UC Davis Equipment Guide Created by Victor Fang Revised by Y-Minh Tran and Jason Sures Author’s note (Victor): I did some of the parts in first person to help make this guide feel a little more tailored and personal to everyone looking to buy equipment. Overview

This guide is written to help first time buyers as well as archers who are looking to upgrade equipment. I will try my best to include price estimates (new and used) as well as links to places to you can find the equipment. Please do note that new prices do flux sometimes and used market prices can vary even more. I will split this guide into different price brackets that also correspond to skill level. UC Berkeley also has a small chart for equipment guides but I will attempt to be much more in-depth by including reviews and my thoughts and opinions on the equipment that I suggest. These are

usually the opinions of the general archery community but I will also note my personal experience with them. All the equipment I recommend on here is very well regarded so rest assured I will not be recommending items such as toy boys and fiberglass arrows.

Basic Beginner Equipment List (~$200-$250)

The bow

- Win&Win Prostyle Bow (~$130) o This is the bow that I would recommend for the archer that is thinking of

continuing the path of the Olympic Recurve. This bow has all the mounts necessary for a basic Olympic Recurve setup such as stabilizers, sights, and clicker. Even though this setup has a metal riser/handle, it is made of magnesium and very light (beginner friendly!). The limbs that come with this bow can be interchanged with other Prostyle limbs in the case you wish to purchase heavier or lighter limbs. However, this setup is not an ILF setup so if you ever wish to upgrade to better limbs, you will need to purchase a new riser/handle as well. Lastly, this bow can be up to 68 inches tall so people with longer arms (and longer drawlengths) can shoot this bow without straining the limbs (stacking).

o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/w-w-sebastian-flute-prostyle-24-recurve-riser.html

o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/w-w-sebastian-flute-prostyle-recurve-limbs.html

- Samick Sage (~$140) o The Samick Sage is widely regarded among the archery community as a

cult classic. It is a short all wooden bow that has become the standard in great-for-value beginner bows. I would recommend this bow to those who eventually want to pursue the barebow discipline (shooting without sights or stabilizers) but for Olympic Recurve shooters I would point them towards the Prostyle. This bow shoots well but because it is a 62 inch tall bow, people with long drawlengths will notice that the limbs become very difficult to pull before they reach full draw (stacking)

o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/samick-sage-takedown-recurve-bow.html

Intermediate/Beginner Equipment List ($300-400)

Here, this equipment is a big step up from the basic equipment in the previous section. I recommend these items for beginners who are serious about continuing archery as a hobby and perhaps wish to become competitive. These pieces of equipment are great for value and essentially do everything that a $2000 setup can do.

Riser

- Core Spark Riser (25inch) (~$140) ILF o The Core Spark riser is an anodized, all-aluminum riser that is really great for its

price. Many of the coaches including myself have been thoroughly impressed with this riser for the price bracket and it is on the top of my recommendations list. The core spark has all the necessary mounting options for a full Olympic setup along with limb alignment as well. The riser itself is also a nice weight and not too light and comes with a solid wood grip. Currently, Lancaster stopped carrying this riser so you would have to order it from the UK but it is still worth double its price.

o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/core-archery-spark-25-recurve-riser.html o http://www.alternativess.com/shop/pages/COSP.htm

- SF Premium+ Riser (~$160) ILF o The SF Premium riser comes from the reputable company SF and is a really great

starting riser and a good alternative to the Core Spark if you don’t mind spending a little extra. The riser is aluminum and better made than the Axiom+ or the Fantom and is high quality. The only downside to this riser is that the finish is painted instead of anodized. The riser has limb alignment and all the mounting brackets for a full Olympic setup. You will have to order from Alternativess in the UK to get a good price.

o http://www.alternativess.com/shop/pages/SFPPR.htm - The Axiom+ Light / Axiom+ Risers (23-25inch) (~$100-130) ILF

o The Axiom+ risers are the entry level risers from W&W. These are solid risers (although if you compare these next to the core spark there is no competition) and will get the job done. The light version has some cutouts in the riser which make it look less ugly but appearance is a subjective thing hahaha. These also have limb alignment and all the mounting options needed for a full Olympic setup. The finish is painted, not anodized.

