What draw weight should a beginner use?

Short answer: most adult beginners should start at 20 lbs. If you've shot a bow before and enjoyed it, 30 lbs is a good place to start. Children aged 6 to 12 are best on 15 lbs. Starting too heavy is the most common mistake new archers make, and it's the easiest one to avoid.

What does "draw weight" mean?

Draw weight is the force it takes to pull the string back to full draw, measured in pounds (lbs). By convention it's measured at a 28-inch draw. If your arms are shorter and you draw less than 28 inches, the bow will feel slightly lighter than the number on the limb. If you draw further, it will feel slightly heavier.

A heavier bow shoots faster and further. But you won't need that speed in a back garden. At 10 to 20 metres, a 20 lb bow sends an arrow firmly into the target.

Which draw weight should you choose?

Not sure which row you're in? Pick the lighter option. Nobody ever regretted starting light. Plenty of people have given up because their first bow was too heavy.

Why lighter is better when you start

• Good habits come first. Archery is about repeating the same shot again and again: stance, draw, anchor, release. You can only learn that when you can hold the bow steady without straining.
• You'll shoot more arrows. A comfortable bow lets you shoot 30 or 40 arrows in an evening. A heavy one tires you out after ten, and you go back inside.
• Your groups will be tighter. When your arm shakes at full draw, your arrows go everywhere. A lighter bow brings them together sooner, and that's what keeps you coming back.
• Your shoulders will thank you. The muscles archery uses aren't the ones you train at the gym. They need a few weeks to adapt, even if you're strong.

The 10-second test: is it too heavy?

Draw the bow to your anchor point, with your hand touching the same spot on your face every time. Hold it there. If you can hold it steady for 10 seconds, the weight is right for you. Never release the string without an arrow on it, though. Ease it back down slowly.

The weight is probably too heavy if:

• your bow arm shakes before you're ready to release;
• you can't reach the same anchor point twice in a row;
• you lift the bow up towards the sky to get the string back;
• your shoulder aches after a dozen arrows.

Won't I outgrow a 20 lb bow?

Eventually, maybe. That's normal, and it's a good sign. But many garden archers shoot happily at 20 to 30 lbs for years. A good rule: move up only when you can hold your current bow at full draw for 30 seconds, comfortably, at the end of a session. When you feel ready for longer distances, the Next Step Kit comes in 30 or 35 lbs, built for your second season.

Buying as a gift?

Choose 20 lbs for an adult, or 15 lbs for a child aged 6 to 12. It's the safe choice for anyone who has never shot before. The First Draw Starter Kit fits both left- and right-handed archers, so there's nothing else to get wrong.

One more thing before your first shot

Make sure you know which hand holds the bow. It depends on your eyes, not on the hand you write with. Take the 5-second eye test before you string up.

See the First Draw Starter Kit (20 or 30 lbs) · See the First Draw Junior Kit (15 lbs)