Types Of Archery Bows And Arrows Explained

There should come as no surprise that archery bows and arrows come in many forms, sizes, and shapes. If you are just starting out, you should know which one will suit your goals as well as your personal style.

This used to be a battle weapon, which has now been replaced with guns. But that does not mean you cannot enjoy it as a hobby or cannot compete at a professional level.

Before you do either, it is best to know what tool you are going to use.

So, the following are some of the most common types of archery bows:

Recurve Bow
Many of the novices in the field of archery starts their journey with this classical bow. This does not imply that this bow has nothing to offer to the pros. It is because many of the modern versions of this recurve bow are used in Olympic competitions.

The unique, signature shape of this bow lends it the name. Its central part, which makes the better part of the bow, curves towards the archer, and its tips go in the opposite direction. The configuration facilitates the archer in covering more distance with less power while shooting the arrow. That is the main reason why these recurve bows are used to teach archery.

For beginners, the version with two bow limbs, a riser, and a balancer is used to give them much control to shoot the target.

For the sake of portability, the modern iterations of these bows can be disassembled because of their modular construction. In addition to that, this recurve bow can accommodate a more skilled archer by giving room to install sights, pressure buttons, stabilizers, etc.

This is an excellent bow for beginners and intermediate archers. It provides necessary support without sacrificing range accuracy and power to hit the bull’s eye!

Compound Bows
Compound bows were developed back in the 1960s. They are still considered to be the most modern archery bows today. As the name suggests, they are not simple and basic and can come with all the options and extensions you can find for your bow. They employ an intricate system of cords and cables, pulleys and unique cams, and other customization options. This aids the archer in holding the weight of a heavy draw.

No matter the bells and whistles on this bow, you need great strength to draw this bow. When you do that, the pulley system comes into play and lets you hold the draw for a much longer duration. This way, you will have much focus on the aim without worrying about muscle fatigue.

Contrary to other basic and more classic models in archery bows, these bows are exclusively made of synthetic materials that can last for many lifetimes. This implies that they are not much susceptible to humidity and fluctuations in temperature.

It is not a great fit for beginners and intermediate archers. The reason is its expensive nature and the complexity of its operations.

Longbow/ Traditional Bow
Again, these archery bows are popular for their simplicity and no-nonsense character towards the goal – hitting the target with accuracy. These simple bows have a long, slightly curved body that measures in length the same as the archer. As for the customization options like arrow rests or sights, they do not have room for these, owing to their medieval origin.

They are not even for pros but for a limited number of aficionados that have proper training and expertise in handling this piece of equipment. It is because they are much difficult to aim and require more strength to draw when compared against modern bows. Also, they are no match for the velocity.

Aptly known as the medieval bow, longbows were used for the first time during a battle around 1298. Since its introduction, it became a dominant weapon, owing to its ability to throw projectiles to the enemy lines. In the ballads and epic poems from that era, many poets had claimed that the victories at multiple battles were due to this lethal weapon.

Until the 16th century when other iterations of bows and other projectile-throwing weapons were refined, longbows had enjoyed the dominance to be the most effective tool of war, especially during sieges and defense.

It is a simple piece of wood with no break, and certainly no room for customizations, like sights, pressure clickers, etc. In the modern world, beginners cannot work around this bow due to the lack of support systems and big frame. Therefore, they are still reserved for the masters of archery because of complex operations and other predicaments.

Crossbow
In ancient China, around 600 BC, the crossbow was one of the most effective weapons on the battlefield. Contrary to other bows in this list, this bow offers a short horizontal position. Earlier, they were the best weapon choice for the warriors in the ancient Chinese dynasty, now they are mostly used for sport and hunting.

This has more of a mechanical structure. The crank mechanism attaches the string with a trigger mechanism. The whole setup will be locked in place until the time comes and the archer lets the trigger loose.

Crossbows offer a much lesser shooting range when compared to compound bows and recurve bows. They also require much draw weights to match in the distance with modern versions of archery bows.

These types of bows find much of their use in target archery. Target archery is not a light sport and is subjected to state regulations which are often strict. So, you need to know your way around what is permissible by law and what is not if you are wondering about taking up that bow.

It is not suitable for beginners due to heavyweight draw and other operational complexities.

