Archery is an awesome sport. There’s nothing quite the same as a great day of shooting with your buddies. The last thing you want is to get out to shoot, only to find you’re missing something.
Maybe your arm hurts from the bowstring hitting it, or your fingers are sore from releasing your shots. No matter what style of archery you’re into, you’ve got to have the right gear.
If you’re new to archery it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the new gadgets, equipment and gear. You may be wondering what exactly do you need to get started in archery, without all the gimmicks.
Well, fear not, I’m going to tell you exactly what gear you need to get started shooting today. Ready to get started? Alright, let’s go:
Bow
You may be wondering what type of bow you should get, as there are a few different styles you can shoot. You can check out this page, which runs through the differences in the main styles of bows that are used today.
Most archers these days use either recurve bows, compound bows or traditional / long bows. They all have their own unique advantages and disadvantages, but for the casual inexperienced archer I would recommend a quality recurve bow – they’re all around great for most uses.
A Bow Stringer
Not surprisingly, a bow stringer helps you to string your bow. Since you shouldn’t leave a bow strung when you’re not using it for a length of time, you’ll need a bow stringer when you’re getting ready to shoot.
Not only does a bow stringer make it easier to string your bow, it makes it much more safe to do so as well. Bow stringers are a necessity and they’re cheap, so just get one.
Arrows
Obviously you’ll need some arrows. Without getting into which arrows you’ll need (that’s a whole page in and of itself) – you should have at least a dozen arrows in your quiver for pretty much any type of shooting.
Recurve and traditional longbow archers will probably want to shoot arrows fletched with real feathers, while compound bow archers usually use arrows with rubber or plastic vanes.
The exact type of arrows you’ll want to use are based partly on the style of archery that you’re shooting and partly on your own personal preference. Try to get good advice on which arrows to shoot, but keep an open mind at the same time.
Many archers will simply push you towards what they themselves shoot. Think about what you like to shoot and what feels most comfortable for you.
Quiver
You need at least one quiver to hold your arrows, regardless of what kind of archery you’re into. There are back quivers, hip quivers and quivers that attach directly to compound bows. Which kind you’ll want will vary depending upon the type of archery that you’re planning on shooting. I personally like back quivers, as I feel they’re out of the way when walking, shooting, hiking, etc. This one is my personal favorite.
Targets
Another essential piece of equipment is a proper target. Rather than shooting at random things (which can break or damage your arrows), a proper archery target is a must. You can get anything from simple bag or box style targets, to realistic looking 3D archery targets.
Just be sure that you’re buying the right type of target for your bow. Crossbows can ruin targets that aren’t specifically made for them. However, most targets are fine for recurve, compound and longbows alike.
Arm Guard
Especially if you’re new to archery, an arm guard is a great piece of gear to have in your archery bag. An arm guard is worn on the arm of your bow hand (the hand that holds the bow). It’ll keep the bow string from smacking against your arm, which can really hurt.
As you become a more experienced archer, your form should improve and after a while you may find that you don’t need an arm guard any more. But for beginners, I highly recommend using an arm guard. I personally use this one, and I highly recommend it.
Shooting Glove / Finger tabs
If you release your bowstring with your fingers, you may want to invest in a shooting glove or finger tab. These are just different products that protect your fingers from getting sore from releasing arrow after arrow. Again, I’d recommend beginners get one of these to start shooting with.
Whether you’ll want a shooting glove or a finger tab is just down to personal preference. If you can, visit your local archery store and try them both on, see which one feels more comfortable for you to shoot with.
Release Aid
The other option, if you don’t want to release the bowstring with your fingers, is to use a release aid. These come in many various shapes, sizes and styles. They all essentially do the same thing, hold the bowstring and release it. Releases are pretty much only for you if you’re shooting either recurve bows or compound bows – most traditional archers and longbow users don’t use a release!
Bow Sight
Depending upon the type of bow you’ll use, you may want to think about getting a sight for it. You won’t be using a sight with traditional archery or longbows, but you do have the option with both recurve bows and compound bows.
There are two main types of scopes in archery: Single pin sights and multi, fixed pin sights. Single pin sights have one pin (which you line up with the target) that can be adjusted, while multi-pin sights normally have 3 to 5 pins which cannot be moved once they’re set up.
With a single pin sight you “dial in” the yardage for each shot, while with a multi-pin sight you have the pins each set up for different yardages before you go shooting. Which type of sight you’ll want really just comes down to personal preference. I wrote a guide all about bow sights here, it’ll point you in the right direction as to which type of sight is best for you.
Quality Bow Case
Regardless of what type of bow you’ll end up using, you will definitely want to pick up a quality, hard shell case to keep it in. If you’re going to spend the money on a quality bow, you want it well protected when you’re not using it.
