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If you’re new to bowhunting and you wander into an archery shop, you’ll probably suffer from a severe case of sticker shock. The top-end models from most compound bow brands will start at around $1,000 and go up from there. And that’s for a bare bow, with no accessories.
Relax. Breathe. And keep looking. What you want is the best compound bow for a beginner, and the same companies invariably offer entry-level and intermediate models that are perfectly capable of flinging accurate arrows and killing all the big game you care to hunt, for a fraction of the price. Even better, some of these best beginner compound bows come fully equipped and ready to shoot, eliminating the headache and expense of choosing and buying accessories.
Best Overall: Bear Cruzer G2
Best Budget: Diamond Infinite Edge Pro
Best for Adult Beginners: PSE Stinger Max
Most Stable: Bowtech Amplify
Most Versatile: Mission Switch
Best Built: Elite Ember
Best Lightweight: **Diamond Infinite 305
Best Intermediate: Diamond Edge 320
Best for Kids: Quest Centec NXT
Best Beginner Compound Bows: Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall: Bear Cruzer G2
Specs
Weight: 3-4 lbs
Draw Length: 12-30″
Draw Weight: 5-70 lbs
Speed: 315 fps
Pros
Grip design eliminates hand torque
Grow-with-your-bow design
Package includes everything you need
Great value for the price
Cons
Limb bolts function best at 65 lbs or less
It’s impossible to build a hunting bow that will satisfy every shooter, but Bear comes close to it with the Cruzer G2. Virtually every kid I’ve coached could pull 5 pounds on a 12-inch draw, and those are the bottom-end specs on this bow. The Cruzer G2’s cam system offers draw-length adjustments from 12 to 30 inches and a draw-weight range from 5 to 70 pounds, and that means a young shooter can start with this bow and stick with it all the way into adulthood. Or a beginner adult can start low and crank it up as he or she builds strength.
When we tested the Cruzer G2, we found it offers plenty of performance for effective big-game hunting at top-end 315 fps IBO speed, and it comes with six quality Trophy Ridge accessories (sight, rest, bow stabilizer and sling, peep sight, quiver, and D-loop). In short, there’s plenty of serious stuff included in this beginner compound bow, and it will take a new shooter from his first group of arrows straight through multiple hunting seasons.
Best Budget: Diamond Infinite Edge Pro
Specs
Weight: 3.1 lbs
Draw Length: 13-31″
Draw Weight: 5-70 lbs
Speed: 305 fps
Pros
Affordable price
Highly adjustable
Can grow with young archers
Decently stable for the price
Cons
Sight could use some improvement on design
The original Diamond Infinite Edge became the company’s best-selling hunting bow ever and drove the popularity of high-adjustability beginner bows in general. The Infinite Edge Pro is an updated version. Most notable is the 31-inch maximum draw length, welcomed with (long) open arms by young shooters who keep growing taller and taller. The hunting bow’s redesigned cam offers a smoother draw cycle while still coughing up a decent speed. Draw length adjustments go from 19 to 31 inches, and the bow provides an incredible 63 pounds of draw weight adjustability, from 7 to 70 pounds, no press needed. That makes the Infinite Edge Pro one of the most versatile, best beginner bows on the market and the least expensive to boot.
Best for Adult Beginners: PSE Stinger Max
Specs
Weight: 4 lbs
Draw Length: 21 1/2-30″
Draw Weight: 28-70 lbs
Speed: 312-304 fps
Pros
Adaptable as skills improve
Works well for hunting or target practice
Great value for the price
Two models available
Cons
Unsure about durability
With bottom-end specs of 22 pounds of draw weight and 21½ inches of draw length, the Stinger Max is aimed at a slightly older shooter compared with the Cruzer G2 above. It’s also a little longer, heavier, and has a more generous brace height, all of which should make the Stinger Max a little more forgiving—that is, a little easier for beginners to shoot well. The cam on the Stinger Max also offers a “performance” setting that adapts to a shooter with more advanced skills and a desire for better speed.
There are two versions of this beginner compound bow, one with a draw weight adjustment of 22 to 55 pounds and another with 30 to 70 pounds. The draw-length adjustment is 22½ to 30 inches on both models. With a top-end IBO speed of 312 IBO, the Stinger Max also has plenty of performance for hunting. (Trust me, when I started bowhunting, the best hunting bows couldn’t shoot that fast.)
