Archery Equipment Guides

Equipment articles here focus on how each piece of gear works and which specifications matter for your draw length, draw weight, and shooting style. Understanding the fundamentals makes every buying decision easier.

Indoor archery range with arrows in floor stands at the shooting line and target faces on the wall — Photo: Martin Michlmayr

57 articles

Wooden bowstring serving tool holding a spool of dark serving thread, with the thread running out through a slot in the base

Gear

How Long Do Bow Strings Last? When to Replace Them

How long do bow strings last? What Hoyt, Bear and string makers recommend, how storage affects strings, signs of wear, and when to replace string and cables.

October 19, 2026 · 10 min read

Diagram of three ways sight pins glow in low light: fibre-optic pins, a battery sight light and self-luminous pins

Gear

Are Lighted Bow Sights Legal for Hunting?

Are lighted bow sights legal? How fibre-optic, battery-lit and self-luminous pins differ, how state rules treat them, with Wyoming and Kansas examples.

October 17, 2026 · 9 min read

Top-view diagram of a crossbow with six numbered maintenance points: rail, string and cables, limbs, serving and trigger, scope mounts and cocking device

Gear

Crossbow Maintenance: A Complete Checklist

A crossbow maintenance checklist: pre-shoot inspection, waxing string and cables, rail lube, checking bolts and screws, storage and string replacement.

October 16, 2026 · 9 min read

Compound archer at full draw with a release aid held at the jaw and the string touching the face

Gear

What Is a Release Aid? Types and How to Choose

What is a release aid? How index finger, thumb button, hinge and resistance releases work, who each suits, how to fit one, and the safest way to start using it.

October 16, 2026 · 10 min read

Foam 3D badger target with arrows in it on a woodland field archery course

Gear

Archery Targets for Broadheads: What Works

Which archery targets work with broadheads: bag, layered foam, 3D and self-healing foam, crossbow ratings, replaceable cores and arrow removal.

October 14, 2026 · 9 min read

Outdoor archery range with covered target stands at marked distances under pine trees

Gear

Can Archery Targets Be Left Outside?

Can archery targets be left outside? How sun, rain, freezing and animals affect bag, foam, 3D and straw targets, and how to cover and store them.

October 14, 2026 · 7 min read

Labelled diagram of a crossbow bolt showing the point, insert, shaft, vanes, index vane and nock, with typical length

Gear

Crossbow Bolts Explained: Length, Weight, Nocks

Crossbow bolts explained: carbon vs aluminium, length, minimum weight, front-of-centre balance, nock types, lighted nocks, inspection and how to choose.

October 13, 2026 · 10 min read

Traditional archer wearing a purple arm guard on the bow arm while drawing a long bow

Gear

Arm Guards, Finger Tabs and Gloves: Do You Need Them?

Arm guards, finger tabs and archery gloves explained: what each protects, why string slap happens, tab vs glove vs release, sizing and fit, and common mistakes.

October 11, 2026 · 9 min read

Hunter in a camouflage cap looking through binoculars

Gear

How to Choose a Rangefinder for Bowhunting

How to choose a bowhunting rangefinder: angle compensation, bow modes, scan and target priority, display, magnification, bow-mounted units and field use.

October 11, 2026 · 9 min read

Black-and-white photo of a scoped hunting crossbow resting on a fallen log in a forest

Gear

Crossbow Broadheads: What's Different, How to Choose

Crossbow broadheads explained: why crossbow versions exist, fixed vs mechanical at crossbow speeds, broadhead and bolt weight, legal rules and safe handling.

October 9, 2026 · 9 min read

Close-up of an archer at full draw with a compound bow, the string touching the face at the anchor point

Gear

Kisser Button and Peep Sight: What They Do, Where They Go

Kisser buttons and peep sights explained: what each does, where they go, how to install and tie in a peep, fixing peep rotation, and kisser vs nose button.

October 9, 2026 · 8 min read

A two-colour Flemish twist bowstring in brown and white, with twisted end loops at each end and a dark centre serving

Gear

Flemish Twist vs Endless Loop Bowstrings

Flemish twist bow string or endless loop? How each is built, what makers say about speed and loop protection, and how to twist a string to set brace height.

October 3, 2026 · 4 min read

Simplified side view of a compound bow showing string silencers on the string between the cams and grip, a string stop rod from the riser with a rubber tip at the string, and limb dampeners on the upper and lower limbs, with notes on each

Gear

String Silencers and Limb Dampeners Explained

Bow string silencers, string stops and limb dampeners: what each does, where it fits, which need a bow press, and what maker claims do and don't prove.

