Archery is a fast-growing sport that is not only fun but also nearly addicting. You only need a few basic pieces of gear in order to get started and with a little practice, anyone can start hitting their target.

Choosing the appropriate equipment is just as important as your training and experience. One of the most crucial and necessary pieces of equipment is the arrow. Choosing the right arrow requires just as much attention to detail as selecting the right bow. Without the right arrow, your bow will not reach its full potential and create a major loss in power and accuracy.

A good arrow will be extremely straight, stiff, and sized to your needs. They come in a wide variety of different stiffnesses, lengths, and arrow materials. Every shooter will be different and have a different shooting style. This means every archer will have their own preference as to which arrow type they will be shooting. All of the arrow materials will perform differently and have different intended uses such as hunting, target practice, and competitions.

Each arrow type has its own unique characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. Let’s discuss some of the most popular arrow types so you can decide for yourself which one best fits your style! Here are some of the most popular options for arrow materials available on the market today:

Wood Arrows

Benefits of Wood Arrows

Wood is the most traditional material for bows and arrows alike. They have been made out of wood for centuries and still see plenty of use to this day. Beginners naturally gravitate towards these arrows, as they are very inexpensive.

Downside of Wood Arrows

Wood arrows, however, do have a few drawbacks. They are not favored for high accuracy because they tend to have natural imperfections due to the material. They are also prone to warping, breaking, and it’s very challenging to find a uniform set. Wood arrows are generally only used in conjunction with recurves and longbows, where these disadvantages are not as crucial.

Recommendation

If you are looking for one of the cheapest options available, wood is a good option. If you are just getting started, especially with a recurve or longbow, wood arrows can be a great start. Many beginners tend to miss, break, and lose arrows when getting started, so cheaper wood arrows can help minimize that expense.

Fiberglass Arrows

Benefits of Fiberglass Arrows

Fiberglass arrows are much more reliable and consistent than wood arrows and because of this, they have many more uses. Fiberglass is usually the arrow material of choice for group archery programs and youth shooters. This is because they are very inexpensive, fairly straight, and available in a wide variety of different sizes.

All of this provides an arrow material that’s a great choice for beginner archers. They can help you decide whether or not archery is something you enjoy before investing more money into expensive equipment. Fiberglass arrows can be found at just about any archery shop or online.

Downside of Fiberglass Arrows

The downside to fiberglass arrows is that they are prone to splintering and somewhat heavy. This makes them a little more difficult to customize, reduces accuracy, and reduces the distance they can travel. This becomes crucial when you’re shooting a bow with lower draw-weight.

Recommendation

Fiberglass is generally used with recurve bows. They’re cheap, durable, and more consistent than wood. However, you can use fiberglass with a compound, but it’s less common. So if you’re just getting started and want something cheap and accurate at closer distances, fiberglass is a great option.

Aluminum Arrows

Benefits of Aluminum Arrows

Aluminum arrows are made with a lot more consistency and reliability than both wood and fiberglass arrows. They are a great choice for archers who are buying their first bow and want to be more accurate than the other two options can provide. These arrows have much more consistency with uniformity, straightness, and durability. They are available in a wide array of options for things like diameter, length, and spine (stiffness).

Aluminum arrows can be used for competitions and hunting without worrying about breaking the bank. They are more expensive than wood and fiberglass arrows, so replacing them can become pricey, but still affordable.

Downsides of Aluminum

Although they are stronger than wood and fiberglass arrows, aluminum is still prone to bending. I’ve seen this happen most when pulling arrows out of a 3D target. Arrows stick more in these foam-like targets and you or others may torque their hand while pulling. Aluminum arrows need to pulled straight out with little hand torque to keep the shaft as straight as possible.

Recommendation

Aluminum can be used for both recurve and compound bows alike. For archers who want to step up their game from wood or fiberglass, aluminum arrows are a great choice for those looking to take their speed and accuracy to the next level.

Carbon Arrows

Benefits of Carbon Arrows

Carbon arrows are the most popular choice among archers. Whether you’re hunting or target shooting, these shafts provide more speed, accuracy, and durability than the other options so far. Most carbon arrow shafts are constructed of pure carbon interwoven fibers, allowing them to fly faster and further than aluminum arrows.

Carbon arrows are reasonably priced and favored for their straight and uniform design. They are very customizable and easily one of the most popular arrow materials today. If you want an arrow that is lightweight and fast, then you can’t go wrong with carbon.

Downside of Carbon Arrows

The downside to carbon is its ability to splinter and severely injure an archer. While it doesn’t happen often (I’ve never seen an injury), there are occasions where an injury does occur. Archers should inspect their arrows for damage before shooting in order to avoid injury. Try slightly bending the shaft and if you hear it cracking, discard the arrow.

Carbon arrows are also pricier than wood, fiberglass, and aluminum arrows. However, if you’re consistent enough to stay on target, then you may consider upgrading to carbon. Not only will you shoot more accurately, but they will last.

Recommendation

Despite the downsides, carbon arrows continue to be one of the most popular options out on the market today. They provide a great blend of durability, quality, and price. While a little pricier than the other options on our list, they still are very reasonable, even for beginners. If you want one of the best shooting and most accurate arrow materials, you can’t go wrong with carbon.

Composite Arrows

Benefits of Composite Arrows

Composite arrows are the material of choice for competition shooters, Olympians, and world champion competitors. These are also used by bowhunters who want the best possible arrows for the hunt. They are usually made of an aluminum carbon composite and are the straightest, most uniform arrows available. Composite arrows are designed for long-range shooting and have many options for spine, diameter, and length.

For archers who want the highest quality arrows that money can buy, these are it. Not only are they extremely accurate, but they rarely break or splinter. You get speed, straightness, durability, and precision when shooting a quality composite arrow. Of course, this all comes at a cost.

Downside of Composite Arrows

Composite arrows are very expensive when compared to the other materials we’ve covered, so archers who regularly lose or break arrows should avoid them. They are also harder to get match to a specific bow and are usually only used by more advanced archers.

Recommendation

Beginners tend to avoid the higher cost and more technical aspects associated with composite arrows. However, if you want the best money can buy and have a knowledgeable archery shop that can tune them to your bow, composite arrows can easily be the fastest, most accurate, and most durable option available today.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many different options available when it comes to arrow materials and types. Choosing the right arrow for your bow could be extremely easy or it might be a little more challenging depending on your style, setup, and budget. Just remember, you can have the best bow in the world but if you are using the wrong arrow type for your shooting style, you will never improve your results.

Obviously someone throwing a few arrows in the backyard will need something different than a competitive archer. Take your intended needs into consideration when choosing an arrow type and how much you can afford to spend.

No matter which arrow type you decide, the most important thing is to practice and become proficient. Every type of arrow can be accurate if you have the proper training and practice. All it takes is practice and consistency. After a little bit of research, pick an arrow type that you think is best for you, and get out there and practice!