Table of Contents:
- First Things First: What to Know Before Buying Arrows
- Get Started: 1, 2, 3 – Here Comes the Arrow!
- Our Arrow Recommendations to get Started
First Things First: What to Know Before Buying Arrows
The question about the right arrows is one of the most frequent questions we get. And we say it right away: this usually can’t be answered on the spot. Not because the answer is difficult, but rather because archery is a very individual sport and therefore different archers have different requirements. There are general directives that we can follow. But in the end time and experience will make the difference. That means: the more you shoot, the more you can fine tune your complete bow, respectively your bow setup. This article is intended to go through the basics of choosing the right arrows for starters, so they won’t get lost in the jungle of the arrow market.
Archery is a holistic sport. That means: the bow, or the arrows, or other individual pieces of equipment in general can contribute nuanced, but also significantly to the overall result of the shooting process, but still no single element plays a solo piece. Archers and their archery equipment are always to be understood as a unit. With this in mind, we always want to have three basic questions clarified in advance, when it comes to the first steps in the search for the right arrows:
1. What Kind of Material do you Need?
The wide and yet quite straightforward universe of archery offers many different types of bows and with it also different disciplines and equally very different ambitious archers. Why is this fact important for the choice of arrows? The discipline determines the needed material of the arrow: wood, aluminum or carbon. Here is an example: A beginner in Olympic archery usually needs robust arrows that do not splinter and break the first time he misses a shot. Usually the choice falls on somewhat heavier but robust aluminum arrows. By now, there are also fitting carbon arrows for beginners, which are not so expensive, yet more effective than aluminium. That means: For starters the arrows should be also cheaper, because if you train a lot, or generally assume that you will increase the poundage of your bow (respectivley the limbs) any time soon and then you have to take into consideration that you’ll need a new set of arrows again. But for a tournament archer, for example, we would recommend more delicate and definitely lighter carbon arrows (even alu-carbon) because of the different requirements. And if you do traditional archery here, for example, wooden arrows would also be an interesting option. So far so good about the material.
2. What Draw Weight do you Have?
Speaking of increasing the poundage. The choice of the arrow can not be made without specifying the draw weight, because this gives an indication of whether the arrows should be harder or softer ones. In archery, the arrow stiffness is called spine. The ‚Spine‘ is used to describe the degree of deflection of the arrow shaft. The goal is for the arrow to fly as smoothly as possible at the moment of release.
So depending on your draw weight – always given in pounds – look for the right spine. But be careful: your draw weight is not always the one that is written on your limbs. This only indicates the strength for which the limb is intended, measured at a standard draw length of 28″.
From Last Chance Archery, for example, there is a bow scale that you simply hang on the string like a compound release and draw the string as usual, as if you were going to shoot the arrow. You wait a few moments in anchor position and then you can put it down again. To be on the safe side, you can repeat the procedure 1-2 times. The value is then to be understood as your actual draw weight. Alternatively, you might be able to help yourself with a suitcase scale, which works on the same principle as the bow scale.
3. What is Your Draw Lenght?
The discipline limits the arrow material selection, the poundage leads us partially to the spine and the draw length acts here like an indispensable z-axis in this coordinate system, because it is, along with the draw weight, decisive in determining the spine. Your draw length (measured from the lowest point in the nock (chord contact point) to the tip) can best be determined when you already have a fairly experienced shooting technique. For beginners and the somewhat experienced yet without a routine technique, on the other hand, it gets a little trickier. If you notice over time that the arrow is a little too long, you can correct it, but not one that is too short. With inconsistent shooting technique, the arrow length can vary as much as 2-4 inches, and with arrows that are just too short, it could even lead to an injury in case the arrow falls off the rest. This definetly shouldn’t ever happen! Therefore, take your time, go to the field -ideally with an experienced friend – and measure your draw length several times. How to best measure the draw length, you can read here.
Get Started: 1, 2, 3 – Here Comes the Arrow!
Now we actually have everything essential that it takes to make it in the arrow Amazon. Let’s get right to the practice: We know what kind of arrow our discipline requires (wood, aluminum, carbon), know how strong our bow is (draw weight/poundage) and know my draw length (the length of the complete arrow from the nock to the arrowhead) and now I can choose the arrow with the right spine. We have prepared a simple overview table for you, where you can find spine for your next set of arrows. We would like to emphasize that this table is only a rough orientation and the spine of the desired arrow may not have the exact value mentioned here in the selection. Here we complement that a range of +/- 100 does not play such a big role at least not at the beginning. The more you shoot you will notice for yourself whether you want the next set of arrows harder or softer.
