Novice Archer - What should I buy ?

[Caliban]

I have recently completed a beginner’s archery course and I’ve been along to the club to shoot on about 5 occasions since then. Up until now I’ve been using a club recurve bow (20lb at 66” I think, I don’t know the make) which has been fine for shooting at 20 and 30 yards but I’m now looking at getting my own bow and equipment as I’ll be going up to bigger distances, shooting more regularly and hopefully taking part in competitions. My current options are to

• hire a Stylist bow from someone at the club, which I could then buy for £450+ if I’m happy with it
• go to an archery shop, Quicks or Chiltern Archery are my closest two, and see what they recommend
• buy a 2nd hand bow, possibly the equivalent of one that I’ve tried out at a shop.

If I end up buying a new bow I want to get something that I won’t need to replace a few months down the line. Any suggestions which route to take and what to buy if I don’t opt for the Stylist bow, which seems pricey to me but then again it appears archery is a lot more expensive than I was anticipating.

[BowSurfer]

The most important thing to remember is that your technique and ability are going to go on maturing for quite some time yet. At the very leas this means that you will need to be upgrading limbs - probably several times - over the next year-18 months. You will also improve physical musculature necessary and will be able to support a heavier bow, with more 'goodies' attached which at the present time woul be intolerably heavy. Arrows too will need to be upgraded as you move up to heavier limbs.

Therefore, my first suggestion would be to not spend too much straight off. You want that final bow to be the fancy one with carbon limbs and ultra-light arrows. In the mean time, content yourself with something more modest and concentrate on getting form and technique right so that you can do it justice when the day comes. Also gives you some time to save up.

On these grounds, I would not go for the Stylist option.

As an inexperienced archer I would also avoid the second hand route, unless you have someone very experienced to guide you. The names may be OK, but you need to check second hand equipment carefully, and you don't know how it has been set up. At least with new kit it will be working in the right ballpark out of the box. It is also deprecated to use the time and skills of an archery shop to choose a setup and then go buy it elsewhere. If we don't keep supporting these guys they will go away and we will be left without a valuable resource.

There is a lot to be said for getting a cheap setup such as an Evo II (~£100 ready to shoot) to be going on with and do gradual upgrades as time and budget permit. By starting with International fit limbs you have the ability to change limbs or riser without having to buy a complete new set of kit. Chiltern (I believe) also do a good scheme wher they will allow you to upgrade limbs within 6 months for free, or give a discount on your old limbs if you upgrade to a better type.

Good luck whichever route you choose

[Caliban]

Thanks for your reply, very helpful

In addition to the bow I also need to get the additional equipment: arrows, quiver, case etc. Taking a look at the quicks online site they have a couple of packages for a beginner and a club archer but these cost £175 or £275, add to that the cost of the riser and limbs and I can't see myself spending less than £400. The advantage of buying something second hand is that I should be able to get it all for a lot less, perhaps half that, but as you say it's a gamble because I may not even get the chance to try the bow out and if I do I don't have the experience to know what to look for. I work with an experienced archer so he can give an opinion on any of the 2nd hand equipment for sale online, but making a judgement from a few pictures and the descriptions is a far cry from seeing it up close and trying it out. Perhaps a comprimise is to buy a new bow and then look to get the rest 2nd hand?

[darthTer]

I would recommend, you get a decent International Limb fitting(ILF) riser to start with (Winstar 2/Eclipse/Seb Flute) - these should set you back £80-£150

Limb wise.....don't go ott. KAP challengers/winstorms (£75) would do you fine. They are decent quality and won't break the bank too much to replace after 6 months. They also have a fairly good resale value on ebay!!!

Sight - something about £50 would be a good starting point

Button - Probably best with a Shibuya. £17 for a quality item.

Rest - Hoyt super rest will probably do fine.

Stabilisers - A basic long rod will be enough to get you started

Arrows - Jazz or xx75's will be fine, especially indoors.

It is always best to try the stuff out before purchase. Do your research before hand so that you have the knowledge to understand what the retailer is recommending - that way you can be sure that you will get the correct stuff!!!

Hope that helps.....

[Jerry Tee]

There are a couple of ways to go if you are buying on ebay.
First you could try and get an outfit that will see you right for a long time. But the chances of getting a good fit in terms of arrow and limb combination that match up and match you are limited.
Next you could buy some thing that will do as an intermediate bowbut does not have IF limbs and riser. That will be cheaper, but at some time in the future you will have to sell it and get something better. ( there is a Perris Whiteheart with two set of limbs ,34lbs and 38 lb carbon on ebay at the moment which could suit, start on the lighter limbs and later switch to the heavier. At least one recurve archer here will tell you it's a good bow).
Probablely the safest second hand option is to go and see if an archery shop near you has second hand equipment for sale. That way you will be able to look it over at least bofore buying

[jules]

I would recommend going for the new kit every time. Go to a specialist archery supplier and get them to advise you. In my experience you can't beat being measured correctly for draw length and weight, correct arrow spine etc. It might not be the cheapest option but you will get the kit best suited to you and will save you alot of problems in the long run.

The winstar II is an inexpensive riser with international limb fittings and the KAP limbs are cheap enough to upgrade as and when you need to, which you probably will within 6 months.

Hope you enjoy getting yourself kitted out. Good shooting

[wingate_52]

The Winstar 2 bow is a nice riser, matching limbs that you will upgrade in 6 months time.
Get some carbon arrows(fat) for the indoor season, you will be getting new limbs before the indoor season ends, then you can buy some carbon alloys (ACC/Navigators).
Get a good button - Shibuya
A good rest - Spigarelli ZT
A long rod, the extender, v-bar and twin rods will come later.
2 strings so you can alternate them for wear.
Indoors, any sight will be fine as you won't be moving it. But outdoors is another matter. Then you will need something that does not fall to bits, vibrate and is easy to adjust.
Buy kit that will last.
Of my equipment (see box above) I have only changed the limbs 3 times, (moving from 36-40-42#) The strings,I started with 16 strand Fastflight.Long rod multi-rod to Doinker.And sight Arc SX10 to Copperjohn.I still use the same arrows, after changing points and reducing their length. The same quiver, case, etc. This is the end of my third outdoor season. I won't be changing anything in the near future.
Avoid cheap equipment. There is a reason for it being this price.People often sell parts because they do not like them(Change disciplines, upgrade or give up).

[darthTer]

Originally Posted by wingate_52

Get some carbon arrows(fat) for the indoor season, you will be getting new limbs before the indoor season ends, then you can buy some carbon alloys (ACC/Navigators).

Any particular reason to go for carbons over Aluminiums???

[MrM]

I note that you are from Guildford, and as such there is a good connection with Stylist there. Therefore I would definitely recommend hiring from Stylist for a while (not necessarily buying it at the end though), as you can change the limbs as and when you need. Arrows - stick with aluminium ones until you get to a higher poundage as well.

[Caliban]

What sort of draw weight should I be aiming for, I've tried someone else's bow which was approx 34lbs and found that was too much for me. I was able to shoot for an hour or so but by the end of it was a real struggle to control and my scoring was much lower than with the 20lb club bow. I was thinking I should be going for high 20s, is that a mistake ?