# JOAD Newsletter 0 - Starting Equipment for Starting Archers



## [email protected] (Aug 24, 2008)

This document is written to give the parent acquiring equipment for their starting archer, an overview of what they should be looking for and the parameters impacting selection of all the pieces that a starting archer needs.

Types of Bows
The first question that needs to be asked is: Are you going to shoot recurve or compound. If you don’t know, then I would recommend you start with recurve. Recurve requires the archer to use back muscles in shooting more so than compounds. Compounds can be made so light in poundage that the archer never really learns proper form or execution. Form and execution are two different things. Without proper muscle usage, execution is not possible.

If compound is the choice, the next question is the type of shooting the archer will be doing – this is either: Hunting, competitive target or NASP (National Archery In Schools Program). These three venues have the following equipment associations. If you go into an archery shop and say I want a bow, you are likely to be presented with a compound bow fitted with hunting components. The components are different on competitive compound and NASP bows. NASP bows have very specific limitations on the components used in a NASP tournament. There is only one configuration of a NASP bow and arrows – it can’t be altered and essentially, can’t be tuned like competitive bow equipment.

Types of Compound Bow components

Sights
A hunting sight usually has a number of sight pins for different yardages in a fixed frame that can sometimes be manually moved – but not easily. This works well for shooting moving animals, but is usually not acceptable as a sight in target competitions. A competitive sight usually has only one pin, or ring or lens mount in a movable block that can be easily moved for the different distance a competitive archer may shoot. NASP equipment has no sight – it is instinctive shooting.

Arrow rests
Here, without guidance from a hunting shop will likely put a “whisker biscuit” style rest on your bow. This rest is a stiff bristle device that surrounds the arrow. These rests are selected because they are quiet and it prevents new archers from having their arrows fall off the rest when they go to shot. However, they can be very inaccurate and not at all accurate for competitive type shooting. 

The next possible rest type is the fall-away type. These can have several types of arrow supports: prongs, V shaped blade or U shaped blade. The U shaped blade is the least accurate, next is the prongs because they can be tricky to get set. The best is usually the V shaped blade (or snake tongue) that matches the size of the arrow you are shooting. 
Blades also have a stiffness rating – again, this has to match the weight of the arrow being shot 

Only one type of rest is acceptable for NASP shooting the “flipper” rest. If you ask for NASP equipment, you usually get handed the standard configuration.

After the fall-away type rest come the rigid rests. These have the same types of arrow supports: prongs, V blades and U shaped blades. With a rigid arrow support, you need to have good arrow clearance. This means that your tuning of your arrow flight and your vanes on arrow must leave the supports cleanly. This is something you have deal with after your student is use to shooting.

Competitive recurve archers generally use a high quality adjustable flipper rest.

Release Aids
There are a ton of different types of release aids. They range from bare fingers to gloves to the most expensive types of mechanical contraptions ever made. Here is the general makeup of each type:

Hand covers – usually recurve: 
Plastic spindle type pieces on the string
Three Finger gloves – like Robin hood’s
Finger Tabs

Trigger Releases:
A wrist wrap with an index finger trigger (most common suggested by an archery shop)
Hand mechanical device with a thumb or finger trigger

Back Tension Release:
Hand mechanical device (that may or may not have a safety) that shoots with a little hand rotation and back tension (pulling with back) – this is a scapula rotation trigger
Hand mechanical device (that may or may not have a safety) that shoots with back tension only (pulling with back) – this is also supposed to be a scapula rotation trigger too. They fire when a certain level of pull is reached - adjustable.

For starting archers, only two types should be used for compounds – a high quality Finger tab or the mechanical hand device that uses increasing back tension only. The goal is to start an archer out using back tension. Triggers break the mental focus of feeling back tension and can easily leads to target panic.

Compound Bows – Strength and Weight
There are several facets of buying a compound bow for a starting archer that have to be considered. 

The first is bow mass – the physical weight of the bow. If the archer can’t lift the bow with one arm comfortably, then they will struggle to hold a strong posture and their form will always pay the price of that heavy bow. They will lift with their shoulder socket when their shoulder should be down and in the body. When the archer releases an arrow, the bow is no longer supported by the pulling arm – so all the bow weight falls on the small muscles of the front shoulder joint. This is where shoulder tearing and rotator cuff injuries come from.

