Explore my personal ranking of the best archery bows on Amazon, so you can elevate your target shooting adventures and harness your inner Katniss Everdeen.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. Bear Archery - 12-27 Inch Draw Length
Top-rated: 407 ratings | 37 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Fires arrows at 290 feet per second.
Helpful review: "I bought this for my young son with the idea that he could use/shoot it for many years. So far I’m greatly impressed. The module system is adjustable without the use of a press and the poundage range is crazy 5-50 lbs. It comes with a peep, sight, rest and quiver so really the only additional parts you need are arrows and a release aid of some kind.
I’m a serious archer and bow hunter, so I’ve seen and used a lot and these little bows provide a TON in a small package. When I came into the sport there was nothing like this to speak of. This thing can grow with your kid through many years of growth. Looking forward to shooting this for years to come!
A FEW WORDS FROM A NEIGHBOR:
Got a cheapo bow for my daughter a few years back, she really liked it, but it sucked, so I decided to get her a real bow. Really like this thing. Comes with everything you need on the bow. You'll still need a release, and arrows, and a target.
My daughter is about 52 inches tall, draw length about 19, probably pulling 15lbs, chrono'd at about 75 fps. The peep and the sight are both pretty good, the quiver is very usable. I expect that if she doesn't get over about 5'8", this bow could last her entire life with the crazy adjustment range it has.
MY FRIEND’S REVIEW:
Bought this as my 7-year old's second bear bow (had the bear brave before this). This is his first bow that uses a release. He loves it. I love it too because it comes with everything except arrows and a release. I also love it because of how easy it is to adjust and set up for him. The seller was also very responsive! I received the bow and realized it didn't have the quiver. The seller got me the quiver within a week." — Jim Collacello
Get it from Amazon now: $319.99 & FREE Returns
2. Genesis Original Kit - 15-30 Inch Draw Length
Top-rated: 2,226 ratings | 156 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Provides adaptability to different skill levels and preferences.
Helpful review: "My husband is an outdoorsman. I am a dedicated bookworm. I decided to purchase this bow to get some fresh air, exercise, and share one of his interests. I will never use anything to kill an animal -- even though I eat hamburgers, I will still shop for my groceries.
This bow is for target practice only -- it is not a hunting bow. I am petite, so I do not have the strength to draw back a bow that is over the young adult limit -- the further back you draw the bow, the more poundage you get -- I am at 25 lb. range for now. This bow is excellent as it adjusts to your draw. So far, I have shot arrows at 10 - 15 yards. This is a small range. We go to a park and, of course, the yards are marked. I recommend purchasing additional accessories -- such as a whisker biscuit (this is a circular object with a dense plastic encompassing fringe) to hold your arrow in place.
Also, a Tru-Glo, three pin scope (or scope of your choice).
And finally, (very important) a peep sight (you line up (halo) the peep sight with the pin (dead center)in the scope), IMPT --get a peep sight that doesn't twist; it must have a rubber tube.
Two more items -- a better arm guard, although the kit comes with one. And, a release for the bow, is not necessary, but makes shooting easier. I love this bow and recommend it to anyone that is a beginner. My husband has a block with a target on it. He puts it on an old table at the park for target practice. He has a hi-tech compound bow, but has shot this bow and said it is a good product. He also said that the arrows are of good quality.
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND:
This bow was a gift for my grandson and was very highly recommended by the instructor at his archery class. This type of bow is used to teach archery in most archery courses. I'll admit I know next to nothing about archery.
My grandson is right handed, so I just assumed he'd use a right handed bow. My grandson's first archery lesson led us to discover I was wrong - the instructor determined that while my grandson was right handed, he is left eye dominant and that is the determining factor in archery. Would have been nice to know this before I bought him a right handed bow.
Well, I corrected that mistake by getting him this one - a left handed bow. I would caution anyone interested in getting started in archery to talk to a knowledgeable instructor FIRST to help find the right bow for you - could have saved me about $125. This is the same type of bow my grandson is using at his archery class and this kit has everything you'd need. You get the bow, 5 arrows, an adjustable arm guard, a hip quiver and the back has 2 face targets you can use. After researching this purchase I found this Genesis Kit was lower than any I could find for the same item." — Mo Lacourse
Get it from Amazon now: $229.99 & FREE Returns
3. Genesis Left Hand - 15-30 Inch Draw Length
Top-rated: 1,465 ratings | 150 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Pre-assembled and ready-to-use right out of the box.
Helpful review: "Bottom line first - I highly recommend this one bow that the whole family, big and small, will be able to shoot and have fun with right out of the box. PERFECT for one size fits all bows for target shooting.
My kids archery teacher recommended this as a family bow and he was right. It's truly a one bow fits all. My daughter, son and I can all use it. I'm surprised I enjoy using it set at the draw weight for my son. To compare, his Lil' Banshee Youth Compound bow feels like a tiny toy in my hands.
