All You Need To Know About Bow Cases

Bow cases are among the most important accessories for every archer. These products have been specially designed to keep your bow from damage and significantly prolong its lifespan. With innovations in design, bow cases can now contain several other archery accessories and gear, making them incredibly versatile. 

Whether you’re a beginner archer or an experienced one, owning a bow case is a necessity for you. However, like every other accessory, finding the right bow case can be challenging - especially considering the different types and their unique characteristics. Understanding the different types of bow cases for archers, as well as what each type offers, is a critical first step to making an informed purchasing decision. 

In this article, we’ll dive into bow cases, what makes these accessories so unique, the available options, and how to choose the best one for you.

Bow Cases: What Are They?

 

In its simplest sense, a bow case serves as a protective casing for your bow during storage or while in transit. There are bow case options for all bow types, including compound bows, recurve bows, and longbows. 

As an archer, you’ll most likely be doing a lot of moving - from your home to the range or a hunting zone (for bowhunters). A bow case provides a safe and convenient way of transporting your bow, so it doesn’t come in contact with anything potentially damaging. 

The Different Types Of Bow Cases

Bow cases for archers generally come in different variants. And as expected, your ideal bow case option will depend on your bow type. Some types of bow cases you can generally find on the market include:

• Recurve bow cases
• Compound bow cases
• Longbow cases
• Crossbow cases

Since recurve bows and compound bows are the most popular bow types, we’ll focus primarily on bow cases for those two categories in this article. 

Compound Bow Cases

The compound bow case is specially designed for storing and transporting compound bows. And with these bows usually featuring additional mechanical components, compound bow cases usually have significant requirements - from both the storage and functionalist perspectives. 

Our compound bow cases come in several designs, all of which combine function, versatility, and convenience for compound bow archers. Some of the options you will find in our store include:

Soft Bow Cases

Soft bow cases look quite similar to everyday gym bags, although they’re narrower and usually longer, and include storage compartments to organize your archery gear. They come with soft outer shells that are usually made of a strong cloth material - the most popular option being Cordura, an extremely durable nylon or polyester fabric known for its tear resistance and ability to withstand extreme conditions. 

The inclusion of thick padding makes soft bow cases durable enough to protect your bow and archery accessories. Their lightweight makes them easy to transport and ideal for short trips to the range or hunting area.

Soft bow cases such as our Apollo Bow Case and Monstro Bow Case offer the perfect combination of a lightweight build and durable padding. The entire casing is made of high-density 600D nylon with high tear and tensile strength that easily withstands the harshest conditions. And with high-quality shoulder straps, moving these bow cases will be a breeze. 

Apollo 116 and Apollo 106. Both come with front pockets that accommodate several archery accessories, and their interior fastening straps ensure your gear will always stay in place. 

Hard Bow Cases

While there are usually different specifications, the hard, solid outer shell is what sets them apart. The best hard bow case comes with a sturdy plastic or polymer exterior, which offers optimal protection as well as heat and water resistance.

Weight is another crucial factor to consider when choosing a hard bow case. By design, these bow cases are heavier and bulkier. If you’ll be traveling with your archery gear, you should ensure the weight and size of your bow case adheres to the appropriate regulatory limits.

Hybrid Bow Cases

Hard and soft bow cases have their pros and cons. Soft bow cases are less expensive and easier to work with, but they offer a lower level of protection compared to hard cases. And while hard bow cases might be the best option for protection, they’re usually heavier and have fewer storage units. 

A hybrid bow case like the Legend Everest Bow Case blends the best features of soft and hard bow cases and is designed to be the absolute best travel solution for your valuable bow and archery gear. Everest provides complete safety and security with enough storage space to accommodate two compound bows. It also offers spacious front pockets to store your archery accessories, two handles for easy mobility, and its high-density 1800D nylon material is known for its optimal tensile strength. 

Camo Cases 

If you’re a bowhunter, the camo case is an excellent option for you. Our camo cases are essentially soft bow cases, the main difference being their camouflage exterior. As expected, this works incredibly well when you’re in the wild. Besides the aesthetic appeal, a camo case makes it easy to blend into your surroundings. 

Among our impressive collection of camo cases, the Crusader Bow Case especially stands out.  It comes with a weather-resistant nylon exterior and two interior cam pockets to protect your gear. Its thick, closed-cell interior padding is also great for securely holding your bow and other accessories in place.  

Our Crusader Bow Case comes with three interior mesh pockets and four exterior pockets, making it a great choice for bowhunters who want to hold as many accessories and even a mid-hunting snack for a trip in the wild.

Recurve Bow Cases

Next, we move on to recurve bow cases. As the name suggests, a recurve bow case is a storage unit designed for recurve bows in particular. A good recurve bow case will have plenty of padding to protect the bow from being damaged, and it will also have compartments for storing arrows and other archery supplies. In addition to conferring protection to the bow, recurve bow cases should also focus on ensuring maximal convenience for the archer.