o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/sf-axiom-plus-light-25-recurve-riser.html o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/w-w-sebastian-flute-axiom-recurve-riser.html

- Cartel Fantom (25inch) (~$130) ILF o The Cartel Fantom used to (and still sort is) the industry standard in entry level

risers (before I found the Core Spark). Just like the Axiom, the riser is solid and will get the job done however the finish is painted and not nearly as nice as the finish on the core spark. However, I do find the Fantom a bit prettier than the Axiom risers. These also include all the mounting options for full Olympic.

o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/w-w-sebastian-flute-axiom-recurve-riser.html - W&W SF Forged+ ($280)

o Higher end riser of this list, but a very popular riser in the archery community. This Forged Aluminum riser is by far the best bang for your buck in the Archery world. Whether you are focusing on Barebow or have aspirations to become an

Olympic Recurve Archer, this riser will give you everything you need. This is the number one riser recommended by faculty adviser of Cal Archery, Dennis Lieu. http://www.lancasterarchery.com/w-w-sf-forged-plus-25-recurve-riser.html

- Gillo G2 Riser ($300) o Popular among Davis Archers, this riser is ideal for those wishing to specialize in

the Barebow discipline. This riser contains special compartments for optimal Barebow balancing weights. It allows for customization through additional compartment covers (purchased separately)

o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/gillo-g2-25-recurve-riser.html

Limbs

Short blurb regarding limb weight and size: Usually if you come to me about limb recommendations, I will try to take a couple things into consideration such as draw weight and draw length. For draw weight, I will try to judge from my experience of watching you shoot how heavy of a draw you can comfortably handle and go from there. Usually, I will try to push it a teeny bit above that just so you can grow into them a tiny bit as well as maximize the distance you’re able to shoot on those limbs. For draw length, that will help me decide what length of limb that may be the best for you. In the world of limbs, there is two main philosophies – shooting feel/comfort and arrow speed. One will stress that you want to choose the limb that will give you the maximum speed for the arrow which translates indirectly to forgiveness since the arrow will leave the bow faster (before you get a chance to screw things up :p ). The second is feel and comfort which is the school of thought that I side with. I believe that the limb should feel smooth all the way through the draw which will in turn reduce shooter fatigue and lead to less mistakes and a more satisfying experience. With that being said, I would usually recommend medium length limbs for people with a draw length between 26inches to 28 inches. I would only recommend short limbs to people with 25 inches of draw or less because at that draw length the short limbs should still feel smooth. For the longer draw crowd, I would go with long limbs just because they will give you a smoother draw although I feel that medium limbs might be okay for someone with a 29inch draw.

- SF Axiom+ Limbs (~$80) o In the archery world, beginner limbs are usually split between the SF Axiom+

limbs and the Samick Priviledge limbs that I will cover next. From my experience, I find that both feel about the same in terms of smoothness and shootability but the finish on the Axiom+ limbs are more consistent and they have a more updated look to them. Moreover, the Axiom+ limbs are 10 dollars cheaper so they win my vote. These are ILF limbs so as long as you have an ILF riser ( ex. Core Spark), you can swap between limbs if you have more than 1 pair. These are solid limbs and many veteran shooters still keep a pair of these around for form training or weight training.

o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/w-w-sebastian-flute-axiom-plus-recurve-limbs-27800.html

- Samick Privilege Limbs (~$90) o This is the counterpart to the Axiom+ limbs mentioned above. These limbs feel

pretty much the same to the Axioms but they have a more dated look to them and a slightly shiny gray finish to them. Honestly, this just a matter of preference between the looks if you don’t care about the extra 10 dollars from these.

o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/samick-privilege-recurve-limbs.html

There are a few other entry level limbs that all basically shoot similar to the Samick/Axiom limbs mentioned above. They come from different companies and some of the may look prettier than the Samick/Axiom limbs. However, they cost around ~$100 to ~$130.

