Left-Hand Bows

You're left-handed, or your left eye is your dominant one? Then a left-hand bow is what you need. Here you'll find our full range for left-handed archers, from beginner recurves to competition compounds, along with matching gear like tabs, quivers, and arrow rests for the correct side. Before you pick a model, two minutes of reading pays off, because the most important question when buying a bow isn't which hand you write with, but which eye is your dominant one.

Left-hand or right-hand? The key difference

The term "left-hand bow" confuses a lot of beginners because it works backwards from everyday logic. A left-hand bow is held in your right hand and drawn with your left hand. The handedness always refers to the hand that draws the string, not the hand that holds the bow.

Technically, left-hand and right-hand bows differ mainly in the riser and the sight window. On a left-hand bow the sight window is cut on the opposite side, the arrow rest sits on the right, and the grip is shaped ergonomically for the right bow hand. Limbs, string, and nocking points are usually universal and don't differ between handedness.

One thing worth knowing upfront. As a left-handed archer you have no performance disadvantage. Manufacturers price both handednesses identically, construction is mirror-image equivalent, and Olympic medalists shoot in both versions. The only practical difference is availability. In brick-and-mortar shops the selection of left-hand bows tends to be smaller, while online both handednesses are fully stocked.

How to check your handedness for archery

The central question isn't which hand you write with, but which of your eyes is dominant. Your dominant eye processes visual information faster and controls the aiming line from your eye over the string and the arrow tip all the way to the target. If the bow doesn't match your dominant eye, that line shifts sideways and you'll consistently aim past the target without being able to fix it.

We recommend three simple tests you can run at home in 15 minutes. If all three give you the same result, you have a clear eye dominance.

Test 1: The Diamond Test (most reliable)

1. Stretch both arms straight out in front of you and bring your thumbs and index fingers together to form a small diamond shape.
2. Keep both eyes open and focus on a distant object through the diamond, for example a door handle or the corner of a picture frame.
3. Slowly move your hands toward your face while keeping the object framed inside the diamond.
4. Your hands will naturally drift toward one eye. That eye is your dominant one.

If the diamond ends up in front of your left eye, you need a left-hand bow.

Test 2: The Thumb Test (Porta Test)

Stretch one arm out and hold your thumb in front of a vertical object roughly five meters away, like a door frame. With both eyes open, cover the object with your thumb. Now close one eye at a time. The eye that keeps your thumb aligned with the object is your dominant eye. With the non-dominant eye, your thumb jumps to the side.

Test 3: The Paper Test

Take a sheet of paper and punch a small hole in the middle. Hold the paper at arm's length with both eyes open and look at a distant object through the hole. Slowly pull the paper toward your face. The paper will land in front of your dominant eye.

Repeat each test several times and don't run them when you're tired or stressed. With kids, repeat the tests on different days and write the results down clearly.

What is cross-dominance?

Roughly 10 percent of all people have what's called cross-dominance. That means your writing hand and your dominant eye are on opposite sides of your body. A classic example is the right-handed person with a dominant left eye. In daily life it barely registers, but in archery it decides your long-term success.

For beginners the rule is clear. Always let the eye decide, not the writing hand. If you're right-handed with a dominant left eye, get a left-hand bow and relearn the motor pattern on the other side. With kids and teenagers that takes about two to three weeks, with adults two to four. Compared to the decades your archery hobby can last, that's a tiny investment.

Archery isn't a natural movement and has to be learned from scratch anyway. That's why there's no motor advantage in shooting with your usual hand. Eyesight, on the other hand, can't be retrained. Eye dominance is genetically fixed.

Cross-dominance in experienced archers

If you've been shooting for years and only now notice that you have cross-dominance, there are two paths. Either you relearn the side, which for experienced archers means 6 to 12 months of consistent training, or you compensate for the cross-dominance with aids. Shooting glasses with a blinder that selectively blocks the dominant eye have proven themselves in practice. Simply squinting works in the short term but leads to tension over time.

The decision matrix for your bow purchase

Left-hand bows in our range

We carry every major bow type in a left-hand version. Which type suits you depends on your discipline, your experience level, and your goals.

Left-hand recurve bow

The recurve is the all-rounder among bows and the right choice for most beginners. On three-piece takedown models you buy the riser in the left-hand version, while the limbs are universal. If you later move up in draw weight or switch to a competition bow, you keep your limbs in play. The ILF system makes sure that limbs from different brands fit any ILF riser, regardless of manufacturer.

Left-hand compound bow

On a compound bow, the riser and cam system are built for one handedness. Converting from right-hand to left-hand effectively means buying a new bow, so getting the choice right the first time matters even more here. Our left-hand compounds cover the full spectrum, from entry-level RTS sets with a wide adjustment range to competition models for indoor and 3D.

Left-hand longbow and hybrid bow

Modern longbows and hybrid bows with an integrated shelf are also available in left-hand versions. Historic longbows without an arrow rest, shot off the back of the hand, can technically be used either way. If you're aiming for traditional or instinctive shooting, get in touch and we'll point you to the right option.

Accessories for left-handed archers

The bow alone isn't the whole story. These items are handedness-specific and need the matching version.

• Arrow rest for recurve and compound
• Tab for recurve and longbow
• Release for compound (wrist-strap releases are handedness-specific)
• Bow quivers for mounting on the bow
• Armguard for the bow arm (on the right arm for a left-handed archer)
• Specialty nocks like Beiter nocks and fletchings like Spin Wings come in handedness-specific versions

String, limbs, nocking points, and buttons are usually universal and not tied to handedness.

Frequently asked questions about left-hand bows

I'm left-handed. Do I automatically need a left-hand bow?

Not necessarily. Your writing hand alone doesn't decide. Run the Diamond Test first to determine your eye dominance. If you have cross-dominance, the eye wins.

My child is right-handed, but the test showed a dominant left eye. What now?

Buy a left-hand bow. Kids relearn the motor pattern in two to three weeks without issue. Long term, your child will shoot far more precisely with a bow that matches the dominant eye.

Can I convert a right-hand bow into a left-hand bow?

No, that's technically impossible. The sight window is cut asymmetrically, the arrow rest is fixed in place, and the riser is ergonomically shaped. On a three-piece takedown recurve, however, you can swap the riser and keep the limbs, which effectively changes the handedness.

Are left-hand bows more expensive or harder to find?

Prices are identical. Manufacturers price both handednesses the same. Online availability is complete, and in physical shops the selection can be smaller.

Are there performance disadvantages for left-handed archers?

None when it comes to performance. The only downsides are availability in local shops, occasionally longer delivery times for specialty models, and a smaller used market. Olympic-level archers compete in both handednesses.

What if both my eyes are equally strong?

In rare cases there's no clear eye dominance. Repeat the tests on different days. If the result stays ambiguous, your handedness decides. While shooting, you can cover the non-leading eye with an eye patch or shooting glasses to avoid double vision.

How long does it take to relearn the other side?

Two to three weeks for kids and beginners, two to four weeks for adults. For experienced archers with deeply ingrained patterns, expect 6 to 12 months of consistent training.

Our advice to wrap up

If we may give you one tip, this is it. Run the eye dominance tests before you pick a bow, not after. Two minutes of testing at home can save you an expensive wrong purchase. In the entry-level range, a one-piece recurve or a compound bow with the wrong handedness is a total loss of 120 to 500 euros. With a takedown model you're back in the game with a new riser starting at 80 euros. If you're unsure about your test results, drop us a line or visit a club nearby and shoot a few arrows with both handednesses. That kind of certainty no test can replace.