Archery Accessories: Top Options To Improve Your Accuracy

One of the most significant arguments among many archers is whether or not they need to have archery accessories. This argument has gotten even more prominent in recent years, with archery becoming more of a globally accepted sport. Most people who are tired of just using the same old tricks and would like to bolster their skills tend to love accessorizing, while archery purists claim that accessories could actually worsen your shooting accuracy. 

As you proceed in your archery journey, there’s no doubt that you will one day be drawn into the argument over archery accessories as well. To be fair, everyone has their opinion, and it’s fine if you decide to accessorize or not. However, accessories have several benefits that could help beginner and professional archers alike. 

Since shooting accuracy is one of the most important parts of archery, every accessory you choose should be geared toward helping you shoot more accurately. In this article, we’ll have a look at some of the top archery accessories that you could use to improve your skills with the bow and the outcome of your shots. 

Essential Archery Accessories For Every Archer 

To begin with, let’s consider some of the archery accessories that every archer will need. These might not necessarily have any of the flair, but they are essential if you hope to get the job done seamlessly. 

Bow Cases 

The name says it all. A bow case is a protective casing used to safely transport your bow and store it when not in use. However, it is also important to note that bow cases don’t store bows alone - many bow cases come with different storage compartments, which accommodate different archery gear. So if you need a single storage unit for all your tools, a bow case is a good place to start. 

Bow cases are ideal for all settings or bow types. You’ll be doing a lot of moving as an archer, and a bow case helps to safely and conveniently store your bows while in transit. 

It is also important to remember that bows need to be properly calibrated in order to optimize your shooting accuracy. This calibration can be very delicate, and even the slightest tweak could make your bow feel a bit different - thus affecting your accuracy. 

Your bow case provides a secure and airtight fit for your bow after it has been calibrated. So, if you’ve calibrated the bow before taking it for a trip, having a case ensures that your bow stays firm, and you don’t need to worry about recalibration when you get to your destination.

Bow cases come in two major variants - soft bow cases and hard bow cases. 

A soft bow case has a soft outer shell made with a cloth material and foam inserts that provide shock absorption. These cases look quite similar to everyday gym bags (but are longer and more narrow) and include different storage compartments to organize your bow and other archery gear. They’re a convenient choice because they’re lightweight and easy to transport. So, if you’ll need to travel for an archery session, a soft bow case is a good option to consider. 

On the flip side, hard bow cases have solid outer shells. They are relatively more durable, which is why they’re so popular among travelers. They also come with different compartments to handle other archery gear. However, many of these bow cases tend to be heavier. So, if you’re traveling, be sure to consider weight limits.

Other things you need to consider when choosing bow cases include: 

• Interior cushioning: Bow cases should have high-density cushioning. This way, they protect everything they hold.
• Pressure and temperature sealing: For archers who often travel by air, pressure equalization and temperature sealing can provide an additional layer of protection. They ensure that temperature and pressure swings won’t affect your gear, so there’s no risk of water damage. 
• Waterproofing: Water damage can be really detrimental to your bow and arrow. Waterproofing ensures that you can protect them well, so you don’t have to spend hours drying your gear before you use them. So, consider this option when choosing a bow case.
• Arrow storage space: Most bow cases today provide additional space to store arrows. The more storage space, the better for you. 
• Wheels: Rolling a hard bow case is much more convenient than lifting it - especially if the case holds a lot of equipment. Wheels are a great addition if you’re an archer who travels often.
• Shoulder strap: If you have a soft bow case, you should consider a shoulder strap for convenient movement. 

At Legend, our collection of durable bow cases offers optimal protection, storage, and convenience. You can be sure to find the perfect case for your bow here.

Arm Guards

Protection is important when it comes to archery. The sport remains fairly dangerous, and the last thing you want as an archer is an injury. 

One of the most common archery injuries to target shooters and bowhunters alike is the wrist slap. It occurs when your bowstring has been stretched to its limit, and you eventually release it. The bowstring slaps your arm, and in some cases, you could even have some contact with the arrow. Due to the force you feel when the bow comes in contact with the arm, you could experience some scalding. And in extreme situations, wrist slaps could also lead to scarring. 

To protect yourself, you need to have arm guards. These are essentially protective archery accessories that you wear on your forearm to protect it from any contact with the bowstring - or worse, the arrow itself. 