As we have explored different types of bows with their apparent pros and cons, now we will discuss some of the types of arrows. This way, you will have well-rounded information about the complete archery setup which will help you in making the right decision in buying the gear.

After going through the types of bows and their corresponding properties, you have a pretty good idea about one part of the gear that will complete your archery equipment. It has been observed that new archers have some knowledge about almost every aspect of archery, but they are speechless when it comes to arrows. For them, all arrows are the same, in the meaning that they fly away when an archer loses the draw.

There is a fair reason why it is hard to master different types of properties of arrows. They are so many and come with similarities that make it hard to distinguish one from the other.

Now, we will discuss some of the arrow types based on the material they are made of. The reason is that the composition plays a significant role in how an arrow shoots and land on a target.

When you think about arrow types based on their building material, there are four major categories.

Wood
This indicates to the ways of the past; the trail of the original arrow!

In the times of their introduction, they were revolutionary and captivating, in both literal and figurative sense, in both parties at a battle. Even, they were more of a breakthrough in their time, when compared to that of their later successors.

They are made from one of the most abundant materials found on the surface of the earth – wood. This makes them very economical. Since they are made of natural material, you should expect changes in the structure due to the changes in humidity and temperature. The most common cases recorded are for warping. Still, they are the best option for the archers who are just learning the skills.

One other thing that sets them apart from other types is the change from one piece to another. This is the reason every wooden arrow flies differently from other wooden arrows.

They are revered by traditional archers for their natural feel and the legacy they carry, but they are almost never used in competitive events. All things aside, making wooden arrows is fun in itself. Also, you will find many pro archers showcasing their own wooden arrow renditions.

Aluminum
Aluminum arrows are a great fit for both beginners and pro archers. They are more expensive when compared to wooden arrows and cheaper than carbon arrows. This places them in a unique intermediary position at both qualities and price.

They offer more accuracy and control to the archer for aiming and are lightweight on a draw. Used for both target archery and hunting, they come in varying sizes and shaped to suit the needs of the archers. Aluminum heads offer more customization than traditional arrows.

Here are some of the points that archers use for aluminum arrows:

• Bullet Points

• Field Points

• Broad Heads

Additionally, they are fletched with feather or plastic vanes. They are perfect for target archery because of the strength they offer and the accuracy to hit the target, especially where there are chances of midway collisions with other arrows.

Carbon
Carbon arrows can be considered the best choice for game archers and hunters. They are built as stiff shafts, so they match the specification of heavier bows perfectly. There are varying lengths and widths for carbon arrows, so they can be manufactured to be extra thin for maximum penetration in the game. This makes them a better option when compared to thicker aluminum arrows. This is another benefit to hunters that helps them confirm their kill.

There are some of the downsides to otherwise a very great piece of archery gear. Some of these are as follows:

• They are subject to splint and there is no room for repairing. All you can do is to maintain them and keep them safe as long as they are good. When they go bad, the only thing that you can do is toss them in the can and buy new ones.

• Since they employ carbon engineering, they are more expensive than aluminum and wooden arrows. This raises a lot of questions on their availability in the rundown sports equipment shops.

• They are not good for beginners because of the efficiency they require and the higher prices that cannot be justified for novices.

These arrows are a crossover between these two materials. Usually, they have an aluminum center with a layer of carbon surrounding that aluminum. They have all the qualities of carbon arrows and ideal for those outdoor archers that need to shoot far-off targets. They require small fletching, light in weight, and perform extremely well in harsh conditions like extreme winds, etc.

They are one of the most widely used arrows during competitive archery like during Olympics competitions. Because of the great qualities and other benefits, they come with a hefty price tag.

Now, that we have gone through different types of arrows, you need to keep in mind that:

• Though the above materials are different in properties, they are also different in measurement systems. This means the units for measuring wooden arrows are different from that of aluminum and carbon arrows.

Another thing, if you ask one particular archer, it could be a target, hunter, or traditional archer, he or she will have personal favorites which would suit their needs. It does not affect the qualities of a certain material, so you are open to experiment and try different materials until you hit your own favorite. There are pros and cons to every arrow material, so you should be the one to decide which characteristic you want and which one you are willing to sacrifice.

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