September 28, 2026 · 5 min read

Diagram: white-tailed deer have two cone types peaking near 450 to 460 nm and 537 nm plus rods near 497 nm, with no cone at the red end; maker data shows fluorescent string colours up to 12% larger in diameter (BCY), 8125 diameters from .070 to .087 in and some colours up to 24% heavier (OCD Strings); no independent tests found on colour and speed, deer reactions or fading

Gear

Does Bowstring Colour Matter?

Does bow string color matter for hunting or accuracy? What deer vision research shows, what string makers measured about dyes, and how to choose a colour.

September 12, 2026 · 4 min read

Four-column compound bow maintenance chart: every session inspect string, cables, accessories, arrows, limbs and cams; regularly wax strings (Hoyt every two weeks in peak use, Mathews monthly or more), clean the sight and store away from heat; yearly shop inspection and Hoyt's 2,000-shot or two-year string and cable interval; never DIY press work, string accessories, limb bolts past the limit or shooting after a dry fire

Gear

Compound Bow Maintenance Checklist

Compound bow maintenance by interval: what to check every session, how often makers say to wax, the yearly shop list, storage and the jobs never to DIY.

September 7, 2026 · 5 min read

Simplified diagram comparing a strap-on bow hanger on a tree beside a stand platform, with a haul line to the bow on the ground, and a hanger hooked over a hub pole inside a ground blind, plus public-land rules from Missouri and Pennsylvania and Texas safety advice

Gear

Bow Hangers for Tree Stands and Ground Blinds

Deer hunting bow hangers explained: screw-in vs strap-on for tree stands, public-land rules on tree damage, ground blind hangers and haul line safety.

September 5, 2026 · 5 min read

Simplified side-view diagram of four crossbow shooting rests: a monopod, a bipod, a tripod with a fore-end cradle and a rest fixed inside a ground blind with the limbs clear of the window, each supporting the fore-end behind the limbs, with the string path along the rail marked and a warning to keep limbs, cables and string clear of obstructions

Gear

Crossbow Shooting Sticks and Rests

Crossbow tripod, bipod, monopod or blind rest? How each one steadies a heavy crossbow, what it costs you in weight, and how to keep limbs and fingers clear.

Updated October 6, 2026 · 5 min read

Over-the-shoulder view of a long-haired archer at full draw with a camouflage compound bow, aiming at a target in a backyard clearing

Gear

Bows for Women: Fit Matters More Than Colour

Choosing a compound bow for women or a recurve? Draw length, draw weight, grip and mass weight matter more than a women's label. How to check each one.

August 24, 2026 · 5 min read

Simplified diagram of four places to put a camera when filming a bowhunt: a tree arm clamped beside the stand at hip height, a small camera on the bow's stabilizer, a head or hat camera, and a tripod on the ground, with a note that Oregon allows bow cameras with no other function while Washington's rule allows only illuminated nocks

Gear

Filming Your Hunt: Stabilizer and Tree Cameras

Bow stabilizer camera, tree arm or head cam? How each films a bowhunt, why bow-mounted footage shakes, phone mounts, state rules and filming ethics.

Updated October 6, 2026 · 5 min read

Simplified diagram of four bowfishing points, a carp point with a six-sided tip, a gar point with a sharper three-sided tip, a four-barb point whose barbs fold on the shot, and a big game point with line tied to the point and a ring, above a complete fibreglass fish arrow showing the nock, cross-hole, safety slide, shaft with no vanes and barbed point

Gear

Bowfishing Arrows and Points Explained

What are bowfishing arrows made of? Mostly fiberglass, with barbed points, a safety slide or ring for the line and no vanes. What makers list, and why.

August 6, 2026 · 5 min read

Simplified diagram of two lighted nock designs: a contact nock that stays off with a small gap and lights when the string drives it fully against the shaft end, and a string-activated switch nock with a piston, beside maker-listed weights of 15 to 34 grains and a pre-hunt checklist

Gear

Lighted Nocks: How They Work and Where They're Legal

Crossbow lighted nocks and lighted nocks for arrows: how they switch on, what they weigh, why to re-check your sight, and where they're legal.

Updated October 6, 2026 · 5 min read

A girl wearing an arm guard on her bow arm aims a wooden recurve at a camp archery range while an adult chaperone watches beside her

Gear

Arm Guards, Gloves and Tabs for Young Archers

Does your child need an arm guard, finger tab or archery glove for kids? What youth programmes require, how each piece should fit, and where eye safety fits in.

July 20, 2026 · 4 min read

Simplified top-view diagram of a crossbow rigged for bowfishing: a heavy fibreglass bolt with a half-moon nock and barbed point, a reel on a mount below the barrel, and line running to a ring near the front of the bolt, beside AMS's crossbow kit contents and notes that Texas allows crossbows for bowfishing while Minnesota allows them only with a disability permit

Gear

Crossbow Bowfishing: Rigs, Reels and Rules

Crossbow fishing explained: how a crossbow bowfishing kit mounts a reel, why fish bolts use a ring for the line, and which states allow it.