| Zuggewicht | 21″ | 22″ | 23″ | 24″ | 25″ | 26″ | 27″ | 28″ | 29″ | 30″ | 31″ | 32″ | 33″ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10-16 | 2000 | 2000 | 1900 | 1600 | 1400 | 1200 | 1100 | ||||||
| 17-23 | 2000 | 1900 | 1800 | 1500 | 1300 | 1100 | 1000 | 900 | 800 | 700 | 600 | 600 | 500 |
| 24-29 | 2000 | 1800 | 1500 | 1300 | 1100 | 1000 | 900 | 800 | 700 | 600 | 600 | 500 | 500 |
| 30-35 | 1800 | 1500 | 1300 | 1100 | 1000 | 900 | 800 | 700 | 600 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 400 |
| 36-40 | 1500 | 1300 | 1100 | 1000 | 900 | 800 | 700 | 600 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 400 |
| 41-45 | 1300 | 1100 | 1000 | 900 | 800 | 700 | 600 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 400 | 350 |
| 46-50 | 1100 | 1000 | 900 | 800 | 700 | 600 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 400 | 350 | 350 |
| 51-55 | 1000 | 900 | 800 | 700 | 600 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 400 | 350 | 350 | 300 |
| 56-60 | 900 | 800 | 700 | 600 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 400 | 350 | 350 | 300 | 300 |
| 61-65 | 800 | 700 | 600 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 400 | 350 | 350 | 300 | 300 | |
| 66-70 | 700 | 600 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 400 | 350 | 350 | 300 | 300 | ||
| 71-76 | 600 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 400 | 350 | 350 | 300 | 300 |
Let’s give you an example. Let’s say our protégé XY has a draw length of 25″ and shoots a 26 lbs bow. According to the table, this would correspond to an approximate spine of 1100. Now we browse through the BS-Shop and find, for example, a good entry-level arrow from Easton, the Inspire. If we then look at the table there, we do not find an arrow with the spine of 1100, but only 1000 and 1200. We already said that a lower value means a harder and a higher number a softer arrow. If you are ambitious and thinking about increasing your draw weight soon, you can just go with the harder arrow.
Our Arrow Recommendations to get Started
All beginnings are difficult! We are well aware of that, which is why we try to overcome possible reservations about the complex topics of our favorite sport as much as possible. In any case, we can say that with this table you will quickly get a foot into the sport. But if you want to stay inside, there is no way around „shooting“ and finding the ideal arrow.
To make the start into archery as easy as possible, we have put together different „starters“ for you:
Avalon Fletched Arrow Tyro 4.2
For the fast and the furious among you, where nothing can go fast enough, we have our top seller listed at the top: Tyro, fletched arrows from Avalon are everything what the name actually already implies. The arrow is completely prepared and ready to use. Nock nocked, vanes glued, points in. That doesn’t sound bad at first, but is there a catch perhaps? The arrows come in fixed lengths and are -as ready as they are- difficult to shorten afterwards. In addition, you can not choose the colors of the feathers, as well as Avalon can not guarantee that you can get at least a colorwise identical set of the arrows. You should know about these facts beforehand, if you have specific ideas about the style of your arrows. But for those who don’t mind: these arrows are exactly what they pretend to be. Ready to use.
2. Avalon Fletched Arrow Classic 4.2
Even though they are our top sellers, Avalon’s Tyros series is actually not the only one in the fletched arrows segment. So if you don’t like the arrow length offered or the motley feathers on the Tyros, you might well be happier with the Avalon Classic. Even though you have no influence on the color choice here, you can at least enjoy a set of 12 arrows in the same color combo. The arrow shaft is again already nocked and fletched and the corresponding points are included, but you have to glue them in yourself. May sound like you have to do more, but this little detail here makes a huge difference. Mainly because you can cut the arrow according to your measured draw length before gluing the points and thus shoot more reliably. So if you wish to purchase fletched arrows in general, we would recommend the Avalon Classics.
3. Easton Fletched Arrow Inspire
Again for the quick starters among you, there is a qualitative alternative to the Tyro 4.2 with the Inspire series from the well-known manufacturer Easton. The arrows are sold singly and again come with nocked nocks and are already colorfully fletched with points, that are already glued in.
4. Fletched Arrows From Gold Tip ‚Traditional‘ and Easton ‚Carbon Legacy‘
Technic meets tradition. In this spirit, we offer the traditionalists among you fletched carbon arrows wrapped in a beautiful wooden coat.
The Gold Tips are fletched with 4″ natural feathers and a GT nock as well as matching inserts. Advantageous is again that the tips are enclosed separately, so that the arrow can be cut to the correct length before gluing. This arrow is available for purchase in sets of 6 or 72.
The Legacy series from Easton is an interesting newcomer in the fletched arrows segment and as the manufacturer proudly describes in its intro video, the wooden look with a classy white finish is really well done. The arrow, again, is already fletched with 4″ natural feathers, with fitting nocks and inserts.
But let’s be honest. Would a skydiver just want to buy his parachute and jump off right away? Well, (we hope) of course not. In principle, it is no different with the arrows of archers. Assembling an arrow yourself is by any means no witchcraft. On the contrary. Once you have familiarized yourself with the subject, you will actually find a lot of joy and mental preparation in this activity of nocking, fletching and point gluing. And with this sentence I have already told you about all the things you need to achieve this great DIY happiness. Not even on the issue of ’shortening arrows‘ should bother you. If we can make you curious with our video, we’d be happy.
What you would need in addition to the shaft would be nocks, points and vanes. Ideally, you would need a fletching tool and, of course, glue.
