If you're reading this, there is a good chance you are in the market for your first bow. You probably have a ton of questions: What kind of bow do I need? What does draw weight mean? How do I tell a right-handed from a left-handed bow? We will get to them, and more, but first I want to go over the basic 'Buyer's Guide' for a new bow on the Lancaster Archery Supply website (the site you're on now).
Our Find the Bow for You page starts you off with two options: Recurve and Compound. Recurves are the simpler of the two options - they are traditional style bows with curved limb tips that improve comfort and performance. Compounds use cam systems to increase performance without sacrificing comfort, but they are more intricate systems when compared to recurve and other traditional bow platforms. Both styles of bow can be used for recreational, target, and hunting purposes and, with options for many ages and sizes, there is something out there for anyone and everyone.
Recurve bows are going to fall into two different categories: take-down and one-piece. The primary difference between the two being, you guessed it, one allows you to take it apart and the other is one solid piece. The take-down variety breaks down into the riser (the part of the bow that you hold, attach rests/sights/stabilizers, and where the limbs connect) and the top and bottom limbs. This allows for easy transport and affords you the ability to change out limbs in the event of a weight/length change or if you happen to have a limb malfunction. These bows are generally easier to setup, tune, and "just shoot" - especially for beginners and children.
Compounds are technically more involved when compared to their recurve counterparts, though those levels vary depending on the model of bow and your level of shooting. The cam systems rotate on each end of the bow's limbs to provide mechanical advantage, allowing the archer to achieve higher arrow speeds/draw weights, more precise aiming, and a more comfortable holding weight over traditional style bows. These bows generally weigh more and will have a larger field of accessories used through various levels of shooting.
Both styles can be used for recreational purposes, for competition/target goals, and for various hunting pursuits. There are also a wide array of products, as stated above, within both categories to suit whatever your age, size, and style. Your first decision is going to be, as the categories above showcase, what you are going to use this bow for.
Recreational
If you are going to be using this in your backyard just as a light hobby for yourself or your family, or if you just want to try it out, then maybe a basic, recreation-style recurve might be where you can start. The Galaxy Sage and Galaxy Bullseye are both budget-friendly, beginner options here - the Little Fox and Bullseye being the youth equivalents. If you might be leaning more towards a compound bow for recreational purposes, try out the Genesis (kids and adults) or Genesis Mini (smaller kids) as these are the staple "beginner" compound bows - they are also the bow that will be found in the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) throughout the country.
All four of these bows are as barebones as each type can get. You won't need any finger tabs or release aids to shoot them (though you can use finger tabs if you so desire). This means you essentially only have to take them out of the box (in the case of the recurves you also put the limbs on) and start shooting. The Genesis kits come with arrows, while the recurves do not. We have a large offering of budget-friendly, beginner arrows that you can check out HERE.
If you are ever unsure of what you might need to get started, our customer service team is available to help walk you through this whole process and make sure you have everything you need to start shooting.
Hunting
If you have shot archery recreationally in the past, and even if you haven't, and you want to take the hunting route, you've come to the right place - no one has a more exhaustive selection of bowhunting products on the market than LAS.
For recurve users, it does not take much to get into a recurve hunting bow. The Galaxy Sage Elite II will be your go-to choice for a take-down hunting recurve, and if you want to shoot a one-piece hunting recurve, you can't go wrong with the Galaxy Grey Dawn. They both come with a string and are available anywhere from 20 to 55lbs. You'd want to stick to higher poundages (45+ for whitetail sized game) but small animal and varmint hunting can be achieved with much lower draw weights. Like with the recurves mentioned in the recreational section, you will need some basic hunting arrows here, too, as well as broadheads/blunt tips of your choice and a finger tab or glove.
The more common choice for hunters - and generally considered the more ethical option - is the compound bow. There is a plethora of options for compound bow kits that come fully equipped to get you into the woods on your first archery hunt. In many cases, these packages come with a quiver, rest, stabilizer, sight, peep sight, and d-loop. This means you'd simply have to add a mechanical release and hunting arrows into the equation. Bow kits like the Diamond Radian and the Diamond Edge XT are great introductory level options - both of them being kits that can grow with you to varying degrees.
Many of the compound hunting options out there come as bare bows - meaning you'd have to accessorize them with your own rest, quiver, sight, stabilizer, etc. Great beginner options here would be the PSE Stinger ATK and the Bear Adapt 2 THP. The PSE has a draw weight range of 40 to 70lbs, while the Bear has a range from 50 to 70lbs (based on which limb weight options you select for both). This means that you don't get the "grow with me" system found on the Diamond's above, but these are more efficient with their energy compared to the others.
There is a lot that you can dive into regarding hunting with high-poundage recurves, and even more so with compound bows, so please do not hesitate to call or message our archery experts to get a full walkthrough of what you will need to do to get the most out of your bow, regardless of your pursuit. You can always visit your nearest Pro Shop too, to test out bows and figure out what you need, too.
Target/Competition
Setting yourself up for those paper-punching shots under pressure, or aspiring for unmatched Olympic recurve accuracy? Maybe you were born to perform on the big stage - or even on the smaller stage - and you want to learn about getting your first target bow.
You can get into an Olympic recurve or barebow target setup without breaking the bank. A recurve package like the Galaxy Meteor comes with the riser, limbs, string, sight, and two different rests. A solid introductory barebow choice would be something like the Galaxy Aspire - a kit that includes the riser, limbs, and string. Much like with other recurve options in this article, you just need to add arrows.
As far as compound target archery is concerned, you are looking at a steeper cost-to-entry. The budget "target" compound on our site is the PSE Lazer X - a high-quality, mid-price, 37" compound bow. Now, you can use any compound bow for target archery, but the longer axle-to-axle lengths of target bows, coupled with their longer brace height, lends them to repeatable and forgiving performance. Now, you'll recognize this next recommendation from earlier, but the Genesis is a wonderful (and affordable) gateway to target archery - some pros still use custom Genesis bows for professional tournament use.
I know that I have mentioned it a few times now, but I highly recommend reaching out to our product expert team here at Lancaster Archery Supply, regardless of your pursuit or purpose, so we can get you accustomed to what you're looking at buying before you pull the trigger.
Getting to the early questions I mentioned at the top of this article, we have a ton of short videos on our YouTube channel that do well to explain, with physical examples, the basics of our sport. You can find those Here.