Youth Compound Bow Selection Guide

Although bow manufacturers design youth bows to be as accommodating as possible (to ensure they don't need to be upgraded often), not all bows are suitable for all kids. While some rigs suit little kids perfectly well, others are advisable for older boys and girls only. In other words, there is no universal/best youth bow suitable for all ages. While bow manufacturers design youth compound bowsso that they grow with a young archer, there is no bow that can be used by someone from 4 to 18 years old. Therefore, when you here a phrase like "this bow is all your child ever needs and it will grow with your kid" understand that this only applies to a certain age range. So, if your child is still very young, the best way to start is to choose one of the smallest youth compound bows, stick with it for a few years, and then upgrade to something more substantial when appropriate. On the other hand, if your kid is older, you may only need 1 youth bow before he or she is ready for an adult rig.

The best way to understand which bows are suitable for your kid isto explore this guide first and then use our unique compound bow selector to find the most suitable rig (see our youth compound bow reviews selector or youth compound bows for sale selector).

Bow mass weight is a very important factor to consider when choosing a compound bow for smaller kids.While most older children can easily hold any youth bow, smaller youngsters are not strong enough and should only shoot lightweight bows. Therefore, care needs to be taken when choosing a youth compound bow for smaller kids.

While not all youngsters are the same, generally, boys and girls under 5 years old shouldn'tshoot bows heavier than 3 lbs. So, if your child is small and petite, choose a lighter bow.

It is important to mention, that some bow manufacturers don'tmanufacture lightweight youth compound bows. So, be very careful and always check bow specifications before making your decision. Most importantly, ask your child how he or she feels about holding a particular bow. If the child complaints about the bow being to heavy, don't buy it - either choose a lighter rig or wait until your child is comfortable to shoot this bow.

Here is a detailed example on some suitable and not suitable bows for smaller kids. Have a look at thebelow table to understand why some youth bows are more suitable for small kids. (click on the bow name to find out more about a particular rig).

Youth compound bows for smaller kids - bow mass weight is important

Remember that every ounce counts in the hands of a small child, so ensure your kid is comfortabe with the bow and it's not too heavy for him or her.

Stressing a growing body can cause some serious health problems. Pulling too much weight can lead to over-developing some muscles while under-developing others. Experts and doctors say young shooters should not try pulling too much draw weight because their joints and muscles are still growing. So, care needs to be taken to avoid permanent damage. You should ensure a child only pulls as much weight as they can comfortably handle without straining.That is why, not only it is vitally important to select the right bow with the proper draw weight range, but also to set up the right amount of draw weight for your kid. To illustrate, an average 4 years old child should never attempt to pull more than 10 lbs or so. So, any bow that doesn't go that low in draw weight is simply not suitable.The following table shows average draw weights for different types of body frames.

It is important to understand and explain to your child that a good archer is not the one who can pull a lot of weight, but the one who is more accurate and consistent. Again, only set up as much weight as your child can comfortably handle without putting any stress on their body.