Updated October 6, 2026 · 4 min read

Top-view diagram of a bow hand on a riser showing a finger sling looped from thumb to finger in front of the riser, a loose wrist strap around the wrist and riser, and a wrist sling fixed under the stabiliser

Gear

Wrist Sling vs Finger Sling: Which Is Right?

What is a bow wrist sling used for, and how does a finger sling differ? How each one works, who uses which, fitting tips and what World Archery rules allow.

Updated October 6, 2026 · 4 min read

A muskie lying over a silty bottom, lit from above by a night bowfishing boat's lights

Gear

Night Bowfishing: Lights, Boats and Setup

How to set up a bowfishing boat for night shooting: light types and power, deck layout, generator safety, navigation lights and night bowfishing rules.

May 10, 2026 · 4 min read

Simplified diagram of .010, .019 and .029 inch sight pins drawn in proportion over the same target at 20 and 60 yards, showing the larger pin covering more of the smaller-looking distant target

Gear

Bow Sight Pin Size: .010 vs .019 vs .029

Bow sight pin size explained: how .010, .019 and .029 inch pins trade brightness for target coverage, which suits hunting, and what helps in low light.

April 21, 2026 · 4 min read

Simplified diagram of three kinds of bowstring wear: light fuzz on the strands marked watch (wax and inspect), a cut or broken strand marked stop (replace the string), and a gap in the serving marked pro shop, with quotes from 60X Custom Strings, BCY Fibers and Hoyt

Gear

Can You Repair a Frayed Bowstring?

Can you repair a frayed bow string? What Hoyt, BCY, Mathews and 60X say about fuzz, broken strands and serving gaps, and why a damaged string is replaced.

April 2, 2026 · 4 min read

Simplified diagram of three bow sight mounts on a compound riser: a standard direct mount whose bracket bolts to threaded holes on the riser face above the shelf, a dovetail mount where a bar slides into a bowmount and locks with a knob or set screw, and a Picatinny mount where a bracket clamps to a slotted rail on the front of the riser

Gear

Bow Sight Mounts: Dovetail, Picatinny and Brackets

Bow sight dovetail mount, Picatinny rail or standard bracket? How each attaches to the riser, whether bow sights are universal, and what to check before buying.

March 16, 2026 · 4 min read

Simplified diagram of spin vanes: an end view comparing flat standard vanes with strongly curled spin vanes, a side view of a curled vane pressed onto double-sided fletching tape on the shaft, and five fitting steps from World Archery's guide: clean, mark three lines, tape and press, wrap lining tape over the vane ends, shoot with no glue to cure

Gear

Spin Vanes Explained: Curled Vanes for Target Arrows

Spin vanes explained: what curled spin wing vanes do, why recurve target archers use them, rest clearance, and why they're taped on rather than glued in a jig.

Updated October 6, 2026 · 4 min read

Diagram of a recurve plunger: a cutaway seen from above showing the tip against the arrow, threaded body through the riser, locknut, spring and tension screw, plus a view from behind with the arrow point just outside the string for centre shot

Gear

What Is a Plunger (Pressure Button)?

Archery: what is a plunger? How a recurve bow plunger sets centre shot and cushions the arrow, what spring tension does, and plunger vs arrow rest.

Updated October 8, 2026 · 4 min read

Explore other topics

Group of young students at the shooting line practising with colourful beginner bows

Guides

Step-by-step archery guides for beginners: choosing a first bow, understanding draw weight and draw length, safety basics, and what gear you actually need.

Browse

Close-up of an archer's drawing hand with a leather finger tab on the string at anchor

Training

Archery technique and training articles covering stance, anchor point, release, aiming methods, practice routines, and fixing common form problems.

Browse

Olympic recurve archer at full draw with a red competition riser and sight at London 2012

Reviews

Research-based archery product reviews and buying guides that explain specifications, intended use, and trade-offs, clearly separating facts from opinion.

Browse

Two modern compound bows with cams, cables, stabilisers and sights standing on grass

Comparisons

Side-by-side archery comparisons: compound vs recurve, carbon vs aluminum arrows, and other decisions explained with the key differences that actually matter.

Browse

Crowd-filled stands at the Olympic archery venue at Lord's Cricket Ground, London 2012

News

Archery news and updates: competitions, rule changes, notable equipment releases, and developments in the sport.

Browse

Archery shop wall lined with compound and recurve bows, arrows and accessories

Equipment

Every article organised by the gear it covers: recurve and compound bows, arrows, sights, rests, releases, targets, protective gear and bowhunting.

Browse