- Kaya K1 -$140 o http://www.alternativess.com/shop/pages/KAYK1L.htm o http://www.archerytorque.com/recurve-bow/limes/KAYA-K1-LIMBS

- SF Premium Plus fiber/wood -$120 o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/w-w-sf-premium-plus-recurve-limbs.html

- Mybo Syngery Air -$125 o http://www.alternativess.com/shop/pages/MYSAL.htm

Required Equipment:

Arrows

- Indoor: Easton xx75 Platinum Plus (~$55 fully fletched and pointed from Fat Shafts Archery)

o Even though some consider this to be an intermediate arrow, properly matched arrows play a big component in shooting straight. Nothing will ruin a bow setup faster than shoddy arrows (except maybe really bad form ;p). The Platinum Plus is also very widely well regarded as a reliable and tough arrow. It is made of 7075T9 aircraft grade aluminum and will last you forever given that you don’t lose them in the grass or shoot them into concrete/brick. In addition, Fat Shafts Archery really does sell these at a phenomenal price of 55 dollars for a dozen ready-to-shoot arrows. Furthermore, the level 4 USAA coach and faculty advisor for the UC Berkeley (Dennis) heavily recommend these arrows as well. The arrows have the G bushing system so you can easily replace or re-center nocks without have to use glue or hot melt. http://www.fatshaftsarchery.com/ Located at: 3001 Bayshore Road #9, Benicia CA.

- Outdoor: Carbon Arrows: These are what I would recommend for archers who are looking to shoot outdoor distances. (30-70m) Carbon arrows are much lighter and faster than aluminum arrows (Easton platinum plus), and will help you reach those targets at long distances. They also don’t get bent like aluminum arrows, but they can crack or break if too much stress is applied. Usually they are sold in separate components: shafts, points, nocks, vanes, etc. Shafts come uncut in the box, but can be cut down using an arrow saw.

o Carbon Express Medallian XR o Carbon Express Nano XR o Carbon Express Nano SST o Carbon Express Nano Pro Extremes

Difference in pricing: The more expensive carbon arrows tend to be skinnier and will offer an increase in speed, which can make quite a difference at a longer distance.

- Arrow Rest o Hoyt Super Rest ($2.50)

The Hoyt super rest is a basic plastic flipper rest that allows you to shoot without a plunger spring and more than sufficient for a basic setup. Some expert levels still swear by the hoyt super rests. These will usually last a year or two depending on how much the bow is being shot (and if the arrows are properly matched!).

http://www.lancasterarchery.com/hoyt-super-rest.html - String

o Dacron String (~$6) Dacron strings are a cheap option to get you started shooting. They are

durable but they do slowly creep over time (the string will lengthen). Aim for around 16 strands.

o Dyneema String ($10-15) Dyneema strings are the standard in recurve bows and they will not creep

after the initial shots to settle them in. They are very durable and stable. There are lots of places to order custom strings where you may choose custom color combinations and such. I recommend Scotts Strings.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Recurve-Bow-Strings-BCY-8125G-Free-Shipping-/141790077042?hash=item210358e072:m:mpjqS2E1qGajmzhtuOIMi3w

- Bow Stringer To set up your bow before you shoot.

o Selway Limbsaver Recurve Stringer (~$11) o http://www.amazon.com/Selway-Limbsaver-Recurve-Bow-

Stringer/dp/B002L9C7SQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452885372&sr=8-1&keywords=selway+limbsaver+recurve+bow+stringer

- Shooting tab For finger protection while shooting.

o Basic tab with spacer (~$8) These tabs are made of super leather or calf hair and come with a small

plastic spacer. The calf hair ones tend to last longer and give a smoother release so I would recommend the calf hair over super leather. These tabs are quite cheap and get the job done (protecting your fingers!).

http://www.lancasterarchery.com/bearpaw-calf-hair-finger-tab-w-spacer.html

o Cartel Smart Tab (~$20) This tab is a copy of the famous AAE Cavalier Elite tab made by the

company Cartel. This tab is a really great for value tab and comes with cordovan leather (pony butt!) which provides the smoothest release and highest durability. If you can spare the money I heavily recommend getting this tab over the basic tab because the tab is one of the two points where you hand comes in to contact with the bow. It is paramount that the tab is comfortable and protective as well as slick so you can have a solid anchor and clean release.

http://www.lancasterarchery.com/cartel-smart-finger-tab-cordovan.html

- Armguard Protect your arm from being slapped by the string.

