Wooden VS. Metal Recurve Bows

As we all know, a Recurve Bow consists of a Riser and Limbs, the riser provides support for the bow, and the limbs provide energy storage. A good bow cannot be made without the perfect cooperation of riser and limbs, So do you know how the material affects the performance of the bow?

In this article, we take the common brands and models of recurve bows on the market as an example, just as a reference for you to choose Archery Equipment.

Beginners have a variety of material risers to choose from when choosing a recurve bow, nylon, wood or metal. We can initially judge the characteristics of these materials: nylon for light weight, wood for good feel, and metal for durability, but if you want to choose the archery equipment that best suits your needs, then you'll want to take a closer look at the following:

• If you are a Beginner Archer, a Wooden Recurve Bow is your first choice, the lightweight riser is good for your training posture, comfortable to hold in your hands and less likely to slip off when your hands get sweaty.
• If you want to take your Archery Skills to the next level, then you may need to install some auxiliary accessories to optimize the performance of the bow, then the Metal Recurve Bow can scientifically and evenly distribute the weight to achieve balance.
• If you choose a Recurve Bow for Kids, then safety is your primary concern. Smooth, lightweight nylon recurve bows are both inexpensive and fun for your kids.

Once we know the material of the Recurve Bow Riser, then let's talk about its process. Most of the wooden risers on the market are made of wood/composite hybrid materials laminated to avoid traditional wood defects: insects, deformation, etc. Strength, rigidity with the warmth and looks of exotic wood. 

Most of the metal risers on the market are made of aluminum (6061 Aluminum or 7075 Aluminum, 7075 aluminum is stronger than 6061 aluminum), the processing of risers is divided into Die-Casting and CNC Machining, CNC machining is more scientific and precise than die-casting, of course, the price is also more expensive. The production process of the riser determines the durability of the bow.

Compared to the bow riser, the impact of Bow Limbs on bow performance is more worth exploring. Beginner limbs are usually made from wood, foam and fiberglass; while advanced limbs use wood, bamboo, foam and carbon. The chief difference in price is materials.

Wood core / Fiberglass Limbs: 

Wood cores (hard rock maple or bamboo) are the industry standard. Bamboo has the reputation of elastic performance and fiberglass is the most popular and dependable bow backing material. Limbs made with these materials offer superb performance characteristics, holding bow performance relatively constant under most conditions.

Foam core / Fiberglass Limbs: 

Foam core is faster, lighter in weight, with more feedback from each shot.

Wood core / Carbon Limbs: 

Energy efficiency is not easily affected by temperature, fast arrow speed and quick rebound, but when tested at maximum draw length, there will be a strong sense of "hitting the wall",  which requires high muscle strength.

Foam core / Carbon Limbs: 

Gentle draw-foce curve, mild muscle stimulation at maximum draw length, stable rebound and high forgiveness rate. However, the arrow speed is not fast enough, and the energy efficiency is easily reduced under long outdoor exposure.

Please note that the choice of core materials will not affect the draw-feel of the bow. The draw-force curve generated by any bow is a direct result of the string angles interacting to the geometry of the limbs.

Choose your archery equipment rationally and keep one rule: No perfect equipment, practice makes perfect!