Purpose
Consider what the bow will be used for. There are many purpose-built target bows in the market, with manufacturers like Hoyt, PSE and Matthews leading the pack.
Newer offerings include mybo, Pandarus and the likes of Sanlida.
Budget
The likes of Hoyt, mybo, PSE and Mathews have very capable bows in their flagship range, but the likes of PSE have some very convincing offers in the budget range.
Set your budget and see what fits into that.
New or Second Hand
A new bow brings with it a warranty, and that “new bow” feeling. A well looked after second-hand bow could come as a package and set up, ready to practise.
It’s also likely that you can save quite a bit of money on a second-hand bow, which is a bonus when you’re new to the sport and still trying to make up your mind.
Fit & Comfort
When considering a bow, it’s important to consider the fit, like the string angle at full draw, which is a factor of both the effective axle-to-axle length and draw length.
It’s a good idea to understand what size axle-to-axle bow would typically suit the archer. For somebody under 1.7m, a 34″ axle-to-axle would typically be a good fit. For somebody over 1.8m, a 39/40″ axle-to-axle may be more suitable, and in between there something in the line of 36/37″ would make sense, but it will come down to fit, draw length and personal preference.
Adjustability
When looking at the offerings from Bowtech and mybo, the level of adjustability is significant. For a technically capable archer, or coach, it’s this could be a huge advantage. For a beginning this may introduce more confusion than is needed.
The likes of Hoyt may not be as adjustable, but if your aim is to set up once and then train and compete while only maintaining the bow after the initial set-up and tuning, this is not an issue.
If you’re however the kind who like to tinker and play, then the ability to easily adjust the cams and timing would be very appealing.
Consideration for youth archers
For growing youth archers, it is recommended to stay away from bows with fixed length modules, like the Mathews Title, or bows with a narrow range of draw length settings, like the older Hoyt Stratos, unless budget isn’t an issue.
Fixed modules can easily set you back US$70 per draw-length change, and that can become expensive in a growth spurt, or while trying to set up a bow with a young, inexperienced archer.
Final thoughts
Whenever possible, shoot the bow before putting your money down for it.
Your local pro shop, or volunteer club coach, is your friend. Try to buy local, as it can save a lot in support.