3 Best Recurve Bow Reviews

Understanding and mastering archery can be a complex affair. It relies on the shooters form, aiming and release skills, but the quality of your bow and arrow can also affect the flight of the arrow.

Among the different types of bows, the recurve bow is the most popular choice for field target shooting and hunting.

Assuming that you have gone into archery basics and already off to shopping for your first archery bow set, here’s a review on the best recurve bow models in the market.

Top 3 Best Recurve Bow Models:

Product	Image	Editor Rating
Samick Sage Takedown Recurve Bow
PSE Razorback Recurve Bow
Martin Jaguar Takedown Bow

These are among the best sellers, and highly recommended models, and below is a quick overview of the specifications for each bow.

We’ll also discuss in the next sections the bowstring, riser, limb, performance, and provide a summary on which archery levels each is best for.

1) Bowstring:

Without the bowstring, the bow and arrow are useless. It’s one of the most important components of any bow, and from tuning to vibration characteristics, the specifics can affect the flight of your arrow.

Traditional archers used to have waxed linen bowstrings, but with modern technology, we now have access to stronger materials. Durability and resistance to temperature are among the main factors you should consider in bowstrings.

Image	Product
	The Samick Sage takedown comes with a B-50 Dacron endless loop bow string, which is good for all types of bows. The center string is made from bonded nylon, and the end loops are with braided nylon for durability, plus its water and abrasion resistant. One setback on this material is that it can have limited stretch, and can wear down easily.
	PSE Razorback Recurve bow comes with a 16 strand white string. It’s thin or fine, and can wear down easily. If you buy a spare string for backup, get the B-50 Dacron with the correct length.
	The Martin Jaguar Takedown bow also uses Dacron bowstring, but one advantage is that the package comes with a bow stringer.

2) Riser:

bow riser

Image source: bowsite.com

The riser is the middle part of the bow, and that’s the archery term for the handle or grip.

Finding a recurve bow with right riser size and design is important. You should be able to hold the bow in a comfortable grip at any instance while carrying or during shooting.

Product	Pros	Cons
Samick Sage Takedown Recurve Bow	Simple yet ergonomic, radiused and classic design. No intricate parts and complex curves, which makes it perfect even for beginners. Gives you really good grip and doesn’t weigh you down on shooting practices. Thick, and comfortable, the riser is placed on the narrow side which is good for archers with small hands. It has pre-drilled holes so that you can mount attachments. These bushings will fit on accessories included in the Samick Sage Hunting Kit.	Not ideally for target archery, if you need one, then it’s best if you can get an IFL riser. Limited holes
PSE Razorback Recurve Bow	Compatible with any set of Razorback Can replace the limbs to adjust the weight scale. It’s easy to connect parts into the riser. You only need a big screw to secure it, and it doesn’t even need a screwdriver. The riser came threaded already.	Plastic pieces between the limbs and riser can easily break
Martin Jaguar Takedown Bow	Durable aluminum riser with a comfortable grip and modern design. Compatible with modern sights. Has pre-drilled holes for other attachments Camouflage overlay that’s great for hunting. Sweaty palms during extensive shooting practice and hot weather? This one is equipped with Thermal V Protective Dampening Grip, which gives you a good tight grip even in those situations.	Metal riser can be heavy especially for those who used to wooden risers Narrow holes on the riser which may not fit on screws and bolts used by other attachments Not easy to assemble, you’ll usually need a wrench when attaching limbs

3) Limbs:

The limbs are the most critical parts of the bow that affect the movement of the arrow. We’re not talking about the limbs or arms of the archer, but the limbs of the bow itself!

Bows have upper and lower limbs that extend and hold the end loops of the bow string.

How do you determine good quality limbs? It breaks down on the material used and the design. The most common materials used today are laminated wood and fiberglass, and for higher end bows, manufacturers use carbon fibers and hard foam.

Because this is the part of the bow that bends as you draw the string, it’s made to be flexible to some extent but at the same time, it should not twist and crack apart with the stress, strain, and vibration.

The Samick, PSE and Martin archery bows in this review are all made of laminated wood and fiberglass. Wood limbs work great on constant weather, and the fiber laminates increase the durability of the core material.

However, the performance against weather and temperature changes varies and depends on the type of wood, glue/resin and laminate that binds it.

Product	Pros	Cons
Samick Sage Takedown Recurve Bow	Samick limbs are made from hard maple and black fiberglass, which are durable materials. It’s very rare to find a case of twisted sage limbs Durable, unforgiving and can last for years. Black, sleek and matte design. Interchangeable limbs which can go up to 55, which means you can purchase separates ones with different draw weights. Easy to connect or disassemble Smooth and consistent load during draw.	No label on the limbs – need to know the draw weight and which is the upper or bottom one. This can be confusing for beginners. Limbs can be too long to carry around, but don’t worry. The Samick Sage is a takedown bow, which means you can disassemble the limbs and put it in the case for transportation.
PSE Razorback Recurve Bow	This has interchangeable limbs, which is great for those looking for a bow they can progress with. Over time, limbs can be replaced for those who need to try different draw weights Limbs are easy to assemble and disassemble. No need for extra tools Looks stunning with white colored limbs.	Plastic pieces between the limb and riser can be a weak point. Wood with glass laminated limbs, which may flake or crack over frequent use. White colored limbs can be distractive.
Martin Jaguar Takedown Bow	Durable wooden limbs with glass laminates, but surprisingly gives you clean and smooth release. Superb limbs alignment system. It fits great with the riser.	The limbs do not feel sturdy and may twist easily. The package comes with a bow stringer and that’s a plus point for safety and to avoid twisting the limbs, and you don’t have to buy your own. In case the limb is twisted, the Martin Jaguar manual oddly includes a section on limb straightening.

