At what stage did you buy your first Equipment?

[Matblack]

Originally Posted by tel

Check THIS out!!!!

Thats one big investment for two hours just to find out Archery isn't for you!

Blimey, you're not wrong!

I'm one week three/ four of shooting and I've started to accumulate accessories but I'm not going to get a bow for another few weeks. I now have a quiver, tab, arm guard, bow stringer and probably my most expensive investment, a decent pair of walking shoes for shooting in, although not strictly archery kit they should give me a better platform to shoot from.

Right now I'm following the advice I see and hear everywhere, to now buy a bow and limbs until my draw and draw weight settle a bit and then to go to a store and get fitted, its something I am looking forward to but despite being a 'kit' junkie, something I'm sticking to. I'm very grateful to my club for being able to provide beginners gear for so long and would be happy to make a donation for its ongoing hire on top of my beginners course fees.

MB

[FlourPower]

I bought a tab and arm guard fairly quickly because there weren't enough to go around at the uni club (try having 60 new people turn up altogether 40 of which change each week for the first 5)

I waited about 6 months for my bow, Knew everything there was to know about risers and limb construction and forgot all of that when I decided I wanted an Agulla. I love her to bits but she's definatly a bow for people who don't mind having to tame something first. Also not one I'd really suggest.

My advise, do your beginners course, wait a little while to settle in and then go with someone you trust (not someone who tells you to get the same kit as them but advises your purchase) to a shop with a good reputation like Custom Built Archery, Perris or Merlin etc etc

[wingate_52]

I started my beginers course in January, and bought my kit in April/May of the same year.

[Hodgelett]

My first bow and kit was my 18th birthday present. First item of kit I bought was a longarm bracer after a nasty bruise at a competition one year that went down pretty much the whole of my arm.

EA is good in that they'll lend club kit to juniors indefinitely with the philosophy that juniors are still growing and only really serious juniors need their own kit (or you just happen to have appropriate kit). Of course you get the odd over enthusiastic parent - one kid's dad bought him a full kit after the course...and he was told he was right-eyed when he was left. Had to shoot with a patch.

[paulhuk]

Got my first bow about a month after finishing the beginners course. I probably would have just gone out and bought kit part way through the course if the club coaches hadn't reigned me in a bit. My wife waited an extra 6 weeks or so before getting hers. The club allows use of the beginners bows until the next course starts.

[cornish george]

I shot a wooden trainer bow that was "lying around" at the local gun club for a month bought a Gold Medalist and shot that for 6 month's before even joining a club, 2 years on things have changed but the GM is still here, just not shot so much now.

[JaniceH]

Good grief at the ebay posting!!! Dont worry Im not intending buying anything for quite a while yet, and my OH who has a long history of archery says that if I decide I like it then I will change quite a bit in the first few months anyway. Hes trying to keep my feet on the ground and telling me not to read too much yet as a little knowledge can be dangerous. Hopefully I will be able to borrow club kit for a little while. Its just interesting to know when people decided 'yes I do like doing this, and I want to continue'.

Good thing that clubs actually have equipment to borrow, how many sports do that really, golf and skiiing hire out at extortionate prices, football you need kit pretty much straight away, and the same with horse riding. So to be able to borrow equipment is brilliant.

Ive got a funny feeling that things are not going to be straightforward anyway when it comes to buying. Im very left handed and due to a squint repair when I was little (not that you would know it now), Im right eye dominant. and I have a thing about pink....

[pHz]

Originally Posted by JaniceH

Im very left handed and due to a squint repair when I was little (not that you would know it now), Im right eye dominant. and I have a thing about pink....

theres a thing right there - i too am VERY left-handed (and VERY right-brained) but am totally right-eyed (left eye has weak muscles and without glasses has a tendency to wander around of its own accord) - my first beginners session was with a left-handed bow but i pretty much switched straight away to shooting righty and following my eye dominance - if i try a left-handed bow now it feels SO wrong

in my experience if your body will do it shoot right-handed (better choice of kit too - more chance of pinky niceness i imagine)

slainte rob

[Rainbow]

I bought a chest guard after first session because I caught one of my lady bits in the string (no more said) and then bought a quiver as I knew we were going to take it up then fingertab to keep the cost down as there was 3 of us buying all at once (very expensive but worth every penny).

[darthTer]

Originally Posted by tel

Check THIS out!!!!

Thats one big investment for two hours just to find out Archery isn't for you!

No clicker included......not interested!!!

I did my beginners course using a crappy jelly bow.....

Course finished on the Tues. I went to Eastcotes on the Saturday. Had the funds available and didn't want to shoot the jellies any longer than I had to.

Spend a good couple of hours with Gwyn and got all my stuff sorted out.

The club now has Rolan bows for beginners and they are welcome to continue using them after the course is finished. However, come the time of the next beginners course they are required to make their own arrangements.