Archery, explained properly
Archery Insider publishes research-based guides on choosing equipment, building consistent form, and understanding the specifications that actually matter. No hype, no invented testing, and a clear line between fact and opinion.
Find your style
Archery is several sports in one. Each discipline has its own bows, distances and rules, so the right equipment starts with knowing which one you want to shoot.
OlympicThe bow of the Olympic Games: a recurve with sight, stabilisers and clicker, shot with the fingers.
PrecisionCams, let-off, a magnifying scope and a release aid. Joins the Olympic programme at LA28 as a mixed team event.
InstinctiveRecurves with no sight or stabilisers, longbows and horsebows. Aim by the arrow point, string walking or instinct.
OutdoorsCourses through woods and hills at marked and unmarked distances, at printed faces or life-size foam animals.
ParalympicRecurve open, compound open and W1 classes, contested at the Paralympic Games and World Para Championships.
Field craftEthical hunting with compound, recurve or traditional bows, with broadheads, realistic practice and local regulations.
Featured
ReviewsResearch-based Bear Cruzer G3 review: 14–30 in draw, up to 70 lb, 75% let-off. Published specs, who it suits, and how it compares with the Diamond Infinite 305.
Archery Insider Editorial Team · Updated July 10, 2025 · 4 min read
ComparisonsCompound vs recurve bow compared: how each works, let-off and holding weight, aiming systems, competition formats, maintenance, hunting, and which suits you.
February 6, 2025 · 8 min read
ReviewsResearch-based Samick Sage review: the 62-inch takedown recurve's published specs, 25–60 lb limbs, who it suits, its limits and how it compares with rivals.
Updated May 21, 2025 · 5 min read
GuidesHow to choose a first recurve bow: takedown vs one-piece, draw weight, bow length for your draw length, riser types, eye dominance, and essential accessories.
Updated February 6, 2025 · 11 min read
In season now
Bucks are moving in daylight. Guides for this time of year:
ComparisonsBowhunting vs rifle hunting compared: how each kills, effective range, seasons, skill and practice, scouting, safety, cost of entry and which suits you.
October 15, 2026 · 9 min read
GuidesBowhunting from a ground blind: choosing and placing a blind, brushing it in, shooting seated, shooting through mesh, broadhead choice and common mistakes.
October 13, 2026 · 9 min read
GuidesBowhunting the whitetail rut: what triggers it, when it peaks by region, the rut phases, and stand placement, calling and all-day sit tactics for each phase.
October 12, 2026 · 10 min read
GuidesTree stand safety for bowhunters: wear a full-body harness from the ground up, use a lifeline and haul line, inspect your stand and plan for a fall.
October 12, 2026 · 10 min read
ReviewsTenPoint Turbo X review: 415 fps, ACUslide cocking and safe de-cocking, Outdoor Life's accuracy results, the Vision package and the Venom X compared.
October 11, 2026 · 12 min read
GuidesHow to track a deer after a bow shot: watch, listen and wait; how long to wait for each hit; reading blood, hair and arrow sign; grid searches and dogs.
October 10, 2026 · 10 min read
On the calendar
Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
Target · Para · Recurve & Compound
Lima, Peru
Target · Para · Recurve & Compound
Dakar, Senegal
Target · Youth · Recurve
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Target · Youth · Recurve & Compound
New to archery?
Work through these in order and you will avoid the mistakes that cost most beginners money: the wrong bow type, the wrong draw length, too much draw weight.
Recurve and compound suit different goals. Knowing the difference saves you from buying the wrong bow.
Compound vs recurve →Two minutes with a tape measure. It decides your bow length, arrow length and real draw weight.
How to measure draw length →Takedown or one-piece, draw weight, bow length and the accessories you actually need.
First recurve bow guide →Stance, anchor and release. Consistency beats draw weight every time.
The 11 steps of a good shot →Browse by equipment
Equipment hubs in five groups, from bows and arrows to targets and bowhunting gear. Each hub collects our guides, comparisons and product reviews for that piece of kit.
Recurve, compound, traditional, crossbow and youth bows.
Browse bows →
Sights, rests, stabilisers, strings, releases, quivers, cases.
