I almost bought a $60 recurve. Waited a few months and then settled on a PSE razorback for $100 from my local hunting shop. Really glad I did. You've been the best teacher for me since I currently don't have one in person. Thank you for the videos!
For beginners I highly suggest buying used bow and name brand value arrows. Bows that cost much more than your budget can be had in great shape for great prices used as people upgrade to the newest model out. This gives you a very nice bow to learn with. Stick with brand names, I can't stress that enough. It's not paying for the name, it's buying the experience in design and build.
Maintenance and support is also a factor. More people are familiar with the more common manufacturers and models, as they are usually quite modular. Coaches and other archer are more likely to be able to help you get your equipment in order, and archery stores will have an easier time tuning your bow and ordering replacement parts if needed.
So dang true, and speaking from experience. Bought a $100 Amazon take down recurve bow at #30 draw weight and as I progressed to #35, #40 and now at #45 limbs and nicer accessories, the riser delaminated, forcing me to purchase an alloy riser that fit the same limbs. Wasted that $100 and was no bargain... Same with arrows. I bought 4 sets of crap carbon arrows before settling on Carbon Impact Ultrafasts and Super Clubs and was amazed at how well they flew out of the bow.
Someone at my school is one of those people who try to impress their mates with their $100 eBay compound bow and he doesn't even know a thing about them. Don't get me wrong I'm a recurve shooter so I'm no expert but I asked him what the let off was and he said it didn't have any. Kill me now
google4d "beginner" instead and got a result suggesting the diamond edge something. On sale right now for 349.99 in Cabelas. Dunno if it's good or not.
@@ofboriken The Diamond Infinite Edge and Diamond SB-1 are excellent entry level compound bows (Diamond is Bowtech's brand). PSE and Bear also make good compounds at similar price point. It's the step below this tier where things get hairy; anonymous brand knockoffs, you get maybe even less than you pay for and maybe even something mechanically unsafe.
30 Years ago, my archery course in collage used fiberglass bows. Before that I learned to use a fiberglass bow in the boy scouts. I have a 30lbs fiberglass bow that I love to shoot. They are what the are and they are not hunting bows or target bows. It is a different sport. Love your channel.
+Henry Johnston If you want to accept the limitations imposed by a fiberglass bow, then they are fine. Too little bow is a problem, too much bow is a problem as well.
Since I've been doing archery a lot lately friends and family have been looking to me for advice, so Nu Sensei's video's have been very helpful. One thing I've come to recommend is looking to traditional archery for those on a budget. A good takedown wooden recurve can be had for $100-130 in the US. A bow like that can provide everything one needs to learn and to grow as an archer, without the expense of compound bows and all of their associated gadgets. Though certainly used bows are a good option too, it does limit your options to what's available, and what's available might not be the right fit. Sometimes warning people away from cheap bows can seem to new archers like snobbery against people with a limited budget (and archery snobbery does exist), but as pointed out in this video, there are plenty of affordable recurves for not that much more than the bottom of the barrel bows, and the takedown design makes for a much better value for your money since you can buy just one bow and upgrade the limbs as needed.
This is actually a serious issue. There are numerous reports of native wildlife being (illegally) killed by compound shooters, and they have the telltale signs of cheap online purchases. This often raises the question of legal bow ownership in Australia.
I would always recommed to start at a club if you have the option. They often have equiptment you can borrow and they will teach you basic form. I myself used the "weak and soft bows" of the club for six months before I bought my first bow as you might not even know what you want when you start out.
In Germany you would just rent a bow to use until you know you like archery. Just looked up one of the more expensive offers - it's like 27.5€ (that's 44.42 $AU) a month for a Diamond Bowtech Infinite Edge Pro - but you can start as low as €10 for a simple but good Compound, Longbow or Recurve. Many people keep using a rented bow for the first one or two years until they feel confident picking their first own bow. In fact that's how I got into archery - I rented a Hoyt Tenacity and fell madly in love with it, so I bought it as "used item" (since I already used it) and got it for so much less that the difference in price almost made up for the rent I paid before =)
I don't know how things work in Australia but in the UK, and to the best of my knowledge in Greece as well, most archery clubs provide new archers with equipment at least for the first 6 months to 1 year. Also they actively discourage people from buying their own kit until they can have a rough understanding of their actual needs. Plus in your local archery club or nearby clubs you can find barely used Hoyt Horizons or SFs of different kinds, all great for the beginner/improver.
when I started, I used a recurve bow I made myself out of pvc. that lasted a year before I thought "well, I'll get a compound " so I got a cheap $40 compound and it was at the time awesome and a lot more accurate than the pvc bow. after a few mounths with that I began classes at an archery class. when I got more serious and wanted better results I picked up a diamond infinite edge, and man first time I shot it and felt what a real bow felt like, I was awe struck! it lasted me 3 years or shooting, matter of fact I've taken several 4th place and one 2nd place total with this bow and have placed 12th in my devision in nfaa indoor nationals (before flight breakups) I am now switching to a mattews halon x comp and going to free style. and let me tell you, if you are looking to start archery, there is a difference between a Cheap bow, and a real bow. it's a great way to start but to grow as an archer, you always get what you pay for.
@句丹句句と 尺ヨ尸卞丹尺 bows are NOT accurate nor inaccurate. It's about the archers skills. Unless it's a compound then even my grandma can look through the sites and point and shoot
Love your videos, they have been helping me get through transitioning into shooting an Olympic style bow from compound. I have run into many of these ego guys you mentioned, especially trying to impress the recurve girls lol. I shoot Hoyt exclusively in compound and my daughter shoots a diamond infinite edge after buying a Barnett toy. I always tell people, even if you have to buy an older used bow, at least get a good brand. I have seen older Hoyts for as little as $150 that would slaughter those eBay bows. Anyway, keep up the good work and thanks for all your info!
That blue bow you're holding at 3:28 is just like the one my in-laws got for my son a couple weeks ago. We took it to a range in a local park, and neither one of us could hit the target, or even the straw bales behind it, from 20 feet. The tail of the (cheap fiberglass) arrow would kick away from the bow as the fletching passed the shelf, and it would go off-course by about a foot for every 10 feet it traveled. I can't see how my son's going to get excited about archery with a bow this bad, and I can't see how I justify to my wife getting a better bow for him if he's not excited about archery.
A bow has to be matched up with arrows of the correct spine, or else it won't shoot accurately. I wouldn't trust any manufacturer that sells arrows with the bow as a complete package. For one, they have no clue as to the actual draw weight of the bow at your draw length. As NuSensei keenly noted, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all arrow. Even for a given bow, an arrow might perform well in the hands of one shooter and then that same arrow will perform terribly with the same bow in the hands of another shooter with a different draw length.
Exactly. And my first recurve before that was okay as well. 60 dollars. I say give it a go with whatever you can afford. If you're really interested in archery, you will save money for a better bow. If not, no expensive bow will change your mind. Besides, Lars proved you can shoot great even with this "crap" bow But this video is more angled towards Olympic style archery.
The only thing I wouldn't but from ebay or amazon is the 100-200$ laminated bows as they tend to have some crap quality control and you end up with gaps in the glue that leads to a failure, but I have a solid wood seer handle either a glass limb I paid 130ish dollars plus tax and shipping and it's great
@@gizmonomono I actually bought a top archery bow, I almost bought the same laminated bow he reviews but in 50lb, decided with a wood and glass bow instead from them instead 60lb at 32" have had no issues with it what so ever, seems to hold up fine excited for my imre bow though
Quality control with a bow that consists of laminates and glue vs just wood seers and handles and glass limbs is not that great, spending 100-200$ on a wood and glass bow is fine obviously you will pay for the quality in going a bit more but if you order from a different country you can find cheap options while spending under 200$ on laminated bow I would not recommend, I spent probably 160$ cad on a bow from amazon but my bow from imre is only 180$ maybe 200 with shipping
The last bit about arrows was recognizable, remember when i was just beginning I bought some fiberglass arrows with vanes on a bow without a shelf.... All seems so obvious in hindsight, but seemed logical at the time. Hopefully this video will keep people from wasting money, keep up the good work!
Come on mate, tell it like it is. Don't hold back. "They're both crap, you're pissing money into....." Love it. Cheap crap is cheap crap. Not worth bothering with.
That is great information on the type of bow you should buy and also on the arrow selections as well. I am looking for an American made bow and invest in top quality arrows as well. Thanks so much for all the information and hope you are having a nice week.
When I first got into archery, I purchased an Amazon compound bow for around $150.00. Almost immediately, I decided I really enjoyed the sport and purchased a Diamond. Now I have an addiction and I look forward to a better bow and also getting a recurve and maybe a longbow.
