Limbs for recurve bows
Small material science
The limbs describe the upper and lower part of the recurve bow, which stores the energy when pulled out and therefore bends. Originally made from one piece, the limbs and the handle can now be individually assembled and exchanged.
Wood is still used as the core of modern limbs and gives them their basic form and structure. Alternatively, synthetic foam can also be used. For structural reinforcement and to optimise elasticity, torsion or stiffness, carbon nets or fibres can be inserted into the individual layers. Finally, the limbs of almost all modern recurve bows are covered with glass fibre. This provides the necessary elasticity, which is decisive for the final speed.
How do quality and price influence the limbs?
If one considers limbs from past decades, most of them were made of only three layers of wood. Modern models, on the other hand, are made up of 10 to 20 layers, making both the production and the final price more expensive. In general, this can be considered a rule of thumb: The higher the price, the better the casting performance and the torsional stiffness. To put it another way, this means that high-quality products throw the arrows at the same draw weight and group them better in the target.
How to find the optimal limbs for your style
Before you decide on a pair of limbs, you should get intensive advice and test them directly at the dealer. If you are unsure, ask your trainer for help - he has the necessary experience and knows your shooting style.
Basically it can be said that the longer the bow, the softer the limbs behave. This means that they forgive more mistakes and can be pulled out more comfortably. With shorter bows, on the other hand, more force is transferred to the arrow. This makes it fly faster, but a longer training is especially difficult to master for beginners.