One of the most frequent questions I am asked is what equipment I use, and how it is set up/tuned?
When talking equipment, I think it’s safe to say that there are two core pieces of gear which provide an archer with a platform for their accuracy; the bow and arrows. It is critical that the bow is suited to your style of shooting, and is set up correctly for YOU, the same applies for arrows. In addition to being correctly set up for your requirements, your gear should be confidence inspiring and comforting for you to shoot. This is primarily a ‘mental’ sport, rather than physical, so anything that can assist you in this area is a bonus.
The bow. I shoot the Prime ‘One’ for reasons touched on above. Its specifications suit my style of shooting perfectly (FITA Outdoor/Indoor) and has a variety of traits that assist me in being consistent throughout my shot process. A super smooth draw cycle, rock solid wall and ease of tune-ability suit my style and help under those high pressure shots. This is a consistency sport, so finding a bow that assists you in executing shot after shot in the same manner is a huge benefit.
Arrows. Now I’m not going to get too technical, as you’ve most likely heard it all before. However, you want to select an arrow that suits your ‘game’. For a FITA Target shooter such as myself, I look for a small diameter target shaft that can shoot out to 50m, or 90m consistently, with good wind resistance. I choose the Carbon Express Nano Pro, as my arrow of choice. The extra strong carbon design allows for fantastic recovery on the shot, whilst making it one of the toughest arrows on the market.
Tuning. This is typically where I would discuss paper, walk back, powder and group tuning... not today. Unless your technique and execution is rock solid and repeatable, you’re probably not going to see any benefits of advanced tuning methods. Instead, what I would suggest is spending that time that you would normally use trying to tune your bow, behind it shooting arrows. Get comfortable with the way it shoots, understand why your arrows do and do not go in the middle, work on the issues in your technique that make you inconsistent, formulate a shot sequence that can get you out of trouble when under pressure situations, and finally have confidence in your equipment and ability!
To wrap up, don’t go out and buy new gear in an attempt to gain more points. Select equipment that you will be comfortable and confident shooting. Spend more time learning your gear and technique, than trying to tune the thing.
Good luck, and I hope to see you on the range in the future.
What I Shoot - with Jack Salmon
Jack