Low poundage , adjustable compound advice for a first-timer

[Dhansak]

Hi all. I have some rudimentary queries about compound bows - I know nothing about them so please forgive the silly questions.

Before I ask them, some context may be helpful.

I have been doing target recurve for about 18 months. Due to shoulder problems it has taken me this long to work up to a massive 25lbs otf! I am shoulder-safe with this and hope to gradually increase my weight - we'll see. The extra spice in the mix is that my back also flares up sporadically. Oh yes - also my drawing hand fingers joints puff up for extra fun too lol.

I have experimented and discovered that I can shoot without back damage at feather light weights below 25lbs - say about 18-20. So I was looking at buying a couple of sets light recurve limbs second hand - no joy; after a couple of months of watching - always too long or short or heavy. So I resigned myself to spending money to get some new sets of limbs that I won't like just so I can keep shooting.

And then .... I saw info detailing how weight adjustable some compounds can be (have been perusing the Hoyt Ignite and Bowtech Diamond Edge). At first the range of weight seemed amazing; then I noted that the range would actually be defined by draw length - not just the magic adjustment of the wheel whatsits (sorry).

So can you recommend a suitable compound which would fit:

27.5 inch draw for feeble 57, 5ft 10in year old bloke. That's recurve draw length - different for compound?

Have draw weight adjust for down to say 15lbs (assuming the worst) up to say 35lbs (hoping for the best one day!?)

Have the above weights in this range user-adjustable without having to visit a shop

Budget about ?250 ish


Note I have never shot a compound so have no idea how/if my recurve draw weight usage would translate to compound specifications.

Also, I was reading this thread about low poundage http://www.archeryinterchange.com/f12/compound-bow-long-draw-length-but-low- poundage-212536/index2.html .... In it, someone stated "If you can draw a 20lb recurve you should be able to handle a 40lb compound" I do get (I think) the notion of "let-off" - but in this case wouldn't the archer still have to get their body to work through the 40lb peak part? Confused I am..

Thanks for your help as always

 

[KidCurry]

A compound bow is very different from drawing a recurve bow. I would say your best bet is to visit a good archery supplier. If you ring them to arrange a visit you can try a bow or two to see just how it is going to affect you. You may well find you can draw a 40# bow but this by no means certain, but you will be holding much less, somewhere between 12-20# on your back. You will also be using a release aid and these can be bought with four finger holding reducing the force on individual fingers.
I would be very hesitant to suggest a bow or release aid at this stage because of your specific requirements. It would be far better to visit a supplier if you can.

 

[lbp121]

I agree with KidCurry, unless there is a lot of adjustment you can do yourself, there is a lot to get wrong unless you have a good supplier.
I would say you will manage a compound with around 10lb more draw that you can handle with recurve. However there is another consideration, the weight of the bow itself.
Wheels or cams and generally stronger riser and limbs do have a weight penalty which has to be held out in front of you.
As you have remarked, even with reduced holding weight you still have to get the string back over the high poundage before it reaches the 'let off'.
This really is a case of try one out before buying and try for a fair while, not just 6 arrows.

 

[Dhansak]

Thank you both for your help. You're right - given the number of variables combined with my distinctly dodgy body parts, going hands-on under guidance is the sensible way to go!

Thanks for taking the time to help me out

 

[jerryRTD]

Bowtech fuel peak draw weight. 14 to 70 lbs, mass 3.4 pounds ibo speed 320 fps,draw lenght 18" to 30 " 289 pounds this is a light fast ,cheap bow.

 

[Dhansak]

Thanks for that Jerry - looks like a really interesting contender

Do you know if all the draw weights are accessible at any draw length? I have had a look at others and it turns out that the draw length limits the weight range i.e. wondering how low I could get with my 27.5 inch draw with the Fuel?

 

[Barrief]

Dhanask,
I would say you are not going to be trying the 70 pound maximum on a bow like that, 28 inch is pretty much a standard, so half an inch for your purposes would make no noticeable difference. I am no expert but My compound is set for 65 pounds, I have a 27.5 draw on my PSE vision. so I am pretty sure, I don't know that bow, you would have no problems achieving the weights you can draw with 27.5..

Regards,
Barrie

 

[leg_iron]

You should seek help & advice from an archery shop with regard finding you a suitable compound bow. The one thing to be aware of when choosing a compound bow is the axle to axle length. Try to avoid going for a bow with a very short axle to axle length. The Hoyt Ignite is only 28" axle to axle length. With a very short bow the string angle will be very acute which will cause you problems. I had a 32" Hoyt Prohawk as my first bow & I had problems with my consistency because I couldn't anchor the string against my nose as well as my chin. Also have a look at what 2nd hand bows the shop has.

