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When determining the best recurve bow for women, there is a lot more to consider than just which models are available in pink. Women archers have different needs than their male counterparts and finding a bow that meets those needs is critical.
That being said, what are the top recurve bows for women?
The 10 best recurve bows for women archers will prioritize the factors that women would need to consider when choosing a bow, such as the height of the bow, take down difficulty, a width of grip, draw weight as well as the actual physical weight of the bow itself.
Most women will need to shoot with a lower draw weight then adult men, a general rule of thumb is that a draw weight of 25 to 35 pounds should serve well for females with small to medium build. However, if you plan to hunt you’ll need at least a 40-pound draw weight.
Know your measurements
One of the most important pieces of information you will need when shopping for a recurve bow is your draw length.
Your draw length refers to the length of your arm span in inches, which is measured from the tip of one middle finger to another with your arms outstretched to both sides and palms facing forward, and then divided by 2.5.
It is essential to know your draw length before buying your bow! Trying to shoot with an improperly sized bow will affect your accuracy and could lead to injury. Archery shops or shooting ranges can help you determine your draw length.
Here is a quick list of the bows we have selected for this list in no particular order:
- Samick Sage
- Bear Super Mag 48
- PSE Razorback
- Ragim Leopard
- Martin Jaguar Elite
- Bear Grizzly
- SAS Spyder
- Martin Panther
- Hoyt Satori
- SAS Courage
Hopefully, this list will help guide you to your perfect recurve! Now let’s jump into WHY these are my top picks for women.
1. SAMICK SAGE
The Samick Sage is considered one of the very best recurve bow on the market if you’re on a tighter budget, in fact, the Samick Sage is one of the best selling recurves in the world. The bottom line is the Samick Sage is well designed, well built and affordable.
The riser is a laminate made of Maple and Olive Dymondwood with the limbs being laminated of Maple and fiberglass. (Extra limbs available from Amazon here!)
You don’t need any special tools to work on this bow; the limbs screws can be tightened with only your fingers. You check the current price for the Samick Sage on Amazon here.
The Samick Sage is a classic that appears on almost every recommendation list but it is a larger bow, measuring the same length as the PSE Razorback, but weighing almost a full pound more.
Unlike the PSE Razorback, this bow is an effective piece of equipment if you intend to use it for hunting. If you are going to be hunting, you will want to make sure you are using a minimum draw weight of 40 lbs for small game and at least 45 lbs for larger game.
SPECIFICATIONS
Draw Weight: 35#, 40#, 45#, 50# or 55#
Draw Length: 29” max.
AMO Length: 62”
Bow Weight: 2.9 lbs
Brace Height: 7¼” – 8¼”
2. BEAR SUPER MAG 48
When the Super Mag 48 was originally designed in 1966 the primary user was the bowhunter who hunts from treestands or while moving through the woods. This bow is also a perfect choice for bowfishing. However, the 48” length makes it a great choice for the female archer.
This is a compact, one-piece bow that is very mobile and maneuverable yet also packs a powerful and accurate shot.
It is an absolutely beautiful looking bow. As they describe on their website, the Riser is made of Bubinga with limbs laminated with clear maple, backed and faced with high strength black fiberglass.
The tips of this bow are handcrafted with layered black and white fiberglass. Center-crowned arrow shelf with Bear hair rest and leather side plate.
However, due to the short design, this bow is not recommended for archers with draw lengths of over 28″ as you will likely experience stacking or cause serious finger pinch
This particular bow can be a little tricky for beginners, but if you have a solid form, strong technique and want an agile bow that can be used for hunting, the Super Mag may just be your bow.
SPECIFICATIONS
Draw Weight: 35#, 40#, 45#, 50# or 55#
Draw Length: 28”
AMO Length: 48”
Bow Weight: 2.5 lbs
Brace Height: N/A
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3. PSE RAZORBACK
PSE (Precision Shooting Equipment) is one onf the largest and most well-known manufacturers of archery equipment. So it’s no surprise they make many beloved bows.