My Choice: Samick Sage Takedown Recurve Bow

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4) Performance:

Many archers may have good shooting form, but with a bad bow, it’s difficult to shoot smoothly and accurately.

How do you test this? Get a good coach or spotter to watch your shooting performance. Often they can tell if it’s your form, or if there’s something wrong with your recurve bow and arrows.

Fortunately, we’ve got a summary review on the performance of the three best recurve bow models.

Product	Pros	Cons
Samick Sage Takedown Recurve Bow	Samick Sage can shoot smoothly and accurately, and the best part here is that it shoots consistently. It’s lightweight which is good for those who are just starting with archery. It’s also recommended to start with lighter limbs. If you’re using without an arrow rest, it helps if you put a mark (temporary) on the grip as a guide. With the ability to hold heavier draw weights (up to 55lbs), this bow can be powerful enough for hunting trips.	As expected on most bows, you’ll hear the hum or vibration after you shoot. The Samick Sage is considerably silent compared to other bows, but if it bothers you, silencers on the string usually eliminate this problem. This is also highly recommended when you’re using this bow for hunting.
PSE Razorback Recurve Bow	With the easy-to-connect limbs, the PSE Razorback Recurve is a perfect takedown bow. It’s great for those looking for a recurve that you can conveniently carry with you during target shooting.	This one isn’t powerful enough for hunting. Even with the maximum draw weight around 30-35, it’s not powerful enough to draw power over long ranges and even for small game hunting.
Martin Jaguar Takedown Bow	The Martin Jaguar Takedown is lightweight, yet very powerful. The great thing about it is that it balances evenly when you draw, and for most shooters, there’s no need for counterweight. Both features mentioned above make this a good and powerful hunting bow. For target practice, the bow shoots accurately and smoothly. Shooting beyond 40+ yards isn’t a problem for this bow. Accuracy and balance can par with more expensive recurve bow.	The bow’s performance is slightly inconsistent, which could often be caused by twisting the limbs. One more drawback on this recurve, is that it vibrates loudly after shooting. Among the three recurve bows in this review, this one was the most uncomfortable and loudest. You’ll probably need 3 or 4 whisker silencers.

5) Budget-Wise:

For budget, you can look for rates on online stores and compare, but make sure you’ll account the components included in the package.

And if there are any additional costs for shipping and handling to your area code.

That set as your homework, we’ve done ours, and here are answers to the most common questions regarding these 3 recurve bows.

The top recurve bow on low budget ? The PSE Razorback Recurve Bow is the best option for those in tight budget but still does not want to skimp on features.
Which one is the best recurve bow for your buck ? It’s the Samick Sage that gives the best value for your money. With the option to use limbs with draw weights 25 to 55, you can start as a beginner with lower weight and progress with heavier ones
Which one is the most expensive of the three ? It’s the Martin Jaguar Take-Down Bow is the most expensive of the three, and that’s most likely because of the aluminum riser. Compared to wooden risers from Samick Sage and PSE Razorback, this material is certainly more durable.

	Samick Sage Takedown Recurve Bow	PSE Razorback Recurve Bow	Martin Jaguar Takedown Bow

Bow Length	62"	62"	60"
Mass Weight	2.7lbs	2.2 lbs	2.5 lbs
Draw Weight/s	25/30/35/40/45/50/55 lbs	20/25/30/35 lbs	29/35/40/45/50/55 lbs
Type	R/L or L/R	L/R (depends on seller)	R only
Brace Height	7" 1/2 - 8" 1/4	7" 1/2 - 8"	7"
Riser	Wood	Wood	Lightweight Aluminum
Bushings/Holes	Brass Plunger, Stabilizer, Sight, Quiver	Berger button hole for cushion plunger, holes for stabilizers and other accessories	Sight, stabilizers and other inserts
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Recommendations

Both the Samick Sage and PSE Razorback bows are excellent options for those who need a recurve that doesn’t cost too much on the budget.

These two are great options for target shooting for beginners, kids, and teens, but of course, with adult and professional supervision. Don’t forget to own a best monocular to ease this task.

Beginner students can benefit greatly with the interchangeable limbs, and the option to choose lower draw weights. The PSE Razorback Recurve is compatible for the lowest draw weight among the three bows. It’s highly recommended to start with lower numbers 20 to 30, and once familiarized with the form and balance, they can move up to heavier and more powerful ones.
The Samick Sage Recurve Bow is also a versatile one for higher archery levels. As mentioned earlier, it’s a top pick for beginners on a budget who are also looking for more value. With its higher draw weight capability, it can also be an extremely powerful bow for intermediate archers and hunters. In fact, this is my best recurve bow.
On the other hand, the Martin Jaguar Recurve Bow is primarily designed with intermediate archers in mind, but can also be used by beginners who are looking into the more durable material and added power for hunting.