Protective articles for archery

Protective clothing for genuine archers

Protective clothing is just as essential for archery as the cautious use of bow and arrow. Without protective clothing, the slightest deviation from the optimal shooting sequence can lead to painful injuries.

Armguard - Important archery accessories to protect against injuries

The danger of the string hitting the forearm when shooting is constant. This can lead to extremely painful abrasions and bruises on the forearm. A protective armguard prevents it from happening and should always be worn.

An armguard is available in numerous variations. It is available in various lengths. A short armguard protects the forearm. This is usually sufficient for experienced shooters. Especially novices do not know how to twist the bow arm out of the movement field of the string sufficiently. For this reason, a long armguard is recommended which also protects the elbow area and the upper arm. Depending on the range of use and personal taste, the shooter can choose between plastic, nylon, suede and smooth leather or imitation leather.

Protection for hands: finger tab, glove or release

Finger tab, glove and release have one thing in common besides many differences: they serve to hold the string securely.

The finger tab sits on the inside of the draw hand. The middle finger is guided through the hole. The index finger is held behind the smaller tab, middle finger and ring finger behind the larger tab.

The finger glove is worn on the draw hand. Index, middle and ring fingers are pushed into the finger sleeves. The glove is also attached to the wrist.

There are also gloves that are worn on the bow hand. The gloves replace the arrow rest for traditional shooters. Compound shooters use a release instead of tab or glove. This accessory has been banned for recurve shooters by all associations. There are various versions. But the basic principle is the same: The string is no longer pulled by hand. Instead, a small pair of pliers replaces the fingers.

The string is often not taken directly, but by loop. This is a small loop that is attached to the string above and below the nock. To release it, only a small button or lever is used to release the tendon. This is the decisive advantage: the string is released much faster and more precisely than would be possible for a hand protector. Less vibration is transmitted to the arrow.

The compound shooter has to be extremely careful with a release. If the release lever is operated while the arrow is still being pulled out, it is not only the arrow that is released early and uncontrolled. The release will also hit the shooter in the face and cause painful injuries.

Chestguard is also important for archery accessories

Contrary to what the name suggests, the chestguard does not primarily serve to protect the breast from injuries. It is also known as a graze protector and its main purpose is to protect clothing from the string.

The chestguard is worn on the bow hand side. It is simply put on the clothing. Even if the chestguard primarily serves to improve shooting results, its protective function should not be underestimated. Especially with female shooters there is a great danger that the string will touch the chest.