How to Choose Your First Bow (2026 Beginner’s Guide)

Walking into a pro shop or scrolling through online archery retailers can feel like learning a new language: draw weight, axle-to-axle, let-off, ILF. If you’re wondering how to choose your first bow without spending a fortune on the wrong gear, you’re not alone. Here’s everything you need to know before buying — straight from a coach who’s helped hundreds of beginners pick their first setup.

Recurve or Compound? Start With the Right Style

Before you compare brands or price tags, you need to decide between the two main bow types: recurve and compound. This single decision shapes your entire archery experience — and your budget.

A recurve bow is what you see in the Olympics. It has curved limb tips that store and release energy directly into the arrow. Recurves are lighter, mechanically simpler, and teach you clean form from day one. At OnPoint Archery, every beginner who walks through our doors starts on a recurve — usually a wooden takedown bow in the 18-22 lb range. You learn to feel the shot without any crutches, and that foundation transfers to every other style.

A compound bow uses a system of cables and cams (elliptical wheels) that create “let-off” — at full draw, you’re holding as little as 20-25% of the peak weight. This makes aiming steadier and more forgiving, which is why compound dominates hunting and 3D target archery. Compounds cost more up front (entry-level packages start around $400-600 CAD vs. $150-250 for a quality beginner recurve) and require more maintenance, but they reward you with tighter groups faster.

“Every archer I’ve coached who bought their first bow too heavy quit within two months.”

How to Choose Your First Bow in 4 Steps

1. Shoot before you shop — take an intro session firstBook a 1-hour archery intro ($39.99 at OnPoint) and try both recurve and compound under coach supervision. You’ll learn your natural draw length and what weight feels comfortable after 30 arrows — not just the first five. This alone prevents 90% of bad purchases.
2. Measure your draw length and pick the right bow sizeYour draw length determines bow size. For recurve, a 66″ bow fits most adults with a 26-29″ draw. For compound, draw length is set mechanically — get measured at a pro shop. Youth archers under 5’2″ should look at 54-62″ recurves or highly adjustable compound bows like the Diamond Infinite Edge.
3. Buy a ready-to-shoot package, not bare partsReady-to-shoot (RTS) packages bundle the bow, sight, arrow rest, stabilizer, and quiver. For recurves, brands like Samick Sage and Galaxy Aspire include everything you need for $150-200. For compound, the Bear Archery Cruzer G3 or Diamond Edge 320 are highly adjustable entry packages at $450-550. Avoid piecing together components as a first-timer — you’ll miss compatibility issues.
4. Budget for arrows, a release aid, and a caseArrows run $6-12 CAD each (carbon, pre-fletched for beginners) and you’ll want at least six. Compound shooters need a release aid ($40-80). Add a bow case ($50-80) and arm guard ($15). Total accessories budget: $120-200 on top of the bow.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know what draw weight to start with for my first bow?

Beginners should start at 18-22 lb for recurve or 40-50 lb for compound with high let-off (75%+). If you can’t hold the bow at full draw for 10 seconds without shaking, it’s too heavy. Your first session at a range will confirm the right weight.

Can I learn how to choose your first bow online without visiting a pro shop?

You can research online, but nothing replaces holding the bow. Draw length measurements in person are far more accurate than at-home estimates, and feeling the grip and mass weight of different bows changes your decision significantly. Take one intro session before buying.

What’s the total cost to get started with archery in Toronto?

A complete beginner recurve setup (bow + arrows + accessories) runs $300-450 CAD. A starter compound package with release aid and arrows is $550-900 CAD. At OnPoint Archery, you can rent equipment during your first several sessions while you decide.

Should kids start with a recurve or compound bow?

Kids aged 7-12 do best on lightweight recurves (12-16 lb) because they’re physically simpler and lighter to hold. By age 13+, highly adjustable compounds become a great option since they grow with the archer. OnPoint’s youth programs start everyone on recurve for the first 6-8 lessons.

About the Author
Coach Sam is an NCCP-certified beginner archery coach with 6 years of experience at OnPoint Archery in Scarborough, Toronto. Sam specializes in first-time archer onboarding, equipment selection, and technique fundamentals, having fitted over 600 new archers with their first bow. His philosophy: “Nobody should buy a bow until they’ve shot one first — your body knows what feels right before your brain does.”