by Jackson | Dec 29, 2014 | Compound Bows
This Diamond Atomic Bow Review is for the youth model only.  That being said, this is a great bow for beginners. Especially younger children who have a short draw length and will need a smaller weight. This is the ideal type of bow for that. You can read the rest of the review below.
Diamond Atomic Package Youth Model RH Blue
Bow specifications
- Axle to Axle – 24″
- Brace Height – 6″
- Weight – 2.5 lbs
- Draw weight – 6 – 29 lbs
- Draw length – 12″ – 24″
- Arrow speed – 319-327 fps
What’s included
- 3 pin bow sight
- Hostage capture arrow rest
- Attachable 3 arrow quiver
- 3 carbon arrows
Not included
- Peep sight
- Release aid
- bow case
- target
Special notes
- This is a youth model
- Easily adjusted without a bowpress
- Comes in right and left hand options
- Changing draw length changes weight
The pros
This bow is filled with lots of good things going for it. It’s taken the youth model and scaled it down just a bit more for the younger and smaller crowd. This means that you’ll have a well-balanced and real bow for when your child is ready to have the real thing. The construction quality is good.
This is a sturdy bow that’s easy to change weight with. I’d easily recommend this to anyone who is looking for quality in a bow. It’s mostly setup on arrival with just the quick easy adjustments needed to make sure everything is attached right and the bow is set to the draw length and weight that you want. That all takes about 10-20 minutes and then you’re ready to go.
The cons
This is a more expensive bow and it does have better parts. The biggest con that I’ve found is the bow sight. You can be gentle with it and it should do fine for a while. I’d also mention that this bow is pretty high quality so you need to make sure that this is something your child is interested in before you go spending the money. If they like archery, then this bow is a great choice. If it’s a passing fad, you might want to try something a little cheaper to see if they’re actually interested or not.
The maximum draw length is 24″ which will probably be the limiting factor in how long you can use the bow. I’d recommend taking a bit to find out your child’s draw length and making sure that there is a little room to grow before getting this bow. The length is all relative to the size of your child so I can’t give you an exact number on anything.
It’s priced around $195-220 on Amazon. As always, I recommend reading all the reviews there and any other websites you find to make sure that you are getting the best item for you.
Diamond Atomic Package Youth Model RH Blue
by Jackson | Aug 28, 2014 | Reviews
It’s time to get serious about getting a compound bow. I’ve been really looking to the best compound bow packages out there. There are lots of great options and I almost feel like I could just close my eyes and pick and I’d do alright, but I don’t want just a “good” bow. Nope, I want the “best” and I think that’s the way it should be. After all, there are tons of super smart people making these things and I sure don’t mind benefiting from all their hard work.
I’m not going to rank these because they’re all really good and will fit each person a little different. But, throwing all that aside, I’m going to look for the durability, quality of the bow, and quality of the accessories to come up with what I think are the best compound bow packages. There’s no point in getting a bow package if you’re going to have to turn right around and buy parts to replace the accessories. So that’s a bit of what I’m looking for.
I’ll put a link to the products to go where I found a good deal on it so you can check it out for yourself and read the reviews and what not there. I’m also a big fan of getting plenty of information, so that’s why I do that.
Just so you know, none of these bows come with arrows. None of the adult ready to shoot systems come with arrows so don’t expect it. The bow package is only the bow and it’s accessories that are attached to the bow. You’ll have to get your own arrows and if you want some help, then here are some of the best carbon arrows.
Best compound bow packages
Infinite Edge Bow Package
– The amazing versatility of this bow is so cool. It can literally be set to work for almost every single person out there. It’s only missing a stabilizer and bow sling, but neither of these are necessary to have a great shooting experience. I’d recommend checking this one out for sure. I didn’t rank these, but I might put this in the top two. The accessories are good for a bow in this price range. You can always upgrade if you want. Priced around $320-350, I like it a lot.
