Archery Bows

Archery Bows — Find the Right Bow for How You Want to Shoot

Choosing your first bow — or your next one — should be straightforward. In practice it rarely is. Recurve or compound? Traditional or modern? Something to grow into or something that fits right now? The options multiply quickly, and most of the advice online is written by people who've already decided what they prefer and want you to agree with them.

The honest answer is that there's no single best bow. There's the bow that best matches what you're trying to do, how you like to shoot, and where you are with your archery right now. That's the one worth buying.

The main types — what each is built for

Recurve bows are where most archers begin, and where a significant number stay for their entire shooting life. A takedown recurve is versatile, straightforward to set up, and used at every level of the sport from beginner club sessions to international competition. If you're joining a club or taking lessons, this is almost certainly what you'll start on.

Compound bows are for archers who want maximum accuracy and consistency. The cam system reduces holding weight at full draw, which means steadier aim and cleaner releases — particularly over longer shooting sessions. They're the dominant choice in competitive target archery and field archery in the UK, and increasingly popular as a starting point for newcomers who want results quickly.

Traditional bows take the opposite approach entirely. No sights, no accessories, no mechanical advantage — just the bow, your instincts, and repetition. Longbows and one-piece recurves suit archers who want to strip the sport back to its fundamentals and find satisfaction in that simplicity.

Youth bows are sized and weighted specifically for younger archers. Draw weights are lower, dimensions are shorter, and many models are adjustable to grow with the child. Getting the fit right early makes a real difference to how quickly young archers develop good form.

A few things worth thinking about before you buy

Draw weight affects everything — how hard the bow is to pull, how much energy it puts into the arrow, and whether you'll still be shooting comfortably after an hour at the range. Start within your physical capability and build from there. It's much easier to progress from a manageable draw weight than to develop bad habits fighting a bow that's too heavy.

Left or right hand matters too. Most bows are available in both configurations — make sure you're ordering the correct one for your dominant eye rather than your dominant hand, which aren't always the same.

Shop archery bows at Buy Archery

We stock a focused range of archery bows from EK Archery across all four categories — chosen for reliability, value, and genuine performance at their price points. Free UK shipping on orders over £100.

Browse by type below and find the bow that fits where you are with your shooting.