o AAE Armguard ($9) This is an armguard that is used by Dennis from UC Berkeley and a solid

armguard that will get the job done and let your arm breathe. Recommended for Olympic Recurve shooters.

http://www.lancasterarchery.com/aae-armguard.html o Beiter Armguard ($12)

This is an alternative that is a different style from the AAE armguard. Note that this armguard is only a small strip so if you are slapping yourself in multiple places this may not be able to protect all the surfaces. Recommended for Olympic Recurve shooters.

http://www.lancasterarchery.com/beiter-armguard.html o Larger armguards (~$15)

These armguards offer maximum protection and they cover usually the whole arm. However, these are a bit clunky and you may get sweaty from these after a period of shooting.

http://www.lancasterarchery.com/neet-n-rgs-armguard.html - String Wax

Protect your bowstring from the elements. Apply to bowstring once a week. For this, I would recommend SNOT Bow String Wax. It comes in two sizes

o Small: ~$2 Lasts for about a year. http://www.lancasterarchery.com/30-06-little-snot-bow-string-wax.html

o Large: ~$6 Lasts much longer. http://www.lancasterarchery.com/30-06-string-snot-bow-string-

wax.html - Bow Stand

To hold your bow while you aren’t shooting. o Cartel Starter Bowstand ~$15

Basic bowstand, does the job. http://www.lancasterarchery.com/cartel-starter-bowstand.html

o SF Archery Axiom Aluminum Bow Stand Faster to assemble and disassemble http://www.lancasterarchery.com/sf-archery-axiom-aluminum-bow-

stand.html - Quiver

To hold your arrows while you shoot o Lancaster has a list of target (arrows face forward) and field (arrows face towards

your back) quivers to choose from on their website. o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/shooting-gear/quivers-accessories/target-3d-

quivers.html - Backpack

Hold all of your new gear! o Legend Streamline 2 Backpack ~$60

Popular backpack at Aggie Archery at UC Davis http://www.lancasterarchery.com/legend-streamline-2-backpack.html

Olympic Recurve Add-ons

Stabilizers

Crown Carbon Stabilizers ($130) o This set equips you with a long rod, short rods, v-bar, and extender. It’s

everything in one package at a great price. o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/crown-carbon-stabilizer-

set.html?cmp=cel&trigger=ac

Fivics LVT ($105, does not include V Bar) o Common stabilizer set within the club. o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/salesperson/result/?q=fivics%20lvt

Sight

Fivics FV-100 ($130) o This is a solid aluminum sight that comes with a sight pin. Great beginner

sight. o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/fivics-fv-100-target-recurve-

sight.html?cmp=cel&trigger=ac

Other Options from Shibuya, Sure-Loc, and Axcel

Plunger

Shibuya DX plunger (~$30 shipped from alternatives) o Most effective and affordable plunger that many of our OR shooters use

Clicker

Silver Beiter clicker ($15) o Simple metal clicker that gets the job done. You may have to bend the end

of the clicker to get it to rest against the clicker plate to achieve the solid click

o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/beiter-klicker-chromed-blade.html

W&W Carbon clicker (~$25 from alternatives) o The biggest difference between the carbon and beiter clicker is mainly the

looks. Both will make the “click” noise needed, but the carbon clicker has a more distinguished, crisper sound. Either way both these clickers will get the job done.

Chest guard

Fivics A2 Chest guard ($25) o This guard is most popular among club members. It fits very well and

comes in several colors: black, red, blue, white, and pink o http://www.lancasterarchery.com/fivics-a2-chest-

guard.html?cmp=cel&trigger=ac

Part 2 of Equipment Guide

Created by Victor Fang – Rev. 2/8/2016

This part of the guide will be what I call “Victor and Katherine’s approved list of competition grade equipment.” All the equipment here will be mid-high to top-tier and anyone who is considering these items can rest assured that they are what Katherine and/or I deem best performance in the price range. Upgrading to this tier of equipment will also have a significant increase in gear performance and feel. At this range, there is also lots of different options to choose from and each archer can really pick the bow that they feel suit them best.

