Recurve Bow: What It Is and How It Works

Recurve bows are one of the oldest bow designs still in use, and the bow used in Olympic archery. Unlike a compound bow, a recurve bow has no mechanical moving parts: its limbs curve away from the archer at the tips, a shape that stores more energy in a shorter limb than a straight-limbed design.

Recurve bows are long and lightweight, and well suited to both target shooting and hunting. They're not as fast as a compound bow, but shooting one builds fundamentals — grip, anchor, release — that carry over to any other bow. Being more compact than a traditional longbow, a recurve can also be drawn in tighter spaces, including on horseback or in dense cover while hunting.

Choosing and Carrying a Recurve Bow

Parts of a recurve bow. A recurve has three main parts: the riser, the handle section in the middle that you grip, and the two limbs, which fit onto the riser above and below it. The bowstring runs between the tips of the limbs, and it's the limbs flexing and springing back — not any mechanical part — that sends the arrow forward. Most risers also have a sight window cut into them and a small shelf or rest where the arrow sits before the shot.

One-piece vs. takedown. A one-piece recurve is a single molded or carved unit — riser and limbs built as one, the way traditional recurves have always been made. A takedown recurve separates into three pieces: the riser and two limbs that bolt on and off. Takedowns are the standard for target and Olympic-style shooting, mainly because they pack down into a smaller case and because the limbs can be swapped for a different draw weight without buying a whole new bow — handy as a beginner's strength builds.

Length and draw weight. Bow length (usually given in inches, such as 62″, 66″, or 68″) is matched to the archer's draw length, which tracks fairly closely with height and arm span — a longer draw generally calls for a longer bow, and a bow that's too short for your draw can feel harsh and "stack," or get hard to pull, near full draw. Draw weight, measured in pounds, is simply how much force it takes to pull the string back to full draw. It's tempting to buy as much weight as you can pull once, but a bow should be light enough to draw and hold smoothly for an entire practice session; one that's too heavy teaches bad habits — short-drawing the string, muscling the shot — before it teaches good ones.

Sizing for youth and beginners. Youth recurves are built shorter and lighter, since a young archer's draw length is shorter than an adult's and their muscles haven't yet built up the strength for a heavier bow — youth bows are usually sized well under 30 lbs of draw weight, and often a good deal lighter than that for the youngest shooters. Adult beginners should follow the same principle on a different scale: start at the lighter end of what's comfortable rather than the heaviest bow you can draw once, and move up in weight only after your form is consistent.

Recurve bows come in a range of draw weights and lengths, so fit matters more than brand. Legend makes a recurve bow case and archery backpacks built for carrying a recurve safely to the range or into the field.