Bear Archery Apprentice Bow Package – The perfect Ready to Shoot system for anyone getting a first real bow or someone with a smaller stature. The max draw length is 27″, but don’t let that stop you from thinking this isn’t the real deal. The only accessory it doesn’t come with is a stabilizer and bow sling, which isn’t a big deal at all. Priced around $250-290, you can do lots of growing with this bow.
PSE Ready To Shoot Surge Bow Package 
– This is another one of my favorites. Packed with all the features you’d need and the replacement to the very successful Brute series, you’ll find that this lighter version packs all the punch you need and an adjustable draw length out to 30″ makes sure it will fit almost everyone. The accessories are good and you get all the things you’d need. All that’s left to get are arrows and you’re ready to go. Priced around $475-500, you’ll get everything you need.
PSE Ready to Shoot Stinger – One of the RTS systems that showed me the light. This bow package is a great lower budget bow that packs lots of punch and delivers with good accessories to make for a good shooting experience right out of the box. Priced around $320-400, it’s a very good and solid shooting platform.
Diamond Archery Carbon Cure RAK Package
– This compound bow package has two great features. First, the bow is adjustable over a good range to let you tailor it to your needs. The second is the accessories are pretty good with this bow. You get a 3 pin sight, whisker biscuity rest, stabilizer, peep sight, and bow sling which means you’ve got everything you need to start shooting good groups from the beginning. The whisker biscuit style rest isn’t the best one ever, but it is pretty solid. Priced around $550, you do get a complete system.
These are the best compound bow packages for beginners and experienced shooters. Most of the ones that are being made now have the amazing adjust-ability built-in to help them fit each person and increase their skill with little to no effort. How’s that for an awesome experience.
The last note I want to make about these bows. You can always find better pieces and accessories if you put together your own bow from scratch. I’m interested in finding the best bow that you don’t have to go find extra parts or replace things from the beginning. None of these are perfect, but these are all very very good and should definitely be given a look to see which will work best for you.
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by Jackson | Aug 18, 2014 | Choosing a bow
Choosing a compound bow to shoot is a fun time. I love going through and seeing all the different choices there are. The amount of engineering and technology in today’s bows is very impressive. The only downside to all of that is that there are so many choices which brings me to the purpose today. How to choose a compound bow that is right for you.
I’m a fan of simplicity so I like to go through my choices and think of them like filters. After I’ve made a decision on one thing, I do my best not to look at bows that don’t fit. I know it’s really easy to just see all the choices and get stuck so I try to pare it down as fast as possible.
These guidelines should help you in selecting your own bow and whether it’s your first bow, or your 10th bow, you’ll probably go through similar steps to get the bow you want.
What do you want to do?
Deciding on the purpose of the bow will help you focus on the bows that are right for you from the beginning. If you don’t know exactly what you are going to do with the bow, then think about the options that you’ll probably want to try or use. Some possible choices include hunting, competition archery, olympic archery, field archery, bow fishing, and backyard shooting. For example. If I want a compound bow, then I’m not going to go looking at recurve bows.
What is your draw length?
This is a small point, but it’s an extremely important one. A compound bow’s mechanical advantage only works when it is set to the correct draw length. Make sure that the bow is set for your draw length or can be adjusted to fit it. Otherwise, you’ll end up with some difficult shooting experiences.
What draw weight do you want?
This is more a matter of personal choice and physical ability. Don’t pick a draw weight that is too heavy for you to draw back and make a good shot. If it’s too heavy, you either need to get stronger or choose a lower weight. The draw weight will matter for hunting and that’s about it. You can do most other things without the draw weight being very important.
What archery equipment do you want?
It’s through the attachment of other pieces of archery equipment such as bow sights, release aids, and stabilizers that we get this insanely good accuracy from compound bows. You can add your own equipment that you already own, buy new ones, or buy a bow that comes with some already in place. These are called compound bow packages and I think they’re the best for beginners. You need to make sure that you have all the right parts to attach all the archery equipment to your bow.
Personal choices
All that’s left to do is pick your color choices and any other small bow accessories that you might want. That’s the last thing that you need to do when picking a compound bow.
