Archery Equipment
A sport such as archery can be a great way to get outside and explore the outdoors while learning a useful skill at the same time. In order to be as proficient as possible with your chosen sport, it is important to get quality archery equipment. This helps to make sure that you have everything you need to make your shots as accurate as possible every time you head down to the range or out hunting.
What are the different types of bows?There are four different types of bows; each type has a unique design, and the usage of each differs slightly accordingly. Depending on your level of expertise, certain types may be easier to start out with.
- Longbow - The oldest and simplest form of bow, the design uses a simple curved piece of wood, often nearly as tall as the archer using it, with a string attached to the ends. This type of bow requires plenty of skill and experience to gain proficiency as there are no rests or sights to assist in aiming. Many archers appreciate the challenge of mastering the longbow without the assistance of current technology.
- Recurve - Similar in shape and design to the classic bow, recurve bows differ in one significant way. The tips of the limbs are curved away from the archer, which gives additional power and speed to the arrows when shot. This special design makes it easier to use the bow as it requires less strength to use this setup. This is the type preferred by many archery competitors because the design is simple to use and offers excellent arrow speed and power.
- Compound - More complex in design than the classic and recurve bows, compound bows use a system of pulleys and strings to make it easier to hold the string when fully drawn, giving the archer more time to carefully aim the shot without having to exert a lot of force holding the string. Compound bows are often used by intermediate archers as they are more complex than a recurve bow.
- Crossbow - This design uses a smaller frame that includes a locking mechanism and a trigger, making it function in a similar fashion to a firearm. The string must be pulled back and fitted on a notch to hold it in place, and then the arrow is loaded. When ready to fire, the trigger is pulled, and the arrow is released.
While novice archers often start out with minimal equipment, as you gain experience, there are accessories that you can get that can make it easier to make accurate shots. Different attachments such as sights, arrow rests, and stabilizers can be a great help for boosting both accuracy and comfort during archery practice or competitions. There are also different designs of arrows, which might be better suited for a particular type of bow. Other archery equipment can include additional targets or a personalized quiver to store your arrows in while at the archery range.