Post by archerychic on May 24, 2013 11:59:21 GMT -5
I hope this information will be helpful to those of you looking to invest in a bow for your kids. Archery is a fantastic “gateway” shooting sport and with the increasing availability of quality gear, there is a “perfect” fitting bow out there for everyone…
Question: AC, Any recommendations on what to look for in a bow for a child? Draw weight? Models? What can I expect to find for my child? If I see a used bow, how easy is it to adjust to his/her draw length? Are there good entry bows made for kids to grow with?
Archerychic wrote: actually yes. Go have his/her draw length measured at a good bow shop first. I've got a 14 year old and a 11 year old who both shoot competitvely. My 11 year old started with a Bear Apprentice. It's a good beginners bow that will grow with your son into his teenage years. Here are the specs:
Bear Apprentice Bow Specs
Draw Weights : 20 - 50 lbs
Draw Lengths : 15-27"
Axle to Axle : 27.5"
Brace Height : 6"
Mass Weight : 2.9 lbs
Effective Let Off : 70%
IBO Speed : 265 fps
He switched to a PSE Chaos this past summer and has been shooting the lights out with it. It has a good range of adjustment also and seems to be a bit easier to tune. Here are the specs on it:
PSE Chaos FC (these specs are for the FC model. They also make the Chaos One which is a single cam bow and a little faster)
Draw Weights : 29, 40, 50 lbs
Draw Lengths : 17-27"
Axle to Axle : 32"
Brace Height : 6-1/4"
Mass Weight : 3.1 lbs
Effective Let Off : 70%
IBO Speed : 286-278 fps
My oldest son started out with a Diamond Cutter. It's a discontinued bow but if you can find a good one used on ArcheryTalk.com it will be a good solid bow for him. My oldest has since graduated to one of my Bowtech Equalizers (also a discontinued model). We put lighter limbs (30-40 lbs instead of my 60 limbs) on it and he's able to draw it with no problem now. There are some really great bows out there for youth these days. I'd check out the offerings from Mission Bows (baby sister to Mathews), PSE, Diamond, and BowTech. Browning also has some good youth bows, the Midas and the Micro Midas. All of these bows are adjustable either with modules or adjustable cams so you can lengthen the drawlenth as your son grows. Some of them also have a broad range of draw weight adjustment with the same limbs, and some of them will have to have the limbs swapped out to increase the weight past the current limbs range. If you find one that you're interested in, let me know and I can give you some more info on it before you buy.
Regardless of what you get, make sure it's set at the right drawlength for your child. And never set it at too high a draw weight thinking they'll get used to it. It will only frustrate them. You're better off going lighter than they can handle and let them get comfortable with the bow, train their muscles to shoot it with good form, and gain some confidence in their gear. Once they've got that down pat, then slowly start increasing the draw weight gradually. I see way too many parents saddling their kids with a bow that doesn't fit them thinking they will grow into it or they'll get used to the draw weight. Trust me, they'll enjoy it alot more if they can be successful, and to do that, they need gear that fits them.
I know this was probly alot longer winded than you expected... sorry!! Let me know if I can help in any way... Good Luck!!
Question: AC, I am suprised you didnt mention anything about Parker. They are made right there in Virginia and have a great "Grow up with Parker" program.
Archerychic Wrote: You're absolutely right! I'm not sure where my head was... I think that was right around the same time I found my 1st gray hairs so I wasn't exactly thinking straight...
YES, Parker does make great bows. They have some really well designed youth bows that DO grow with the child. I'd check out their website at parkerbows.com/compounds.html# and select the Compund Bows tab then select the Youth bows. The Sidekick Extreme would be the one I'd recommend because it has alot more speed than the Buckshot, but both are good bows. You just need to get measured and then them out to make sure the draw weight is comfortable.
The nicest thing about Parker is that they are a local company so getting service (in the bizarre event that you need it..) would be faster. Plus they really stand behind their products and they also support ALOT of events around the state for women, youth and disabled hunters. Anytime I need equipment for a class, all I do is call them, tell them when I need it, and then pick it up. They have everything ready for me when I get there and they have even helped me load the stuff up. They are top notch folks...