What makes this bow so awesome as a family bow is not only is the draw weight adjustable. The draw length is however far you pull back. Doesn't matter if you're small with short arms or tall with long arms, it just fits. If your kids are stronger (over age 10) it's worth spending the extra $10-15 on amazon for the Genesis Pro model with the option for higher draw weight and adding an easily removable and adjustable stop (for draw length).
This bow is the standard/official school archery bow and I can see why. Any one, any size can use it and we find it VERY accurate. Groupings are consistent for all three of us. It comes ready to shoot with a built in arrow rest and a nock already installed. It also comes with an allen wrench to adjust the draw weight. It comes set at the max, 20lbs. We had to open it up a few turns to lower the draw weight for the kids. It feels rugged and indestructible.
I love that I was able to buy one bow for both kids and didn't have to buy two bows set up for their very different sizes. That makes this bow a tremendous value. They'll be able to use it in competitions too, which is the reason I bought it in the first place.
This bow cost me $60 less than a beautiful 35 lb, 60" recurve I bought for myself prior to finding out that Genesis bows exist. I'm the only one big enough to shoot the recurve which is a shame but we can all take turns at the Genesis without even having to adjust it between shooters. I realize that a 20 lb compound is not comparable to a 35 lb recurve but I get much tighter groupings with the Genesis bow and it's easier and more fun to shoot. Practicing with the Genesis is making me a better shot on the recurve so I use both. It's also nice to not have to string the Genesis every time and unstring it when done.
There's a reason after school programs use this bow. The quality and value is obvious. For you and these kids, this is the bow to get. If it's just for the kids and they are really small, the Genesis mini is probably a better option. If it's just for adults, spend the extra $10-15 on Amazon and get the Genesis pro." — Doron Avizov
Get it from Amazon now: $164.69 & FREE Returns
4. IS-Tongtu - 30-40 lbs Draw Weight
Top-rated: 479 ratings | 29 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Ambidextrous reinforced handle.
Helpful review: "We received the Bow package as promised before Christmas. GREAT! Because it was a gift for my wife. I put it together, since I'm an engineer and she's a nurse - both retired. Anyway, I looked at the enclosed instructions, which showed using a bow stringer to attach the bowstring. I thought what I found in the package was the bow stringer, and not the bowstring itself, because it was multi-stranded.
I don't know poop from a shingle about bows, but I'd never seen a multi-stringed bowstring. And I wrote a review, which I don't know how to edit now. I thought the bowstring was missing. Then I found that it wasn't that tough to bend the bow to attach the bowstring without a bow stringer, and the bowstring was the item in the box. I must also say that the manufacturer replied to my review within a few days, so great customer service. We look forward to lots of fun shooting targets and one another with the bow (just kidding about shooting one another - I hope). A Good purchase and nice people.
A FRIEND’S REVIEW:
I bought this bow for my husband, who insisted he was "too left-handed" and "not coordinated" enough for archery. He tried it out and nailed the zombie targets right away! Once he gets into the sport, the bow will be perfect for either of my grandchildren [8 and 15 years old] who also enjoy archery. Good quality beginner's bow, but lacks an arrow rest, so we put some furniture felt on the deck for a smooth release. Great set for the price and a perfect intro to archery; and as it is either right- or left-handed, it can be used by many people." — Pamela Claire
Get it from Amazon now: $72.65 & FREE Returns
5. Lanneret - 19-28 Inch Draw Length
Top-rated: 126 ratings | 3 answered questions
Credit: Amazon.com
Highlight: Best for youth and beginners.
Helpful review: "This Bow was great for my daughter (7). We got it for her for Christmas. She’d never shot a bow before this. We got it out and set it all up to include for her draw length and weight in only a few minutes. She was able to hit the target with consistency on her first tries with only basic instructions on how to line up your sights and when to pull the trigger. Great buy for beginners.
A FEW WORDS FROM A NEIGHBOR:
Pretty good choice for beginners. It is a complete package with all necessary accessories including arrows. My son has been playing with the recursive bow for a while and would like to try another one. The new bow is very encouraging. It provides much better accuracy than the recursive one. Less challenging and more fun. Operating the compound bow is also easier and not exhaustive. The performance is surprising when applying experience and skills learned from the other one. Probably it is one of the best sports a youth can do in the backyard any day. On the other hand, compared with the price of the bow set, the target price is crazy and unreasonable. I don't think there is any comparable delicate structure in the target.
MY FRIEND’S REVIEW:
This is a birthday present for my 12 year old boy. The bow and arrow works very well. The assembly weight is around 3.3 lbs. Although the limbs and cams are made of plastic, they feel very comfortable, and you can adjust the draw distance and pounds according to your own situation, and the arrow shaft is smooth and unobstructed. It is recommended to use the arm guards, which can protect the inside of the forearm from bowstring injuries, and it is also recommended to use the arrow puller to facilitate the launch. Although it's for children, adults could also use it by increasing the number of pounds. It's a little expensive, but it is still worth buying. The included target paper is not enough at all. It is recommended to sell it as a package." — Lauren Fuller
Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns