ESSENTIALS: ARROW LITERACY

I've feel always thought that the hardest thing for novice archers is attempting to understand and navigate the technical minefield that is unfortunately an essential part of archery. It’s really easy to over whelmed and incompetent. Whilst you can still shoot good scores without having technical knowledge, there are situations where an understanding is essential – especially when it comes to making a purchase. Most archers at some point or another have bought an incompatible item or something that’s the wrong size or weight. Purchase mistakes are especially prevalent when it comes to arrows, as there are multiple weights and dimensions to get right. It’s normally pretty straightforward if you’re using parts native to the brand and model of the arrow shaft, but there are lots of occasions where you may well be using a third party component, such as one of the excellent products from TopHator Bohning for example. The method of sizing & labelling varies greatly within brands – with a little knowledge, research and the application of some very basic maths you can make sure all of your new parts fit.

The aim of this article is to arm you with basic arrow knowledge. There’s more to learn - there always is - but. By the end you'll hopefully understand exactly what you have and what parts fit it. There’s material here for beginners, novices, and experienced archers alike, and this knowledge should inspire a lot more confidence when it comes to making a purchase.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

The first thing to understand about arrows is how they are measured. The correct form of measurement is the AMO measurement. The length is taken from the nock groove to the end of the shaft EXCLUDING any points or inserts. If you're buying arrows online or in store you'll need to communicate the required AMO measurement. Over the years I've seen way too many people