If you’re new to archery and ready to invest in your first bow, it can be a daunting prospect. There’s a lot of options and things to consider. But don’t worry, you’re now in the right place! We will break everything down for you, in this helpful guide.
Things you need to know before you buy a beginner Archery bow
Buying a beginner bow doesn’t have to be super complicated: the most important thing is to just make a start. Once you have practiced shooting on a consistent basis, you can begin to work out the finer details of how to upgrade your equipment from there. There’s no point being super granular about deciding your first bow purchase if you don’t know how to shoot!
However, there are a few golden rules that you still need to consider before you buy your first bow. These will make sure that the bow gets as much use as possible.
So, as you begin searching for your first archery bow, you must make sure that:
The bow is the correct draw length
- The draw length of a bow refers to the distance between the grip and the bowstring when at full extension. Your personal draw length is the maximum distance that you could pull back on a bowstring. This means your draw length is determined by how long your arms are. You must use a bow that has the same draw length as your personal draw length.
- To find out your personal draw length, read here.
It is also the correct draw weight
- Draw weight is a measurement of how heavy a bow feels when the bowstring is fully extended. It’s another figure you will see in a bow’s product description. You want to make sure you look for a bow that is a low draw weight to begin with. Getting one that is too heavy for a beginner will make learning far more difficult. The optimal starting draw weight for a recurve bow is strictly between 20 and 25 pounds
- To learn more about finding out a bow’s draw weight, read here.
The bow knock matches your handed-ness
- Choosing a left-handed or right-handed bow is not about how you hold it. It’s about which side of the bow the arrow will rest. Some bows don’t have an arrow knock/rest on both sides. To shoot accurately, you want the arrow to be closest to / resting underneath your ‘dominant eye’. First work out your dominant eye, and then you can determine whether to get a left-handed or right-handed bow.
- Find out more by reading here.
The 4 Best Beginner Archery Bows in the UK
Now you know the fundamentals, it’s time to start shopping. Beginner archery bows often strike a balance between affordability, ease of use, and upgrade potential.
In the UK, there are limited retailers for archery equipment compared to countries like the USA. However, we’ve gone through the best retailers in the UK to pick out a variety of the best options available for a beginner bow.
Below are the best four options right now (05/03/20206) for those living in the UK. The focus of our research was on bows that are:
- Easy to use
- Economically accessible
- Durable
- High manufacture quality
- Features that make learning more manageable
- Easy to buy online within the UK
That last point is key. If you have an archery range and shop within easy distance to you – you’re better off just going in and speaking with them directly. Get to try out different bows and how they feel. This list is based around people who want or need to buy online.
We’ve also split our top recommendations into five different categories based on bow type:
- Best takedown recurve bow
- Best one-piece recurve bow
- Best beginner compound bow
- Best budget beginner archery sets
Best UK Beginner Archery Bow: Samick Sage Takedown Recurve
So for our first best overall category, we are focusing on takedown recurve bows. This type of bow is amazing for beginners for a few reasons:
- breaks down easily for compact transportation
- allows for easy installation of accessories such as sights and stabilizers etc
- Allows you to upgrade to heavier limbs as your muscular strength and technique progress, rather than having to get a new bow!
Key Features of the Samsick Sage
- 62″ takedown recurve with a laminated hardwood riser made of Olive Dymondwood and Hard Maple
- Interchangeable limbs (allows draw weights from ~25# up to 55#)
- Comes with bushings for accessories (sight, arrow rest, stabilizer), a crowned arrow shelf, and uses standard screw-on limbs
Why it is the best beginner takedown recurve bow:
The Samick Sage is the most recommended bow for entry-level archers in the UK. It has overwhelmingly positive reviews on archery forums and reddit for its value and upgradeability. It also has a smooth and highly forgiving draw. Which makes it great to practice with when you don’t have the best technique to begin with.
It’s a takedown recurve, meaning you can remove the limbs for easy transport and storage. It also means you can adjust the draw weight, so beginners can start low (e.g. 25–30#) and upgrade limbs as they gain strength. Most importantly these limbs are widely available in the UK, normally for just £45.
This is why it’s considered a great first purchase – you won’t ‘outgrow’ it quickly. It’s also a solid and durable build that means you won’t have to buy another one anytime soon. However it’s a cheap enough price (£90) that you won’t feel bad if you want to change it later either!
Where to Buy (price range £90 – £130)
- Phoenix Archery has it available here
- Merlin Archery lists it starting from £89.99 at lower draw weights, though these are currently out of stock at the time of writing
Best UK Beginner One-Piece Archery Bow: Buck Trail Antelope
In the beginner category of recurve bows which are just one-piece (non adjustable), there’s actually many good options. Narrowing it down to ‘best’ was based on accessibility and affordability, because the overall quality of bows in this category will be high from most major brands. Ragim Black Bear is a solid choice here, as is the White Feather Cardinal. But for the best, we’ve gone with the Buck Trail Antelope.
