Traditional Bows

Traditional Bows — Shoot More, Fidget Less

There's something that happens when you strip archery back to its basics. No sights. No stabilisers. No release aid. Just you, the bow, and the target. For a lot of archers, that's not a limitation — it's exactly the point.

Traditional archery has been growing steadily for years, and it's not hard to see why. In a sport that can get extremely technical and gear-heavy, shooting traditional offers a different kind of satisfaction. Your accuracy comes from feel, instinct, and repetition rather than from dialling in equipment. Progress feels more personal because it genuinely is.

What counts as a traditional bow

Traditional bows cover a few distinct styles, but they share a common philosophy: minimal intervention between the archer and the shot.

Longbows are the most stripped-back option — a single curved stave, no recurve in the limbs, and a shooting style that dates back centuries. They're slower than modern bows and demand more from the archer, but that's part of the appeal for the people who choose them.

One-piece recurve bows have the familiar recurved limb tips that store more energy than a longbow of the same draw weight, which means more speed with less physical effort. They're often the starting point for people moving into traditional archery from a more modern setup. Unlike a takedown recurve, a one-piece bow can't be broken down into parts — which makes it simpler, but less convenient for transport.

Barebow shooting — using a recurve without sights or accessories — sits at the crossroads of traditional and modern. The bow itself may look contemporary, but the shooting style is rooted in the same instinctive principles as longbow shooting.

Who traditional bows are for

Traditional archery tends to attract two kinds of people: those who are completely new to the sport and want to start simply, and experienced archers who've been through the full technical setup and want something that feels more grounded. Both are valid entry points.

If you're coming from compound or modern recurve shooting, expect an adjustment period. Instinctive aiming takes time to develop. But most archers who make the switch say it changes how they think about the sport entirely — and usually for the better.

Draw weights in traditional archery tend to be lower than compound setups, which makes the bows more accessible but also means they're best suited for target practice and field archery rather than hunting in most cases.

Buy traditional bows at Buy Archery

We stock traditional bows from EK Archery — well-built options that suit both newcomers to traditional shooting and archers looking for a reliable everyday shooter. Free UK shipping on orders over £100.

Browse the range below and find the bow that takes you back to basics.