Enjoy your videos and agree with you. Many times you can get a better quality bow from trade ins at your archery shop or even end of year closeouts. In 2004 I bought my bear trx32 for less than 300.00 set up to fit me with arrows and case and have seen no need to replace it as it is comparable with many new models and very accurate
Yup. Made the mistake with the cheap Chinese arrows a couple of years back. Really messed up my shooting. Now spend what is required at the pro shop of an archery club to get decent arrows matched to my bow. What a difference!
The bow i have now costs around 140$ and i really like it. It has an aluminium riser and fiberglass limbs. It has attachment points for stabilisers and plungers and sights. Something like this is what i would recommend to a new archer. If anyone here is Swedish and is looking for a great beginner bow, take a look at the Scorpion recurve from fondprodukter (Swedish company) it has points for attachments if you want to upgrade it later and you can get new limbs later.
I have shot my Samick Sage for years both hunting and competition. Great shooting bow for $125. Really good quality recurve bows at a good price can be found at yard sales and even pawn shops if you know what you are looking for and keep your eyes open for them.
I started recently and have been buying almost everything second hand. The gear/ brands I got cost a fraction of what they were new. My budget might allow more mid to high end stuff but it was still 40-50% discounted. The two things about starting this way is one needs to do more research to have a better understanding of what to look for and why it's needed or if needed. Otherwise what do you buy? Everything is discounted 20-50% on the second hand market. You have to know what you are looking for - either a brand, a model, a size or a poundage, etc. This will help you narrow the choices to something reasonable and manageable. Time reading and researching is not going to cost money and will help one make a better first choice. The second point to keep to is it takes patience. Getting everything NOW will only cost more money. It took me over a month making different purchases from different sellers to collect one set of limbs three weeks later one riser and two weeks after that, the stabilizers. All second hand. Some of the other things like the sight and plunger, etc. I got at a discount but they are new. I will probably have to buy the KSL tab new and I will get books including KS Lee's book. Considering the money I saved on just the bow, I think it's okay to get a new tab and forming that with my own hand. Time to keep practicing! BTW, thank you NuSensei for your videos. I often watch them and even re-watch certain ones for fun or to refresh the information. Maybe someday I'll make a video about my starting experience. Cheers.
I just bought a Kershes recurve. Probably not the best, but its for practice on targets. I shot a recurve my dad had since he was a kid from1953 and fell in love with it. My goal is to upgrade after I get good enough to go hunting with my brother
Not sure if I got a deal or not but I bought used. Went to a local archery shop and purchased a good condition Diamond Razor edge for 99 CAD. Setup was free. Bought a release and got a dozen used arrows thrown in for free. They're good enough for me, easton camo hunter 2114. As a bonus I got an hour of free range time to sight in which included some coaching. This is the way to go and I'm glad I didn't buy online or from the big box store.
I bought an cheap Apex Hunting Warrior`X compound bow. I picked it up used for $100 with; 5 pin sight, stabilizer, whisper biscuit rest and bow bag included. All I needed to add was a D loop, release aid and arrows, it was a great buy for me and most of the accessories will be transferable to a later/better bow. I've been shooting with it for 4 months now and loving it dispute knowing it is old tech (slow cams). I've picked up a cheap recurve (Cartel Triple) too in the last month to try compare the different styles of shooting and I'm enjoying it too. I'll probably get an Ignite or Infinite edge down the line as they are better bows and my local pro shop can support them better but if I had to get a $500 compound and $100 set of arrows to start I probably never would have started into archery at all. Just because you start with cheap equipment doesn't mean it is useless or you cannot learn with it or move on to better gear later. @NUSensei: Thanks for all the videos, I've learnt a lot from your channel over the last 4 months. There are no beginner courses available in my area (full waiting lists or no courses run at all), if not for people like you sharing their knowledge I would not have had such a great time learning.
+Adam Grima (Stormwolf) i have an old bow , indian archery timberland stalker 40-60 pound draw produced in 1984 . it's old and slow but still great to shoot . picked it up at a goodwill for $50.00 just had to get new accessories and arrows . you can get into archery even on the tightest budget .
I bought a PSE Nova 4 and a Hoyt MT sport zr200 with the cam and a half system for $60 total at a local auction. Inexpensive isn't always a bad thing, cheap usually is and knowing the difference can help you spot a diamond in the rough. I've now got a decent platform to assemble a bowfishing rig onto (the PSE) and an amazing how for hunting (the Hoyt). Something satisfying about bagging the big one with less then a $100 setup while there are others throwing money at the sport/hobby wondering why they aren't getting results. Practice and knowing your bow is key.
Absolutely don't cheap out on a sight. My first one was a £20 thing that was functionally fine as a sight, but you had to retighten all the screws on it after every 3 or so shots and it would make a huge SLAM noise every time you fired as it flexed like a beast. You don't need to go for the £300+ pro quality ones, but I would say look in the £100 range for something that's not going to need constant maintenance and won't crack like a whip on every shot.
Excellent video, i took your advice and so pleased i did, very happy with what i now have although it cost me more than i wanted to pay, i would have regreted buying any thing less.
Just bought my first hunting bow a couple days ago a diamond provider with the RAK package dealer threw in a half dozen free arrows too (good carbon ones at that)...paid about 487 US dollars and couldn't be happier.
My brother mentioned the same thing to me not to buy cheap bows ie. recurve, but he understand in some circumstances why I done it, but I’ve just order something slightly better. Black sheep recurve is so so but advoid buying it unless your on a tight budget
Just purchased my first bow today. Went with an SF Forged Plus Riser, SF Velocity Sight, and 24lb Axiom Limbs. SF Plunger and SF Axiom Long Rod. Aiming to not have to replace the Riser or Sight for quite a while.
I bought an SF Axiom+ light with 34lbs SF Limbs, a cartel sight and long rod and the plunger came with the riser, over time, I upgraded the plunger to a Shibuya, the sights to a Decut one I like, full stabilisers set by Kap Winstorm (It works) and the riser and limbs have been great as beginner level equipment, I'm now looking at upgrading after 18 months of this bow, to Win&Win, possibly the Winact VT or, if money allows, the Inno AXT. You should be good with that riser and sights for a good while :-)
I just made my 1st pvc bow with approx 40 lb draw for my backyard carpet backstop for $12. I'm loving it! Shooting 100 grain with 350 spines at 31" inches. Still love your videos Nu San. P.S. I love Olympic team recurve.
My first bow was a Ben Pearson jetbow. I didn't spend a dime on it because I simply found that thing in the garage hanging on a nail with a few fiberglass and aluminum arrows I had simply found on the property with vains I took up the hobby. Shot that thing everyday for months then I realized I wanted to actually progress so I spent $300 on a diamond razor edge. I still have that bow and shot it till I broke all the arrows I bought for it this year but 7 years is pretty good to not break or loose an arrow so I can't complain much. About a year ago someone gave me an old Bear whitetail hunter. From what I understand it's more or less the bow that put compund bows in the mainstream. It's like someone took a recurve and cut the ends off the limbs to put wheels on it then they more wheels on it for cables. For me it works for shooting at a Target but I've always got better options
For someone new like me, sometimes it's hard to tell whats crap and whats good. My compound hunting bow was a package with three pin sight, whisker biscuit arrow rest, and a quiver. $350 U.S. dollars. Seems to be doing the job, although I did end up getting a better sight, a drop away rest, and a nicer stabilizer. lol
What about taking advice from people like Steven Hann on budget bows or Armin Hirmer. They both coach, have or had retail businesses. I have bought several budget bows from traditional to compound.