The Razorback is one of these favourites. This is the perfect choice for anyone looking for a bow that can still pack a punch at lower draw weights.
Again, this is another attractive bow, the riser is crafted from walnut, Burma white, and beech wood with hard maple and fibreglass limbs.
PSE has made your life easy and made this bow incredibly easy to assemble and take down. Limbs attach easily using the provided screws, without the use of an Allen wrench! So save those for your IKEA furniture because you can tighten these screws by hand.
The design is also comfortable for those with smaller palms with a perfectly shaped and sized riser grip. Unlike the Super Mag 48, this is a much larger bow measuring 62” in length.
That being said, the physical weight of the Razorback is lighter than that of the Super Mag 48 and available with significantly lower draw weights.
However, the lower draw weight does mean this bow is not an efficient choice if you intend to use it for hunting. The PSE Razorback is durable, inexpensive and excellent for target practice with great accuracy up to 30 yards. You can order yours today from Amazon here!
SPECIFICATIONS
Draw Weight: 20#, 25#, 30#, or 35#
Draw Length: 28”
AMO Length: 62”
Bow Weight: 2.2 lbs
Brace Height: 7”
4. RAGIM LEOPARD
The Ragim Brown Bear is a 58” takedown recurve bow with the riser laminated with fine exotic woods. It is a gorgeous bow! The design is natural, elegant and absolutely beautiful.
Personally, I prefer simple and minimalistic designs, don’t plaster it with logos and writing and I’ll give you bonus points. That goes for everything from t-shirts to recurve bows, so this is one of my favorites! You can check the current price of the Ragim Leopard on Amazon here.
You may not be familiar with the Ragim brand, but don’t worry, they are a relatively new company out of Italy but they are certainly making a name for themselves with quality products.
The Leopard is an accurate and smooth hunting bow with a truly comfortable and stable grip. With a length of 58’’ and weight of 2.4 pounds it marries the compact size of the PSE Razorback with the hunting capabilities of the Samick Sage.
The Leopard has a machine sculptured handle which gives it a very high level of comfort. This bow is a great choice if you are looking for something practical, swift and beautiful that is capable of taking down some game.
Some users have noted issues with accuracy dropping off after 35 yards, but this seems to be primarily when using the higher draw weights.
SPECIFICATIONS
Draw Weight: 20#, 25#, 30#, 35#, 40#, 45#, 50#, 55#, or 60#
Draw Length: 29” – 30”
AMO Length: 58”, 60″, 62″
Bow Weight: 2.4 lbs
Brace Height: 6” – 7 1/2”
5. MARTIN JAGUAR ELITE
The Martin Jaguar Elite is another very popular take-down recurve.
The Jaguar Elite is an upgraded version of their Jaguar bow but with sleeker stylings and reduced mass all without sacrificing any of the accuracy or dependability. The Jaguar Elite is 0.2 lbs lighter than the original making it that much easier to hold and transport.
Assembly of the Jaguar Elite is pretty straightforward, though you will have to get out that Allen wrench out in order to attach the limbs to the riser.
Weighing only 2.6 lbs, the Jaguar Elite is a great lightweight choice if you will need to be carrying and maneuvering with it all day during a hunting trip.
Accuracy with this recurve is fantastic, performing as well as much more expensive bows. It is also incredibly durable and suitable for everyone from beginner to expert.
Presenting with a much more modern design than the previous recurves featured in this list the Jaguar Elite is still a visually stunning bow. The beautiful design features wood reinforced with laminated fibreglass, making it very resilient.
The riser is constructed from aluminum and magnesium which makes the recurve study and lightweight. You can check the current price for the Jaguar Elite on Amazon here.
SPECIFICATIONS
Draw Weight: 29#, 35#, 40#, 45#, 50#, or 55#
Draw Length: 29” – 30”
AMO Length: 60”
Bow Weight: 2.6 lbs
Brace Height: 6 ¾” – 7 ¾”
6. BEAR GRIZZLY
The Grizzly is another great offering from Bear Archery. This recurve is excellent for beginners as well as advanced archers and is good to go from the moment you get it out of the box.