The second is the pulling weight of the bow. The archer should be able to lift the bow to shoulder height, then, pull open the bow without contorting from a standard “T” stance. Over weight bows, improper lifting and poor pulling techniques are the number one reasons for shoulder injuries. Proper equipment selection and correct coaching are the cures. 

The third is getting a bow that has the correct draw length. An archer should be able to stand up straight in a classic “T” stance extend their bow arm straight out the side of the body and open the bow until the string reaches the back corner of the chin. This will be about the longest the bow will have to be drawn. It may be shorter, if you’re a believer in the bent arm methods for compounds.

Stabilizers and Slings
The purpose of a stabilizer is to stop the momentary movement of the bow at the moment of release and in some cases balance the bow so that is holds a natural path from the hand upon release.

The purpose of the sling is to allow the archer to point their arm at the target without any regard or commitment to holding the bow up immediately after the arrow is loose. 

Many starting bow packages come with the standard stabilizer bracket that holds a strap -which is designated as the sling. Also, the bracket is held in place by a short rubber shock absorber. Neither, in my experience, are effective at what they are suppose to do: catching the bow and reducing movement during the shot. If the archer’s technique is correct, the strap does not prevent the bow from over rotating right out of the control of the archer – this can cause injury -so the archer does not commit fully to execution. Any proper sling should allow the bow to travel about 1” from the palm and stop without allowing the bow to continue to over rotate. The best devices for this are: shoelace finger sling, finger synch sling and wrist rope sling. The finger shoelace sling is the most popular.

For a stabilizer to be effective, it must use torque to prevent the movement of the bow. Torque is set by weight @ distance. So you need at least a rod with some weights on the end. Then if you want some vibration damping, smaller rubber dampeners can be added after the weights with a smaller weight after the dampener. However, if you are adding a stabilizer and weights, be careful not to overload your archer with excess bow mass/weight as mentioned earlier.

Recurve Bow components

Quality Levels of Bows
I define bow levels (accuracy) like this:
1.	Toys
2.	One Piece or Modern Recurve Bows and Long bows
3.	Non – Interchangeable Limbs on wood risers
4.	Semi - Interchangeable Limbs on wood risers
5.	Semi - Interchangeable Limbs on metal risers
6.	International Limb Fit (ILF) equipment
7.	Brand specific interchangeable upper end equipment

The starting recurve archer can get by with low cost equipment until scoring becomes a critical factor for them. This means that they can start with any equipment from 2 to 6, however, cost becomes much more visible at 5 & 6. Metal risers and better limb construction starts at this level. 

Archers need to start out at low draw weights (15-22 lbs.) and as they work at the sport, they will need heavier limbs (and stiffer arrows) - As they get stronger and need to shoot at longer distances. This constant changing of equipment is a problem with bows that have very limited changeability. 

Archers need to start at low draw weight for this reason: As soon as they develop awareness and/or hesitation in struggling in the processing of a shot, they move from the natural delivery of a shot to management of bow weight. This is very disruptive to accuracy and can be mentally destructive to the archer’s ego.

The changeability problem is solved with ILF or upper end equipment. However, equipment at this level usually, at a minimum, doubles in price. ILF equipment with all the components runs from ~$300 to $2000 depending on how high tech you want to get.

My recommendation is the following purchasing sequence:

1.	Buy a good functioning, low cost semi-interchangeable metal or wood riser and use it to determine the student’s commitment to archery. Continue to use this bow during the form-learning year. 

2.	Next, once the commitment is established and a level of proficiency has been reached its time to upgrade to a low to mid-priced IFL riser (with limbs) and use this until the desire to have better equipment is raised in the mind of the archer.

Sights
Hunting sights are generally not used on a recurve bow. There are two methods of aiming on recurves: instinctive or “point of aim” and the moveable, single pin sight. NASP bow have no sights – they use instinctive aiming. Starting target archers need very little in a sight. It has to be non-bendable and not breakable – i.e. kid proof. These sights can be as low as $12-$15 dollars. Once a young archer knows how to use a sight and needs more accurate equipment, then you can move them to sights that have dial-able, accurate scales and controls. These range from $60 to $300. Compound sights have heavier construction to take the jarring.