I have a Oneida screaming Eagle bow which I love I didn’t buy it for ego I’m super open to advice I’m joining a club when they reopen in uk I just love Oneida design and smooth drew
Haha, my first two bows I purchased are 62" Samick Tigersharks on sale on Amazon US. They aren't available in Australia, but niether is the Samick Spyder after extensive searching. Only one seller had an ok price, and shipped via cringe worthy DHL in five days. These bows are basically 3rd generation Samick Sage, and I can't see any difference in milling of the riser compared to the Samick Spyder. For two bows, it was about $540 delivered. Postage alone was $120. It worked out maybe $40 - 50 more in total than purchasing a Gen 1 Sage here in Australia! They came in their factory boxes, each with two dacron pre-waxed strings, and an allen key for the limb bolts. I'm happy with them, but in my quest for my future done, and dusted bow collection, I have a 60" Bear Kodiak, and 54" Bear Cheyenne in mind. I won't touch compounds for various reasons, and the traditional recurves appeal to me as simple, reliable, and challenging. I have a 29.5" draw length, and find the Samicks are good for that, but I'm concerned with a bit of stacking on the Kodiak, where string tuning by twisting, and limb savers might be appropriate. All of these bows are likely to be all I need, and willing to invest in most likely. A lot of money goes into equipment, so I want to get it right from the start. These bows are for my partner and I. She has a much shorter draw length than I. We have a local club, but when buying equipment, funds don't stretch toward club fees + insurance. This is another important consideration, and thus, careful attention needs to be focused on what the pros are doing on UA-cam, so as not to develop poor form, until you can afford a club, or have tuition from someone in the know. But I think one can get by with UA-cam teaching you the ropes. NUSensei does a great job at explaining things, but the best thing is to go out and practice, practice, practice. I can shoot at home, and do have places I can go to practice, so not having a club range is not the end of the world for me at this time.
Is why I bought a Samick sage elite which is actually a Galaxy sage elite as of 2020.. for 150 dollars I love my purchase. When it comes to compound bows your hit it on the head... I didn't want to spend 200 plus dollars on a cheap compound or 400 plus on a good quality compound.. recurve is the best place to start if your on a budget and like you said 150 or 200 gets you a good bow even 135 bucks since the samick sage starts at that price down to 120.
I got into archery via a garage sale buying a 25# "supposed" recurve (sports flight) by barnett sportsflight for $2. I made my own 35# pvc bow and understood "cheap/frustration". I jumped up to a $80. toparchary 50# hunting takedown recurve. To much # to quick. After 30 shots I was shaking on aim..... Just bought a $80. 55# compound leader accessories (same as SAS seige, Hotka, Rambo, and half a dozen other names) and am thoughly enjoying shooting the 70% let off bow. Nusensei is right on the cheap sights as I have had to add a three pin hunting sight. Have also added a peep sight, limb savers, brush arrow rest, and string dampners, as well as a short stabilizer. I am shooting mossy oak carbons with 350 spines from Walmart although I added feathers instead of veins. I love Nusensai's video's but I still think that this $80 compound is well worth the price, and is a great step up to a hybrid compound bow which looks like my recurve.
What about someone like me who wants to get into archery with a growth-mindset, but also appreciates old-school tech over modern tech? I find beauty in simplicity, and I quite like the ancient stick-and-string recipe with no shelf and a straight handgrip. Of particular interest to me is a US $50 one-piece 66" "English longbow" style of bow made by Chinese archery supplier Huntingdoor. It says it's made from an FRP epoxy rod, which I assume contains fiberglass, and the handgrip is wrapped with a rubber strap. I was wondering if you have any experience with their bows. My end goal with this bow, is to establish a consistent shooting form, strengthen my archery muscles, experiment with arrow tuning, and ultimately have fun doing lots of recreational target shooting, without the expectation of hitting the bullseye every time.
Hey Nu Sensei. There is always the option of getting a good used recurve. I actually picked up a classic Galaxie Pluto its 44lb at 28. It was 40$ most time ther around 80$ but they are a sespectable bow for hunting or target practice. Depending on length of course.
+NUSensei Additionally, perhaps something on bow cases... Hard vs soft, etc. Tips for transporting. Quivers too, arrow cases. I remember when I was shopping for my first bow, there was so much out there and half the time it cost a significant portion of the bow itself.
I've heard that Mandarin Duck Recurve is OK with shoot with, but I don't have any experience with such! What would you recommend as a decent hunting ILF bow... about 45lb draw?
I agree with you on everything except on your point about the arrows. Now you were discouraging us from buying cheap arrows on ebay. Fast forward 6 years from your video, we now have cheap(ish) arrows on Amazon. I recently bought arrows by the dozen on Amazon, at a cost of around $2-3 an arrow. If I were to take your advice, I would go on a reputable archery webstore and buy 25" youth arrows for nearly $7 apiece. That just sounds insane, especially when my kids hit pavement as much as they hit the bales :) Again, you're absolutely right about spending money wisely on equipment so that you have a chance to grow with it and reap the benefits of your investment. But on expendable items like arrows at the early stage, I will definitely buy budget ones, especially when the lessons at the local clubs use similarly cheap arrows. I would be very much interested in seeing you do a review of budget arrows from Amazon, shot from your Samick Sage or Spyder. If you can come to appreciate the value of the Sage, perhaps you can appreciate the latest iteration of arrows from Amazon. Thanks!
There's a big difference in what you get in a store vs. what you get cheap online. If you're just looking at getting ammunition to shoot and don't care how well it flies or what happens to it, buy cheap and go nuts. However, most archers want a closer match to their specific gear, which means reading spine charts. Most cheap arrows are made in bulk for very wide "tolerances" (say, 20-40#) but are seldom well matched to the archer and their needs, especially as online archers tend not to personalise gear (such as cutting arrows). Furthermore, the consistency of cheap arrows (in terms of quality, straightness) is significantly lower than decent arrows from an archery store. If you're doing any sort of target shooting with the expectation of being consistent, you should be investing in purpose-made arrows rather than bulk-buy Amazon shafts.
@@NUSensei thank you for the perspective. I will definitely keep in mind in a few months. Hopefully, there is enough progress to warrant the crafting of arrows, which truth be told looks exceptionally fun.
Junxing m107 is not a bad starter bow up to about 50m at £150 ish. No draw stops but it shoots quite nicely. I managed a second class qualification with it just for a laugh. If you're not sure if you'll like compound it's worth a punt before you spend well over £1500. I shot a 306 on a long national 80,60 yards with a 50lb black hunter a couple of weeks ago, with Easton superslam 2215 aluminiums & 4" feather parabolic fletchings. That cost £75 on eBay including shipping lol...
I am a beginner and my first bow is a win & win nano riser with cheap limbs... shooting bare bow... later will upgrade to better limbs... sights etc etc... I think it’s the cheaper way to go...
I got my start in archery using a Samick Sage with 25lb limbs, and taking lessons and coaching at a professional archery club. That was many months ago of regular shooting and now I'm pretty decent. I'm now considering the PSE Rolan Snake, not for my own use or growth, but maybe to allow my friends to try out who are unsure if they want to do it, or for guests at my house who want to try shooting a bow for the first time. So it would be a loaner if they want to accompany me. I would let them shoot my Sage, but I'm always concerned about the one person who fails to heed warning or accidentally dry fire or drop the bow before I can catch them. The snake is reviewed as respectable within its class in that it supposedly rewards proper technique, and is supposedly nearly indestructable. Should a $45 Rolan Snake atleast be worthy of serving in this purpose, or am I better off otherwise?
Hi, there's a sport store in my country who sells all kinds of sport gears, and archery is included. I thought of buying those cheap arrows they sell but I would like to know if there're any risks for the bow itself. Like a cheap arrow could make a "dry fire effect" if the energy is not well balanced ? And then damage the limbs a little ? I mean they look ok but we never know. I could send you a link to the website if you see this question. Nice vids, helped me a lot lately to choose my gear, thx.
May confirm Diamond Infinite Edge is really good thing for start, though every one who buys compound need to understand that they will HAVE to buy rest (drop away better) as i haven't seen a stock rest that was not bringing some crap to aiming, on infinite edge the rest was macking an arrow "jump"(do not know how it is called on English) that made aiming sort of hard when arrow goes nuts from time to time spreading group all over target, so i changed it in less than two weeks
After 3 and a half months I change my starter equipment. Now I already know what is my archery style (olimpic recurve changed to modern longbow). Fortunately the starter pack wasn't so expensive.
I know this vid is old but checking good brands then going to the pawn shop is a good way to get bows (will depend where you are) for cheap. I saw a $600 compound for $109. Anywho, back to the autoplay game
Got a used Bear Grizzly 55 lb draw 6 weeks ago and its the first real bow I've had. So i got me a few of those china arrows cause i knew i was going to be losing arrows. In the first 6 arrows i lost one. So far I'm down to just 4 arrows, but my target area is building up, and my skill is getting built up everyday i get out to practice. Got some more arrows coming from china need them to work on my focus, and my form. Better arrows will come in later.
the sight for the compound he eefered to is actually metal.its rubbish but its not plastic. the only problem with the 55lb asd camo compound bow is that the cables sometimes come away from the cableguard.thats it.iv shot 2ooo-3ooo arrows and had my grouping improved into all gold at 30yards within 6weeks. these bows are not as bad as he makes out but if you can save up u shud get something like a used hoyt.