Regardless of what bow you end up choosing, make sure you get one that your child feels comfortable with. If the bow shop won't take the time to set up as many bows as they have in stock so your child can actually shoot them, then shop some where else... Kids are the future of our sport and they deserve the best gear we can give them!!!
Question: AC, Any recommendations on what to look for in a bow for a child? Draw weight? Models? What can I expect to find for my child? If I see a used bow, how easy is it to adjust to his/her draw length? Are there good entry bows made for kids to grow with?
Archerychic wrote: actually yes. Go have his/her draw length measured at a good bow shop first. I've got a 14 year old and a 11 year old who both shoot competitvely. My 11 year old started with a Bear Apprentice. It's a good beginners bow that will grow with your son into his teenage years. Here are the specs:
Bear Apprentice Bow Specs
Draw Weights : 20 - 50 lbs
Draw Lengths : 15-27"
Axle to Axle : 27.5"
Brace Height : 6"
Mass Weight : 2.9 lbs
Effective Let Off : 70%
IBO Speed : 265 fps
He switched to a PSE Chaos this past summer and has been shooting the lights out with it. It has a good range of adjustment also and seems to be a bit easier to tune. Here are the specs on it:
PSE Chaos FC (these specs are for the FC model. They also make the Chaos One which is a single cam bow and a little faster)
Draw Weights : 29, 40, 50 lbs
Draw Lengths : 17-27"
Axle to Axle : 32"
Brace Height : 6-1/4"
Mass Weight : 3.1 lbs
Effective Let Off : 70%
IBO Speed : 286-278 fps
My oldest son started out with a Diamond Cutter. It's a discontinued bow but if you can find a good one used on ArcheryTalk.com it will be a good solid bow for him. My oldest has since graduated to one of my Bowtech Equalizers (also a discontinued model). We put lighter limbs (30-40 lbs instead of my 60 limbs) on it and he's able to draw it with no problem now. There are some really great bows out there for youth these days. I'd check out the offerings from Mission Bows (baby sister to Mathews), PSE, Diamond, and BowTech. Browning also has some good youth bows, the Midas and the Micro Midas. All of these bows are adjustable either with modules or adjustable cams so you can lengthen the drawlenth as your son grows. Some of them also have a broad range of draw weight adjustment with the same limbs, and some of them will have to have the limbs swapped out to increase the weight past the current limbs range. If you find one that you're interested in, let me know and I can give you some more info on it before you buy.
Regardless of what you get, make sure it's set at the right drawlength for your child. And never set it at too high a draw weight thinking they'll get used to it. It will only frustrate them. You're better off going lighter than they can handle and let them get comfortable with the bow, train their muscles to shoot it with good form, and gain some confidence in their gear. Once they've got that down pat, then slowly start increasing the draw weight gradually. I see way too many parents saddling their kids with a bow that doesn't fit them thinking they will grow into it or they'll get used to the draw weight. Trust me, they'll enjoy it alot more if they can be successful, and to do that, they need gear that fits them.
I know this was probly alot longer winded than you expected... sorry!! Let me know if I can help in any way... Good Luck!!
Question: AC, I am suprised you didnt mention anything about Parker. They are made right there in Virginia and have a great "Grow up with Parker" program.
Archerychic Wrote: You're absolutely right! I'm not sure where my head was... I think that was right around the same time I found my 1st gray hairs so I wasn't exactly thinking straight...
YES, Parker does make great bows. They have some really well designed youth bows that DO grow with the child. I'd check out their website at parkerbows.com/compounds.html# and select the Compund Bows tab then select the Youth bows. The Sidekick Extreme would be the one I'd recommend because it has alot more speed than the Buckshot, but both are good bows. You just need to get measured and then them out to make sure the draw weight is comfortable.
The nicest thing about Parker is that they are a local company so getting service (in the bizarre event that you need it..) would be faster. Plus they really stand behind their products and they also support ALOT of events around the state for women, youth and disabled hunters. Anytime I need equipment for a class, all I do is call them, tell them when I need it, and then pick it up. They have everything ready for me when I get there and they have even helped me load the stuff up. They are top notch folks...
Regardless of what bow you end up choosing, make sure you get one that your child feels comfortable with. If the bow shop won't take the time to set up as many bows as they have in stock so your child can actually shoot them, then shop some where else... Kids are the future of our sport and they deserve the best gear we can give them!!!