Not only that, but bow cases make it far safer and easier to bring your bow along with you without any worry that it’ll get scratched or damaged in any way. You can read about how to choose a quality bow case here.
Bow Stand
As with bow cases above, a bow stand is mainly used to hold your bow while you retrieve your arrows after shooting. It also helps for when you’re using binoculars, making adjustments to your equipment and during little breaks from shooting.
Bow stands are a must for the same reasons above, as you don’t want to just lean your bow on something when you go to retrieve your arrows. You don’t want someone knocking your bow down or sitting on it because they weren’t paying attention to where you left it. I keep this one in my backyard year round.
Binoculars
You want a good set of binoculars for all types of archery. Whether you’re shooting target, field or 3d archery – a high quality set of binoculars is key. If you’re planning on bow hunting with your bow, that’s another reason to invest in a good pair of binoculars. When you’re shopping for binoculars just keep in mind what the two different numbers stand for.
So if you see that a pair of binoculars is 10 X 50 the first number is the magnification, while the second number is the size of the lens. Magnification is how many times closer to you the object appears, while the lens size has to due with how much light is let in. Normally the larger the better for the second number, as the larger the lens, more light is let in giving you a clearer picture.
Rangefinder
Rangefinders are a great tool, especially for bow hunters and those shooting 3D archery. Even if you’re just shooting target or field archery, rangefinders are great for helping you accurately guess the yardage of targets.
If you want to get better at being able to tell the yardage of targets, get a rangefinder and constantly guess yardages of things around you – then check your guesses with a rangefinder. Consistently doing this will up your game significantly.
All archers should have a quality rangefinder in their archery bag, ready to use at any time. This one is an easily affordable and all around great first rangefinder.
Nocking Points
Nocking points are the little metal rings on the bowstring of most bows. They’re used to help you shoot from the same position on the string for every single shot. They also prevent you from accidentally shooting too low.
Nocking points are super cheap, usually only a few cents a piece. They’re normally set about one arrows width above the arrow rest on the bowstring. If you’re new to archery though, don’t install them on your bowstring yourself. Have someone from a professional archery shop do it for you.
Silencers
If you plan on bow hunting at all, you’ll want some silencers on your bow. Even if you’re just planning on target shooting, silencers may be a good idea – as some bows can be loud. While you probably won’t need these for traditional archery and longbows, silencers are a good option for recurve and compound bows.
Optional Recommended Gear
Allen Wrench
Great for most recurve bow and compound bow shooters, a multi-sized Allen wrench tool can be helpful for not only tuning your bow at home, but for minor adjustments in the field. Look for a well made, Swiss Army knife style Allen wrench tool with multiple sizes of wrenches. I use this all-in-one set.
String Wax
String wax is important for prolonging the life of your bow string. Not only does it lubricate the bowstring (which helps with your shooting), it also offers another layer of protection for your string.
String wax helps to seal out water and other things that can break down the quality of your string over time. String wax is another super cheap accessory, and one container of it lasts for quite a while – so just pick some up already!
Camel Pack
If you’re going to be out in the wild for a while while hunting, shooting field archery or competing in a 3D archery tournament, you need to keep yourself hydrated. Camel packs are a perfect accessory for most archers, as they hold a lot of liquid and keep it cool for hours at a time.
You can easily keep hydrated on the move, and they store a full backpack’s worth of gear. A camel pack is ideal for storing your shooting glove, bow stringer, arm guard and all of your other shooting gear.
Here’s a cool one that’s available on Amazon, a great choice to store all of your archery gear.
For 3D Archers:
Arrow Removal Tools
Arrow removal tools are yet another really cheap, but useful item to keep in your archery bag. They’re just simple grip tools that help you to remove arrows from targets easier. They are actually ideal for 3D archery shooters, as many 3D archery targets have spots that are difficult to remove your arrows from.
Another cool thing about these little tools is that they’ll help you to remove the arrows of missed shots that got stuck in trees. Removing arrows like that by hand can sometimes break the arrow, not cool.
Arrow removal tools only cost a few bucks, so throw one in your archery bag today. I use this one all the time.
Arrow Lubrication
Arrow lube is another thing that can help you to get your arrows out from those stubborn 3D archery targets that just don’t want to let them go. Just apply a little bit of it to each of your arrows before every 3D shoot, and check your arrows after a an hour or so to see if you need to apply some more. Simple and it works, if you’re a 3D archer give it a try.
I hope that this little guide has given you a good idea of what equipment and gear you’ll need to get started in archery. Don’t worry about trying to learn everything about archery overnight, you’ve got plenty of time to pick it all up along the way. The most important thing is just to get out there and get some practice shooting, you’ll figure out any of the more advanced things that you need to know eventually. So just get out there and have some fun!