Turtlescream I know this is an old post but I have to agree with you. I just got a bow very similar to the one he shows in this video. I got it from a large archery retailer here in the uk. It was on a clearance deal, so was less than half price. I took it to my local archery shop who reduced the draw weight and length for me, checked it over and supplied me with some good arrows. I am using a three finger glove with no sights and get very good groups at different ranges. I understand what nu sensi is saying but honesty this is not a bad bow. Today I went back to my sons recurve (that is in the price range recommended here) for a change and I much prefer my armex Olympian compound.
Mine must be a fluke then. I bought a compound bow for £160 from ASD (archery supplies direct ) and its fine. It shoots strait and is dead in the hand too. I've added a half decent sight and a very good drop away rest (NAP Apache), but I must admit your very right when it comes to arrows, cheap ones are just a waste of money.
Before I found this channel, I bought a cheap (albeit well reviewed) $40 amazon bow and started learning the thumb draw. I've felt nothing but shame from you NUSensei!! My feelings and pride obviously mean nothing to you! ...that being said... I respect your experience and knowledge and plan to actually put real money into this hobby amazing new hobby, as well as find some coaching. I'll be back to report if it was all worth the extra coin and effort.
Pretty much any of the entry to intermediate level Olympic recurve-style bow from well-known manufacturers will give you something that you can have a good time learning the sport on.
Bought some chinese bows for $90 each three years ago. The same bow is now $250 from the same shop. Are they now a decent bow but crap when I bought them? 🤔
Bear in mind the age of the video. At the time, only cheap fiberglass toy boys were in that $90 range. The rise of the Chinese imports is fairly recent.
Hi Nu! Speaking of cheap bows, may I know if you're familiar with the Geologic Initech 2 bow. Given my tight budget, I was looking for a bow I can develop my skill with, and not shell out too much at the same time. Is this bow any good?
It's...actually a pretty poor choice to buy. It's a very good beginner bow because it has zero-letoff, which means it can be used by many people without adjustments. However, it doesn't handle like a compound bow or a recurve bow. It shoots well enough for a beginner, but outside of school programs and clubs, it isn't a good bow to use, and not one that allows you to grow into it.
@@NUSensei So what about the Gen-X version ? They claim it can be used to hunt with at a 40# draw. I'm getting back in to Archery and was looking at this one. Other option was a Diamond Infinite Edge.
Holy crap. You can buy an Edge 320 from Bass Pro Shop for $399.00/u.s.$. You can probably get it with release, 6 arrows, quiver, sight and set-up ready to hunt for less than $399.00. Last year, l bought an Edge SB-1, essentially the same bow for $399.00, complete RTH, release and arrows for $399.00. I was shooting right as soon as it arrives. I wore out the whisker biscuit rest and upgraded it with a QAD Hunter and bought a new single pin sight. But other than that it is original. I have shot quite a bit with it and no bullshit, I can consistently hit a 4" group at 30 measured yards on my home range. Hey, my wife of 31 years is Canadian and our 3 children have dual citizenship. I know a bit about Canada, actually, I might know more than my wife and she is a 35 year educator with a master's degree. Anyways, you guys are screwed over by your socialist government; that is why that bow costs $1,100.00 CAD. In 2006, the CAD was worth more than the U.S. dollar. Now it is worth 70 cents. Besides the poor CAD, the prices are crazy due to the taxes. Shit I could buy a pair of CCM hockey skates for about half the price I would pay in Canada where they are made. When I was in Victoria, I looked at getting a pair of Ultra Tacks and they wanted $575.00 USD, back in California, I bought the same skates for $275.00. Ask my wife, she knows north of the 49th, you guys are getting screwed. Hey here is a fun fact, the Queen of England owns 97 percent of ALL land in Canada. She holds absolute title to all that land. If she wanted to she could ...do anything.
The bow itself was $499, came with the peep and quiver, everything else I needed I actually ended up having to drive to the local cabelas to get a new sight and arrows as well as a case. You're totally right, there's no way it should have cost what it did, I am just thankful I didn't have to waste time taking some kind of course before being allowed to purchase one. So far I'm getting 1" groups sometimes at 10 yards. That's the longest distance I can shoot at home.
You mentioned a minimum of USD200 for a starter recurve, but later mention USD150 for a beginner recurve. Which is it? For my entry puechase, I recently bought a USD140 Cartel Sirius 66 inch recurve, which was made in Korea. Are you saying that I cannot learn good form and technique from this bow? Will the quality be so bad as to mask my flaws and prevent me from improving?
I haven't covered the Sirius. I said it's the same bow type as the brands and models I mentioned in this video. Price is not the determining factor. If you can get a basic takedown recurve for a cheaper price, then all the better.
It looks like a pretty generic youth bow. This means little adjustabiilty and little room for growth. The kit can get someone shooting, but it's going to give as much of a window into archery as a kids tricycle will introduce you into cycling. Reviews are very skewed, as the people buying these bows are getting them for very simple reasons. The bow will work, but no archer will recommend them.
Hey i am thinking of saving money to get the diamond infinite edge pro but it costs alot of money. Like I didn't even use a bow yet only those cheap bows from the market. So i want to get a really cheap bow just to learn how to shoot and stuff
I just suddenly got interested in archery so is it worth it buying the diamond infinite edge pro just for practising? I dont know if i will bring it to hunting in the future
You can learn on any bow. Cheap bows will stop you from advancing, however. There is a point where a bad bow will mask your form problems, so you will not know whether it is the bow that is causing you to shoot poorly, or yourself.
The cheap blue fibreglass bow you have can't accept much in the way of accessories, but if your aim is to move on to traditional instinctive archery like English longbows, is that maybe not such a bad thing?
I'm curious, and i'm sorry for commenting on such an old video, what is a bow that you'd recommend for starting if a person wants to get into it? My wife expressed that she's always wanted to do archery. and I used to do compound bow. I'd like to do re curve with her, but would like to start with an alloy bow (not wood). Do you have a suggestion?
I almost bought a $60 recurve. Waited a few months and then settled on a PSE razorback for $100 from my local hunting shop. Really glad I did.
You've been the best teacher for me since I currently don't have one in person. Thank you for the videos!
For beginners I highly suggest buying used bow and name brand value arrows. Bows that cost much more than your budget can be had in great shape for great prices used as people upgrade to the newest model out. This gives you a very nice bow to learn with. Stick with brand names, I can't stress that enough. It's not paying for the name, it's buying the experience in design and build.
Maintenance and support is also a factor. More people are familiar with the more common manufacturers and models, as they are usually quite modular. Coaches and other archer are more likely to be able to help you get your equipment in order, and archery stores will have an easier time tuning your bow and ordering replacement parts if needed.
So dang true, and speaking from experience. Bought a $100 Amazon take down recurve bow at #30 draw weight and as I progressed to #35, #40 and now at #45 limbs and nicer accessories, the riser delaminated, forcing me to purchase an alloy riser that fit the same limbs. Wasted that $100 and was no bargain... Same with arrows. I bought 4 sets of crap carbon arrows before settling on Carbon Impact Ultrafasts and Super Clubs and was amazed at how well they flew out of the bow.
Someone at my school is one of those people who try to impress their mates with their $100 eBay compound bow and he doesn't even know a thing about them. Don't get me wrong I'm a recurve shooter so I'm no expert but I asked him what the let off was and he said it didn't have any. Kill me now
I think some of these "metal risers with wheels on the end" that he's talking about really do have zero let-off.
The NASP Genesis compound bow has no let-off. But I doubt your schoolmate has a clue.
Some compound do not have let off those with wheel instead of cam for example
"Shop "cheap compound bow""
Google ads hitting out outta the park here... I'm sure this $53 compound they are showing me is great.
google4d "beginner" instead and got a result suggesting the diamond edge something. On sale right now for 349.99 in Cabelas. Dunno if it's good or not.
@@ofboriken The Diamond Infinite Edge and Diamond SB-1 are excellent entry level compound bows (Diamond is Bowtech's brand). PSE and Bear also make good compounds at similar price point. It's the step below this tier where things get hairy; anonymous brand knockoffs, you get maybe even less than you pay for and maybe even something mechanically unsafe.
30 Years ago, my archery course in collage used fiberglass bows. Before that I learned to use a fiberglass bow in the boy scouts. I have a 30lbs fiberglass bow that I love to shoot. They are what the are and they are not hunting bows or target bows. It is a different sport. Love your channel.
+Henry Johnston If you want to accept the limitations imposed by a fiberglass bow, then they are fine. Too little bow is a problem, too much bow is a problem as well.