Stabilizers
The discussion on stabilizers in the compound section is pretty much the same for recurve bows. Beginning archers need a simple single rod stabilizer with one or two end weights. They need to develop a feel for what stabilizers do. Having them shoot with and without it – does that. As the archer progresses, they may decide to add additional side rods or the other types of devices that are available. The danger with stabilizers for kids is seeing full-blown equipment and thinking they need the same thing. The mass weight of a full-blown system is generally just too much for a starting archer to manage. You can fine good starting stabilizers for about $20 to $30 dollars.
Strings
Compounds usually come with the string they need, but you have to insure that the bow fits the draw length of the archer.

Starting recurve strings have to work for the archers in two areas: they have to be of the correct length and the serving on the string has to match the size of the arrow nock. The length of the string will give a “brace height” on the bow. You’ll need to know what string length is recommended for the bow to meet this brace height. 

The serving on the sting must be large enough to keep the arrow from falling off the string and large enough to let the arrow go easily when shot. The bow supplier or bow user manuals should be able to supply the needed information.
Arrows

Starting compound and recurve archers have the same arrow needs. NASP archers are allowed only one size arrow while compound and recurve archers will buy an arrow that matches the draw poundage of their bow. You can buy arrows (the next size up) to save a little money while the archer is learning the skill. The arrow also has to be longer than their draw length. Generally, you buy a set of arrows and cut them down to the size you need. This results in an arrow that extends in front of the bow by1 to 2 inches.
Proper arrow matching rewards the archer because the arrows fly better and are more accurate.

Protective Gear
Compound archers usually don’t need protective gear with the exception of an arm guard.
Recurve archers need a chest protector and an arm guard. Finger tabs are also considered protective wear.

Transport and Supporting Gear
All target archers need a hip quiver. 

All target archers need an “arrow puller” - a rubber hand tool for pulling arrows from the target. Sometimes, when target bales are really tight, all target archers also need an “arrow lube tool” - this adds a small layer of lubricant to the front of the arrow before shooting. Starting archers usually don’t shoot hard enough to need these at first.

All target archers need an archery case and possibly an arrow case. The arrow case or holder protests the fletching of the arrow as they are put into the archery case. The level of case that is needed is based on the type of travel to the range. Beginning archers need only a simple padded case – unless they are very rough with their equipment. As they archer starts going to competitions where plane flight is required – then the expensive airline grade cases are required.

All archers need tools to adjust the equipment they have. Most new equipment comes with the tools needed. Plan for a case to bring these tools along. Recurve archers also need a “T” style bow square.

Archery shops, clubs and members of these establishments can give you a primer on the basic tools needed for your type of bow you get. Here’s a basic list:

•	Allen wrenches (English and sometimes metric)
•	Knocking pliers
•	Serving tools
•	Screw driver and pliers
•	Arrow touch and fletching jig –when you start to build your own arrows
•	And sometimes a string jig equipment – if you want to spend the money.

The Best Tools
The best tool for selecting equipment for your starting archer is communication. Take the time to understand how archery shooting is done. This will lead to you forming your own questions on why things are they way they are. The more you know about the sport, the more you’ll be able to sort out what you need and don’t need. 
Another avenue is to get a qualified/certified coach. There knowledge will greatly decrease your learning curve. There is a lot of information on line too. 

Good Luck & Good Shooting – RA Cockrell, Level 5 Coach


----------



## Warbow (Apr 18, 2006)

Thanks for posting this. At some point I want to right up a similar guide for our group, perhaps with some photos of the basic bows to make the differences easier to parse. Your frame work gives a good breakdown of the decisions people have to make.

One of my favorite layouts for a buying guide is the one created by Cal Archers that provides separate columns of recommendations on price point/level of archer.









I like that it gives specific recommendations since that is what people who are still feeling their way around the overwhelming array of FITA Recurve equipment often prefer. On the other hand, it is hard to keep such a list current. However, I think many clubs have some preferred riser and accessory combos that could fit in a list like that one, from bolt on 3-piece take downs (the "Semi - Interchangeable Limbs on wood risers*"*) through ILF to Hoyt cantalever system bows ("7.	Brand specific interchangeable upper end equipment").


----------

