What Is a Compound Bow? An Introduction.

• August 2, 2020
• Alex Reed
• Knowledge

What is a Compound Bow?

A compound bow looks and functions differently than other less technologically advanced bows. When a compound bow is loaded, it uses a mechanical system of pulleys and levers to pull the limbs together with increase force. Through this mechanism, which is exclusive to compound bows, more energy is stored in each limb. The archer does not have to hold the full extent of the draw weight if he or she has pulled past the let-off. The left-off is the point when the draw weight reduces thanks to the cams system.

The limbs need to be strong and durable, most likely made of fiberglass. The rest of the bow is made of a lightweight material like carbon fiber. The strings of a compound bow differ from that of a traditional bow in terms of width and strength. They are thicker and stronger since they sustain stronger tension and faster release when the shot is made.

Compound bows are versatile and popular. They can be used for different styles of archery, among them the two most common ones – target archery and bow hunting, as well as more niche archery styles like clout and flight archery.

Advantages of Using a Compound Bow

There are several advantages to using a compound bow compared to traditional and other modern bows, mainly: accuracy, precision, distance and ease of learning.

As the limbs take up the draw weight – the archer is now only pulling around 10% of the draw weight, instead of focusing on sustaining the draw weight, the archer can keep a keen eye on the target ahead increasing shooting accuracy and precision. This also makes learning how to shoot a compound bow much easier than other types of bows.

The pulley system increases the total draw weight, resulting in increased distance and speed. Accuracy and precision further increase from the higher speed of the arrow. At higher speeds there will be less of an arc created by gravity resulting in arrows flying straighter.

Most compound bows have a solid back wall. A back wall is a maximum draw length. The archer cannot pull the string any further, and it feels like a wall. This helps in maintaining a consistent anchor point, and thus more accurate shots when loosing an arrow with a compound bow.

Disadvantages of Using a Compound Bow

Compound bows are more complicated than other bows. This makes them more expensive, heavier and harder to repair than their counterparts.

This type of bow might be too heavy for a camping trip or a hike. Specially compared to take-down recurve bows, transporting a compound bow is more burdensome. The weight of the bow may also affect your shooting accuracy if your arm is not strong enough to hold the bow up for many shots.

Compound bows require a bow press in order to be re-strung. A bow press is a heavy piece of equipment that presses the limbs together in order to release the tension from the string so that the string can be removed and worked on. Most people do not own this, so any tuning and repairing needs to be done at an archery shop by a trained bow mechanic.

Choose the Right Compound Bow for You

If you are in the market for a new compound bow or your first, I always recommend making a list of qualities and considerations to make shopping for the right compound bow easier.

This list should be

1. Your style of activity
2. A range for your budget
3. Your physiology: this dictates the
   1.  dominant eye
   2. draw length
   3. draw weight
   4. strength to carry the bow
4. Your existing skill level: this dictates your preference with longer or shorter brace height
5. Your aesthetic preference

How does this apply to a compound bow?

1. Style of Archery:

The style, model, and size (from axle to axle) of the compound bow depends on the style of archery you will use it for. Compound bows for bowhunting are generally shorter to increase their portability. Conversely the longer and heavier bows aid in accuracy and precision during target archery. Longer bows are steadier and are more forgiving, so they are preferred for beginners.

2. Budget

Budget-wise, the entry level compound bows are going for about ****, You can find some here. For a higher budget, bows that are going for 8888 all the way up to *****, check out my recommended list of compound bows for 2020 Here is my top 5 compound bows for 2020.

3. Physiology

   1. Before buying your first compound bow, or first bow ever for that matter, you need to know which eye is your dominant eye. This will determine the right or left configuration of the bow. Check out my quick step by step guide to your dominant eye.
   2. and c. Other aspects to consider are draw length and draw weight. Check out my guide to how to determine your draw length and weight. All these aspects can be adjustable on most compound bows, so be sure to pay attention in case you are buying an older bow.

These days draw weight and draw length are adjustable on all compound bows, either in a small range ( +or- 10 or 15 lbs for draw weight and 4 to 5 inches in draw length) or they are “ultra” adjustable ( draw weight can be adjusted from 15 to 70 pounds and the draw length ranges 10 or 15 in all the way to 30 inches).

The adjustment increments are smaller with the lower ranges, so you can fine tune those bows better. The trade-off for having high ranges of adjustability is less fine tuning, less efficiency and the absence of a back wall.

If you are not going to be growing with your bow, I recommend buying a standard 10lb range bow.  Alternatively if you are buying this for a child or teenager, then the ultra-adjustable bows are a good option. If the draw length is not easily changed then make sure you know your draw length precisely.

      d. The weight of the bow is another point of comparison between bows. Everything else the same, lighter is better for hunting field and 3D archery. Higher weight will give you more stability for target archery.

4. Skill Level

If this is not your first bow you already know your preference of brace height. But if you don’t don’t worry since the brace height is predetermined by the manufacturer and can be slightly increased or decreased. In addition it has been found that it does not make a big difference in how a compound bow shoots.

These days compound bows are made so that the string is released by using a release aid. This is one of the reasons why compound bows are so easy to learn how to shoot. If you are experienced and what to try something harder you could try to get an older compound bow that is meant to be released with your fingers and not with a trigger.

5. Aesthetics

If you are reading this article you already know that compound bows are sleek and attractive. I had no problem choosing my bow, since I liked all of them. It might be different for you.

To find the best compound bow for you look for a heavier and longer bow if you are not going to be hunting and trekking with it. It should be within your budget, match your dominant eye and be fitted to your draw length and draw weight.

Maintenance and Tuning

A Compound bow is a complicated piece of machinery that needs to be tuned and maintained preferably by an expert bow mechanic. Unlike other bows that need to be unstrung between shooting sessions, compound bows are made to be stored strung. Some people recommend reducing the tension on the string before storage. However,  it’s best to refer to your bow’s owner manual.

Every time you use your bow, inspect the bow string,and if it feels fuzzy or dry then apply bowstring wax.  Take your bow to the shop whenever you see fraying, a loose thread or the string servings coming undone. It is also recommended to tune the bow once a year, in case anything has come loose or is no longer aligned.

Wrap Up

The modern improvements that have gone into compound bows make them much easier for archers to learn how to shoot and operate. They also give you increased speed and accuracy. Despite the initial higher price that comes from a more sophisticated structure, compound bows are great for beginners and are currently very popular.

If you had not considered a compound bow before, I hope I have inspired you to do it. The options have never been greater as there are more and more manufacturers with new and improved models each year.