Since I've been doing archery a lot lately friends and family have been looking to me for advice, so Nu Sensei's video's have been very helpful. One thing I've come to recommend is looking to traditional archery for those on a budget. A good takedown wooden recurve can be had for $100-130 in the US. A bow like that can provide everything one needs to learn and to grow as an archer, without the expense of compound bows and all of their associated gadgets. Though certainly used bows are a good option too, it does limit your options to what's available, and what's available might not be the right fit.
Sometimes warning people away from cheap bows can seem to new archers like snobbery against people with a limited budget (and archery snobbery does exist), but as pointed out in this video, there are plenty of affordable recurves for not that much more than the bottom of the barrel bows, and the takedown design makes for a much better value for your money since you can buy just one bow and upgrade the limbs as needed.
I died when you said "and then they go for a beer and then they shoot Kangaroos." Hilarious!!!!!
This is actually a serious issue. There are numerous reports of native wildlife being (illegally) killed by compound shooters, and they have the telltale signs of cheap online purchases. This often raises the question of legal bow ownership in Australia.
+NUSensei Oh. I honestly thought you were joking. Well then I take back what I said.
Ivan Ross Kk
I instinctively yelled at “NOOOO!” in my hotel room when I heard Nusensei. I really hate animal abuse.
@@NUSensei fuckin bogans aye mate ;)
I would always recommed to start at a club if you have the option. They often have equiptment you can borrow and they will teach you basic form. I myself used the "weak and soft bows" of the club for six months before I bought my first bow as you might not even know what you want when you start out.
In Germany you would just rent a bow to use until you know you like archery. Just looked up one of the more expensive offers - it's like 27.5€ (that's 44.42 $AU) a month for a Diamond Bowtech Infinite Edge Pro - but you can start as low as €10 for a simple but good Compound, Longbow or Recurve. Many people keep using a rented bow for the first one or two years until they feel confident picking their first own bow. In fact that's how I got into archery - I rented a Hoyt Tenacity and fell madly in love with it, so I bought it as "used item" (since I already used it) and got it for so much less that the difference in price almost made up for the rent I paid before =)
I don't know how things work in Australia but in the UK, and to the best of my knowledge in Greece as well, most archery clubs provide new archers with equipment at least for the first 6 months to 1 year. Also they actively discourage people from buying their own kit until they can have a rough understanding of their actual needs. Plus in your local archery club or nearby clubs you can find barely used Hoyt Horizons or SFs of different kinds, all great for the beginner/improver.
i agree to this
when I started, I used a recurve bow I made myself out of pvc. that lasted a year before I thought "well, I'll get a compound " so I got a cheap $40 compound and it was at the time awesome and a lot more accurate than the pvc bow. after a few mounths with that I began classes at an archery class. when I got more serious and wanted better results I picked up a diamond infinite edge, and man first time I shot it and felt what a real bow felt like, I was awe struck! it lasted me 3 years or shooting, matter of fact I've taken several 4th place and one 2nd place total with this bow and have placed 12th in my devision in nfaa indoor nationals (before flight breakups)
I am now switching to a mattews halon x comp and going to free style. and let me tell you, if you are looking to start archery, there is a difference between a Cheap bow, and a real bow. it's a great way to start but to grow as an archer, you always get what you pay for.
In this case you get what you make. My pvc bow pulls at a little above 80 lbs.
Bows are neither accurate nor inaccurate. It's the person shooting it.
@句丹句句と 尺ヨ尸卞丹尺 bows are NOT accurate nor inaccurate. It's about the archers skills. Unless it's a compound then even my grandma can look through the sites and point and shoot
@句丹句句と 尺ヨ尸卞丹尺 no man give me any bow and I'll be just as accurate with it as the next bow.
@句丹句句と 尺ヨ尸卞丹尺 are some slings more accurate than others? No of course not. It's all about training.
Love your videos, they have been helping me get through transitioning into shooting an Olympic style bow from compound. I have run into many of these ego guys you mentioned, especially trying to impress the recurve girls lol. I shoot Hoyt exclusively in compound and my daughter shoots a diamond infinite edge after buying a Barnett toy. I always tell people, even if you have to buy an older used bow, at least get a good brand. I have seen older Hoyts for as little as $150 that would slaughter those eBay bows. Anyway, keep up the good work and thanks for all your info!
That blue bow you're holding at 3:28 is just like the one my in-laws got for my son a couple weeks ago. We took it to a range in a local park, and neither one of us could hit the target, or even the straw bales behind it, from 20 feet. The tail of the (cheap fiberglass) arrow would kick away from the bow as the fletching passed the shelf, and it would go off-course by about a foot for every 10 feet it traveled. I can't see how my son's going to get excited about archery with a bow this bad, and I can't see how I justify to my wife getting a better bow for him if he's not excited about archery.
A bow has to be matched up with arrows of the correct spine, or else it won't shoot accurately. I wouldn't trust any manufacturer that sells arrows with the bow as a complete package. For one, they have no clue as to the actual draw weight of the bow at your draw length. As NuSensei keenly noted, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all arrow. Even for a given bow, an arrow might perform well in the hands of one shooter and then that same arrow will perform terribly with the same bow in the hands of another shooter with a different draw length.
those fiber glass horse bow from ebay are pretty good
Exactly. And my first recurve before that was okay as well. 60 dollars. I say give it a go with whatever you can afford. If you're really interested in archery, you will save money for a better bow. If not, no expensive bow will change your mind.
Besides, Lars proved you can shoot great even with this "crap" bow
But this video is more angled towards Olympic style archery.
The only thing I wouldn't but from ebay or amazon is the 100-200$ laminated bows as they tend to have some crap quality control and you end up with gaps in the glue that leads to a failure, but I have a solid wood seer handle either a glass limb I paid 130ish dollars plus tax and shipping and it's great
@@chrisread6292 Yes, I've seen Armin's review of one them 😁 Unfortunately they are not great
@@gizmonomono I actually bought a top archery bow, I almost bought the same laminated bow he reviews but in 50lb, decided with a wood and glass bow instead from them instead 60lb at 32" have had no issues with it what so ever, seems to hold up fine excited for my imre bow though
Quality control with a bow that consists of laminates and glue vs just wood seers and handles and glass limbs is not that great, spending 100-200$ on a wood and glass bow is fine obviously you will pay for the quality in going a bit more but if you order from a different country you can find cheap options while spending under 200$ on laminated bow I would not recommend, I spent probably 160$ cad on a bow from amazon but my bow from imre is only 180$ maybe 200 with shipping
I totally agree, but i have a cheap bow. lol
me too :)
The last bit about arrows was recognizable, remember when i was just beginning I bought some fiberglass arrows with vanes on a bow without a shelf.... All seems so obvious in hindsight, but seemed logical at the time. Hopefully this video will keep people from wasting money, keep up the good work!
If you find yourself wanting to buy a sub
Come on mate, tell it like it is. Don't hold back.
"They're both crap, you're pissing money into....." Love it. Cheap crap is cheap crap. Not worth bothering with.
How about the snake bow, seems like a lot of beginners use it.
Incredible video!! We are new to archery and were looking for some solid advice on purchasing equipment!
That is great information on the type of bow you should buy and also on the arrow selections as well. I am looking for an American made bow and invest in top quality arrows as well. Thanks so much for all the information and hope you are having a nice week.
When I first got into archery, I purchased an Amazon compound bow for around $150.00. Almost immediately, I decided I really enjoyed the sport and purchased a Diamond. Now I have an addiction and I look forward to a better bow and also getting a recurve and maybe a longbow.
Enjoy your videos and agree with you. Many times you can get a better quality bow from trade ins at your archery shop or even end of year closeouts. In 2004 I bought my bear trx32 for less than 300.00 set up to fit me with arrows and case and have seen no need to replace it as it is comparable with many new models and very accurate
Yup. Made the mistake with the cheap Chinese arrows a couple of years back. Really messed up my shooting. Now spend what is required at the pro shop of an archery club to get decent arrows matched to my bow. What a difference!
We have a saying in the leatherworking community: "Buy nice or buy twice"
The bow i have now costs around 140$ and i really like it. It has an aluminium riser and fiberglass limbs. It has attachment points for stabilisers and plungers and sights. Something like this is what i would recommend to a new archer. If anyone here is Swedish and is looking for a great beginner bow, take a look at the Scorpion recurve from fondprodukter (Swedish company) it has points for attachments if you want to upgrade it later and you can get new limbs later.
Funny thing is I've got that exact wrist guard (12:27)...
