# Bow Weight of Top archers



## edgerat (Dec 14, 2011)

I don't believe so. John had some of the most up to date info around. Most of the woman are in the high 30s low 40s, Khatuna pulls damn near 50# though. I believe most of the men are in the mid 40s and higher.


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## gma (Aug 22, 2012)

And what about when they switch to indoor? I'm going to set up a dedicated indoor bow next season. Intuitively (a word similar to ass-u-me) a lower poundage might have some advantages indoors...what do the pros do?


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## Bob Furman (May 16, 2012)

Thanks, I sort of knew the range and I know a few Elite archer's weights from what I have heard and a few that I have talked to personally, but I was hoping maybe that info was reported for International events, World Cup, etc.


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## AT_X_HUNTER (Aug 10, 2005)

For what it's worth I shoot pro class so here's my take. I shoot 58-60 pounds (depending on the scale) for indoors and outdoor field/FITA. I don't see an advantage to shooting lower poundage indoors really. You actually shoot more arrows outdoors, especially in FITA, than you do indoors. That and I like having the same feel from my bow when switching from indoors to outdoors. I want the same feed back from the bow year round.


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## Bob Furman (May 16, 2012)

AT_X_HUNTER said:


> For what it's worth I shoot pro class so here's my take. I shoot 58-60 pounds (depending on the scale) for indoors and outdoor field/FITA. I don't see an advantage to shooting lower poundage indoors really. You actually shoot more arrows outdoors, especially in FITA, than you do indoors. That and I like having the same feel from my bow when switching from indoors to outdoors. I want the same feed back from the bow year round.


Thanks, but I was looking for recurve shooters, especially current competing ones. I now most male compound shooters shoot close to 60 pounds with that being the limit in USA Archery sponsored events. With today's compounds you really have no need to shoot an excessive amount of weight.


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## KenYeoh (Feb 21, 2010)

Bow weight or draw weight?


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## Bob Furman (May 16, 2012)

Draw weight at fingers


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## Bob Furman (May 16, 2012)

gma said:


> And what about when they switch to indoor? I'm going to set up a dedicated indoor bow next season. Intuitively (a word similar to ass-u-me) a lower poundage might have some advantages indoors...what do the pros do?


Most guys that I have either talked to or heard from others do not typically shoot a different weight bow setup between indoors and outdoors. Do you know many that do that?


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## lksseven (Mar 21, 2010)

Brady was shooting 380spine X10 arrows at '54/55lbs at the fingers' at the Texas Shootout last month


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Larry, that sounds high. 

I doubt he could get an arrow to tune at that weight. The practical limits for a person with his draw length is about 52-53# with X10 380's. 

To answer the OP's question - one that has been asked here probably 100 times it seems - most men ("elite" or otherwise) are shooting 44-48 lbs. on the fingers. Most women shoot in the high 30's to low 40's. Michelle Gilbert won the Texas Shootout with 44# on her fingers. I doubt even Khatuna shoots much more than that.

These days, I'm down to 45# on the fingers. In late 2003-early 2004, I shot 52#, then dropped to 49# prior to the '04 trials, then shot 47# outdoors for many years, including through the 2012 trials.

Vic W. was shooting just 45# at our Texas State Field archery championship two weeks ago. He usually shoots 47# or so, as does Butch.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Indoors I've shot as little as 43#, including all my PB indoor scores at that draw weight. But I've shot 50# indoors too, at the 2004 NFAA Indoor Nationals.

Really just depends on an archer's conditions at the time, the equipment they have to choose from, what's tuning best, etc.


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## lksseven (Mar 21, 2010)

John,

I should have included in my post that 1) Brady told that information to a dad of an archer that was shooting on Brady's target butt, and so is technically hearsay to me. Although I do emphatically believe that the information was indeed told by Brady to my source.

Also was told that he's done a lot of customization to his IonX - lowering his grip (and modifying it quite a bit) and arrow rest about 3/8".


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## midwayarcherywi (Sep 24, 2006)

Slightly off topic. I'm very curious why archers not worried about making distance would opt for a more reflex geometry? Is there a trade off between extra speed and stability? Or are we at the point with the HPX and IonX, where there is a free lunch? And by that I mean, has Hoyt created as stable a platform, with a more reflexed bow, than the prior Earl Hoyt geometry?

It might be like today's golf clubs. They make 5 irons with the loft of 4 irons, but loft is loft. And, the more loft, the more control.


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## Archery Ang (Apr 24, 2006)

I shot with Khatuna at the Shootout, and she mentioned she was shooting a 49 # bow. Not sure if she meant on the fingers or limb weight. I'm shooting 36# on the fingers, and that's enough for me at this point.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

> Is there a trade off between extra speed and stability?





> It might be like today's golf clubs. They make 5 irons with the loft of 4 irons, but loft is loft. And, the more loft, the more control.


Pretty sure you just answered your own question there.

Whenever I think of riser deflex, or lack thereof, I always think of those cheesy office mobiles with the little wire guy being balanced by a ball. In other words a more deflexed riser is inherently more stable and forgiving.

Question is, how much stability and forgiveness does an archer really need? 

Depends on the archer, I think. Sometimes, other features (like speed) can trump stability or forgiveness.


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## Vittorio (Jul 17, 2003)

Top poundages for recurve shooters at present in my knowledge are 60# for Mauro Nespoli of Italy for men and 49# for Kathuna Lorig of USA for women.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Top poundages, yes, but the question was what are the "top archers" shooting. And in reality, it's much less than most people might think.

The last thing we need are youth and beginning recurve archers thinking they cannot be competitive unless they are shooting 45-50#. I'm already dealing with one of those right now (teenage boys! ugh).

Justin Huish won Atlanta with 44# on the fingers, and not a particularly long draw length either.

Denise Parker is famous for having won bronze in Seoul shooting just 28# on the fingers, and what was probably a 26" draw length at the time.

Being in total control of one's bow is ultimately what's most important.


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## midwayarcherywi (Sep 24, 2006)

limbwalker said:


> Pretty sure you just answered your own question there.
> 
> Whenever I think of riser deflex, or lack thereof, I always think of those cheesy office mobiles with the little wire guy being balanced by a ball. In other words a more deflexed riser is inherently more stable and forgiving.
> 
> ...


Thanks John. This makes me even more curious about a strong Olympic archer choosing to shoot equipment that MAY be less stable and forgiving. It doesn't make sense. Yeah I know the sponsorship $, but it is not as if any of these folks are making much a living from recurve sponsorships, so why jeopardize the dream of Olympic gold?


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## edgerat (Dec 14, 2011)

John, with my compounds, I know I like to be between 255-270fps and a 350gr arrow for the best stability and to be able to combat what little effect wind has on my arrows. Is there a similar "sweet spot" you look for on an outdoor setup or, is it typically a matter of reach? If you can get to 90m with your sight then you don't get too concerned with much else? On my BB, I am running 36#OTF with my Border Hex6 and don't plan on every bumping to much more weight as I can get about 200fps out of them with my Field arrows. 
Thank you as always,
isaac


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