Compound bows are notable because they look a lot more complicated than regular bows, consisting of multiple components like cables and strings. The use of compound bows in hunting and target practice has increased over the years, and more women are getting involved daily.
What Determines The Best Compound Bows For Women? The best compound bows for women weigh less than other bows and require a lower level of strength to be drawn, making them easy to control and carry about.
An Ivy Panda essay explains that compound bows are special because of their cams (pulleys). The cams allow you to draw the string fully with the smallest amount of physical strain possible.
Why Are Compound Bows Good For Women?
Compound bows are good for women because they are lighter, easier to maneuver, and shorter than traditional bows, making them more ideal for both female hunters and female archers.
Although there are many female hunters and archers, it seems that it is still a sport dominated by the male gender. Because of this, it’s not always clear where to get the best equipment for female archers and female hunters.
When it comes to bow selection, most bows on the market are designed and manufactured for men, so women often have trouble choosing the right one for them. The best bow for women is the one that is designed to fit properly.
This means that the draw has both draw weight and draw length correct. These two things are the most important things to consider when choosing a bow befitting for female archers and hunters, and compound bows have all of these.
In modern archery, a compound bow is a bow that uses a system of levers (usually cables and pulleys) to bend the limbs. In general, compound bows are widely used in shooting practice and hunting.
The compound bow was designed in 1966 by Holless Wilbur Allen of North Kansas City, Missouri, and was granted a United States patent in 1969. Compound bows are becoming more and more popular. In the United States, compound bows are the mainstream.
Several companies manufacture compound bows specifically for women. These bows are less-heavier, easy to use, and shorter in length than the usual bows made especially for their male counterparts, which makes them more proper for both lady hunters and lady archers.
Recognizing the importance of this growing women’s market, manufacturers have developed a wide range of women’s compound bow packages suitable for both veterans and beginners. The number of compound bows for women has increased significantly, making it a priority to choose the best women’s compound bow for maximum productivity.
Compound bows are easier to draw, aim and shoot. Their cams or wheels roll over during the draw to reduce the draw weight of the bow when fully drawn. This reduction can reach as high as 90%. This means that an archer can draw a maximum of 70 lbs. He can only hold 7 lbs when the bow is fully drawn with his weight.
Reproducibility is important for accuracy. To be consistent, you have to do the same shot after shot. A compound bow has a defined draw stop. The string can only be pulled before part of the cam hits a limb or cable and the cycle stops.
This makes the power stroke of the bow the same for every shot. Archers shoot compound bows using a mechanical release aid or trigger. These devices allow you to fire accurate and identical arrows on every shot.
Are There Different Types Of Compound Bows
Yes, there are four main types of compound bows – Single Cam Compound Bows, Twin or Dual Cam Compound Bows, Hybrid Cam Compound Bows, and Binary Cam Compound Bows.
Bows are one of the oldest, most popular, and most useful tools in the world of hunting. There are many ways to hunt, but none are as fun and convenient as this one – using compound bows.
As well as hunting, the art of archery is gaining a lot of attention, attracting both men and women. There are many options to choose from that are made out of the various types of compound bows at the moment, so let us focus on the four types of compound bows.
Single Cam Compound Bows:
A single cam compound bow has only one power cam to bend the limbs of the bow and generate the energy that propels the arrow. The power cam is typically mounted on the lower leg of a single cam compound bow, with the upper leg housing the idler gear.
This simplicity in design of the Single Cam Bow is widely accepted among shooters due to its ease of maintenance and adjustment. Some single cam bows are optimized for smoothness, while other compound types can be more aggressive and speed-oriented.
Some have cam movement issues that lead to rough flight, some don’t. However, all single cam compound bows are accurate to an acceptable level. The main issue with the single cam compound is cam travel. The wheels are idle while the power cams are spinning, which puts uneven pressure on the arrow knock. This uneven pressure causes arrow flight problems, which the dual cam system attempts to correct.
Twin or Dual Cam Compound Bows:
Twin or dual cam compound bows, like the name, entails, have two cams that work together in one bow configuration to create more draw weight to propel the arrow. The two cams can be circular or oval, but both must look the same to be properly synchronized.
In comparison to single-cam bows, dual-cam bows have more power and speed than single-cam bows but are prone to synchronization issues.
These issues are a result of that design. Since the two cams work independently, there is a risk that one will rotate slightly ahead of the other. This results in string stretching issues. This means that the forces in the upper and lower extremities are not perfectly balanced.
It might be a very small amount, but it still causes problems with arrow knock movement. Luckily, modern dual cam bows have better strings that don’t stretch as much as older bowstring technology.