Browse bow accessories →
Shafts, spine, fletching, nocks, points and broadheads.
Browse arrows & points →
Arm guards, tabs, gloves, chest guards and every type of target.
Browse protection & targets →
Bowhunting, bowfishing, tools and maintenance.
Browse hunting & specialty →Decide with confidence
Side-by-side explanations of the decisions that matter, built on published specifications rather than sales copy. Opinion is always labelled.
ReviewsRavin R29X review: a 450 fps bullpup crossbow with silent crank cocking. Specs, R29 and R10X comparisons, the RDS package and who should buy it.
October 15, 2026 · 12 min read
ReviewsSpot Hogg Fast Eddie review: single vs double pin, MRT, XL and PM versions, the Rack Stop, how it compares with the Boonie, Tommy Hogg and Black Gold.
October 12, 2026 · 11 min read
ReviewsMathews ARC review: ARC 30 vs ARC 34 specs, real chronograph speeds from two magazine tests, how it compares with the LIFT X, TITLE and Hoyt RX-10.
October 10, 2026 · 12 min read
Shoot better
TrainingWhy broadheads hit differently from field points, and how to fix it: paper tuning, spin-testing, micro-tuning the rest at 30 yards, FOC and re-sighting.
October 14, 2026 · 9 min read
TrainingHow to cock a crossbow safely: by hand, with a rope cocker or a crank, centring the string, loading a bolt correctly, and safe ways to unload or decock.
October 13, 2026 · 9 min read
TrainingHow to paper tune a bow: what it shows, frame setup, reading nock-high, low, left and right tears, the order of fixes, and when to see a pro shop.
October 8, 2026 · 10 min read
Browse by type
Step-by-step archery guides for beginners: choosing a first bow, understanding draw weight and draw length, safety basics, and what gear you actually need.
48 articles
Archery technique and training articles covering stance, anchor point, release, aiming methods, practice routines, and fixing common form problems.
32 articles
Plain-English explanations of archery equipment: bows, arrows, sights, rests, stabilizers, releases, and accessories, and how to pick the right specifications.
53 articles
Research-based archery product reviews and buying guides that explain specifications, intended use, and trade-offs, clearly separating facts from opinion.
20 articles
Side-by-side archery comparisons: compound vs recurve, carbon vs aluminum arrows, and other decisions explained with the key differences that actually matter.
9 articles
Archery news and updates: competitions, rule changes, notable equipment releases, and developments in the sport.
23 articlesRecently published
GuidesDraw weight vs draw length explained: what each means, how they are measured (ATA standard), how they interact on recurves and compounds, and how to set both.
October 15, 2026 · 10 min read
GearWhich archery targets work with broadheads: bag, layered foam, 3D and self-healing foam, crossbow ratings, replaceable cores and arrow removal.
October 14, 2026 · 9 min read
GearCan archery targets be left outside? How sun, rain, freezing and animals affect bag, foam, 3D and straw targets, and how to cover and store them.
October 14, 2026 · 7 min read
GearCrossbow bolts explained: carbon vs aluminium, length, minimum weight, front-of-centre balance, nock types, lighted nocks, inspection and how to choose.
October 13, 2026 · 10 min read
GearArm guards, finger tabs and archery gloves explained: what each protects, why string slap happens, tab vs glove vs release, sizing and fit, and common mistakes.
October 11, 2026 · 9 min read
GearHow to choose a bowhunting rangefinder: angle compensation, bow modes, scan and target priority, display, magnification, bow-mounted units and field use.
October 11, 2026 · 9 min read
Our approach
Archery gear is technical and the rules change every season. Here's how we make sure what you read is right, and how to tell what kind of review you're reading.
Specs come from the maker's own pages and manuals, rules from the state agency or the law itself, and every article lists what it used. Rules pages show the date we checked them.
A separate review pass re-opens the sources and checks every spec, quote and date before an article is published.
When we've used a product, the review says who tested it and how. Everything else is labelled research-based. We never invent tests or show prices that go stale.
Our views sit in a marked editorial box, apart from the facts. Some links earn us a commission; it never changes what we recommend. Read the disclosure.
