recurve bow for beginners.
Learned a lot today.
I will have a look around on your site and see what else I can learn.
Steve

Reply
    Moritz

    Hello Steve.
    Thank you for stopping by.
    It is great that I could help you to learn about recurve bows.
    Check out my guide about bow types and how to get started with archery.
    Have a great time!
    Moritz

    Reply
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