There can be no lure more pleasurable than the twang of the bowstring as arrow sails towards its target. It is the best introduction to the adrenaline-filled activity called Archery. Archery is a medieval sport as well as wartime activity. In the old days, it was the first line of defense against invaders. The near-silent kills were also important for assassinations and covert attacks. The art of archery was important to slay dangerous animals and hunt for food. The materials used for making the bows and arrows were transient and yielding. Therefore, the archers of the past faced many difficulties in landing the perfect hit.
Archery Today
Archery, as we know today, is quite different than the activity of the days past. Although it is just as disciplined, it enjoys the perks of better equipment and easier training conditions. Compound bows and mechanical drawstrings have taken much effort out of the modern archery. The archers, therefore, have less physical strain than their past contemporaries.
The past archers had deformities of the hands, forearms, neck, and back due to continued stress of unstable arrows and heavy bows. To counter this, modern archery has designed posture friendly equipment with long-lasting and flexible equipment. For beginners, the selection of archery equipment can be a bit daunting. However, many online resources and personal trainers are available to teach the correct use of such gear.
Bow
Bows are the most important resource for anyone beginner level archers. There are several materials, sizes, and types of the bow to consider. One must choose the most appropriate combination based on size, the purpose of training, and endurance level. The different types of bows are crossbows, compound bows, longbows, and laminated
bows. Compound and crossbows are mechanically drawn while all the other bows have to be drawn manually.
Arrows
Arrows are simple to understand. They consist of a shaft, an arrowhead, and a nock. The shaft of the arrows were wood or bamboo branches in the old days as they could be easily replaced. Nowadays, arrow shafts require carbon fiber, aluminum alloy, glass, and other composite materials for their construction. Fletchings are protrusions near the base of the arrow. Traditionally feather-made, these are now prepared from thin sheet-like plastic vanes. Arrows have at least 3 fletches and could have as many as six.
Arrowheads are another important part of an arrow. Sometimes they only consist of the sharpened tip of the shaft. Usually, they are made from metal or into different variations of the spearhead shape. Nock is at the other end of the shaft. It is a small locking groove which stabilizes the arrow on the bowstring.
Bowstring
Hides of camels, linen, hair, and other primal materials made durable and functional bowstrings. Presently, durable fibers from almost every material make
bowstrings. The strings are usually waxed before usage to reduce friction and abrasions.
Quiver
A quiver is another important part of the archery equipment. It stores arrows and arrowheads. In the past, animal skins and leather made quivers to store arrows. However, faux leather and polyblend fabrics are famous raw materials today.
Archery may be an acquired taste but the strict discipline required to master it is not optional. The right gear can make all the difference in training. Get the right gear and the perfect accessories today! We have a 70% site-wide discount for passionate learners like you!