Most Stable: Bowtech Amplify
Specs
Weight: 4 lbs
Draw Length: 21-30″
Draw Weight: 8-70 lbs
Speed: 335 fps
Pros
Reduced noise and vibration
Designed more for adult beginners than youth
Easy to adjust shooting style
Smooth and stable shot, perfect for learning
Cons
The grip design could be improved
If you’re willing to pay a little more, the Bowtech Amplify offers another level of performance. At 335 fps IBO, this bow is as fast or faster than several of the 2021 flagship models available today. Still, it offers decent draw-length adjustability, from 22 to 30 inches, and excellent draw-weight adjustability, from just 8 pounds up to 70.
The Amplify is a sturdier, better-built hunting bow than some models aimed at younger shooters. The binary cam system couples with a split limb design for good stability, an Orbit Dampener reduces noise and vibration, and Powershift technology provides a gear on the cam that allows you to switch from Comfort mode, for an easier draw cycle, to performance, for more speed. The Amplify is aimed less at young shooters and more at beginners who want to work their way up to a near-top-level performance.
Most Versatile: Mission Switch
Specs
Weight: 3.84 lbs
Draw Length: 18-30″
Draw Weight: 16-70 lbs
Speed: 305 fps
Pros
Affordable price for the value
Aimed towards young shooters
Can grow with kids as they age
Easy draw length adjustments
Cons
Bow is only available for purchase in-store (may be online at other retailers)
Left-hand bow is only one in stock (right hand may be available at other retailers)
The Switch’s cam system with Fast Fit technology is heavily inspired by the same CrossCentric Cam technology that has vaulted several Mathews bows to Best of the Best honors in the F&S bow test. Yet this version offers easy draw length adjustments—in half-inch increments—from 18 to 30 inches. The Switch also has a draw-weight range of 16 to 70 pounds. Like several other models here, this one is aimed at younger shooters but offers the ability to grow with your kid until they are big enough and strong enough to handle the Switch’s top-end big-boy specs. It’s a little slower than some at 305 fps IBO, but that is more than enough to get the job done, and keep in mind that this option comes at an especially friendly price.
Best Built: Elite Ember
Specs
Weight: 3.6 lbs
Draw Length: 15-29″
Draw Weight: 10-60 lbs
Speed: 310 fps
Pros
Durable construction
Adjustable draw module
Suitable for all ages and sizes
Great price for the value
Cons
May not be as good of a fit for larger adult beginners
The specs of the Elite Ember are very much like all the other youth compound bows on this list. The draw length is adjustable from 15 to 29 inches, and the draw weight ranges from 10 to 60 pounds, which means it can grow with a young shooter, just like the others. There is something that sets the Ember apart: its build quality.
There’s hardly a piece of plastic on the entire bow; the riser, limb pockets, cams, and modules are all constructed of aluminum. And you get a Winner’s Choice bowstring, and integrated limb stops for a harder back wall, making this one of the best-built beginner bows around. For those who have shot Elite’s flagship bows, you’ll also find something very familiar with the Ember: a pleasant, smooth shooting experience.
Best Lightweight: Diamond Infinite 305
Specs
Weight: 3.3 lbs
Draw Length: 19-31″
Draw Weight: 7-70 lbs
Speed: 305 fps
Pros
Affordable price
Ideal for young archers
Easy to bow to learn
Smooth and accurate
Cons
Only really suitable for beginner-intermediate archers
Like the other “infinites” in the Diamond lineup, the 305 is super-adjustable and has near-perfect specs for a youth compound bow, given the that mass weight is lower and should be easier for a younger kid to handle. The generous brace height and overall length results in more forgiveness with just a small drop in speed, another desirable feature in the best beginner compound bow.
Best Intermediate: Diamond Edge 320
Specs
Weight: 3.6 lbs
Draw Length: 15-31″
Draw Weight: 7-70 lbs
Speed: 320 fps
Pros
Easy to tune design
Retains accuracy well with changes
Great value for price
Cons
May need to purchase a new sight as skills advance
Like the Pro, the 320 sports incredible adjustability, but a little more speed. This is an ideal bow for an intermediate shooter with some experience who prefers a high brace height and doesn’t mind a little longer bow. The Octane accessories (used on parent company Bowtech bows) include a Furnace quiver, Stryker 3-pin sight, Octagon brush rest, and Boost stabilizer—all well-made and rugged.