Author’s note:

I will do my best to keep this section up to date as long as I am still involved with archery and well-read. The format for this part of the guide will be a little different than above. I will not be giving as much of an in-depth review of each item and instead of will listing out equipment with maybe a few remarks. Most of the gear will be catered to Olympic Recurve shooters but there will be a sprinkling of Barebow equipment in there from my journey of coaching our club barebow shooters. All of the equipment listed are items that we have at least seen and touched in person. There are definitely gear out there that we feel would be good, but I will only list the items that I can approve without a shadow of a doubt. Lastly, Katherine and I are fairly anti-Hoyt Formula so we don’t recommend any of those bows.

Now, onwards and upwards!

Risers

MK Korea MKX10 o This is what Katherine and I personally shoot and we both

absolutely love the way this riser feels. It is very deflexed and forgiving and has legendary QC and finish.

Gillo G1 o This is a new hot Italian riser that can be used for both FITA

Barebow and Olympic Recurve. It has a good deflexed geometry

and excellent quality control. It was designed by a many-time world champion and Olympian. Very good price too.

Win&Win Inno CXT o One of W&W’s most iconic carbon risers. One of the few light

top-tier risers out there. Has a very dampened and soft shot feel.

Win&Win AXT o The Inno CXT’s aluminum brother.

Win&Win AL1 o Another classic Aluminum riser from W&W. It is probably the

stiffest riser on the market. Fivics Titan (first generation)

o This riser is a great cheaper alternative to the MKX10. It is made by MK and has almost the same geometry as the MK. I believe the 2nd generation is no longer being made by MK.

Fivics Platina o Another great Fivics riser.

Hoyt Gold Medalist Xtreme (GMX) – first generation o This is a classic riser, one of perhaps the most iconic and

common risers of all time. For a couple years, the only risers you would see is the GMX and the Inno CXT. The older generation has a more deflexed classic geometry which is what Katherine and I like.

Hoyt Grand Prix GMX (newer model) o This newer riser is more straight than the older one and

Katherine and I are kinda meh about it but it is still a good riser.

Gillo G2 o The cheaper forged alternative to the Gillo G1. So far Katherine

and I really like the performance vs. price point and it is one of the few great risers that can also be a dedicated barebow riser. Great quality control.

Bernadini Nilo/Luxor o This is a really good barebow riser.

Limbs

Win&Win Inno EX Primes/Powers o These limbs are personal favorites to us and a gold standard on

the pro-circuit. They are buttery smooth and very speedy. Katherine and I both prefer wood core limbs so we lean towards

the EX Primes ever so slightly but they are both excellent limbs. These also have a rock solid finish.

MK Korea Veracity/Mach X o These limbs are also really great limbs – smooth and very fast

(faster than the EX Primes/Powers) but the caviat is that the finish on these are definitely not nearly as solid as the EX Primes.

Win&Win Wiawis One o Katherine and I are a bit undecided on these limbs and whether

they are better than the EX Primes/Powers or not. These are the newest W&W limbs and they are quieter and much more stable but a bit slower. The finish is still solid. Overall these are great limbs still.

MK Korea Inpers o These limbs deserve a mention because they are smooth and

perform almost as well as limbs twice their price.

MK Korea Vera II o Older generation of the Veracity.

W&W Winex limbs o Solid performer

Fivics Titan (1st gen) o Awesome limbs if you can find it for a good price. They have a

matte finish.

Arrows

Buy pins and beiter nocks.

Carbon Express Nano Pro Xtremes o One of the two top tier arrows. Katherine and I both love these

arrows although you would often hear old-school pros prefer the Easton x10 over these. These are tapered in the rear to provide better clearance and arrow flight. Compared to the Easton x10s, these are lighter, all carbon, skinnier, and much more durable.

Easton x10 o The other of the two top tier arrows. These are probably the

most iconic arrows of all time. They are a proven performer and you can’t go wrong with getting x10s. These are barreled shafts so they are tapered in the front and back.

o However, I will list a few caviats:

They are very dense and heavy so female shooters may have more trouble reaching 70m

They are fragile They fatigue over time because of the nature of

Alum/Carbon arrows They are more expensive.