Be aware that this one-piece bow does come with a pretty heavy price tag, but being from one of the most respected and innovative manufacturers in the entire industry it’s not unreasonable.
It is a great piece of equipment that has been a popular choice among archers for years and years. If your budget allows, and you are unwilling to compromise it is absolutely worth the investment.
If you don’t mind that the Grizzly does not include a takedown feature in its design, it is a great little lightweight recurve with more than enough power to be used to hunt even larger game. Its draw is smooth with very minimal hand shock.
This traditional bow’s one-piece riser is made from red hard-rock maple and, just like most Bear bows, the limbs laminated with clear maple with high strength black fiberglass. The Grizzly features a crowned, cut-on center arrow shelf with a bear hair rest and leather side plate. You can find yours from Bass Pro Shops here.
SPECIFICATIONS
Draw Weight: 50#, 55#, or 60#
Draw Length: 28”
AMO Length: 58”
Bow Weight: 2.0 lbs
Brace Height: 7½” – 8½”
7. SAS SPYDER
Another great recurve for the female archer is the Southwest Archery Spyder. This bow is very similar to the Samick Sage, but with improved design and construction. This is due to the fact the Spyder was engineered by the same team responsible for the super popular Sage bow.
Often referred to as either the ‘Sage v2’ or the ‘Samick Sage killer’, the Spyder has improved on the Sage design and is lighter, has a more comfortable grip, a wider range of draw weights, and a nicer finish.
I’ve found a perfect package on Amazon that has everything you’ll need to get started with the SAS Spyder here.
Though, like the Sage, the Spyder is a bit larger than some of the more compact bows on this list. If you are thinking of purchasing this bow be sure to have your draw length measured to ensure this recurve is a good fit for you.
If the Spyder isn’t too big for you, the lighter design will definitely make it a great option for carrying through the woods all day.
This lightweight takedown has a beautiful redwood finished riser and limbs made of laminated hard maple with matte black fiberglass as well as rounded edges, limb pockets, and reinforced tips.
SPECIFICATIONS
Draw Weight: 20#, 25#, 30#, 35#, 40#, 45#, 50#, 55#, or 60#
Draw Length: 29”
AMO Length: 62”
Bow Weight: 2.3 lbs
Brace Height: 7½” – 8¼”
8. MARTIN PANTHER
The Martin Panther certainly lives up to its name: it is a sleek, finely-tuned piece of technology.
This beautiful bow boasts one of the fastest arrow speeds on the market today. This recurve is low weight and low vibration, which means that the Panther is also low in power loss, with every bit of energy you put in being transferred straight into the arrow.
The Panther is a little bit larger measuring 62” in length, however, the machined bridged riser is one of the smoothest and fastest recurve on the market. It features a patented Vibration Vortex VEMs that helps create an incredibly well-balanced bow.
The laminated wood and glass limbs create a smooth draw, and the rubberized grip makes for comfortable aiming. There is virtually no hand shock or vibration when shooting this bow.
Now, the only real downside… the assembly.
Don’t get me wrong, it is not as though assembling your Panther will be a Herculean task, but there is no denying that this takedown bow is more inconvenient when compared to other bows on this list.
That being said, the Martin Panther is definitely a solid choice for the female archer due to its power, speed, and lightweight design.
SPECIFICATIONS
Draw Weight: 29#, 35#, 40#, 45#, 50#, or 55#
Draw Length: 29” – 30”
AMO Length: 62”
Bow Weight: 2.6 lbs
Brace Height: 6 ¼” – 7 ½”
9. HOYT SATORI
The Hoyt Satori is not just a bow, but rather a bow system. It consists of three separate riser and limb configurations. Risers are available in 17”, 19” and 21” lengths and the various arrangements of risers and limbs can produce a bow anywhere from 58” to 66” in length. Hoyt has made a recurve that will essentially fit any archer.