Best for Kids: Quest Centec NXT
Specs
Weight: 2.8 lbs
Draw Length: 19-26″
Draw Weight: 15-45 lbs
Speed: 270 fps
Pros
Specs are tailored to young shooters
Great for learning
Hunting capabilities
Made with high quality materials
Cons
Kids will age out of this bow as they grow
What sets the Quest NXT apart from some of the other best beginner compound bows on this list is that it is more specifically aimed at younger shooters, with an axle-to-axle length of just 26 inches and a weight of just 2.8 pounds. It is also incredibly well made, with a high-grade forged aluminum riser. The NXT offers easy draw-length adjustments, in half-inch increments, from 19 to 26 inches, and draw-weight adjustments from 15 to 45. The top-end IBO speed, with those specs, is 270 fps. So, this is a hunting bow you may want to replace eventually when your young shooter grows up some, but in the meantime is a great one to learn on.
What Are the Advantages of a Beginner Compound Bow?
Beyond the obvious cost savings, the main advantage of a youth compound bow or a beginner model for a teen or adult, is enhanced adjustability. These models typically offer a wide range of draw weights and draw lengths that can be changed easily changed as the shooter grows physically or wants a little extra speed as his archery muscles strengthen. Also, the “kit” nature of a kids compound bow or beginner model really sets it apart.
Most new bowhunters don’t know how to set a bow up, with all the accessories, by themselves. So it’s a big deal that these models often come all decked out with a rest, sight, quiver, and peep sight designed for that bow. That stuff gets expensive if you buy it all separately. On the other hand, if you buy a package bow, you can take it out of the box and hunt with it for the rest of your life if you want.
What Are the Disadvantages of a Beginner Compound Bow?
So what are you giving up to save all that money? In most cases, performance. That youth compound bow or beginner model will not be as fast as a company’s flagship, and it might be slightly louder or vibrate a touch more. Companies are not going to throw their best cam or highest quality components into a bow that’s half the price of their top model.
So yeah, you’re not going to have a bow as quick and quiet as the guy who spends two grand—not any more than a Chevy driver is going to have as nice a car as the dude who buys a Lexus. But you’ll have a perfectly suitable bow that’s going to give you plenty of enjoyment and totally acceptable performance. In fact, some beginner bows are only slightly slower than flagship models. You may want to trade up after shooting your entry-level bow for a while, but you certainly won’t have to shoot and hunt effectively.
FAQs
Q: What bow should a beginner use?
Many beginners learn on a recurve bow because of the simpler design, and for many, they seem easier to use. Compound bows can be good because they are very customizable and tend to have more power. Beginners can still have success with compound bows and should try both to see which one they prefer to learn on at that point.
Q: What’s a good beginner bow for hunting?
Any of the bows listed above are good for beginners. Our top pick is the Bear Cruzer G2. All of the bows have pros and cons and will suit different people’s needs at different stages of their learning.
Q: How much should you spend on your first compound bow?
That depends on your budget and how long you plan to use the bow. If you are looking for a beginner bow, there are options for around $500 or less, but you are likely to outgrow these rather quickly. Other options are to borrow suitable bows from friends until you decide which one is right for you or buy used to get a higher-end bow at a lower price.
Q: Is a lighter or heavier bow better?
A lighter bow exaggerates form flaws while shooting, and heavier bows are often steadier. Any accessories added to a light or ultralight bow are more likely to upset the bow’s balance, and it may be more challenging to manage as a beginner.
Q: What is a good draw weight for beginners?
The draw weight is generally correlated to the archer’s weight. So a small child may have a draw weight between 15-35 lbs, but an adult will be around 40-75 lbs depending on their size and gender.
Final Thoughts on the Best Beginner Compound Bows
Best Overall: Bear Cruzer G2
Best Budget: Diamond Infinite Edge Pro
Best for Adult Beginners: PSE Stinger Max
Most Stable: Bowtech Amplify
Most Versatile: Mission Switch
Best Built: Elite Ember
Best Lightweight: Diamond Infinite 305
Best Intermediate: Diamond Edge 320
Best for Kids: Quest Centec NXT
Best Beginner Compound Bows: Final Thoughts
The best compound bow for beginners is the one that fits your needs and can make learning archery fun. Many beginner compound bows are designed for young archers and tailored to children, so pay attention to that while you are shopping. Keep your budget and know your needs going into the shopping experience to set yourself up for a decent investment. Beginners may also benefit from learning on a recurve bow before a compound bow, so consider that as an option.
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