Ascham Oaks Archery

It’s just not archery without the arrows. In this article we will look at the three things that you will need know to choose the proper arrows to best suit you and your bow. Arrow length, arrow strength, and arrow type.

Arrow Length for New Archers

The length of your arrow is determined by your draw length. If you haven’t already read the article on draw length, you can find it here.

Once you have determined your draw length, add a minimum of 1” to arrive at the shortest length of an arrow that is safe to shoot. Any shorter and you risk the arrow falling off the when you are at full draw. That could result in accidentally shooting the arrow in an unintended direction, including your hand that is holding the bow.

As a new archer, I would recommend at least 2” longer than your draw length. As your form improves and your strength increases, your draw length will increase as well. There is no reason that you cannot use an arrow even a few inches longer than that. Especially for set of arrows that multiple shooters will use.

Arrow Strength and Why It Matters for Archery

The strength of an arrow is determined by its stiffness. This is called the spine of the arrow. It is the measurement of how much the arrow flexes when a 2 pound weight is suspended from the midpoint of an arrow supported at the ends.

The amount of deflection determines the spine. The larger the number, the weaker the spine, or more flexible the arrow is. The smaller the number, the stiffer the spine, or less flexible the arrow is. The length of the arrow will also affect the spine. If two arrows, that are spined the same, are different lengths, the shorter one will be stiffer than the longer one. Imagine breaking a pencil. Pretty easy, right. Now break one of the halves, not so easy now.

When shot, an arrow curves around the bow. This is called archer’s paradox. An arrow too stiff to bend around the bow will strike the target to the side of where it is intended. An arrow too weak will strike the target to the other side. If an arrow is too weak, you run the risk of the arrow breaking when shot. Fortunately most every major arrow manufacturer offers a spine chart to guide you in your selection of a safe, good shooting, and properly spined arrow. Use the chart below for light weight youth and beginner bows.

	23″	24″	25″	26″	27″	28″	29″	30″	31″
Under 17#			1300	1300	1100	1000	900	800	700
17-23#		1300	1300	1100	1000	900	800	700	600
24-29#		1300	1100	1000	900	800	700	600	500
30-35#	1300	1100	1000	900	800	700	600	500	500

Simply cross reference your bow draw weight and arrow length to find the suggested arrow spine. As your skill progresses, so can your arrow fine tuning. But for now, this will get you started.

Different Types of Arrows for Archery

Arrow type is defined by the material the shaft is made of. Arrows are generally made from one of four materials: wood, aluminum, fiberglass or carbon.

Wood arrows have been around since archery’s beginnings. It’s what was available and plentiful. There is great skill in making quality wood arrows. There is a nostalgia and tradition that is undeniable surrounding wood arrows. But wood is hard to keep straight and break rather easily if they hit or deflect off a hard surface.

When aluminum arrows came around in 1939, they addressed some of the shortcomings of wood. They were more durable and consistently straight. They could be produced to exact specs time after time. Many archers switched to aluminum arrows over time. The National Archery In School Program uses only aluminum arrows. And they have instructed thousands of new archers. Aluminum arrows are usually heavier than wood and if they get bent are almost impossible to straighten.

Fiberglass arrows are made from solid fiberglass. They are very durable and very heavy. Fiberglass arrows are mostly used for youth arrows, especially at summer camps, Boy Scouts, etc., and for bow fishing arrows.

Carbon arrows were introduced in 1982. They offered an arrow stiff enough for the more powerful compound bows that were becoming popular at the time. And, yet they were lighter than aluminum. Carbon arrows have slowly, but surely, won over archers from almost every discipline of archery. And why not? Their tolerances for straightness, weight and spine are as good or better than other materials. They are more durable the wood or aluminum and even rival fiberglass. Popularity and competition have made them affordable. And like the wood arrows of yesteryear, they are available and plentiful. You can find a carbon arrow to suit any archers needs.

My recommendation for beginner’s arrows would be carbon. The only other consideration would be the fletching. If you are shooting directly off the shelf, you will want natural feather fletching. If you are shooting off an elevated rest you can use feathers or plastic vanes. If you are not sure, get arrows fletched with feathers and you are good.

Related Archery Resources For Beginners

The following resources provide more information and support in your archery education:

• Three Must Have Archery Accessories
• How To Determine What Size Archery Bow You Need
• Archery Basics: How to Determine What Draw Weight Is Right For You