Now that you’ve chosen your bow, there is one thing left to do.
Choose arrows for your bow
Arrows will need to be chosen and tuned for your bow as well. You can get many different combinations, but you’ll find that if you get a new bow, but don’t get new arrows, you’re leaving a lot of accuracy and skill out of the equation. You can read more on my favorite arrows.
That’s the most important parts of choosing a compound bow. I really wish I could sit here and say this model from this brand is the best, but there are so many good choices now that you really just have to filter through all of them and get the bow that is made best for you and what you want to do with it.
Shoot Straight.
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by Jackson | Jul 15, 2014 | Compound Bows
The Barnett Vortex is a youth bow that provides a “real compound bow” that also gives you room to grow and adjust for your needs. Having a compound bow that can grow and adjust to a young archer is a challenge, but I believe the Barnett Vortex is an excellent bow to fill that need. The problem with a compound bow is that you must have it specifically fitted to one person. This personal fitting is how you get the let off advantage from a compound bow.
Barnett Vortex Youth Compound Bow Package
The Barnett Vortex is that happy medium that lets you tune the bow to an individual archer. You can adjust it to fit a variety of archers.
Bow specifications
- Draw weight – 19-45 lbs
- Draw length – 22″ – 27″
- Let off of 60-70%
What’s included
- The bow
- 3 aluminum arrows
- Arrow Rest
- 3 Pin Sight
- 3 arrow quiver
Not included
Special notes
- Right handed use
- Camo pattern finish
The pros
This bow is a huge improvement from a “toy bow.” This is the real thing! The bow is solidly made to ATA/AMO standards and provides a great amount of let off which is the purpose for getting a compound in the first place. You can get some serious performance on a budget. You do get everything you need to start shooting immediately. The only thing you’ll need to do is adjust the sights if you choose to use them.
The cons
As with most beginner bows, the bow itself is the strong point. The weak points are with the accessories. You should consider getting more arrows from the beginning. This goes with all archers though. I highly recommend carbon arrows as they are much sturdier. The arrow rest can also be replaced if you want.
The only other thing you need to know is that the bow is adjustable, but you can’t get all draw weights at all draw lengths. The smaller the draw length, the lower the weight. The idea is that a person with a longer draw length will be able to handle a higher draw weight.
Barnett Vortex Youth Compound Bow Package
Overall, this is a great bow that will last you multiple years. Priced around $130-160, you’ll get a great deal.
Some of these links go to Amazon. They are affiliate links and I will make a small commission if you choose to make a purchase. It will not affect your price at all. It will go to helping make this a better site and resource for others. This Lil Banshee bow review is 100% my own opinion.
by Jackson | Jun 24, 2014 | Archery Education
Are you interested in archery? Would you like to know what the difference is of a recurve bow vs a compound bow. It really is a good question and you know that you’re smart just by beginning in the right place to get information.
The purpose of this article is to help you figure out the differences between traditional archery and compound bows. I’m going to cover the pros and cons of each as well as some of the best uses and practices to go with them. The entire field of archery is pretty big and you’ll find bows and setups especially made for certain applications.
I want you to be able to know the difference of a recurve vs compound so that you can make the best decision for you. It’s important and you don’t want to waste your time or money pursuing down the wrong lane just because you don’t know.
We’ll start with the things that are the same, then the recurve bow, and follow with the compound bows.
Start by asking the right questions
The most important thing to consider when you want to know about differences in types of bows is what the purpose is. Don’t buy one or the other without knowing what you plan to do with it. Here are some good questions to answer so you pick the best bow for the application.
What do I want to shoot? – This is really important. If you want to shoot olympic archery,go bowfishing, or do historical reenactments. These all require something very different.
How much time do I have to practice? – You’ll need to practice either way. Shooting a traditional bow typically takes more time to reach the same accuracy if shot instinctively.
Am I trying to learn a skill or learn how to use a tool? Typically a skill is something that you plan to do repeatedly and quite often. A tool is something that you can set up and learn the basics and then come back and use it the same way after a long time away. If you’ll spend a long time away for whatever reason, most people prefer a compound that can be tuned and put in storage when needed.