Key Features of the Buck Trail Antelope.
- A 60-inch one-piece recurve with a riser that combines natural Walnut and synthetic Dymondwood, with a layer of black fiberglass
- Draw weight options usually range ~25# up to 55#
- Being one-piece, the limbs are fixed – this gives it a solid, vibration-free shot – though it means you can’t swap limbs like the above takedown.
Why it’s the best one-piece recurve bow for beginners:
This is the best ‘plug and play’ experience. If you want simplicity of a one-piece bow, this is the best for beginners because it has a:
- Very stable riser & limb build. Walnut + Dymondwood riser adds mass to absorb vibration/hand shock and resists warping/moisture in wet UK weather.
- Efficient and speedy string and limb tips. The included Flemish Twist Dyneema string has a low stretch which transfers more energy to the arrow for faster speeds and a flatter trajectory. This helps beginners get strong accuracy/penetration even at a recommended 25# draw.
- Reported smooth draw (no stacking to 30″) and quiet shot
- Built to be user-friendly; smooth grip and feels light
Where to Buy (price range £130 – £150)
Best UK beginner archery compound bow: Diamond Infinite Edge Pro
Compound bows are definitely more on the advanced side of archery, just simply because of the different accessories involved. The learning curve would not be considered beginner friendly for the majority of the leading bows in this category. Plus, the price point of many bows in this range would be outside a beginner budget. But within this field of bows, the Diamond Infinite Edge Pro is one of the best for beginners. It has all the accessories pre-installed, like a few other great options in this category. But as well as being one of the cheapest options, this bow also wins on adjustability. As a beginner, it gives you the option to experiment with draw weight and draw length at a huge adjustable range.
Key Features of the Diamond Infinite Edge Pro
- A 29-inch length bow weighing only 3.2 lbs, it’s light as a feather to hold
- Draw weight options usually range ~5# up to 70# !!
- Draw length can be adjusted from 13″ to 31″, making it easier for people with shorter arm lengths
- Being a compound bow, strength and accuracy is off the charts, with 310 fps IBO speed
Why this is the best compound bow for beginners:
The majority of the accessories on this bow come pre-installed, and are of very high quality. It negates the steep learning curve and secondary costs often associated with compound bows.
- Infinite, press-free adjustment: Using standard imperial hex keys for most wegiths and lengths (no bow press unless you’re going super short/light), you can rotate the dual cam modules to set draw length anywhere from 14″ to 30″, and use the limb bolts to adjust draw weight from 10 lb to 70 lb.
- Saves money + supports safe progression: Set it light (e.g., 25 lb at 28″) to learn compound fundamentals—mechanical release use, peep alignment, consistent jawline anchor—then increase weight gradually over months as you get better. No need to upgrade.
- The installed accessories includes: 3-pin Apex sight, Hostage XL rest, Octane DeadLock Lite quiver, Octane Ultra-lite stabilizer, wrist sling, tube peep sight, and BCY string loop (D-loop)
- Easy bow weight means low beginner fatigue and easy maneuvering
Where to Buy (price range £379 – £420)
Best Budget Beginner Archery Set: Merlin Archery First Shot Kit
Many beginners or casual recreational shooters will probably prefer the most complete, self-contained archery set to begin shooting immediately. A budget archery set can reduce any anxiety you might have of over-committing to the sport. It will contain all of the compatible components you need to shoot straight away, at the cheapest overall price in this list. The UK market broadly categorizes these into “Leisure Sets,”. One key example is the highly durable Rolan Snake kits, intended for casual garden use, and “Club-Ready Sets,” which are specifically designed to bridge the gap between backyard recreation and official Archery GB club shooting.
If you just want to shoot recreationally, the Rolan Snake kit is a great option. But for our list, we want to recommend the best archery set that can also be used at a competitive level. For this, we think the Merlin Archery First Shot Kit is the best option.
Key Features of the Merlin Archery First Shot Kit
- 68″ takedown recurve, wooden riser typically 28″ draw length.
- Draw weight options usually range 22# up to 30# chosen at checkout
- Comes with all of the essentials: 5 fibreglass arrows, Dacron string, 2 stick-on rests, 2 brass nock points, bracer, tab, stringer, recurve case, belt quiver.
- Being a compound bow, strength and accuracy is off the charts, with 310 fps IBO speed
Why this is the best archery bow set for beginners:
At one of the cheapest price points, this is everything you need to begin shooting at a level that is accepted at any archery club. It covers all of the essential kit items and is sized sensibly for most adults. Most importantly, it’s cheap enough that upgrading in the future won’t feel like too much of a sunk cost.
Just be wary – the fibreglass arrows that come with this bow might be restricted at some archery clubs. But you’ll be fine to begin shooting in your backyard.
Where to Buy (price range £100 – 180)