
If you’re looking for a recurve bow, there are tons of details that you need to keep in mind.
You might not be sure what you need. That’s where we come in. Not only will we give you suggestions for the kinds of recurve bows to consider, we’ll also explain the different things to look for.
It all depends on what you want out of your bow, but you can bet that this article will help you find the best recurve bow for you.
At A Glance: Our Top 5 Picks for Recurve Bows
- MOST DURABLE: Bear Archery
- EASY TAKEDOWN: Southwest Archery
- MOST AFFORDABLE: Dostyle
- Toparchery
- Gonex
Let’s get into what you will want to look at.
- Read more: Top 10 Best Crossbow Reviews
- Read more: Top 8 Best Bow Sights
Table of Content
Top 5 Best Recurve Bows (Summary)
For more detailed and complete product reviews on benefits and features, keep reading.
What Makes the Best Recurve Bow
The ‘best’ recurve bow will depend on what you’re looking to do. Not every bow fits every need, so you’ll want to really think about what you’re doing before you start looking at bows. But regardless of what we tell you, make sure that you test the bow before you make the purchase. What might sound good on paper might not always be an actual fit for you.
1. Purpose

There are two general purposes for bows. The purpose will change some of the specifics that you look for, but not others. While we’ll talk briefly about what the different purposes mean for what you need, make sure to take a look at the rest of this section to find a little bit better information.
The first purpose for a recurve bow is for hitting targets. Almost any recurve bow will work for this purpose, regardless of any other purpose that it might have. You will just need something that you can fire well, so you’re not going to be that limited when you’re looking at bows for this kind of purpose.
The second purpose is hunting. While a recurve bow might seem a little odd for that purpose, you will be able to find bows that you can use. Most bow hunters will wind up using crossbows because they can have a little bit more of a punch. However, regular bows can also work. You will specifically need to look for bows that have a heavier draw weight. Hunting with a recurve bow may also mean that you need to spend a lot more time working on your bow skills. The strength to get a good hit in isn’t something that you will just have. So make sure that you’re not only practicing shooting but also working out to build up your strength.
2. Length

The length of the bow depends on you. The height that you look for will depend on the kind of draw length that you have. This is a measure of how far you can pull back the string before you fire. This will affect the length of the bow that you want.
There are two major ways of measuring this. The first way is to stand with your arms spread, then measure the distance across. Then you will divide that number by 2.5. This number isn’t that accurate, but it can be a good place to get started.
The second way is approved by the ATA (Archery Trade Association) and is understood by many people. You will need a bow. You will pull back the string in a proper firing position. Then you will measure from the point where you nock an arrow to the pivot point. The pivot point is on the far side of the bow, so you may want to measure to where it would be on the inside and then add length. How you do that is really up to you.
After you have this number, you will be able to figure out the kind of bow length that you will need. The following chart has the bow sizes that you will want to look at based on the draw length. Hopefully, when you got to a store, the salesperson will want to help ensure that you have the right length bow. Without the right length, you could be missing out on extra energy that could go into your shots.
For target archery, this is less important. However, if you are intending to hunt with your bow, then you will want to pay close attention to the numbers for the draw weight of your bows. The draw weight that you will be capable of achieving will also change as time goes on. The draw length shows how far back you can pull the bowstring, so you might have to work up to the draw weight that you need for hunting. This is where all that practice comes in.
Draw Length | 14-16” | 17-20” | 20-22” | 22-24” | 24-26” | 26-28” | 28-30” | 31”+ |
Bow Size | 48” | 54” | 58” | 62” | 64-66” | 66-68” | 68-70” | 70-72” |
3. Draw Weight

The draw weight of your bow isn’t the draw length or involved in the length of the bow that you want. In fact, you’ll be able to find different draw weights for many different kinds of bows and sizes. The draw weight is the kind of power that the bow will be able to deliver.
There are average draw weights that you will want to keep in mind when you are looking at bows though. Children will have a draw weight between 10 and 25 pounds. The smaller they are, the lower the draw weight you will want. Women will have a draw weight between 25 and 45 pounds. Men will have a draw weight between 30 and 60 pounds.