How important are art and aesthetics? This is a very personal choice and quite subjective. It’s also the main place where people argue and decide on what they like best. I’ll keep this part short and let you make up your own mind.
Do I want to go to archery competitions? You normally will have to fit certain requirements for archery competitions with what you’re shooting. If there’s only one kind of competition around, then it’ll matter.
Similarities between a recurve and a compound
There are some things that are the same for both a compound bow and a traditional bow so let’s start there.
- Both types of bows have a strength good enough for hunting.
- Both types of bows MUST BE TUNED PROPERLY. Shooting a setup that isn’t tuned properly will give poor results no matter what you’re shooting.
- They only shoot good if you shoot good. No amount of technology makes up for poor performance.
- Both types of bows have versions where you can add accessories to help you shoot better. Examples: bow sights, stabilizers.
- Price is the same – You can spend just as much on a good recurve as you do on a good compound.
Recurve Bow Pros and Cons
Here’s a one piece wooden laminate recurve bow.
A recurve bow is a bow that has no mechanical leverage other than the design of it’s shape. Some of the main pros for this type of bow are.
Pros
- Variable draw length – You only need to draw this bow back as far as you want. The weight will increase the farther back you draw it. It is possible to overdraw a bow, but most of the time, this isn’t a problem.
- Variable draw weights – Takedown bows offer the ability to change the draw weight be exchanging the limbs of the bow. One piece designs do not offer the ability to change draw weights.
- One piece and breakdown designs available – Take down designs are extremely mobile and pack into a small space. One piece designs are very rugged and are minimal on maintenance.
- Artistic and elegant experience – Most people, myself included, agree that there is a mental and artistic experience that is better experienced through a traditional bow.
- Better suited for instinctive shooting – Through a better connection to the bow and type of experience, most instinctive shooters choose a traditional bow. This also means that knowing the distance to a target is not important.
Cons
- Effective distance – The effective distance for both accuracy and power are much shorter for most people with a traditional bow.
- Amount of time bow can be held at full draw – A recurve bow is only held at full draw for a few seconds, like 2-3 seconds. You hold the full weight of the bow at full draw.
- Needs more consistent practice – A traditional bow needs more practice to shoot to a high degree of accuracy.
Compound bows Pros and Cons
Here’s a Bowtech Admiral bow with a great sideview so you can see all the parts.
Pros
- Mechanical advantage for higher draw weight – A compound bow offers the ability to shoot an 80 pound (this is the symbol #) draw weight with about the same effort it would take to draw back a 50# traditional bow. That’s a rough guide, but that’s how it is for me.
- Faster arrow speed – An arrow from a compound bow typically flies in the ranges of 300 feet per second (FPS) and above. Traditional bows are around 140-160 FPS.
- Let off of bow weight at full draw – Following my example of a compound bow at 80# draw weight. The bow at full draw feels like holding a 35# bow.
- Extended amount of time at full draw – The reduced weight at full draw lets you hold the arrow ready to shoot for a much longer time. For me, it’s about 30 – 45 seconds normally.
Cons
- Less forgiving if out of tune – A compound bow is much more complex and with all that, it’s important to keep all the moving parts in tune otherwise the entire thing will have problems.
- Shoots lighter arrows – At short distances, less than 20 yards, this isn’t a problem. BUT, most compound shooters will venture out to at least 70 yards and lighter arrows are more easily affected by the elements and everything else, so you need better shooting conditions and a clear shooting lane for these types of shots.
- Requires more tools – The modular design of most compound bows means that you’re going to be using more tools and using many different parts. It’s also why if you choose a compound bow for starters, I’d completely recommend a Ready To Shoot package like the PSE Stinger
The last thing I want to mention is also really good to know.
It’s okay to get both. It’s okay to change your mind. It’s more important to get started than it is to sit around and talk about all the tiny little things that don’t matter at all until you actually have a bow.
To your skillful success.
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