Is this hobby going to damage my wallet?

[NeilC]

Hi Folks,

OK so I have been thinking about this and would really like to know if anybody can give me a rough answer.

My last hobby was seriously expensive, spending £1,000 to get set up bought virtually nothing, mostly second hand last season kit.

I am curious as to how much I am going to be looking at spending on this hobby.

I have had a look at some of the archery webstores and seen bows ranging from £50 to £1,000.

I already have a Kap Surprise Bow, line stringer, arrows, case, sights, basically everything you need to get started.

What sort of money have most of you spent on your kit? How much am I gonna be looking at spending? and how often do you need to replace/upgrade your kit?

Cheers in advance.

Neil

[Raedwald]

Originally Posted by NeilC

Hi Folks,

OK so I have been thinking about this and would really like to know if anybody can give me a rough answer.

My last hobby was seriously expensive, spending £1,000 to get set up bought virtually nothing, mostly second hand last season kit.

I am curious as to how much I am going to be looking at spending on this hobby.

I have had a look at some of the archery webstores and seen bows ranging from £50 to £1,000.

I already have a Kap Surprise Bow, line stringer, arrows, case, sights, basically everything you need to get started.

What sort of money have most of you spent on your kit? How much am I gonna be looking at spending? and how often do you need to replace/upgrade your kit?

Cheers in advance.

Neil

I suppose the answer is "that depends......."

As one who shoots a simple/basic Field style, the costs are minimal (I recon I'd get change out of £500 if I had to replace everything).

Then again, would could spend more than that on just the bow!

[jet186]

Originally Posted by NeilC

Hi Folks,

OK so I have been thinking about this and would really like to know if anybody can give me a rough answer.

My last hobby was seriously expensive, spending £1,000 to get set up bought virtually nothing, mostly second hand last season kit.

I am curious as to how much I am going to be looking at spending on this hobby.

I have had a look at some of the archery webstores and seen bows ranging from £50 to £1,000.

I already have a Kap Surprise Bow, line stringer, arrows, case, sights, basically everything you need to get started.

What sort of money have most of you spent on your kit? How much am I gonna be looking at spending? and how often do you need to replace/upgrade your kit?

Cheers in advance.

Neil

Hi Neil, I notice from your other posts you were a very keen kite buggyist so you were comitted to that sport,Well archery can be as inexpensive/expensive as you want it to be,it all depends what you want to get out of it. My advice to you is dont jump in too quick to buy more kit until you've completed your course and see how you feel then.And find a reputable Archery store (look through retail reviews on the forum) but imho the best in the region is a shop based in Guisborough.(I'll have that fiver now Peter) http://www.archery-interchange.com/S...ers/index.html
From my point of view it's been quite costly as both my son and daughter, are keen archers as well, and I've just recently been drawn to the dark side, that cost another arm and leg, but I absolutely love it, and it's something we can do as a family.

[cornish george]

Originally Posted by NeilC

Hi Folks,

OK so I have been thinking about this and would really like to know if anybody can give me a rough answer.

My last hobby was seriously expensive, spending £1,000 to get set up bought virtually nothing, mostly second hand last season kit.

I am curious as to how much I am going to be looking at spending on this hobby.

I have had a look at some of the archery webstores and seen bows ranging from £50 to £1,000.

I already have a Kap Surprise Bow, line stringer, arrows, case, sights, basically everything you need to get started.

What sort of money have most of you spent on your kit? How much am I gonna be looking at spending? and how often do you need to replace/upgrade your kit?

Cheers in advance.

Neil

There is no definitive answer,you may never upgrade , just be happy with what you shoot, you might win the lottery and spend a fortune next week, really you only "need" to replace kit which is broken or cannot shoot as you want it to

[Jumile]

I'd stick with your KAP Surprise (people here have shot remarkably well with them) until you finish your course and shoot, say, three 2nd Class scores with it. If it were indoor season, I'd say until you shot 500 in a Portsmouth.

Then use the time between now and then to research the market, try out different bow makes and models (they all feel different and are suited to different people - even those of exact measurable dimensions), and keep an eye on the trading/auction areas. Don't be afraid to have a chat with the stranger next to you on the line and ask if you can have a go of their shiny toy. Make sure you know how to handle it though, or it won't lead to a followup try.

When looking at risers, one thing you'll hear that is wise advice: if you're on a budget, you can buy a world class piece of used kit for the same (or less) than you can buy an average new one. The same can be true of other parts, too: sights, stabilisers, arrows, etc.

And, most importantly, read everything you can on this forum.

[bkupris]

If you decide to delve into the many forms of archery it will put a good dent into your wallet. But hey, that's part of the fun

[sky_high30]

You can get a good kit for £330 from Aardvark Archery (Other archery retailers are available) that will do everything you need it to - but don't rush out to buy, leave it until after your beginners course.

And if you thought kite buggying was expensive...i'm a pilot.

[phil_r_58]

Hi there,

I have been in the sport since the 70s. If the bug bites, you will find it as addictive as any drug. If you end up as a top competition shooter, £1000 on a kite buggy is going to be chicken feed. I have had endless arguments in the past at home.

One great thing about this sport is you can compete to your level of enjoyment. Myself and others from my old club traveled all over Europe and UK competing with all the top gear. While an old chap called Gordon, a retired RAF chap, but on a low income used a basic bow, shot without all the kit at local competitions and was the happiest most cheerful guy you could meet. He was so addicted that he used to cycle for 2 hours, in all weathers to get to the course as he could not afford a car. Now tell me that is not addiction !!!

One of my friends, an ex. World, European and National champion sums the sport up well. "Archery is one of the easiest sports to do, but one of the hardest to excel in".

I have come back in after a long layoff, and am quite happy with my 3 yr old trade in bow from merlin, it shoots a dream, looks like new. Arrows have improved in twenty odd years and are expensive, so I have treated the bow to a set of Easton ACC's. I doubt if setting up again has cost me £500. My 9 year old daughter has started as well, and we are having loads of fun.

One thing hasn't changed, in the years I have been off, you get to meet some great people. Personally I would say go to the darkside of wheelie bows and go field, especially marked distance, but that is my personal love.
Yes the archery shops are full of sooooo many goodies that you just have to sell an organ or two to have them. If you want to be a tackle tart, this is the sport for it.

Just remember its all about fun. Hope you enjoy the sport and follow whatever path floats your boat.

[JamesR]

I used a borrowed club bow for 6 months, which allowed me to get the hang of shooting (and do all the window shopping I wanted to) without spending very much at all. There's a lot to learn and even with basic kit you'll be able to see a marked improvement in your scores - which also leads to a lot of enjoyment!

After that you'll have a good idea of what kit you might want to upgrade, and what price ranges you're looking at. Or you may decide it's not your cup of tea, but at least you can decide that long before spending a load of cash on shiny new kit.

[reckless]

YES yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes you get the idea, but you know what, its worth every penny. and then some..
to be honest i couldn possibly imagine my life without the involvement of archery. it has got to be one of the most all consuming frustrating annoying
wonderful sports in the world WHAT CAN I SAY I LOVE IT.