However, these numbers are a little bit deceptive. Test the bows before you purchase and make sure that you are capable of using the bow. You will be able to pull more as you train, so don’t feel discouraged if you can’t hunt right away with a recurve bow. Just keep practicing and working on it.
4. Extras

While extras aren’t always necessary, they can be nice. They can help you fire and make it easier to shoot more accurately. You don’t have to use them for target archery or hunting. You can typically find recurve bows that have spots where you can put extras, but you might have to find other ways for some bows that are not made for attachments.
5. Weight of Bow

The weight of your bow might not affect too much, but it can change how you decide to carry it. If you are intending to take your bow hunting, then you’ll want something that you don’t have to lug around for long periods of time. However, the more you work with your bow, the more you will be capable of carrying. After a couple months of hunting, the bow might not feel heavy at all in your hands when you’re walking around the woods.
6. Price

The price of a bow can be a major factor for some people. If you don’t have a ton of cash to burn, then you will want to find a cheaper bow that can deliver a similar experience. However, if you really know what you want and have the cash to burn, then a more expensive bow may be able to deliver a better experience. It will last longer and be made of better materials. But there are options all over the price range, so you should be able to find something that will work for you.
We have picked out some of our favorite bows. These will give you a better idea of what’s out there and what you might want.
11 Best Recurve Bow Reviews
1. Bear Archery Super Kodiak
If Earl Hoyt was known for his competition shooting, Fred Bear was known for hunting. Every Bear Archery bow is made with hunting in mind. Of all his designs, the Super Kodiak represents the ideals of elegance and power that Fred Bear loved.
The Super Kodiak was one of Fred Bear’s last bow designs and one he used himself on just about every game animal around the world. Packing a near legendary punch and accuracy to match, the Super Kodiak is a killer in the woods. If you want the best bow for hunting, look for the one designed by the best bow hunter.
Made from fiberglass but accented with Rosewood and Maple, the Super Kodiak is a beautiful bow without a lot of frills. It’s the kind of bow you want to learn to shoot without the need for all that fancy technology. It’s simple but powerful, beautiful and accurate beyond measure. This bow is a legend and was designed by a legend.
Check Price and Rating on Amazon.com
Pros
- Powerful
- Extremely Accurate
- Beautiful contrasting wood
Cons
- Quite expensive
- Rather heavy
- Handle is a little large
2. Martin Archery Hunter
Martin Archery rounds out the big three of old-school archery manufacturers and is a great blend between Bear and Hoyt. Great for hunting or target practice, Martin bows have had a long-standing tradition of superb quality and smooth shooting.
This bow may be called the hunter but it is perfectly suited for the target range. It shoots fast and fast arrows are less forgiving in the field where they may hit brush or obstacles. But the quicker the arrow travels, the less it drops over distance and that makes those longer shots a little easier to nail down. Like the Bear bow, this is a no-frills, wood and fiberglass bow that not only shoots well but looks amazing!
The original Martin Hunter was designed more than half a century ago and very little has changed from that original model. There was a time when this was probably the most popular bow on the market and known for its stability, accuracy, and speed. Martin’s Hunter is your best bet if you want a bow that looks great and shoots smooth as silk.
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Pros
- Very fast
- Elegant and attractive
Cons
- More difficult to shoot well
- Not a well-rounded bow for the price
3. Bear Archery Grizzly
If the Super Kodiak is where Fred Bear ended his bow designs, the Grizzly is where he began. He spent fourteen years perfecting the Grizzly and twenty more hunting with it. This bow was designed to be the best all-around bow for your money and fifty years later, it still is.
The Grizzly lacks the high-end power of the Super Kodiak and the breakneck speed of the Martin Hunter but come in square in the middle of them both. It may not excel at any one trait but performs better than average at all of them, all while looking stunning with black fiberglass limbs and rock maple riser.
Bear Archery’s motto is ‘Walk Among Legends’ and with the Grizzly, you will. There is no doubt that the Grizzly has taken every game animal available in North America over and over again in the hands of thousands of hunters. If you are on a budget but unwilling to compromise, the Grizzly is the best bow in this price range, bar none!
