Best Beginner Bows for Adults
- Wandering Wild
- Jul 10, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 2
If you've ever spent any time looking for a bow as a beginner, you know how overwhelming it can be...
Especially when you see how high the price tag can be on flagship compound models!
But getting a bow as a beginner doesn't have to be hard.
In this post you'll cover the best recurve bows and compound bows for adult beginners
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What Type of Bow Should an Adult Beginner Use?
As a beginner the best advice I can give is not buy online without shooting a bow first.
Go to a local archery club or store and ask for a lesson or to try out some products as a beginner.
In my wife’s experience, we went to a store and tried out some used bows with different draw lengths and draw weights.
She asked the store rep a lot of questions and was then able to find a bow she wanted to try. I am a true believer of trying before you buy.
However, I know sometimes you want something faster because you are going out with some friends or maybe even you would rather teach yourself with youtube.
Recurve bows are typically cheaper and less to understand before you can start shooting.
These are a little but simpler when manufactured and require less add-ons usually.
When choosing a starter recurve bow I would look for something from 18 to 24 lbs draw weight so you can build the muscles necessary to shoot a bow without ruining your form.
To determine your draw length take your wingspan and divide it by 2.5. At this point you can start shopping around for a recurve that fits you.
For arrows make sure to get arrows that are 1 t o 2 inches longer than your draw length.
Compound bows are a bit more complicated but will be overall easier to shoot and stay more consistent.
These bows will also be more expensive at the beginning so it is a bigger investment to get started.
My wife started with a compound but that was also because she had me to teach her and help her figure it out.
In terms of picking out your bow, women can start with 30-40 lbs of draw weight to start on a compound, whereas men can typically start between 40-55 lbs.
Your draw length and measurements will remain the same for recurve as for compound.
Overall if you are just looking into archery and are unsure if you will enjoy it, I would start with a recurve bow.
However if you have shopped around for a while or even shot your friend's bow a few times and really want to invest in the hobby then I would go with a compound bow.
What Is A Good Draw Weight For An Adult Beginner?
Again a good draw weight for beginners depends on the type of bow and the person.
On average if you are starting with a recurve I suggest something between 18 to 24 pounds.
This low draw weight will help you get accustomed to the form and skill while developing those strange archery muscles.
Then you will be able to upgrade to a higher weight in the future. In terms of a compound; as a female I would start between 25-35 lbs (just below average), for men I would suggest 40-50 lbs.
Again you always want to start with a lower draw weight so you can develop the skills and strength to shoot at the beginning so you can enjoy shooting for long periods of time rather than getting tired after 10 shots.
Best Beginner Compound Bows
Bear Archery Royale RTH Package
The Bear Archery Royale RTH Package is a great starter compound bow because it can fit a wide range of draw lengths and draw weights.
This compound bow right around $300 on different websites making it more affordable than many other starter compound bows.
You can get it left or right handed with a draw length of 12”-27” so it can fit most arms spans.
This bow also comes with draw weights from 5-50 lbs.
Making it a great starter bow because the draw weight can start so low.
This bow is highly adjustable which makes it great for the beginning archer as they begin to develop form and strength.
Because this bow is so adjustable it can be a great bow for kids & teens to start with because it's so adjustable they can grow with it.
Where this bow really shines for beginners is the fact that it's available in a package that comes with almost everything you need to get started!
This package includes: 3-pin sight, arrow rest, quiver, peep sight, and D-loop!
The only things it leaves out is arrows, a release and a target.
Diamond Prism
The Diamond Prism is another great starting compound bow ranging from $299-$399, coming in at one of the least expensive good compound bows on the market.
This bow is adjustable to left or right handed. You can also get this bow with a draw length of 18”-30” and a draw weight of 5-55 lbs.
This comes in with our lowest draw weight option which is why this is highly considered a starting bow.
However it will be adjustable as you use it just like the other two bows.
This one will probably not last as long due to capping at 55 lbs rather than 70 like the other two options shown above.
However if you are looking for a compound bow that will be on the cheaper side and are a true beginner then I highly recommend this compound bow.
Bear Legend XR
The Bear Legend XR is also a great starting compound bow ranging from $434-$469 depending on add-ons and website choice.
This bow is also adjustable for left or right handed.
It also adjusts from 18”-31” draw length as well as weight from 14-70 lbs.
Compound bows are inherently more adjustable as well as many times come with add-ons you would not be offered when buying a recurve.
Overall the Bear Legend XR is a great choice for a starting compound bow.
BlackOut Epic NT Compound Bow Package
The BlackOut Epic NT compound bow package is designed for the beginner that wants to jump into the world of archery head first.
I even second guessed putting this bow on the list because it's really only for people who are committed to getting good at archery.
This is the most powerful and advanced bow on this list...
Which has its pro's and con's
This is one of, it not the, best performing bow a beginner can get, which also means it's not as adjustable as some other bows on this list.
The good news is this package comes loaded with the gear you need to hit the ground running.
Package includes: 4-pin sight, quiver, BlackOut Whisker Biscuit arrow rest, stabilizer and sling, TruPeep, D-loop...
You just need to grab a release, arrows and a target!
Best Beginner Recurve Bows
So your shopping is getting more serious.
Let's look into some of the best beginner recurve bows; Samick Sage, Vista Monarch, and the Knight Recurve Target Bow Kit.
Samick Sage
This bow will run between $130-$160 depending on where you are buying it from as it is sold on lots of different websites.
This bow is highly adjustable from bow left and right handed as well as differing draw weights.
This bow has a huge range of draw weights from 20-60 lbs.
So once you know what weight you would like it is extremely easy to find your weight listed and sold online.
This bow was also listed with a 28” or 29” draw length depending on what website you visited.
This bow may be a little too long for a female to begin with due to the average female draw length being 25”-26”.
However for men this is the perfect bow with an average draw length of 28”-29”.
So these bows are a great first purchase for men as it fits all the weights and lengths you would need.
However you can still purchase this as a woman because the great part about recurve bows is you do not have to draw it to full length.
This is actually the first recurve bow I bought and I've loved it.
If you want my full review, you can read it HERE
Overall this is a great first bow because it offers so much variety.
Vista Monarch
This bow will run between $110-$130 depending on where you are buying it from as well as the limb length.
This bow can be adjusted from 20-40 lb draw weight. However upon researching this bow more in depth it is typically only offered right handed from big stores.
So this runs much lower draw weights but that is typically what you are looking for when buying a first time bow.
This bow also maxes its draw length at about 29” so as long as you have a shorter draw than that you would be able to use this bow.
Overall this is less expensive than the Samick Sage but offers all the things you need in a first time bow.
As long as you follow the right track of starting off with a low weight bow to begin this is a great bow for you!
You can read my Full Review HERE
Knight Recurve Target Bow Kit
The Knight Recurve is a great starter kit to get you everything you need in one place.
It ranges from $309-$435 depending on what add ons you choose.
This kit can accommodate a draw weight of 29 lbs- 55 lbs.
So it starts a little heavier than the other two bows but still can be included in the beginner draw weight.
This bow also offers up to a 28” draw length so it is perfect for accommodating most draw lengths.
This kit also offers a little bit more by giving you choices of adding a finger tab or glove, arrows, a sight, and different finger set ups on your bow.
Overall if you are looking for a one stop shop for everything you could need to outfit yourself and your bow this is a great kit that offers everything you could need and more all for a relatively low cost.
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