However, besides keeping you safe, arm guards are archery accessories that could also help bolster your shooting form. Arm guards form a tight fit on your arm, ensuring that clothing items (jackets or shirts) don’t get in your line of sight or the arrow’s movement path. All of these definitely contribute to improving your shooting accuracy in the long run.  

Quiver 

Quivers are among the quintessential archery accessories. Every archer needs a high-quality quiver to effectively hold their arrows and keep them at close call while shooting. And, if you’re preparing a list of compound bow accessories for your next bow hunting trip or bow setup, you should definitely add a bow quiver. 

But archery quivers do much more than just hold your arrows. Detachable and bow-mounted quivers - when tightly mounted on the bow’s riser, allow you to enjoy better balance, especially when it is at full draw. You could also get a mounting bracket that will help to adjust the quiver’s position by flipping a lever. 

As an archer, a good balance is an integral part of improving your shot. So, if you’re concerned about your shooting accuracy, the answer you’ve been looking for could just be in your choice of bow quivers. 

Optional Archery Accessories For Improved Accuracy 

Now that we understand the bow accessories essential to every archer, let’s move to some of the more optional choices. 

Bow Sights

Whether you're purchasing a new bow or upgrading your current bow, sights are one of the best accessories to achieve consistent accuracy in archery. They make it easier to aim correctly, helping to optimize shooting accuracy.

A bow sight is a circular device that uses lenses, circles, and pins to help archers fine tune their shots. With a quality bow sight, you get an accuracy marker that helps you figure out just where you need to place your bow arm when you release the string. A sight tells you how high or low to place the arm, as well as the distance to the left or right, al of which increases accuracy. 

Bow sights consist of three components: sight pins, a bubble level, and pin guard. Sight pins are usually made with fiber optic pins and are designed for aiming in low light situations while the bubble level helps ensure the bow is level and balanced when shooting on unlevel terrain - most hunters particularly find this helpful.

Having a bow sight can make a huge difference when it comes to your accuracy. Using a bow sight can help shorten your learning curve and make your shots more consistent as you gradually progress toward instinctive shooting - if that is your aim. When used correctly, the sight can help you to easily hit your target and shoot more comfortably. 

There are generally two types of bow sights: single-pin sights and multi-pin sights. 

Single-pin sights come with just one aiming pin, whose direction can be changed by simply adjusting a few dials. This way, you can compensate for differences in distance. On the other hand, the multi-pin sight comes with up to three or even five pins - each pin has a fixed position and is adjusted carefully to help your accuracy based on the distance. 

Release Aids 

When you load up an arrow, the next step is to pull the bowstring back and let it go. The latter process is called the “release,” and the entire release process is critical to archery performance. 

To achieve optimal shooting accuracy, you need to be consistent with your release. All things equal, if your shots are consistent, then your arrows should be able to consistently hit the target. However, even the best archers might need some help releasing their strings consistently. 

This is where release aids come in. They make it easier to ensure consistency whenever you draw your bow and fire a shot.  

Release aids are more popular among compound bow archers. These tools use triggers to help you release the bow string, ensuring you can achieve a more consistent release technique while you work on every other part of your shot. 

Generally, release aids come in two types- mechanical aids and finger release aids. 

The mechanical release aid uses a mechanical trigger system for string release. Essentially, the aid attaches to the bowstring with a clip or jaws. Most compound bows come with a D-loop - a short cord attached to a loop below where the arrow’s nock and bowstring meet. Mechanical release aids are attached to this D-loop, allowing the archer to draw the string and squeeze the release aid’s trigger with their thumb or index finger. The release aid then lets go of the string, and the arrow is let go.  

On the other hand, a finger release aid allows an archer to grip the bowstring with their middle finger, index, or even ring finger. Once the archer grips the string at the joint of the three fingers, they can draw the bow, aim, and just let their fingers relax. From there, the string is released, and the arrows fly. Finger release aids are ideal for longbows and recurve bows.   

Final Thoughts

Archery accessories are impressive tools that make it easier to optimize your accuracy. They help you customize your archery gear to your needs and go a long way in helping you to hone your skills and build consistency. 

If you’re an archer looking to optimize your shooting accuracy quickly, no doubt accessorizing can speed things up. Fortunately, we have several of the best archery accessories available - check them out to see which works for you.