Archery is a sport of precision, discipline, and choice. One of the most important decisions you’ll make as a competitive archer is selecting the bow style you will shoot. In World Archery competitions, bow style determines not only your equipment setup but also the category in which you’ll compete. The right choice should fit your physical ability, competitive ambitions, and personal shooting style.
1. Understanding the Main Bow Styles in World Archery
World Archery officially recognises three main bow styles in target competitions: Recurve, Compound, and Barebow. Each has its own rules, characteristics, and appeal.
Recurve Bow
The only style used in the Olympic Games. The limbs curve away from the archer at the tips, storing more energy and delivering arrows at high speed.
Typical Features:
Sight with no magnification.
Stabilisation system to balance the bow.
Clicker to help with draw consistency.
Advantages:
Prestigious Olympic pathway.
Balanced challenge between technique and physical strength.
Large, supportive community and resources.
Considerations:
Requires more strength and stamina at longer distances.
Mastery of form and timing is crucial.
Compound Bow
A mechanically advanced bow using cams and cables to reduce holding weight at full draw (“let-off”). This allows for greater stability and precision.
Typical Features:
Magnified sight with scope and peep sight.
Release aid instead of fingers for the draw.
Shorter axle-to-axle lengths for manoeuvrability.
Advantages:
Increased accuracy potential at long distances.
Lower physical strain at full draw.
Popular in both target and field competitions.
Considerations:
More technical setup and tuning required.
Not currently in the Olympic Games (but is in the World Games).
Barebow
A stripped-down recurve bow without sights, stabilisers, or clickers—relying entirely on the archer’s skill in aiming and form.
Typical Features:
Weight adjustments within the riser allowed.
String walking or face walking used for aiming.
Advantages:
Pure, traditional feel of archery.
Less equipment to manage.
Strong mental and instinctive shooting skills developed.
Considerations:
Steeper learning curve for accuracy at longer distances.
Limited to certain maximum distances in competitions.
2. Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Bow Style
Your Goals:
Olympic dreams? Recurve is the only Olympic bow style.
High-precision target competition? Compound may suit you.
Traditional and instinctive shooting? Barebow might be your style.
Physical Ability:
Shoulder or strength limitations may make compound’s let-off more comfortable. Recurve and barebow require more sustained draw weight control.
Budget & Maintenance: Compound bows and accessories can be more expensive. Barebow setups are simpler and more affordable. Recurve sits somewhere in between, depending on quality.
Learning Style: Do you enjoy technical tuning? Compound offers more adjustments.
Do you prefer refining pure technique? Recurve and barebow reward repetition and form.
3. World Archery Rules to Keep in Mind
Recurve: Maximum draw weight is unrestricted; sight magnification is not allowed.
Compound: Maximum draw weight of 60 lbs; magnified scopes and release aids permitted; peep sight allowed.
Barebow: No sights, stabilisers, or clickers; unstrung bow must pass through a 12.2 cm ring.
All Styles: Follow World Archery equipment regulations to avoid disqualification at competitions.
4. Discuss With Our Coaches
Before making a final decision discuss with our coaches the different bow styles.
Get measured for correct draw length and poundage.
Choosing a bow style for World Archery competitions is more than picking equipment—it’s choosing the journey you’ll take in the sport. Whether you go for the Olympic tradition of recurve, the precision of compound, or the purity of barebow, the best bow is the one that inspires you to train, compete, and enjoy every arrow you shoot.