 

[Dhansak]

Hi - thanks for the further input! - sorry for the tardy response - have been buried in "stuff" for awhile.

Had a word with with the folks at my local archery shop - they were really helpful. Unfortunately, it doesn't look promising for me on the compound front My requirement for ultra low weight (for those bad back times) a mid range draw length and a decent ATA length seem to discount compounds for me. Also I would like to have the option to draw with fingers (rather than have to use a release aid) which I now gather is distinctly risky with lower poundage bows re the chance of slipping the strings off the cam....

At one point I was even toying with the idea of those American schools program bows - the Mathews Genesis Pro. On a good day I can do 25lbs no prob. Those bows range from 15-25lbs with no let off and no set draw length. The marketing claims they store 1.75 times the energy of a recurve of the same weight, so it looked interesting from the point of view of my limitations. I guess they are more like a recurve with pulleys rather than a proper compound but that would have been fine with me. Was mainly after the possibility of a) doing bad-back shooting b) reaching further than 60 yds outdoors when my body is "normal"

On the plus side, I have just ordered some 18lb (!!) limbs for my recurve so that should take care of a). However b) looks a bit unlikely now - looks like I will have more time to sip my tea whilst waiting for the arrow gatherers from the long-distance bosses to return.

 

[Dhansak]

Hi Again - a bit of a thread revival. Things have moved on a touch and I would appreciate your input again.

I have received my 18lb limbs and unfortunately have had to use them as I had a back flare up recently. The really good news is that the 18lb limbs are fine to use when I am in this condition - can keep practising with no problems - phew.

It would be really nice to have more variable weights between 18 and my current norm (without buying loads of limbs) so have been carrying on with research, talking to coaches, shops and of course using google. Consequently I am thinking along the lines of going down the route of using variable weight, zero let off bows as a training aid i.e. "assisted recurve" rather than proper compounds (see caveat later). The intention is to release with the fingers so it has a recurve feel. In the US I think this would be bowfishing style kit! Anyway, have come up with:


Genesis Pro

15lb - 25lb draw weight range; up to 30" draw (mine is 27.5);
Pros: flat draw weight setting; no let off; no valley; available in this country;
Cons: max weight is a tad below my current one so it would not extend with me if I manage to go up in weight; will not be a real a compound so could not use this in the future to go "dark side";


Diamond Edge Infinite

At my draw length, weight range looks like 20lbs to 70lbs
Pros: On Infinite setting - no let off (at 27.5" draw), no valley; available in the UK. Can be used to go darkside in the future
Cons: Most expensive; don't know what the valley is like in proper compound mode - would like a big forgiving one.


PSE Discovery 2 (only on the edge of consideration)

Peak weight 29lbs; up to 30" draw; apparently adjustabilty is "6 limb bolt turns" but am having a lot of difficulty getting specifics; guessing it has no valley.
Pros: flat draw weight setting; no let off; potentially has a more appropriate weight range than the Genesis
Cons: don't think it can change into a "real" compound; can't find it in this country - in europe have seen it at ixpesports in holland for reasonable price and postage





So I guess my questions are:

Anyone have any experience they could share about the PSE Discovery 2?
Ditto for the Diamond Infinite Edge - particularly on it's valley when not in infinite mode
Is releasing off the fingers not viable with any of the ATAs? (Genesis Pro ATA 35.5; PSE Discovery 2 ATA 31.5; Diamond Infinite Edge ATA 31)

Thanks again

 

[Dhansak]

Hmm, formulating the summary above has made me realise that the PSE is not viable - no info and I won't be going to holland for a test shoot! So forget that one...

Just the 2 queries then: what's the valley like in the Diamond and how big an ATA do you reckon you'd need to avoid bad pinching if drawing with the fingers? Thanks.

 

[urbin]

So the idea is to do compound with finger-shooting and zero let-off so you can adjust the draw-weight more than with a recurve?

Most lower-price (but not necessarily lower quality) compounds are the shorter A2A. I'm not a finger-shooter but if I was I wouldn't go any less than 37" with a draw-length like yours.

 

[Dhansak]

That's exactly the idea urbin. Thanks for the tip re sensible ATA - I was hoping I might be able to get away with less but I guess it was just wishful thinking... Might have to look for older bows which seem to have higher ATA values - don't know if zero let-off was "a thing" in earlier times though.