Youth Bow compound vs recurve

[Don Qui Puncher]

I have a 5 year old son and 7 year old daughter that I want to get bows for this Xmas. They have had the cheap plastic ones over the years but I think it’s time for something halfway decent. Just seeing what other parents started their kids with and why.

 

[mparks270]

Compounds were difficult for my kids to pull at that age. The low end models I tried anyway. Check out St. Joe River bows out of Michigan. They have a great setup for youth bows where the kids can trade in for an adult bow when they are old enough. Not crazy expensive and they build them in different colors. The bows made great presents for my kids, nieces and nephews.

 

[ozyclint]

Recurve. Keep it simple at that age.

 

[Point Man]

At that age, I was still shooting arrows with rubber suction tips with a drug store bow and using the bedroom door as my target.

 

[butcherboy]

Recurves are always a decent choice. Started all mine on the same little green fiberglass bear. Upgraded my son to a Diamond atomic when he was 6. Upgraded my daughter to a Stalker Weasel recurve when she was 6. My son has outgrown the Atomic and it will go to my 3rd kiddo who is now 6. My daughter who shoots the recurve is now 9 and I bought her a Hoyt Kobalt. My son will get the same bow once his Atomic is passed down. The Hoyt will adjust from I think 9 lbs to 55 lbs. draw length will go 18” to 25”. Kids can pick up a compound pretty quick and shoot well. You don’t need to go crazy with all the accessories. A cheap sight, whisker biscuit rest, quiver. They can shoot fingers or pick up an index style release. I actually wish I would have started them on compounds a little sooner.

 

[nphunter]

My kids both shot Diamond Atomics at that age. By probably 8 or 9 I moved my older son to a Hoyt Ruckus and my youngest to the Atomic. The atomic is super lightweight, small and shoots very well, I would personally go that route if it were me. They come with a whisker biscuit type rest and a small 3 pin sight. They also have awesome resell value, in a few years you will be able to get almost all of your money back if not more.

 

[OR Archer]

Keep it simple. I’d get them Genesis bows personally. Either the mini or the regular depending on their size. You can get them in a kit with arrows, quiver, and arm guard for $225. Awesome bows for kids to learn with.

 

[Scoot]

Either a recurve or a Genesis IMO. Both are good options.

 

[BWSmith]

Short story time;

Somewhere we have a pic of my youngest(of 4) shooting a 10# @16" one piece BW.... just out of diapers. It was I think,the 3rd year for the big trad shoot at Denton Hill. We were using the practice butts and I swear,the line of shooters was 3 deep and 100+ feet long.....

We used one of those cheapy little prop up targets for him. The cool part was we were effectively on the "50 yard" line and had his target out 10 or so yards.... he was shooting well,from a few paces out in front of the flag line.... mainly just to give him some elbow room.

EVERY shooter there just stopped.... and were watching. He slings his 3 arrows,steps back and then it looked liked Agincourt as the rest of the shooters cut loose. Did it again several times after a relay.

This was the early days of the resurgence in trad shooting.

 

[BWSmith]

Here's a pic from about that time. My identical twin,middle sons are shooting TD widows. One was graybark the other autumn brown.... clear glass over action wood. They were "holding" probably 15#'s or so shooting cedar that we had processed from lumber(big wood shapers in our shop drops 4 shafts at a time).

3 pics hopefully. 1st is them 25 or so years ago. Second two shots are their 3-1/2 y.o. sons(cpl months apart) very recently. They're shooting little store bought trad bows we picked up at one of the bigger shoots. So,start them young is my vote.

 

[BWSmith]

Next gen today....

 

[camelcluch]

Both my boys starts at 3 with the cartel recurve. It was about $15 from Lancaster. I zip tied a biscuit to it and let them rip. My youngest now has a Diamond Atomic. So many ways to go.