5 Essential Types of Archery Gear
Buying archery gear can be confusing as there are so many options available. Even if you are aware of what you want, it may be challenging to find it. Perhaps your friend recommended a particular bow or you noticed one on TV or in a movie, but when you set out to buy it, you didn’t find it. Here are tips for beginner archers to minimize the difficulties and get just the right archery gear.
1. Bows
The most important archery gear is your bow. Recurve bows are easy to assemble and start. They come in various lengths, but typically the right size is within two inches of your height.
Compound bows come in various colors, and some come with a peep, sight and rest. Compound bows are expensive yet give a great bang for the buck.
2. Arrows
Choosing arrows can be tricky since you should know your draw length and draw height to make sure you choose the right shafts. Visiting an archery store is a good idea to get the correct match. You can even have custom-built arrows from archery pros who cut the shafts to the right length and then glue in the inserts and nocks, and also fletching. You can learn the skill too by watching.
3. Armguards
Without armguards, you will keep bruising your arm every time you shoot. They are cheap too and do their job well by protecting your bow arm from the bowstring as it speeds past when you shoot. Plus, they give you a snazzy look in any color of your choice. They are available even in leather.
4. Quivers
Quiver is essential to hold arrows. Most people think that archers use back quivers like princes in childhood stories. However, modern archers use a hip quiver or field quiver. A hip quiver keeps arrow nocks directed in front so that they can be easily grabbed, whereas in the field quiver the nocks face up and behind. This gives a bit of “back quiver feel” but without being fumbled for arrows that are not visible. Quivers come in various colors too.
5. Releases, Gloves or Tabs
There are three options to help release the bowstring.
Release
If you use a compound bow, a release-aid is recommended. They are inexpensive and good ones work for a long time. There are types in them; so, you can ask for an advice of the salesperson regarding which one would suit you and your shooting style.
Glove
Traditional archers and recurve shooters can use a shooting glove. It comes in various colors too.
Tab
Traditional archers and recurve shooters can even use a finger tab. It slides on one of your draw-hand fingers and covers their palm side. Most recurve shooters prefer a tab to a glove since the leather doesn’t wear out soon and it doesn’t cover the full hand. It’s inexpensive too.
So, are you all set to shop for your archery gear?
