EUROPE'S LARGEST SHOP FOR ARCHERY

Children can start archery around the age of 8, and there is no upper age limit. This makes archery a sport for the whole family. However, a single bow rarely works for everyone, because bow length and draw weight depend on body size and draw length. Children are given a lightweight children’s bow with a short draw length, while adults receive a model suited to their measurements. You can find models specifically designed for children in the Bows category.

What matters isn’t which hand you write with, but which eye is your dominant eye, because when aiming, your dominant eye takes the lead. You can do the test by taking a sheet of paper and making a small hole in the center. With your arms outstretched, look through the hole at a fixed point and slowly pull the sheet toward your face. Whichever eye the paper lands in front of is your dominant eye. If your right eye is dominant, you need a right-handed bow. If your left eye is dominant, you need a left-handed bow. Things get interesting with so-called cross-dominance, when your handedness and your dominant eye don’t match. If you are right-handed with a dominant left eye, a left-handed bow is still the right choice, and as a left-handed person with a dominant right eye, you should choose a right-handed bow. If both eyes are equally strong or if dominance shifts, wearing an eye patch over the non-dominant eye can help. It’s important to clarify this before making a purchase, because changing your bow hand later will cost you money and the technique you’ve already practiced.

Children can start archery around the age of 8, and there is no upper age limit. This makes archery a sport for the whole family. However, a single bow rarely works for everyone, because bow length and draw weight depend on body size and draw length. Children receive a lightweight children’s bow with a short draw length, while adults get a model suited to their measurements. Of course, you can also find children’s bows in our shop.

No, you don’t need a firearms license for a bow and arrow. Under German firearms law, a bow is classified as sports equipment and may be freely purchased and transported. There is no age restriction. A crossbow is classified differently under the law, but a firearms license is not required for it either. Different rules apply in Austria and Switzerland, so it’s worth checking the applicable regulations before making a purchase. When it comes to responsibility, it’s simple: whoever shoots is liable for their arrow and must ensure that no one is harmed.

The safest and easiest option is to use a shooting range at an archery club, because it is secured and experienced archers or coaches are there to help. However, you are also allowed to shoot on your own property, as long as the arrow cannot leave your property and no one is put in danger. As a guideline, the German Archery Association recommends a lateral safety distance of 15 meters and a clear area of about 150 meters in the direction of the shot. Depending on the type of bow, this zone may be smaller or larger, as a longbow has a significantly shorter draw length than a highly tuned compound bow. A solid backdrop, such as an earthen embankment, reliably catches missed shots.

Getting started is more affordable than many people think. You can get a solid three-piece recurve bow with a starter kit for under 100 euros—for example, from the Wild Honey series. It includes all the essentials you need to get started, so you can jump right in. There’s plenty of room to upgrade; a good mid-range bow for competitive archery costs between 300 and 500 euros, and high-quality limbs cost about the same. But you don’t need that to start. It’s better to start with something affordable and invest strategically later, once your technique is solid. You can find pre-configured packages in the beginner sets.

Which arrow is right for you depends on the spine, your draw length, and the draw weight of your bow. The spine describes the stiffness of the shaft and must match the actual draw weight felt by your fingers, not the value printed on the limbs. That value is based on a standard draw length of 28 inches. But of course, not every archer has the same draw length. As a rule of thumb, you should plan on a set of six identical arrows to ensure your shot pattern remains consistent. You can find carbon, aluminum, and wooden arrows, as well as matching tips, nocks, and fletches, in the Arrows category. If you’re unsure, you can also use our arrow finder, or contact us directly. We’ll be happy to help you select the right arrows.