What Arrows Do I Use With My Bow?

Your bow is made for a specific purpose. You might shoot for fun, compete on the range or head to the woods for the rut, but whatever your sport, you've already chosen the initial gear based on how you plan to use it. Arrows are no exception, and matching the right arrows for your bow can be a fun and personal way to customize your shooting.

Wood Arrows

Used by archers since the invention of the bow, wood arrows are distinctive and tasteful. They also provide flight benefits to the traditional archer or hunter. Wood is heavier than modern arrow materials, so it offers greater impact force, though it has slower velocities and more pronounced flight arcs. And because wood is so flexible, it can bend around the off-center shooting windows of traditional bows. These characteristics make wood arrows a great choice for longbows and recurves, but they cannot bear the forces put out by compound bows and some modern competition recurves. They also require careful matching of spine, or shaft flex, to bow draw weight.

Aluminum

Cheap and effective, aluminum arrows offer hunters and casual shooters an affordable ultralight arrow. Capable of handling the force and velocities of performance compound bows, aluminum is a good choice for hunters who take long shots from tree stands or blinds. Its strength is also a perk over wood arrows, which can be compromised by chips or cracks. Aluminum arrows come in a variety of graphic designs, including various types of camouflage, though many traditional hunters find these designs clash with primitive gear.

Carbon Fiber

Carbon fiber has replaced aluminum as the high performance material in many sports applications, and archery is no exception. Although it is expensive, carbon is also extremely strong and rigid, allowing for lighter weight and thinner diameter. Carbon shafts fly extremely fast, have low wind profiles and offer low penetration resistance, making them ideal for hunters going after big game. The carbon fiber can also be woven with specific applications in mind, allowing arrows to be custom made for hunting, competition or recreational uses.