The Fred Eichler Signature series Satori is innovative and fuses traditional and modern aesthetics and technology. The high-performance limbs of the Satori are smooth, rugged and durable, and the riser is constructed from aerospace carbon, hard-rock maple, and a glass wedge.
Draw weights are rated on a 21″ riser, be sure to add 2# when using a 19″ riser, and an additional 4# when shooting with a 17″ riser.
This mix-and-match system gives you a lot of freedom and options. You are able to build the best bow for your size and shooting style from one of the leaders in the industry.
SPECIFICATIONS
Draw Weight: 35#, 40#, 45#, 50#, 55#, 60#, or 65#
Riser Length: 17”, 19”, 21”
Limb Length: 58”, 60”, 62”
Bow Weight: 2.25 lbs
Brace Height: 7” – 8”
10. SAS COURAGE
The Southland Courage hunting bow is a ‘back to basics’ type of take-down recurve. It doesn’t have any fancy bells or whistles, it is just a bare bow made with comfort and simplicity at the heart of the design. This makes it a great bow if you’re still learning or perfecting your form.
Assembly of the take-down design is simple, but, you will need that Allen wrench again. You won’t be able to tighten these screws by hand.
The limbs of the bow are made from a laminate of maple and makore wood and faced with a high strength fiberglass. The limbs are also incredibly durable and will not twist on you. The riser is made from a beautiful Bintangor, Chuglam, and Makore hardwood laminate.
The riser also features an ergonomic design and the bow is light enough that even the smaller-statured archers will be able to use it for hours without getting fatigued or suffering from hand cramps.
SPECIFICATIONS
Draw Weight: 35#, 40#, 45#, 50#, 55#, or 60#
Draw Length: 29” – 30”
AMO Length: 60”
Bow Weight: 3.0 lbs
Brace Height: 6” – 7”
FINAL THOUGHTS
There are so many beautiful and different styles of recurve bows on the market nowadays that you have many options.
From the minimalistic one-piece to the modern machined takedown to Hoyt’s ‘Build-A-Bow’ system, women who strive to participate in archery no longer have to learn to work with equipment designed for the male archer.
Technology has given us compact, lightweight bows without sacrificing speed, power or accuracy.
As with most important purchases, make sure you know exactly what you need from your bow before you start looking to purchase. If you want to use it for hunting you will require different specifications than if you are solely interested in target shooting.
Once you narrow down exactly what you want out of your bow, as well as which style and size of bow works is your best fit, you will have found your perfect bow.
RELATED TOPICS
Best Recurve Bow Brands
The top leaders in archery manufacturing are Bear Archery, Martin Archery, Hoyt, PSE Archery, and Samick Sports.
Bear Archery is considered the Grandfather of modern recurve bows. Their flagship product is the Grizzly, which is one of the finest recurves on the market.
Martin Archery was created in 1951 by a group of passionate Archers. They are probably best known for their recurve bows: the Martin Jaguar as well as the Martin Saber.
Hoyt has been in the archery equipment game for 80 years. They make recurve bows for hunting and competition target archery. Their competition recurves feature prominently at the Olympics; with every gold medalist in individual archery at the 2012 Summer Olympics shooting a Hoyt recurve.
PSE Archery was established in 1970 with their specialty being compound bows. But they DO make some very fine recurve bows such as the PSE Blackhawk and the PSE Mustang Heritage. Both of these bows are great options for hunting or target archery.
Samick Sports is most well known for the Samick Sage takedown recurve bow. This bow is the go-to for any beginner who is just getting started in archery but also for any archer wanting a high-quality entry-level recurve bow.
Want More? Check These Out:
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Compound or Recurve Bow? Pros and Cons to Help You Decide
How to Choose Your First Compound Bow: The Comprehensive Guide
The 10 Best Compound Bows for Women
I’m a contributor to ArchersHub.com, currently living in Ontario, Canada.
After a number of years away from the sport, I have recently started shooting again.
I enjoy target shooting with a recurve bow, and aim to one year be good enough to go and hunt my Thanksgiving dinner.