Our recurve bow case collection comes in various designs, including:

Soft Bow Cases

With a recurve bow case like the Legend RCV Recurve Case, you have the perfect companion for any situation if you’re a recurve bow user. The case is popularly known for its extreme portability and generous storage capacity. Made of a lab-tested 600D nylon material, as well as thick and reliable foam padding on all sides, the case is guaranteed to provide all-round superior protection. Its dimensions measure 31x12x3 inches, meaning that it can store bows measuring up to 68 inches in length. And with three internal pockets and a front pouch, this case also allows you to store any additional gear you might want to pair with your bow. 

Backpacks:

Backpacks are ideal for recurve archers looking to enjoy optimal convenience when they move. They work like traditional backpacks, allowing you to simply drag them over your shoulder and move with your recurve bow intact. 

While convenience is their biggest benefit, backpacks also offer impressive storage. With the Artemis Recurve Backpack, you get an abundance of space and storage compartments. The backpack even fits telescopic backpacks that fit up to 32 inches - as well as risers measuring up to 27 inches. Other products in this category include the XT720 Recurve Backpack and the Protour Recurve Backpack.

Roller Bags:

Don’t want to carry your bow case around your back? Why not simply roll it around? 

Roller bags like our Atom Recurve Case come with wheel mechanisms that allow you to easily roll them as you move. They look very similar to traditional traveling bags, and they work similarly as well. The only difference, of course, is that these roller bags house bows - not outfits.

While backpacks work better for short trips, roller bags are ideal for long trips - especially when you have to fly. Aside from being very convenient, they are airtight and secure, ensuring that your bow doesn’t get damaged while in transit. The case is a perfect transport solution - it comes with a telescopic arrow case to enable you seamlessly carry your takedown arrows along with the rest of your equipment while on a trip.

Buying A Bow Case: What You Should Look Out For 

When purchasing an archery bow case, you need to look out for several features.  These include: 

Interior Cushioning 

 

In addition to outer protection, interior cushioning is also a critical factor. Cushioning is important because the bow case holds more than just your bow. The importance of cushioning can't be overemphasized for accessories like arrow rests and pins that tend to be very delicate. Most cushioning options available are plush or high-density foam, which should be sufficient to get you through your archery trip. 

Besides cushioning, you should also go for a bow case with tie-downs. Interior tie-downs ensure a reliable and secure fit, preventing your archery gear from jostling around while in transit. This is a necessary feature for soft or hard bow cases alike.

Waterproof Functionality 

Prolonged exposure to water can damage your bow and other archery equipment. Besides that, you should also remember that wet archery equipment will need some time to get dry - a time you might not necessarily have when you get to your destination. Hence, the need for proper waterproofing.  

As part of your quest for waterproofing, we recommend going for a bow case with pressure and temperature sealing. This is especially important if you’ll be traveling by air. All Legend bow cases are waterproof and come with temperature seal features and pressure equalization to protect your gear from the elements, so temperature swings and pressure fluctuation would have no effect on them. 

Storage space 

As expected, you want a bow case that can store more than just your bow. From traditional archery accessories like your arrow to options like release aids, stabilizers, rests, and much more, an ideal bow case should provide ample storage space for you to store as much as you need in one place. Legend Double2 and Everest are generously equipped with enough storage to fit 2 compound bows with extra pockets for holding other archery accessories. 

For arrows, most bow cases offer space to store either 6 or 12 arrows. However, the space required for other accessories will depend primarily on you and your shooting style. 

Mobility assistance 

Most soft bow cases today come with shoulder straps that allow an archer to handle them easily. For ease of use and convenience, this is quite important. 

The Bowarmor 92 Bow Case is a soft bow case built in collaboration with experts, and its shoulder strap - made of thick nylon webbing - is one of its most impressive features. Bowarmor 92 also comes with two extra-sturdy handles to increase mobility convenience during travel.

Our Artemis Recurve Backpack features wide backpack straps for even weight distribution to make transporting your archery gear more comfortable. Most Legend bow cases like Superline and Mohawk can also be transformed into bow backpacks with two bow-carrying backpack straps that can be easily tucked away in a zippered compartment when not in use.

Legend hybrid cases come with wheels to make mobility much more effortless. Our roller case collection makes traveling with your archery gear seamless and is known for its durability and impressive storage. 

Locks 

If you are traveling by air, you’ll most likely be separated from your bow case at some point. The last thing you want is someone breaking into the case and making off with your valuable archery gear. 

For air travel, you need to get a lock approved by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). If TSA agents need to check the bow case and you don’t have a TSA-approved lock, they will have to break your case lock rendering it vulnerable. 

Everest Bow Case and Atom Recurve Case are airline-approved and come with a TSA lock eliminating any security hassles when you need to fly with your gear. 

The Right Protection Your Bow Needs 

A bow case is a must-have for every archer. When making a purchasing decision, the above features can serve as a useful guide. You might also want to ask yourself some questions before making a choice. These include:

• What type of bow am I getting? 
• What features do I want?
• Will I be traveling or shooting locally? 
• How much gear would the bow case have to hold? 
• What is my budget?

These questions will help guide your decision so you can get enough bang for your buck. When you decide what you want, check out our collection of high-quality bow cases to see which might pique your interest.