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Pros
- Great bow for the money
- Very well rounded
- Known for being a great bow
Cons
- Slightly expensive
- Slightly heavy
- Handle can be awkward for smaller hands
4. Tigershark Pro
A lot of bows can be taken down but that doesn’t mean they are designed to be taken down and put back together repetitively in the field. To make a bow that can be disassembled and reassembled easily, you have to design the bow with specific features and strong points to prevent failure and make everything line up accurately. Southwest Archery may be a new company to the bow world but they have nailed the takedown system.
A few years ago, Southwest Archery took the bow world by storm with bows offered at a very low price that were high quality and amazing to shoot. The Tigershark series is one of several that are mostly named after their color and pattern. With a laminated hardwood riser and maple core fiberglass limbs, the Tigershark may be the most durable and rugged of Southwest’s bows.
This bow was thoughtfully designed and is comfortable to hold and not heavy which is common in cheaper bows. It comes with all the standard attachment points of modern compounds, so you have plenty of options on how you set up your bow.
Check Price and Rating on Amazon.com
Pros
- Very affordable for the quality
- Very well engineered
Cons
- Moderate weight
- Arrow speed is a little slow
- Lacks the power of more expensive bows
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If you were to ask anyone in the archery market what the best value bow is for someone just getting started in archery, at least half would recommend the Samick Sage. The success of this bow has been prolific, to say the least. More of these have entered the hands of new archers since its release than any other single bow.
Southwest Archery’s second bow on this list is simply the best value bow on the market. It may not be as accurate, fast, or powerful as some of the above options. It isn’t excellent in any one thing but it does everything better than average. This is a bow that you can hunt, target shoot, or just play around with for the price of just over a hundred bucks.
Like the Tigershark, this bow is a takedown but isn’t as exact in its takedown mechanism. It does have all the attachment points for accessories and is made of similar materials. This is undoubted a good bow and if it is slightly worse than the Tigershark, it is only in the fit and finish and some finer details.
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No products found.
Pros
- Unbelievably good for the money
- More accurate than any other bow in this price range
- Better than some bows costing hundreds more
Cons
- Arrows feel sluggish
- Bow feels a little rough around the edges
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Sometimes all you need for a bow is reasonable performance for a budget price. Not long ago that wouldn’t have been possible. Newer trends in machinery and more cost-effective materials have made it possible to get a bow that is capable of hunting for less than a hundred bucks.
Perhaps one of the best of the extreme budget bows is the SAS spirit. With the same styling and similar functionality to the Southwest Archery bows, this is a ecent shooting little bow, considering the price can be as low as 70 bucks if you shop around.
There is nothing exceptional about the SAS Spirit. At best its average in its performance. Yes, it can take game and its accurate enough with some practice but it’s not the best hunting option. It’s a fun little bow to shoot without any notable issues, it just isn’t what could be called a great bow. But it is great at getting someone out and shooting on the absolute cheap! It’s an excellent backpacking bow and would work very well for bowfishing.
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Pros
- Affordable
- Great for occasional use
- Lots of options and attachment points
Cons
- Noticeable handshock
- White limbs poor choice for hunting
- Could be more accurate
- Arrows are slower
7. KESHES
KESHES Recurve Bow comes in multiple drawback weight options ranging from 15 lbs. to 55 lbs. It’s also made in both left and right-handed iterations, widening the number of users it can accommodate.
Overall, it has a 62” bow length. The manufacturer recommends that you use it with a draw length of up to 29”.
The bow’s body is made with different types of wood. This makes it lightweight, putting less strain on you every time you use it.
It features pre-installed brass brushing as well, which makes it easy to add upgrades later. This includes additional items such as a plunger, sight or stabilizer.
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Pros
- Both for right and left-handed people
- Multiple drawback weight options
- Wood design is lightweight
Cons
- Plastic arrow rest is fragile
8. TOPARCHERY
TOPARCHERY Recurve Bow comes in five drawback weight options, including 30 lbs, 35 lbs, 40 lbs, 45 lbs and 50 lbs. However, the bow is only made for right-handed users.
The main body of the bow is made out of fiberglass and maple. It’s not only attractive and lightweight but incredibly durable as well.
The total length of the bow is 56” with a riser length of 17” and a limb length of 53”. The maximum draw length is 30”.
