Should I start with a longbow or a recurve? is probably the question we get asked most in the shop and there's no single right answer, because it depends entirely on what you want out of archery.
The English longbow
The English longbow is the bow with the history - the weapon behind Agincourt and centuries of English archery tradition. It's a simple, single-curve stave, usually yew, ash or a laminate, with no let-off and no shelf to rest the arrow on. That simplicity is part of the appeal: there's nowhere to hide technique errors, which makes it a demanding but deeply rewarding bow to master.
Longbows tend to have a heavier, more progressive draw than an equivalent-weight recurve, and because the arrow sits directly against the hand (rather than on a shelf), they take a little longer to get consistent with. Most longbow archers will tell you that's exactly why they love it.
The recurve bow
A traditional recurve bow - we're talking one-piece and takedown field recurves here, not Olympic target rigs. With limbs that curve away from the archer at the tips, which stores more energy for a smoother draw and typically a faster arrow. Many archery clubs teach beginners on recurves for exactly that reason: they're a little more forgiving while you're learning to anchor and release consistently.
Takedown recurves also have a practical edge for some archers: limbs can be swapped as your draw weight increases, so you're not necessarily buying a whole new bow as you progress.
So which one?
Want the historical connection and the toughest but most rewarding learning curve? Start with a longbow.
Want a slightly gentler introduction, or the flexibility to change limb weight as you improve? A recurve is usually the easier first bow.
Not sure? Ask us! If you can try both do that as well. Every member of our team shoots traditional bows day in, day out, and we'd rather talk you through the real differences than sell you whichever is in stock.
Either way, you'll need arrows matched to your draw length and the bow's poundage — our draw length guide is the place to start once you've picked your bow.
