Advice on a little bow for the better half

[BowmanBjorn]

Hi guys,

Was hoping you could give me your advice.

My wife has enjoyed using some cheap training bows at the local club and I'd like to surprise her with a bow of her own.

What I know:
- Left eye dominant
- wants a trad style recurve either 1pce or 3pce
- around 25lb and draws around 26"

What I don't know:
- what to buy!

It's her 1st bow so I don't want to go crazy on cost but do want something she will enjoy shooting and will be reliable.

What's everyone's opinions.

[bigbob]

For a budget bow that offers reliability and reasonable performance I think you would be hard pressed to go past one of the Samick range.Either John mac Donald [Amso128]or Mark from Tradbits will give you excellent service.

[AndyF]

I agree with the above. Went through the same process with my girlfriend in the last year. She started on 20lb or so club club bows, played around with a cheap 30lb Cartel recurve I got from John Mac'. And within about three months we ended up getting Nick L to make a custom longbow 34lb @ 26, which she's had since Xmas. She could easily shoot 38-40lb these days.

So don't spend much on the first bow. Before you know it she'll be shooting 30+ lbs easily. So save the decent bow until then, then she'll have something she can shoot for a year or two.

Andy

[little arrows]

Go with the cheaper bow to start with. I know quite a few females at the club, who use the cheaper bows, have a blast shooting at the club and are quite happy still shooting these bows. You also have the option of being able to purchase slightly heavier limbs as they are needed, then on-sell them at a later date.

cheers
sue

[Mick Smith]

I don't know if you already intend to buy your wife a left handed bow, but it is something I would strongly suggest, seeing as her dominant eye is the left one. It would be much easier to learn to shoot left handed from the beginning, rather than trying later on. Having the dominant eye over the arrow is a huge advantage.

[Gilly]

I agree about the left handed bow, I shoot left handed as I am left eye dominant but I am right handed, it's always more important to pick according to the eye rather than the hand.

It feels so wrong picking up a bow right handed now!

[Gringa Bows]

I think i'll put my 2 bobs worth in here,i don't believe in the eye dominance thing,unless your sight is very poor in one eye,if your shooting instinctive your looking at the target not sight and with plenty of practice your brain will adapt, as I say practice practice practice.....no need to yell

[woodie]

I bought a 35# bear paw horse bow for my little girl a few years ago, who is 15 now, and she still likes it from John McDonald. They can be shot left or right handed. It was not very expensive either.
woodie

[Jim]

I can recommend the Samick Sage. I bought one for my wife. Cheap, has been problem free for the 18 months she's had it and it's inexpensive to buy heavier limbs if she becomes so inclined. Excellent value. Just make sure you buy a fastflight string to go with it, the factory string is the worst bowstring I've ever seen.

Jim

[BowmanBjorn]

Thanks all!

yes she is left eye dominant and i have ordered a left hand bow (went through the process at the local club 1st and she is much happier shooting left handed).

have spoken with John McDonald and we have agreed on a 25lb sage lefty for her along with all of the other bits and bobs.

all i will say is that John is an absolute pleasure to deal with! whats friendly and incredibly helpful he'll be getting a good bit of my business going forward.

anyway the little lady is eagerly waiting on her new toys so i guess i;m in the good books for a while!

thanks again all what a hell of a community!

[Gringa Bows]

Good one mate glad its sorted and I agree with you John is great to deal with

[Stickbow Hunter]

Great to hear Bjorn.

Jeff