Barebow – Your complete Guide to Barebow Archery

Part of learning archery invariable results in buying a bow, and as a result, you will sooner or later encounter the blank bow. But what exactly is a blank bow and how does it differ from other types of bows, such as a compound bow or a recurve bow? You will find the answers in our bow guide.

What is a Barebow?

The barebow is in principle an intermediate stage between tradition and modernity. Tradition because it does without virtually all available shooting aids and equipment, and modernity because it is a more advanced type of bow. It is therefore based on modern materials, but without any technical “frills”. Strictly speaking, the Blank bow is a recurve bow without a visor and without stabilizers. Therefore it is not only appreciated by tradition-conscious archers, but also by archery beginners, who simply want to get a taste of the sport without spending a lot of money on expensive archery equipment.

By the way, stabilizers are officially allowed for blank bow shooting, but only if they are attached directly to the grip. An arrow rest may, but does not have to be used – many blank bow shooters deliberately do without it.

Otherwise, all technical aids during competitions are prohibited. So the shooter relies solely on his skill and ability. This is one of the reasons why blank bow shooting is considered the purest form of archery.

In order to be successful, the barebow shooter must demonstrate absolute concentration and dedication during his sport. Only if he can execute his technique correctly, again, and again, his success as a shooter is guaranteed. This requires hard work and years of practice, which can often lead to frustration. Shooting with a blank bow is therefore a mental challenge that you must love.

There are two different techniques for shooting with the blank bow:

Whether Stringwalking or Facewalking is the more suitable technique for you, you probably just have to try it out. The best thing to do is to ask for advice from a local archery club. There are certainly advanced archers there who can provide you with their skills and teach you.

Pros and Cons of a Barebow

You should consider all these pros and cons before buying a barebow. But there are other things you should pay attention to when you want to buy a barebow.

Our Recommendation – TOPARCHERY Takedown Youth Recurve Bow

This is a very good beginner’s bow from Toparchery. It is just strong and durable enough to allow the user to learn how archery works without being so powerful that using it becomes overly strenuous or dangerous. The takedown design allows for easy portability and storage, while the double arrow rest means that it can be used by multiple archers, irrespective of whether they are left- or right-handed. This makes it particularly useful for instructors or families. The nylon fiber and epoxy materials used in the construction makes for a durable bow that can take some misuse by inexperienced archers without inflicting too much damage.

TOPARCHERY Takedown Youth Recurve Bow

• Ideal beginner's bow with take-down design for transport and storage
• Riser is made from high-strength nylon fiber and the limbs are epoxy
• Double arrow rest makes it suitable for left & right-handed shooters

View on Amazon

What Look for When Buying a Bare Bow

If you want to buy a blank bow, you can also look for a barebow recurve without stabilizers and visor. If an arrow rests, it should only be incorporated in the grip. However, many of them have brackets or fixtures to mount the archery equipment later on. So you will not only get the benefit of a real blank bow, but you can also upgrade it later according to your taste.

Otherwise, you should pay attention to the same things as with other types of bows. Important is the extension length, which you can easily measure by standing with arms outstretched. A second person now measures the length from middle finger to middle finger and voilà, you have already determined your extension length.

Of course, the weight of the train also plays a role. For a beginner, it should be rather low so that he can concentrate on his technique.

The right arrows are also important, of course. In general, you can shoot with all types of arrows. However, remember that wooden arrows are not suitable for recurve bows and therefore not for blanks with higher draw weight, as the arrows could otherwise splinter or break.

As you can see, there are also some things you need to consider when going barebow hunting. However, once you have read the manual and tried a blank bow, you will soon notice how much fun shooting with a blank bow is.