Carbon Express Nano SST o These are a personal favorite for Katherine and I for the price

range. They are everything the Nano Pro Xtremes are but just tiny bit fatter and less expensive. I would almost always recommend the SST over Easton A/C/E. They are one step down from the NPX but still very high-tier arrows.

Easton A/C/E o These are one step down from the Easton x-10 and significantly

more fat. They are expensive and more fragile as well. Katherine and I personally do not like these that much but they are proven performers. If you can get these for a very discounted price, then they are worth it.

VAP V3 o These arrows have gained much popularity recently and a great

bang for buck arrow. They are durable and light and fairly skinny.

Carbon Express Medallion Pros o These arrows are intermediate high arrows and good

performers. If you can get these for a discounted price they are definitely worth it.

Sights

Shibuya Ultima Carbon RC o Right now, I think the that this sight is the best bang for buck

with its current pricetag. This is a solid sight and the only thing to be careful about is the plastic tab on the side. Take care of this sight and it will last a lifetime.

Axcel Achieve RX (Alum/Carbon) o These sights have become a favorite for both Katherine and I.

The sight is absolutely solid and the clicks are clean and precise. The aluminum is just as good as the carbon and cheaper so if you are looking to save some money go with the alum. This sight will easily last a lifetime.

Sure Loc Quest-X o Sure locs have recently fallen out of favor and are known to

rattle. I think the Quest isn’t as prone to rattling but I’m not sure. If you can get a Quest at a very discounted price, I’d say they are worth it if you aren’t afraid of a potential rattle. They will last a lifetime.

Stabilizers

(28-30 inch long rod, 12 inch short rods, 3-4 inch extender.)

Win&Win HMC+ o I consider these stabilizers to be a golden standard in Olympic

Recurve. They are excellent performers for the price. These are also light so they are more friendly to female archers.

Win&Win HMC22 o These stabilizers are fat and great indoor stabilizers. They are

very stiff and dampening.

Fiberbow S3 o Katherine and I personally use these stabilizers. They stiff

enough and very dampening. Quirky triangular design. Finish is a little bit delicate

B-Stinger Competitors o The affordable American-made stabilizer. These are very stiff

and also heavy. Doinker Estremos

o These are very expensive but excellent stabilizers. Heavy as well.

Gillo GS6 o These stabilizers are excellent for the price point.

Shibuya Caruno o An alternative to the Win&Win HMC+ line.

Win&Win Wiawis ACS o The latest stabilizers by Win&Win. These are tapered and very

dampening.

Fivics CEX 5/7/2000 o These stabilizers are used by some of the Korean national team

and solid as well. They are cheaper than the W&W counterparts.

Bowstand

SF Elite+ o Best bang for buck. Highly recommended.

Fivics Automatic Fivics Gabo

Shibuya Folding Bowstand

Arrow Rest

ARE AMR HEX o ARE is a legendary brand for arrow rests and one of the most

sought-after. This rest is used by the Korean National Team and bulletproof.

Shibuya Ultima (!!!) o This is a solid rest but with a huge caviat. If your bow is not set

up well, then extra arrow pressure will cause the wire arm to move, completely messing up the tune of the bow. This rest is good as long as you know exactly what you are doing and a veteran shooter.

Hoyt Super Rest o Obligatory rest for those who are Super Rest loyalists.

(Although personally I am against these since they wear over time so you never know when they will fail completely.)

AAE Cavalier o These bolt on rests are built like a tank and last a lifetime but

they will rattle over time.

Spigarelli Z/T o Another bolt on rest that is popular with the barebow crowd.

Spigarelli Evolution 2 Rest o I’ve had some pretty good success with this rest.

Fivics MR Rest o An alternative to the ARE AMR HEX.

Finger Tabs

Win&Win Wiawis EZR

AAE KSL Fivics Saker 1

Fivics Saker 2

AAE Cavalier Cordovan

Black Mamba Venom I/II o Personally I don’t like the owner of the company. But the tabs

are good.

Quivers

Fivics Accendo Back

Fivics Accendo Hip

Fivics XK/XC Easton Hip/Field

o These are worth it only if you get it for a good discount.

Chest Guard

Fivics A2 Chest Guard Win&Win Finno

Arrowhead Chest Guard