We could write a book on the subject, many already have. On our beginners courses we start you out with recurve bows shooting either barebow (no sights) or freestyle (with sights). The recurve bow is great to start with as you learn the sport and most beginner archers buy a recurve bow as their first bow. Here is a simple description of each bow type:
Barebow: Sights are not allowed, so archers use the arrow to aim with. It’s very popular with beginners as there is less to buy at first, you can always add sights later.
Barebow is growing in popularity and we have many talented barebow archers in the club who can score just as well without a sight as those with one.
Recurve Freestyle: Adding a sight and stabilisers to a bow moves you into a different class. The full freestyle setup is what archers shoot at the Olympics. Adding sights doesn’t make the bow more accurate, it still needs to be shot with precision by the archer, but it helps improve consistency.
Compound: This bow is very accurate in the right hands. Designed in the late 60’s they benefit from a cam system which reduces the draw weight at full draw. It also has magnified sights and a rear sight built into the string. It is not a bow for beginners as it will have a fixed draw length which can often only be adjusted by the bow shop.
English Longbow: The traditional bow seen in films and history books. They are shot with traditional wooden arrows and feathers. When King Henry’s Mary Rose ship was found it was full of longbows and all modern bows are made to the same design. They can be seen today competing at weekly shoots indoors and out.
American Flatbow: Flatbows hail from the native American tribes as well as some European countries. They are shorter than the English Longbow and have less restriction on materials used. Although not popular in UK competitions, they are a popular sight at local club shoots and are fun to shoot.
Horsebow: These bows originate from Asia where shooting from horseback was practiced. The bows are short, often no more than 52 inches in length. They are great fun and have their enthusiasts who love shooting them.
Whichever bow type you get into we can help support you through the sport. Recurve Barebow is the choice for beginners, but many archers go on from there to try other bow types until they settle on their preferred style. Here is a really good guide to equipment brought to you by Archery GB: https://startarchery.co.uk/learn/beginners-kit-guide