Archery is a form of recreation, which very often turns into a passion or sport. However, the adventure with this sport should start with the proper selection of equipment, namely the bow, accessories and arrows. What to look for when completing the equipment and what models of bows are dedicated for beginners?
The first piece of equipment that you will buy, should be a bow. It is its hardness that determines the choice of appropriate arrows. Good quality equipment should be laminated, shoot straight, and should have working arm tips. If a new bow of this type is beyond your budget, you should look for a used one that is in good condition. Of the many types, there are two basic ones: the compound bow and the one-piece bow.
Thefolding bow is currently the most popular type because it offers the convenience of storage and portability. Moreover, beginners can tension it tighter, which is important in the early stages of an archery adventure. The arms of this bow can even be purchased separately, while an archer who is into shooting and hunting at the same time can use the same maypole for two different arms instead of buying two bows.
A one-piece bow, also known as a compound bow, allows its user to apply maximum tension with less force. The cables and pulleys provide the opportunity to store more energy in the arms, compared to a compound bow. It should be added, however, that this type of equipment cannot be used during competitions at the Olympic Games.
Beginner archers should choose a bowstring made of dacron with a center wrap, which is made of a fibrous nylon sheath. Some types have a wrap made of monofilament nylon, but this warp can cause finger abrasions and other technical difficulties. Monofilament is not recommended by professionals for beginner archers. Chords are available in a large number of colors, and the number should be between 8 and 14 depending on the weight of the bow.
The length of the string is also determined by its height, which is the value that determines the distance between the hollow of the handle and the string measured at 90 degrees. For straight bows, the best length is between 15 and 20 centimeters. Semi-curved bows, which are used for initial training, need a string length of about 20 centimeters.
There are four types of bow arrows available on the market; wood, aluminum, carbon fiber and glass. Each of them has its own characteristics and behaves differently on the same model of bow. When buying arrows, you should consider its size and string length. Carbon fiber models are mainly used by professionals. They are characterized by high strength, but their disadvantage is equally high price. Arrows made of aluminum are preferred for indoor shooting. Importantly, they are much better than wooden and fiberglass models.
There are many accessories available on the market that work well with the bow. Thanks to them you can even increase your scoring. Some of them are essential, while others can be considered an optional extra. Among the most popular are the arrow rest, or stand, the sight, the spirit level, the saddles, and the stabilizers and sights.
For beginners, it is advisable to be very cautious when shopping for different types of accessories, because the basis is to master the correct shooting technique. In addition, archery may not always be what you like. It is a demanding sport and this should be taken into account.
Featured photo: Pixabay