You can also breathe a little easier if you purchase this bow because the manufacturer has some protections in place. This includes a one-year warranty and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Check Price and Rating on Amazon.com
Pros
- Available in multiple drawback weights
- Fiberglass and maple design is durable
- One-year warranty
Cons
- Doesn’t accommodate left-hand dominate users
9. KAINOKAI
KAINOKAI comes in two design types, including Black Warrior and Red Dragon. The Black Warrior design leans on solid black lines while the Red Dragon design features smaller details such as scales.
Both of these designs are available in the different iterations of the bow as well. Whether you opt for the lowest, 25-lbs, drawback weight or the full 55 lbs, you’ll have the same quality to depend on.
Another advantage is that this model can be used in either your right or left hand. You don’t have to worry about buying the right iteration because the bow’s design is ambidextrous.
The package also includes a few accessories. This includes a finger guard, three wood hunting arrows, a bow bag, bowstring wax and arrow target paper.
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Pros
- Available in two designs
- Multiple drawback weights from 25 to 55 lbs. available
- Includes multiple accessories to get you started
Cons
- Caters more to beginners than advanced users
10. Dostyle
Dostyle Recurve Bow comes only in a 40 lbs. drawback weight design. However, you can opt for just the bow and arrows or choose to purchase a quiver or a full set.
The Premium set includes a riser, two bow limbs, a bowstring, 12 arrows, a stabilizer, a pin bow sight, an arm guard, a finger guard, archery target nail pins, six target faces, an Allen wrench and a three-tube quiver. This gives you everything you need to get started on the right foot.
The bow is also ergonomically designed. This means that you aren’t going to have to worry about your arms or hands aching too much if you’re using this bow correctly.
It’s a durable choice too. You aren’t going to have to worry about your bow breaking down anytime soon.
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Pros
- Comes in three packages
- Ergonomic design is comfortable to hold and use
- Durable wood and fiberglass design
Cons
- Only for right-handed users
11. Gonex
You can purchase Gonex Recurve Bow in three different drawback weights, including 40 lbs, 45 lbs and 50 lbs. Each model has a sleek black design that isn’t going to show wear and tear easily.
It has a maximum draw length of 30” and a total bow length of 56”. The limbs are made out of layered maple and fiberglass for a durable but flexible design.
The limbs of the bow can be quickly removed too. This makes storage and transportation much simpler and it allows you to send in part of your bow for repair as needed rather than the whole thing.
The bow itself is a right-handed bow. This means that it won’t work for left-handed users.
Check Price and Rating on Amazon.com
Pros
- Attractive and functional maple and fiberglass design
- Available with drawback weights of 40 lbs, 45 lbs and 50 lbs
- Bow limbs detach for easy storage, transport and repair
Cons
- Designed for right-handed archers
Conclusion
There are so many bows out there for you to try.
When it comes to recurve bows, there are so many good qualities to look out for.Make sure you figure out exactly what you need from your bow before you start looking to purchase the bow. However, once you find the bow that fits everything that you need, you will find something that you will cherish for years to come.
Why is the Jager mentioned twice. I can’t find anywhere where there are two different Martin Jager elite bows?
This is a bizarre article…like it has been written by someone with almost no knowledge of archery. To suggest that a recurve bow is “an odd choice for hunting” seems to ignore the thousands of years that it has been used for exactly this purpose (and warfare too) by Asian, Arab and European peoples. It is, put simply, the most successful bow design ever conceived.
Then, to judge bows on traits such as length or draw weight – when these factors are SO variable and bows come in SO many different forms is just ludicrous. To claim the PSE Blackhawk one piece recurve is the best for target practice is an outright falsehood, since, for one, there are bows SPECIFICALLY designed for target shooting (ahem…Olympics, anyone?), and secondly the PSE Blackhawk is designed to mimic the Howatt Hunter and Bear Grizzly (albeit at a lower price, due to cheaper materials and Chinese labour) which are both designed with hunting in mind!
This review is SO retarded I think it gave me brain cancer.
This is informative and long post .Before buying I think a archer must need to check draw wieght .Also depend on what purpose he want to use a recurve bow. Considering all these issue a archer need to buy a bow .
Thanks
Your collection is very nice. These are some good bows. But details are a it sketchy. But overall a decent review.