I have shot my Samick Sage for years both hunting and competition. Great shooting bow for $125. Really good quality recurve bows at a good price can be found at yard sales and even pawn shops if you know what you are looking for and keep your eyes open for them.
I started recently and have been buying almost everything second hand. The gear/ brands I got cost a fraction of what they were new. My budget might allow more mid to high end stuff but it was still 40-50% discounted.
The two things about starting this way is one needs to do more research to have a better understanding of what to look for and why it's needed or if needed.
Otherwise what do you buy? Everything is discounted 20-50% on the second hand market. You have to know what you are looking for - either a brand, a model, a size or a poundage, etc. This will help you narrow the choices to something reasonable and manageable. Time reading and researching is not going to cost money and will help one make a better first choice.
The second point to keep to is it takes patience.
Getting everything NOW will only cost more money. It took me over a month making different purchases from different sellers to collect one set of limbs three weeks later one riser and two weeks after that, the stabilizers. All second hand. Some of the other things like the sight and plunger, etc. I got at a discount but they are new.
I will probably have to buy the KSL tab new and I will get books including KS Lee's book.
Considering the money I saved on just the bow, I think it's okay to get a new tab and forming that with my own hand. Time to keep practicing!
BTW, thank you NuSensei for your videos. I often watch them and even re-watch certain ones for fun or to refresh the information. Maybe someday I'll make a video about my starting experience.
Cheers.
I just bought a Kershes recurve. Probably not the best, but its for practice on targets. I shot a recurve my dad had since he was a kid from1953 and fell in love with it. My goal is to upgrade after I get good enough to go hunting with my brother
Not sure if I got a deal or not but I bought used. Went to a local archery shop and purchased a good condition Diamond Razor edge for 99 CAD. Setup was free. Bought a release and got a dozen used arrows thrown in for free. They're good enough for me, easton camo hunter 2114. As a bonus I got an hour of free range time to sight in which included some coaching. This is the way to go and I'm glad I didn't buy online or from the big box store.
I bought an cheap Apex Hunting Warrior`X compound bow. I picked it up used for $100 with; 5 pin sight, stabilizer, whisper biscuit rest and bow bag included. All I needed to add was a D loop, release aid and arrows, it was a great buy for me and most of the accessories will be transferable to a later/better bow. I've been shooting with it for 4 months now and loving it dispute knowing it is old tech (slow cams). I've picked up a cheap recurve (Cartel Triple) too in the last month to try compare the different styles of shooting and I'm enjoying it too.
I'll probably get an Ignite or Infinite edge down the line as they are better bows and my local pro shop can support them better but if I had to get a $500 compound and $100 set of arrows to start I probably never would have started into archery at all.
Just because you start with cheap equipment doesn't mean it is useless or you cannot learn with it or move on to better gear later.
@NUSensei: Thanks for all the videos, I've learnt a lot from your channel over the last 4 months. There are no beginner courses available in my area (full waiting lists or no courses run at all), if not for people like you sharing their knowledge I would not have had such a great time learning.
+Adam Grima (Stormwolf) i have an old bow , indian archery timberland stalker 40-60 pound draw produced in 1984 . it's old and slow but still great to shoot . picked it up at a goodwill for $50.00 just had to get new accessories and arrows . you can get into archery even on the tightest budget .
Just bought myself a recurve bow. SF Forged with premium limbs. Can't wait to get to the club tomorrow to test it out. :)
I bought a PSE Nova 4 and a Hoyt MT sport zr200 with the cam and a half system for $60 total at a local auction. Inexpensive isn't always a bad thing, cheap usually is and knowing the difference can help you spot a diamond in the rough. I've now got a decent platform to assemble a bowfishing rig onto (the PSE) and an amazing how for hunting (the Hoyt). Something satisfying about bagging the big one with less then a $100 setup while there are others throwing money at the sport/hobby wondering why they aren't getting results. Practice and knowing your bow is key.
Absolutely don't cheap out on a sight. My first one was a £20 thing that was functionally fine as a sight, but you had to retighten all the screws on it after every 3 or so shots and it would make a huge SLAM noise every time you fired as it flexed like a beast. You don't need to go for the £300+ pro quality ones, but I would say look in the £100 range for something that's not going to need constant maintenance and won't crack like a whip on every shot.
Yella Dart and a sight will go from bow to bow with you as you grow.
Excellent video, i took your advice and so pleased i did, very happy with what i now have although it cost me more than i wanted to pay, i would have regreted buying any thing less.
I got lucky and found a $250 Martin recurve bow for $30 at a garage sale. I plan to take it to a local shop to get tuned.
Just bought my first hunting bow a couple days ago a diamond provider with the RAK package dealer threw in a half dozen free arrows too (good carbon ones at that)...paid about 487 US dollars and couldn't be happier.
and my black hunter was 110.00, sweet shooting bow, longbowt/d
My brother mentioned the same thing to me not to buy cheap bows ie. recurve, but he understand in some circumstances why I done it, but I’ve just order something slightly better.
Black sheep recurve is so so but advoid buying it unless your on a tight budget
Just purchased my first bow today. Went with an SF Forged Plus Riser, SF Velocity Sight, and 24lb Axiom Limbs. SF Plunger and SF Axiom Long Rod. Aiming to not have to replace the Riser or Sight for quite a while.
I bought an SF Axiom+ light with 34lbs SF Limbs, a cartel sight and long rod and the plunger came with the riser, over time, I upgraded the plunger to a Shibuya, the sights to a Decut one I like, full stabilisers set by Kap Winstorm (It works) and the riser and limbs have been great as beginner level equipment, I'm now looking at upgrading after 18 months of this bow, to Win&Win, possibly the Winact VT or, if money allows, the Inno AXT. You should be good with that riser and sights for a good while :-)
I just made my 1st pvc bow with approx 40 lb draw for my backyard carpet backstop for $12. I'm loving it! Shooting 100 grain with 350 spines at 31" inches. Still love your videos Nu San. P.S. I love Olympic team recurve.
I recently bought a cheap sinoarts bow off of Amazon as just a starter bow but the riser cracked within 6-7 shots
My first bow was a Ben Pearson jetbow. I didn't spend a dime on it because I simply found that thing in the garage hanging on a nail with a few fiberglass and aluminum arrows I had simply found on the property with vains I took up the hobby. Shot that thing everyday for months then I realized I wanted to actually progress so I spent $300 on a diamond razor edge. I still have that bow and shot it till I broke all the arrows I bought for it this year but 7 years is pretty good to not break or loose an arrow so I can't complain much. About a year ago someone gave me an old Bear whitetail hunter. From what I understand it's more or less the bow that put compund bows in the mainstream. It's like someone took a recurve and cut the ends off the limbs to put wheels on it then they more wheels on it for cables. For me it works for shooting at a Target but I've always got better options
For someone new like me, sometimes it's hard to tell whats crap and whats good. My compound hunting bow was a package with three pin sight, whisker biscuit arrow rest, and a quiver. $350 U.S. dollars. Seems to be doing the job, although I did end up getting a better sight, a drop away rest, and a nicer stabilizer. lol
Okay you were right Nu sensei. I am buying a decent bow and stashing the pvc bow I made in the corner. I can't wait it's in the mail.
i have a $150 folding survival longbow and it's great.
What about taking advice from people like Steven Hann on budget bows or Armin Hirmer. They both coach, have or had retail businesses.
I have bought several budget bows from traditional to compound.
I have a Oneida screaming Eagle bow which I love I didn’t buy it for ego I’m super open to advice I’m joining a club when they reopen in uk I just love Oneida design and smooth drew
could it be possible that you could make a video about different type of horsebows?
Haha, my first two bows I purchased are 62" Samick Tigersharks on sale on Amazon US. They aren't available in Australia, but niether is the Samick Spyder after extensive searching. Only one seller had an ok price, and shipped via cringe worthy DHL in five days. These bows are basically 3rd generation Samick Sage, and I can't see any difference in milling of the riser compared to the Samick Spyder. For two bows, it was about $540 delivered. Postage alone was $120. It worked out maybe $40 - 50 more in total than purchasing a Gen 1 Sage here in Australia! They came in their factory boxes, each with two dacron pre-waxed strings, and an allen key for the limb bolts. I'm happy with them, but in my quest for my future done, and dusted bow collection, I have a 60" Bear Kodiak, and 54" Bear Cheyenne in mind. I won't touch compounds for various reasons, and the traditional recurves appeal to me as simple, reliable, and challenging. I have a 29.5" draw length, and find the Samicks are good for that, but I'm concerned with a bit of stacking on the Kodiak, where string tuning by twisting, and limb savers might be appropriate. All of these bows are likely to be all I need, and willing to invest in most likely. A lot of money goes into equipment, so I want to get it right from the start. These bows are for my partner and I. She has a much shorter draw length than I. We have a local club, but when buying equipment, funds don't stretch toward club fees + insurance. This is another important consideration, and thus, careful attention needs to be focused on what the pros are doing on UA-cam, so as not to develop poor form, until you can afford a club, or have tuition from someone in the know. But I think one can get by with UA-cam teaching you the ropes. NUSensei does a great job at explaining things, but the best thing is to go out and practice, practice, practice. I can shoot at home, and do have places I can go to practice, so not having a club range is not the end of the world for me at this time.