Less string stretch prevents the cam from coming off too easily. However, the dual-cam compound must be checked by a qualified bow technician at least once a season to ensure that the bow is of the highest accuracy. Synchronization issues aside, the Dual Cam Bow is a lot of fun to shoot. It offers more power and precision than a single cam and more adjustment options.
Hybrid Cam Compound Bows:
The Hybrid Cam Compound Bow is a further development of the Twin Cam Bow. They are designed to solve the sync problems that arise from dual cam operation. Both cam discs are automatically synchronized, making bow adjustments easier and reducing overall maintenance needs.
The hybrid and twin or dual cam bow types have two cams each, but the hybrid cam compound bow has only one power cam and one control cam.
A dual cam setup has cables going from two cams to the opposite rim, while a hybrid setup only has a cable going from the bottom cam to the top rim. The cable from the upper cam is connected to the lower cam instead of the link.
This makes the bottom cam a power cam and the top cam follows its movement. With both cams automatically synchronized, the hybrid bow is easier to adjust and requires less maintenance overall.
Therefore, hybrid cam bows offer very good speed and accuracy like dual cam compound bows but don’t suffer from the synchronization issues of dual cam compound bows.
Binary Cam Compound Bows:
Another type of compound bow is the binary cam compound bow, which is an evolution of the hybrid cam compound bows. Like the dual cam setup, the binary cam compound bow has two active cams.
Cables from two cams are connected to the opposite cam. This means that the cable from the top cam connects to the bottom cam and the cable from the bottom cam connects to the top cam.
Such an arrangement makes both curves dependent on the movement of the other, creating dynamics that are quite different from other compound bows.
A binary cam bow produces enough power for high-speed arrows and the two cams coordinate with each other. Imperfections in the limbs are smoothed out for clean and precise arrow ejection.
What Size Compound Bow Is Right For Me?
To get the right compound bow size for you, you need to measure your wingspan. Extend your arms out to the sides and have someone measure a straight line from the tip of one middle finger to the other. Then divide the number gotten by 2.5 to estimate the length of the draw.
If you’re unsure or just want to buy a bow without too much tweaking, go to a pro shop and see what you’re comfortable drawing. There are ways to decide on a comfortable compound bow, however.
As long as you choose a bow that allows at least 1-2 inches of adjustment in each direction, you should be fine. To get your accurate draw length, get someone to measure your arm length from fingertip to fingertip, and then divide the number by 2.5.
It may need to be a little longer or a little shorter depending on the type of release you’re using and whether you’re using string loops.
What Is A Good Bow Weight For A Woman?
A good bow weight for a woman ranges between 10 pounds to 45 pounds. The exact weight value depends on the woman’s age, body size, and general strength.
One thing to know when choosing a befitting compound bow is that you don’t want to overstretch yourself when choosing draw weights.
You might worry that your bow will grow out of size quickly, but when you get a bow that pulls harder than you can handle, you might be harming yourself.
So, here are some suggestions for draw weights according to age brackets:
- Young Girls (Ages 8-12): 10 – 18 lbs
- Teenage Girls (12-14 years old): 16 – 26 lbs
- Older Teen Girls (15-18 years): 24 – 35 lbs
- Young or Petite Women: 28 – 40 lbs
- Stronger Women: 35 to 45 lbs
Luckily, most compound bows have at least 10 pounds of adjustable draw weight. So if you need to start around 20 pounds, you can find a bow that will accommodate 20-30 pounds and give you room to grow.
There is also new technology on the market that allows some compound bows to be adjusted over a very wide weight range without needing to change limbs.
How Much Does A Decent Compound Bow Cost?
A lot of compound bows cost over $1,000, however, you can find quality bows for less than $500. A more expensive bow is not necessarily more accurate. In fact, some faster, more expensive bows pose problems for beginners.
There are a lot of good-quality hunting bows out there, but they’re half the price one would think they are. There are a variety of great hunting bows ranging from $400 to $800. Most people refer to these as budget bows, however, this would just be putting a label on the tag.
These are the best compound bows for the money and offer top-notch features. However, for less than about $400 on a hunting bow, you probably aren’t getting a quality product.
An example of a compound bow that has impressive qualities and does not cost a whole lot of money is the Bear Archery Cruzer G2 Compound Bow. Its draw weight can be adjusted from 5 to 70 lbs, and it currently costs less than $400.
What Accessories Do I Need With A Compound Bow?
The common and necessary accessories to have with a compound bow include Bow Releases, Arrow Rests, Bow Sights, Archery Quivers, Bow Stabilizers, Archery Bow String, and String Accessories.
Whether you just bought a new compound bow or just want to improve your old compound bow, you can add accessories to your compound bow to improve its performance and appearance.
To stack more arrows in your bullseye than you thought possible, head to an archery store and explore the accessory options.