Brace height - Guide to Bow Brace height

Draw weight, sheet length, type of sheet, and draw length, there is another parameter you should pay attention to when buying a sheet: the height of the sheet. What the bow stand height is and how it affects you and the arrow, we explain in our stand height guide.

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What is the Stand Height in Archery?

The bow stand height is the distance between the bowstring and the farthest point of the grip. The stand height is not a static value. Every Archer should know them and also check his bow regularly. Because only if the height of the stand is correct, bow and arrow behave predictably.

Of course, the sport of archery consists of an unbelievably sensitive interaction of various influences. The stand height is only one single factor that affects the shot. However, you should not underestimate it, because the slightest change to it will significantly affect the flight characteristics of your arrow.

What Is the Influence of the Stand Height on the Arrow?

The shorter the tendon, the greater the stand height. This fact has an influence on another parameter: The shorter the chord, the higher the energy that is transferred to the arrow.

So you can simply twist in your string up to the greatest, thereby achieving a great standing height and more power, right? I’m afraid it’s not that simple. Because: The shorter the string, the higher the load the limbs have to withstand. Over time, the bow can even break if the tendon is too short.

But not only that when it comes to how to measure brace height: If the altitude changes, the flight behavior of the arrow also changes. Since you must always try to repeat the perfect shot exactly, neither your movements nor your bow must be changed significantly. If after one hundred and fifty shots your arrow suddenly no longer flies properly or you feel some strange change in-flight behavior, you should check your bow stance. You should also do this if you notice that the arrow no longer rests properly on the arrow rest.

The bow stand height also has an influence on the arrow Spine value. If your bow has a high stand height and you shoot with a high spine, the arrow will not be accelerated enough to fly really clean. This means that the higher you choose the stand height, the lower the arrow spine value has to be.

In summary, it can be said that beginners should rather choose a higher stand height because this makes the arrow flight smoother and the bow forgives more beginner mistakes.

But what happens if the stand height is too high or too low? You will find more information on this in the next sections of our stand height guide.

Stand Height Too High

Too great a stand height not only makes it more difficult to tension the string since you need great force to do it. It is also a danger to the bow because the load resting on the throwing arms becomes too high with time. This can damage your bow.

In addition, if your stand is too high, you will not be able to accelerate the arrow enough for it to make a clean turn.

Stand Height Too Low

A too-small standing height not only makes the flight curve of the arrow unclean and accelerates it more than a large standing height; it also leads to a considerable risk of injury, because the tendon strikes too far forward when loosening. If it then hits unprotected skin – because you thought you didn’t need forearm protection – the archer will experience life and in color what a rushing tendon can do to a forearm.

So there are two things you can do to significantly reduce the risk of injury:

Put on a forearm protector
Make sure to set the bow stand height correctly

How is the Stand Height measured?

If you want to determine the height of your bow, you need a so-called checker. This is a special scale for archery, which indicates the distance in inches on one side and in centimeters on the other side.

Hold the bow by the middle section so that it does not touch the wall, floor, or other objects. Now hold the Checker at a right angle to the handle and the string and read the determined distance. The result is the standing height of the bow.

By the way, you can also use a checker to determine the correct position for your cam point. A checker is therefore an absolute must have for every archer who wants to reach a certain level and should always be carried along.

Common Stand Heights

The stand height is usually between twenty and twenty-four centimeters or, in inches, between eight and nine. However, it is tricky to tell an archer which is their optimal height because this is something he has to learn himself. The stand height depends on various factors – the type of bow used, the technique and style of the archer, and the Material of the archery equipment.

General stand height recommendations for the respective types are available. You should follow these recommendations, especially as a beginner, but in time you will have to decide for yourself which is the optimal stand height for you.

Standard Values: Stand Height of Recurve Bow

Different types of arcs naturally differ in their parameters. This also applies to the stand height. If you shoot with a recurve bow, you have to set a different stand height than with a longbow.

The height of the Recurve bow should be between 7,5 and 8,5 inches. The latter refers mainly to hunting recurve bows. However, there are also manufacturers who recommend a different height for recurve bows. If you are unsure, you should ask the manufacturer and follow his recommendations. Of course, you can also ask more experienced archers.

Standard Values: Stand Height Longbow

The stand height of the traditional Longbow generally between 6,5 and 7 inches. However, the same applies here: What is pleasant for you is permitted. Even traditional shooters follow this rule. Since they form a relatively close and friendly group, if you are unsure, you will always find someone whose height you can follow the tips of.

How is the Stand Height Adjusted?

First of all: Don’t fiddle around too often with the proven settings. Archery lives from a constant technique and from equally constant settings. If you keep changing the settings on your bow or your material, you won’t get the best results.

To change the bow stand height, proceed as follows:

Use a checker to measure the height of the stand
Detach the string from the throwing arm and shorten or lengthen it by turning it in or out
The stand height is increased by turning in; reduced by turning out
Put the string back into the bow; be careful, otherwise, the string might turn up again
Miss again the stand height
If this has not changed, you have to loosen the tendon again and continue screwing it in
Try each time what the tensioning of the bowstring feels like and shoot out the stand height – the bow must feel good for you because archery has a lot to do with feeling!

How Often Should the Stand Height be Checked?

We have some bad news: Archery is a bit of work, too. Not only do you have to remove the bow after use and re-stretch it before the next use, but you should also check the height of the stand after each re-stretch. This does not apply to compound bows, of course, but to longbows and recurve bows in any case.

Even if you have fired many shots with the bow, the stand height must be controlled. So don’t wait until you notice that something is wrong. If you have shot a few dozen times, use the Checker, because the enormous forces involved in releasing the string can cause the stand height to shift minimally. But this tiny change can already have a big impact on your hit image!

And of course, you should go troubleshooting if you notice that something does not feel right.