I'm contemplating getting the Mandarin Duck Phantom, is this a bad idea? The price range is low for the bow alone.
That is different. This video is very old though. Mandarin duck phantom is fine bow.
Is why I bought a Samick sage elite which is actually a Galaxy sage elite as of 2020.. for 150 dollars I love my purchase. When it comes to compound bows your hit it on the head... I didn't want to spend 200 plus dollars on a cheap compound or 400 plus on a good quality compound.. recurve is the best place to start if your on a budget and like you said 150 or 200 gets you a good bow even 135 bucks since the samick sage starts at that price down to 120.
I got into archery via a garage sale buying a 25# "supposed" recurve (sports flight) by barnett sportsflight for $2. I made my own 35# pvc bow and understood "cheap/frustration". I jumped up to a $80. toparchary 50# hunting takedown recurve. To much # to quick. After 30 shots I was shaking on aim..... Just bought a $80. 55# compound leader accessories (same as SAS seige, Hotka, Rambo, and half a dozen other names) and am thoughly enjoying shooting the 70% let off bow. Nusensei is right on the cheap sights as I have had to add a three pin hunting sight. Have also added a peep sight, limb savers, brush arrow rest, and string dampners, as well as a short stabilizer. I am shooting mossy oak carbons with 350 spines from Walmart although I added feathers instead of veins. I love Nusensai's video's but I still think that this $80 compound is well worth the price, and is a great step up to a hybrid compound bow which looks like my recurve.
What about someone like me who wants to get into archery with a growth-mindset, but also appreciates old-school tech over modern tech? I find beauty in simplicity, and I quite like the ancient stick-and-string recipe with no shelf and a straight handgrip. Of particular interest to me is a US $50 one-piece 66" "English longbow" style of bow made by Chinese archery supplier Huntingdoor. It says it's made from an FRP epoxy rod, which I assume contains fiberglass, and the handgrip is wrapped with a rubber strap. I was wondering if you have any experience with their bows. My end goal with this bow, is to establish a consistent shooting form, strengthen my archery muscles, experiment with arrow tuning, and ultimately have fun doing lots of recreational target shooting, without the expectation of hitting the bullseye every time.
couldn't agree more with this video, as with most of your stuff..spot on
Hey Nu Sensei. There is always the option of getting a good used recurve. I actually picked up a classic Galaxie Pluto its 44lb at 28. It was 40$ most time ther around 80$ but they are a sespectable bow for hunting or target practice. Depending on length of course.
hi i was wondering if you could make a video about upgrading your equitment
+Zeshan Bari Is there anything specific you want to know more about?
+NUSensei Additionally, perhaps something on bow cases... Hard vs soft, etc. Tips for transporting. Quivers too, arrow cases. I remember when I was shopping for my first bow, there was so much out there and half the time it cost a significant portion of the bow itself.
+NUSensei limbs in paticular
I'll look into doing cases and quivers. I've already done a video on limbs.
I wonder if these basic cheap bows are comparable to historical bare bows.
Too late, but I'll take extra good care of it. Money is so hard to come by, but I always love archery.
I've heard that Mandarin Duck Recurve is OK with shoot with, but I don't have any experience with such! What would you recommend as a decent hunting ILF bow... about 45lb draw?
I agree with you on everything except on your point about the arrows. Now you were discouraging us from buying cheap arrows on ebay. Fast forward 6 years from your video, we now have cheap(ish) arrows on Amazon. I recently bought arrows by the dozen on Amazon, at a cost of around $2-3 an arrow. If I were to take your advice, I would go on a reputable archery webstore and buy 25" youth arrows for nearly $7 apiece. That just sounds insane, especially when my kids hit pavement as much as they hit the bales :) Again, you're absolutely right about spending money wisely on equipment so that you have a chance to grow with it and reap the benefits of your investment. But on expendable items like arrows at the early stage, I will definitely buy budget ones, especially when the lessons at the local clubs use similarly cheap arrows. I would be very much interested in seeing you do a review of budget arrows from Amazon, shot from your Samick Sage or Spyder. If you can come to appreciate the value of the Sage, perhaps you can appreciate the latest iteration of arrows from Amazon. Thanks!
There's a big difference in what you get in a store vs. what you get cheap online. If you're just looking at getting ammunition to shoot and don't care how well it flies or what happens to it, buy cheap and go nuts. However, most archers want a closer match to their specific gear, which means reading spine charts. Most cheap arrows are made in bulk for very wide "tolerances" (say, 20-40#) but are seldom well matched to the archer and their needs, especially as online archers tend not to personalise gear (such as cutting arrows). Furthermore, the consistency of cheap arrows (in terms of quality, straightness) is significantly lower than decent arrows from an archery store. If you're doing any sort of target shooting with the expectation of being consistent, you should be investing in purpose-made arrows rather than bulk-buy Amazon shafts.
@@NUSensei thank you for the perspective. I will definitely keep in mind in a few months. Hopefully, there is enough progress to warrant the crafting of arrows, which truth be told looks exceptionally fun.
junxin changed this statement forever with their modern compound bows
Junxing m107 is not a bad starter bow up to about 50m at £150 ish. No draw stops but it shoots quite nicely. I managed a second class qualification with it just for a laugh. If you're not sure if you'll like compound it's worth a punt before you spend well over £1500. I shot a 306 on a long national 80,60 yards with a 50lb black hunter a couple of weeks ago, with Easton superslam 2215 aluminiums & 4" feather parabolic fletchings. That cost £75 on eBay including shipping lol...
I am a beginner and my first bow is a win & win nano riser with cheap limbs... shooting bare bow... later will upgrade to better limbs... sights etc etc... I think it’s the cheaper way to go...
I got my start in archery using a Samick Sage with 25lb limbs, and taking lessons and coaching at a professional archery club. That was many months ago of regular shooting and now I'm pretty decent. I'm now considering the PSE Rolan Snake, not for my own use or growth, but maybe to allow my friends to try out who are unsure if they want to do it, or for guests at my house who want to try shooting a bow for the first time. So it would be a loaner if they want to accompany me. I would let them shoot my Sage, but I'm always concerned about the one person who fails to heed warning or accidentally dry fire or drop the bow before I can catch them. The snake is reviewed as respectable within its class in that it supposedly rewards proper technique, and is supposedly nearly indestructable. Should a $45 Rolan Snake atleast be worthy of serving in this purpose, or am I better off otherwise?
Hi, there's a sport store in my country who sells all kinds of sport gears, and archery is included. I thought of buying those cheap arrows they sell but I would like to know if there're any risks for the bow itself. Like a cheap arrow could make a "dry fire effect" if the energy is not well balanced ? And then damage the limbs a little ? I mean they look ok but we never know. I could send you a link to the website if you see this question.
Nice vids, helped me a lot lately to choose my gear, thx.
Are the compound bow and arrows at Cabela's worth it
May confirm Diamond Infinite Edge is really good thing for start, though every one who buys compound need to understand that they will HAVE to buy rest (drop away better) as i haven't seen a stock rest that was not bringing some crap to aiming, on infinite edge the rest was macking an arrow "jump"(do not know how it is called on English) that made aiming sort of hard when arrow goes nuts from time to time spreading group all over target, so i changed it in less than two weeks
After 3 and a half months I change my starter equipment. Now I already know what is my archery style (olimpic recurve changed to modern longbow). Fortunately the starter pack wasn't so expensive.
I have a 70 dollar compound that I use for instinctive shooting. Is it a decent or cheap bow
So the Southwest Archery Spyder is a good start?
Yes.
@@NUSensei Thanks :D
I was thinking of the stingray, but the limbs run a bit expensive. Maybe someday.
So does pse snake good or bad
I know this vid is old but checking good brands then going to the pawn shop is a good way to get bows (will depend where you are) for cheap. I saw a $600 compound for $109.
