What Bow should I use?

RECURVE BOW

The recurve bow is so called as, unlike the longbow which has one arc towards the archer, the limbs on a recurve bow curve away at the ends. This curve stores and delivers more energy more efficiently than an equivalent straight-limbed bow.

COMPOUND BOW

Modern compound bows have metal risers and composite limbs. The limbs are short and stiff and the string is connected to a pulley system mounted on wheels or cams. 

When a recurve bow is drawn the archer has to hold more weight as the draw length increases; on a compound the bow reaches a peak weight part way through the draw then the weight drops off - this "let-off" can vary from about 65-80% and means that at "full draw" an archer is holding very little weight.  As the fingers of the archer can then torque the string, compound bows are more usually shot using a release aid instead of "off the fingers".

LONGBOW

The longbow hardly needs an introduction.  Made from a single wood or several laminations, the longbow has never lost its popularity and is experiencing a resurgence on the shooting field with quite a number of longbow exponents taking their archery very seriously and shooting new records.  Archery GB Rules govern the dimensions of longbows and set minimum lengths according to draw length.

COMPOSITE BOWS

Composite and traditional bows are great fun to own and shoot.  Only in World Archery field and 3D are they internationally competitive within the instinctive division.  Within Archery GB they are classed as recurve barebow.