Anywho, back to the autoplay game
Got a used Bear Grizzly 55 lb draw 6 weeks ago and its the first real bow I've had. So i got me a few of those china arrows cause i knew i was going to be losing arrows. In the first 6 arrows i lost one. So far I'm down to just 4 arrows, but my target area is building up, and my skill is getting built up everyday i get out to practice. Got some more arrows coming from china need them to work on my focus, and my form. Better arrows will come in later.
Thank you so much man, I can't thank you enough for this video
the sight for the compound he eefered to is actually metal.its rubbish but its not plastic. the only problem with the 55lb asd camo compound bow is that the cables sometimes come away from the cableguard.thats it.iv shot 2ooo-3ooo arrows and had my grouping improved into all gold at 30yards within 6weeks. these bows are not as bad as he makes out but if you can save up u shud get something like a used hoyt.
Turtlescream I know this is an old post but I have to agree with you. I just got a bow very similar to the one he shows in this video. I got it from a large archery retailer here in the uk. It was on a clearance deal, so was less than half price. I took it to my local archery shop who reduced the draw weight and length for me, checked it over and supplied me with some good arrows. I am using a three finger glove with no sights and get very good groups at different ranges. I understand what nu sensi is saying but honesty this is not a bad bow. Today I went back to my sons recurve (that is in the price range recommended here) for a change and I much prefer my armex Olympian compound.
What you think about bows from Ragim ?
Mine must be a fluke then. I bought a compound bow for £160 from ASD (archery supplies direct ) and its fine. It shoots strait and is dead in the hand too. I've added a half decent sight and a very good drop away rest (NAP Apache), but I must admit your very right when it comes to arrows, cheap ones are just a waste of money.
Before I found this channel, I bought a cheap (albeit well reviewed) $40 amazon bow and started learning the thumb draw. I've felt nothing but shame from you NUSensei!! My feelings and pride obviously mean nothing to you!
...that being said...
I respect your experience and knowledge and plan to actually put real money into this hobby amazing new hobby, as well as find some coaching. I'll be back to report if it was all worth the extra coin and effort.
I have an sf forged plus and I love it its amazing!!
Pretty much any of the entry to intermediate level Olympic recurve-style bow from well-known manufacturers will give you something that you can have a good time learning the sport on.
LMAO!
Sensei, you are great, man!
Hilarious!
Learning a lot from you brother.
Bought some chinese bows for $90 each three years ago. The same bow is now $250 from the same shop. Are they now a decent bow but crap when I bought them? 🤔
Bear in mind the age of the video. At the time, only cheap fiberglass toy boys were in that $90 range. The rise of the Chinese imports is fairly recent.
@@NUSensei Hadn't realised the age of the video, obviously your lifestyle is not stressful. 😊
I almost bought one... but ultimately went with a takedown recurve, glad i did.
with the compound he refered to, you do need to spend money straight away on upgrading the sight to a 5pin topoint.and rest to a whisker brush.
Compounds can be shot without sights and most target shooters dislike whisker biscuits. Cheap rests often perform just as good.
Hi Nu! Speaking of cheap bows, may I know if you're familiar with the Geologic Initech 2 bow. Given my tight budget, I was looking for a bow I can develop my skill with, and not shell out too much at the same time. Is this bow any good?
Im pretty new to this but to my understanding the genesis original is a great beginner compound bow for about $200
It's...actually a pretty poor choice to buy. It's a very good beginner bow because it has zero-letoff, which means it can be used by many people without adjustments. However, it doesn't handle like a compound bow or a recurve bow. It shoots well enough for a beginner, but outside of school programs and clubs, it isn't a good bow to use, and not one that allows you to grow into it.
@@NUSensei So what about the Gen-X version ? They claim it can be used to hunt with at a 40# draw. I'm getting back in to Archery and was looking at this one. Other option was a Diamond Infinite Edge.
How about Cartel Sirius? Is it good enough for newbs?
In my country it costs about 90-100 US$
Standard entry-level takedown recurve. Does the job as good as any other.
+NUSensei about the arrows, is it ok to use aluminium arrows? or just go with carbons?
Both are fine.
I bought a cheap junxing takedown recurve bow, and I enjoy it. It's not anything special but it's good enough.
I just got my first compound bow, went with a Diamond Edge 320, granted I'm in Canada, but it took me $1100 just to get the bare basics going.
Holy crap. You can buy an Edge 320 from Bass Pro Shop for $399.00/u.s.$. You can probably get it with release, 6 arrows, quiver, sight and set-up ready to hunt for less than $399.00. Last year, l bought an Edge SB-1, essentially the same bow for $399.00, complete RTH, release and arrows for $399.00. I was shooting right as soon as it arrives. I wore out the whisker biscuit rest and upgraded it with a QAD Hunter and bought a new single pin sight. But other than that it is original. I have shot quite a bit with it and no bullshit, I can consistently hit a 4" group at 30 measured yards on my home range.
Hey, my wife of 31 years is Canadian and our 3 children have dual citizenship. I know a bit about Canada, actually, I might know more than my wife and she is a 35 year educator with a master's degree.
Anyways, you guys are screwed over by your socialist government; that is why that bow costs $1,100.00 CAD. In 2006, the CAD was worth more than the U.S. dollar. Now it is worth 70 cents. Besides the poor CAD, the prices are crazy due to the taxes. Shit I could buy a pair of CCM hockey skates for about half the price I would pay in Canada where they are made. When I was in Victoria, I looked at getting a pair of Ultra Tacks and they wanted $575.00 USD, back in California, I bought the same skates for $275.00.
Ask my wife, she knows north of the 49th, you guys are getting screwed.
Hey here is a fun fact, the Queen of England owns 97 percent of ALL land in Canada. She holds absolute title to all that land. If she wanted to she could ...do anything.
The bow itself was $499, came with the peep and quiver, everything else I needed I actually ended up having to drive to the local cabelas to get a new sight and arrows as well as a case.
You're totally right, there's no way it should have cost what it did, I am just thankful I didn't have to waste time taking some kind of course before being allowed to purchase one.
So far I'm getting 1" groups sometimes at 10 yards. That's the longest distance I can shoot at home.
You mentioned a minimum of USD200 for a starter recurve, but later mention USD150 for a beginner recurve. Which is it? For my entry puechase, I recently bought a USD140 Cartel Sirius 66 inch recurve, which was made in Korea. Are you saying that I cannot learn good form and technique from this bow? Will the quality be so bad as to mask my flaws and prevent me from improving?
The Cartel Sirius is the same type of bow that I listed examples of early in the video. It's the ideal beginner bow.
NUSensei Great! Thanks. Love your videos. BTW, which video do you cover the Cartel Sirius?
I haven't covered the Sirius. I said it's the same bow type as the brands and models I mentioned in this video. Price is not the determining factor. If you can get a basic takedown recurve for a cheaper price, then all the better.
I just bought a Samick Discovery to start archery with :O Haven't shot it yet tho xD Still arranging for a correct target at my backyard.
Would a crosman Elkhorn compound be a good starter bow? It costs around 50 dollars but all the reviews I've seen say it's good
It looks like a pretty generic youth bow. This means little adjustabiilty and little room for growth. The kit can get someone shooting, but it's going to give as much of a window into archery as a kids tricycle will introduce you into cycling. Reviews are very skewed, as the people buying these bows are getting them for very simple reasons. The bow will work, but no archer will recommend them.
Are vista monarchs cheap bows?
Hey i am thinking of saving money to get the diamond infinite edge pro but it costs alot of money. Like I didn't even use a bow yet only those cheap bows from the market. So i want to get a really cheap bow just to learn how to shoot and stuff
I just suddenly got interested in archery so is it worth it buying the diamond infinite edge pro just for practising? I dont know if i will bring it to hunting in the future
You can learn on any bow. Cheap bows will stop you from advancing, however. There is a point where a bad bow will mask your form problems, so you will not know whether it is the bow that is causing you to shoot poorly, or yourself.
What do you think of the PSE Stinger x 2015?
The cheap blue fibreglass bow you have can't accept much in the way of accessories, but if your aim is to move on to traditional instinctive archery like English longbows, is that maybe not such a bad thing?
I'm curious, and i'm sorry for commenting on such an old video, what is a bow that you'd recommend for starting if a person wants to get into it? My wife expressed that she's always wanted to do archery. and I used to do compound bow. I'd like to do re curve with her, but would like to start with an alloy bow (not wood). Do you have a suggestion?
+NUSensei how about the chinese Jandao recurve bows??? are they good? they seem legit though
They're starting to become more common in the market. They're more known for their crossbows, but their recurves look legitimate.
I feel bad bc I purchased a bow made from PVC. Awaiting shipment now.